Ministerial Alliance report
Pastor Chad Edgington will be hosting a prayer over the students for the upcoming school year at First Baptist Church Sanctuary on Sunday, August 20 at 6 PM.
In the ministry for 15 years now, Pastor Chad recently earned his Master’s degree. Having heard God’s Call while working as a lawyer, he started helping out at his local church. One thing led to another and eventually led to his ministry today.
This community prayer over the students for the upcoming year has been going on for several years. In the past, it involved walking around the school, but this year Pastor Chad has decided to take it up a notch and hold a fullscale prayer meeting over the students at his church.”This year, we are going to host a community prayer meeting at BBCO to pray for the teachers and students as they begin their new school year,” he said.
The prayer meeting aims to help show how faith should be incorporated into every part of our lives. The idea is that prayer shouldn’t just be part of major decisions or actions, but a daily component of living. Pastor Chad believes the best way to spread The Gospel is to lead a good Godly life as an example to others. The early Christians began their ministry by founding orphanages and hospitals to care for the sick and the abandoned. In the same way, a quietly lived Christian life to- day reflects the Image of Christ for others to see.
When asked how he would respond to the critics who say that he is bringing religion into the realm of public education, Pastor Chad said he understood the concerns, but ultimately finds this conclusion unfounded. He notes the prayer meeting is completely optional for everyone, that no public funds are in play and the event isn’t being hosted at the school itself. Pastor Chad and those of us in the Olney Ministerial Alliance believe that it is the responsibility of parents and the church to help students embrace and grow in their faith… not the teachers.
When asked if the people could be left with a single message about the prayer meeting, Pastor Chad cited Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.”
The Prayer meeting will be hosted by the Olney Ministerial Alliance with most of the churches in the community represented. The Ministerial