The opening chapel service for the Fall Semester at Heritage Baptist College was held on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
Alumni Preacher Justin Surface brought a special message from the Bible on “Serving the Lord with a Clean Vessel,” encouraging the students and pastors to keep their lives pure and available for God to use. Besides the preaching, there was also special music and testimonies.
What a wonderful start to the new semester!
My father, Dr. Russell Dennis, Sr., celebrated his birthday every September 20th. If he were still celebrating he would have turned 90 years old this month. Instead, he now has been in heaven for over 24 years, but his legacy lives on.
His legacy lives on in his sons and grandsons. His legacy continues in the lives of preachers whom he helped train at Heritage Baptist University. His work also goes forward in the many Christians with whom he shared a portion of his life to further the cause of Christ.
My Dad had two Bibles that he interchanged between his preaching and study. He loved to highlight and write thoughts in the wide margin of each.
After my father graduated to heaven in 1998, I took the opportunity of reading through both of those Bibles and gleaning the important thoughts, transferring them into my wide margin Cambridge Bible.
One day I was plodding through I Chronicles – when my eyes and heart sprang to life. I came across a portion that Dad had highlighted in I Chronicles 29:5. The setting of the text was where David was recounting all the material he had acquired to help Solomon build the Temple. David next asked this question: Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?
Below it, in my Dad’s handwriting I saw these words: “There is no charge for my service.” He sealed the commitment by signing his initials.
I read that testimonial 24 years ago, and I have never forgotten it. That statement has helped me through lean and good times.
The Lord has done so much for us that we should gladly serve Him without restriction.
We worship a Great God!
One hundred and sixty years ago, two Indiana soldiers sat down in a grassy meadow just outside of Frederick, Maryland. Sergeant John Bloss and Corporal Barton Mitchell were part of the 27th Indiana Union Regiment fighting in the Civil War on that September 13th, 1862. They spied an envelope that had three fine cigars in it, wrapped around by a piece of paper. As they read the paper, they realized that the document was a copy of a recent Confederate order given by General Robert E. Lee to his commanders.
The document turned out to be Lee’s Special Order No. 191, instructing his forces to split into four groups as they attacked across the Potomac River in their invasion of the North. The secret document was dated September 9th, and was believed dropped by a careless courier.
After Union Major General George McClellan had received the dispatch later that day, he threw up his hands and exclaimed: “Now, I know what to do!” (Waller, Douglas, Lincoln’s Spies. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2019. p. 210-211)
Three days later, at 5:30 a.m. on September 17, 1862, commenced the Battle of Antietam, named for the creek, a tributary of the Potomac River that flows through the battlefield. That clash would be the single bloodiest day ever on American soil with over 22,000 killed, wounded, or missing. More American casualties occurred during that one battle than in the whole of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War combined.
The battle ended as a tactical victory for the north, as they pushed the Confederate Army back across the Potomac River and into the South.
The significance of that battle grew in proportion when President Abraham Lincoln, just waiting for a significant Union victory, issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The negligence of one soldier, that lost his top secret dispatch, changed history. Many died because of that careless mistake, and the battle became a major turning point for the Union Army.
As we serve in the Army of the Lord, let us follow the Bible in its precepts to diligently serve Him. Hebrew 11:6
You are invited to attend the Fall meeting of the Heritage Baptist Bible Fellowship. Pastor Denny Hankins will host the meeting on October 16-18, 2022 at Franklin Furnace Independent Baptist Church in Franklin Furnace, OH. On that Sunday the scheduled preachers are Dr. Tommy Trammel and Dr. Denny Hankins. On Monday morning Pastor Justin Surface, Dr. David Halcomb, and Pastor Ryan Brown are scheduled, while on Monday night Pastor Jim Pridemore and Evangelist Tom Wallace will be speaking. On Tuesday morning Pastor Aaron Childers, Pastor Gregg Frasure, and Pastor Bill Rains will preach, and that evening, Pastor Jason Porter, and Evangelist Tom Wallace will round out the preaching. There will be lots of special music. Please be in prayer and join us for some wonderful preaching, music, and fellowship.
We would love to see you!
Contact an Admissions Counselor TODAY and plan to visit Heritage. You can reach us at 317-738-3791