Fourteenth Graduation Week – Great Blessings

Joy abounded during the fourteenth annual Alumni/Graduation Week at Heritage Baptist College. The theme this year was “Holding Fast and Going Forward.” The 12 different messages, the various events, and the special fellowship blessed the hearts of all those who participated.

This was the eleventh year that the Graduation Week was held on the campus at Hopewell. All in attendance experienced the Lord doing a special work.

The Highlights:

Graduation / Alumni Banquet

Gray Brother’s Cafeteria catered the Spring Banquet for Heritage Baptist College. For the fifth time, we held this banquet on a Tuesday evening, and we were pleased at the good attendance.

The Alumni Banquet featured the music of Pastor Sam Gabbard and his wife, Kim. The gymnasium was spaced out and filled as Dr. Harry Strachan, from Ashland, OH delivered a special message on the “Second Coming of Christ” that set the atmosphere for the banquet offering.

The banquet goal of $10,000 was generously reached during the closing offering. To God be the Glory!

Alumni Fish Fry

The Alumni Fish Fry was again moved to Wednesday lunch this year, following the morning preaching in the chapel.

The special meal delighted everyone. Brother Harvey Shilling, with helpers Leethon Rexroat and Gary Walden, fried 350 Indiana crappie fillets. Brother Shilling not only fried the fish, but earlier he had caught and cleaned them too.

Mrs. Tootie Vaughan and Carol Kelley added to the fish with their extra fixings to form a delicious meal.

Wednesday Combined Church Rally

For the fifteenth year, Heritage Baptist College sponsored the Wednesday night local church rally.

The preacher of the evening was Dr. Tom Wallace of Murfreesboro, TN. Dr. Wallace brought a wonderful Bible- centered message that fed us from the Word of God.

Closing Service

On Thursday night, May 5th, we enjoyed a special concluding service. Friends and family gathered to listen to two of the preacher boys bring short messages. The evening was capped when Dr. Gary Beatty, of First Baptist Church in Boca Grande, FL delivered the closing address. Brother Beatty challenged those in attendance with his message and his love for the Lord.

Twice in Prison

Three hundred and fifty years ago this month, a Baptist preacher was finally released from his jail sentence. On May 9, 1672, John Bunyan “rolled his few shabby garments into a bundle, put his Bible and (Foxes) Book of Martyrs under his arm with the bulky manuscript story of his dream...” (Brittain, Vera. Valiant Pilgrim. New York: MacMillan Co. 1950. p. 276). John Bunyan had been in prison for nearly twelve years.

In the fall of 1660, John Bunyan had been apprehended while preaching in a farm house in Lower Samsell. The English government, under the guise of stopping rebellion, had issued a law forbidding the assembling of people for services. John Bunyan was well aware of this statute, and he also knew that the constable was on his way to arrest him. This would mean prison. Writing later, Bunyan stated: “I was resolved.” (p. 188)

That day John Bunyan was arrested, and he began his battle in the courts with his years behind bars. John Bunyan was arrested for preaching, and as time went on, he was offered a reprieve, if only he would pledge not to preach. This John Bunyan could not do, and so he remained until May of 1672 when the government granted his release.

By the time John Bunyan gained his freedom, he was a well-known preacher. Throngs would come to hear him, and he helped start many churches throughout his county of Bedfordshire. Yet, John Bunyan would find himself in prison once again a few years later - this time for six months.

In prison, life slowed down again, and John Bunyan finished his previous manuscript: “Story of a Dream.” We now know that book as Pilgrim’s Progress, the greatest Christian allegory ever written. That book, which is cited by some as the first English novel, has never been out of print, and it has been translated into more than 200 languages.

John Bunyan endured a second imprisonment and completed his greatest work.

The Lord always knows what is best!

Closing Thought

My family and I have so enjoyed the past fifteen years of training students at Heritage Baptist College. We feel blessed, especially this year, as Lilliana with assistance, walked up onto the platform. We serve a great God, and we love to instill that thought into each of our students.

Thank you so much for your love, your prayers, and your support, especially as this Covid Crisis begins to wind down.