I am incapable of sharing with you how much my relationship with three men for 28 years has been used by Gods grace to challenge me concerning the sufficiency of the love of Christ and assisted me in staying focused on Christ while warning me of the inevitable markers in my life which display my seemingly unstoppable tendency to walk away from Christ. Juanita Ash, left, receives a certificate from Briarwood Baptist Church acknowledging her nearly 70 years of teaching Sunday at two churches. I am so grateful that you, who served the Lord in meeting the needs of many who were devastated in this disaster did so by pointing them to Christ as you ministered to them. Her family has always been involved in the church since Briarwood started 37 years ago. Secondly, accountability groups are simply a mechanism, albeit a biblical one. I am thankful for every day. accounts, the history behind an article. Simply stated, we must forever be diligent in Gospel preaching to blow up the dam of legalism that obstructs the river of life while simultaneously cleaning up the creek of licentiousness which would pollute the river of life.. The Yext script you entered is empty or incorrect: . Let us show you how our accurate B2B company and contact data can help you reach the right decision makers and close more deals. Call and. Many of us in the PCA are a generation removed from the era when the Founding Fathers of the Presbyterian Church in America out of necessity took a clear and thoughtful stand against the encroaching and debilitating liberalism infecting the church with a vengeance in the 1940s to the 70s. Barker presided over the First General Assembly of what was then called the National Presbyterian Church, served on the missions committee and the constitution committee, and led the gathered elders in worship. That impacted our lives so much.. Copyright 2022 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact of the matter is they just might hate sin because they know the sinfulness of sin and the effects of sin, not only in their lives, but in the lives of others including their family and those to whom they minister. Winds light and variable. I think Ill keep my accountability group because in it I have men who realize the Bible warns of TWO Gospel errors, not just one. I thank God publicly for those committed to warn me of the death traps of sin and who propel me to the joys of loving Christ and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. I thank God for those who love me enough to warn me against legalism while not allowing me to be drawn into the snares of licentiousness and antinomianism. On Nov. 22, 1963 there were two deaths. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. He beat two other candidates for the job, and his victory was seen at the time as a signal of the denominations commitment to evangelism, missions, and church planting. She turns 90 later this year. When you love deeply, you grieve deeply. John did not leave the land of the living for the land of the dead. She is faithful.. Briarwood encourages family ministry (activities which engage the entire family) wherever possible, and various families host events for the church throughout the year. When I did that, life began to change dramatically.. Born Juanita Elder, she grew up going to Bishop Baptist Church. The Rev. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m., morning worship at 10:30, with evening services at 5 p.m. Wednesday prayer meeting is at 6 p.m. The school officially changed its policy to allow Black students to apply for admission in 1970 after the Internal Revenue Service threatened to revoke the tax-exempt status of what were called segregation academies. That year the school doubled in size, growing from 210 students to about 500. It is the lack of integrity and/or the inappropriate content of the participants. I am so grateful that you have done what you have done in a manner purposed to exalt the preeminence of Christ and have not fallen into the trap of exalting ourselves or using the occasion as a commercial to promote our church. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Chance of precipitation is 40%. You also agree to receive information and offers relevant to our services via email and you may opt-out at any time. His favorite teaching ministry may well have been the Reformation and Confession of Faith course which he taught for all new members at Briarwood. John loved all of the ministries of the church worship, evangelism, shepherding, the Sacraments but he was specifically drawn to the initiative of disciple-making through Christian education. Survey finds they seek counseling and support at higher rates than in secular schools. I think Ill keep my accountability group because I want to see Christ and because I know since I have died to sin I dont want to sign any secret peace treaties with sin. She continues to read, though she says she is a slow reader. Your reward is great in Heaven., Pastor Reeder, do accountability groups foster moralism and self righteousness? Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Winds light and variable. Each person in our body has a unique ability to reach those within their sphere of influence, and no two peoples ministry endeavors looks exactly the same.

Four years later, when representatives from 260 congregations decided to break away and form a new conservative Presbyterian denomination, they gathered at Briarwood. This is a placeholder for the Yext Knolwedge Tags. When he retired in 1999, Briarwood had more than 4,000 members and the church endowed a chair of evangelism and missions at Westminster Theological Seminary. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. She said she played at the piano but felt her training was inadequate for that task. Our Purpose is: "For God's glory, Briarwood is committed to equipping Christians to worship God and to reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ.". They argued that the churchs mission of winning people to Jesus Christ was fatally compromised by overemphasis on social, economic, and political mattersin particular the agitation over racial segregation. He believed the extra effort would help him earn Gods forgiveness. According to Barkers daughter Peggy Barker Townes, he personally led about 10,000 people to Christ and discipled countless more in Birmingham, around Alabama, and across the Southeast. I think I will keep my accountability group because I know my wife and children as well as my flock desire me to do so and would probably be deeply and rightfully concerned if I was so arrogant as to use the Doctrines of Grace to put myself beyond the need for accountability. He left the land of the dying for the land of the living! Image: Briarwood Presbyterian Church / edits by Rick Szuecs, Mother: "I told God, 'You can have him, but it had better be good. Today, Briarwood Christian School is considered one of the best elementary schools in the Birmingham area. We are currently journeying through the Book of James. Tensions between conservatives and liberals in the Southern Presbyterian Church continued to grow as liberal leaders sought reunification with the Northern Presbyterians, who issued a new confession in 1967 calling Christians to the work of reconciliation, including racial reconciliation. So when she studies the Bible now, it is just as likely to be on an iPad as in a bound volume. Woodrow worked for the Thaxton family in the turkey business. In the words of one of his close friends and an elder colleague, John Spencer was a churchman in the truest sense of the word out of love to Christ, his Lord and Savior. The loss of a man like John Spencer will be and should be felt deeply in his family, the community, his church and denomination. Of course, having been in a longstanding accountability group I immediately rose to the bait. I think Ill keep my accountability group because I have in my life men who will not let me thoughtlessly develop that secret life of licentiousness, nor the legalistic life of moralism, nor the arrogance of thinking that I dont need accountability as I descend into the ignorance of assuming that it might be a hindrance to my joy and freedom in Christ. Archaeologists Uncover First-Known Depictions of Jael and Deborah, Ravi Zacharias Hid Hundreds of Pictures of Women, Abuse During Massages, and a Rape Allegation, Survey: Most Pastors Dont See Deconstruction in the Pews, Search Firm: No Systemic Abuse at Saddleback Successors Former Church, Missionary Pilots Fly Endangered Gazelles to Safety. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Christian Teen Who Inspired with "Clouds" Dies of Cancer, At Religious Schools, Gen Z Students Are Breaking Mental Health Stigmas. You have permission to edit this article. Threats of harming another But also, licentiousness or antinomianism. Rev. One most of you will remember. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. Swipe right to left for next article. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Perhaps one of the most meaningful was the Men of the Covenant small group discipleship meetings each Friday at 6:30AM. We'd love to hear eyewitness

Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. I am also grateful that there were no well-meaning but I believe counter-productive t-shirts pointing to our church or ourselves individually but only your words and deeds directing men and women to the love of Christ and the Gospel of Christ. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4. Frank Barker Jr., the founding pastor of one of the flagship congregations of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), died on December 27. We dont really know how many years she taught, said Rick Standard, her pastor. Perhaps I was driven by a defensive motivation, but I was actually much more compelled by the fact that, aside from my marriage, the accountability relationship which I have enjoyed for 28 years is perhaps the most Christ-centered, Gospel-driven, grace-saturated, sin-destroying experience in the entirety of my Christian life. A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Paul G. Settle, considered the first member of the PCA, listed Compromise of the Spiritual Mission of the Church as the first concern of conservative Presbyterians, followed by Union with non-Reformed Bodies.. After a difficult first year in ministry, though, Barker wondered if he was even really a Christian.

Barker, allied with the conservatives, avoided involvement in the civil rights movement.

As a member of the Pulaski County Baptist Association, Missouri Baptist Association, and the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Briarwood cooperates through giving and prayer with other like-minded churches for the purpose of local, national, and global outreach. Briarwood is a church which loves to be in Gods Word! Before she came to Briarwood, she vacated the ladies Sunday school class and taught a younger age. For all of these reasons and many more, John Spencer deserves to be remembered as a man of God, a Godly husband and father, a faithful witness to Christ in the community and a dependable servant leader in our Lords Church. From what I understand, she only took two or three years off when she had children before she started back.. These men and their love for Christ and their love for me has enhanced, encouraged and propelled me in the joys of salvation by grace as well as the call to responsible living for Christ because of grace. He personally led more than 10,000 to Christ and grew Briarwood Presbyterian from a storefront to a megachurch. One of the most foundational and rewarding experiences in the life of a believer is the personal way in which they feel called by God through His Word to minister for His Kingdom. Gods not going to just give this thing away!. The Yext Knowledge Tags are successfully installed and will be added to the website. News $30 per thousand reads up to $200 per post. He has greatly blessed our stepping out in faith. Copyright 2022 Lusha Systems Ltd. All Hymn Sings, Ice Cream Socials, Wally-Ball Tournaments, Bonfires, Roller Skating, Hayrides, Fishing Parties, and Picnics are some of the things weve enjoyed doing as a church over the years. Please take a moment to read this text and then my two thoughts. In her decades as a teacher, she has taught practically every age, from children on up, but mostly adults. Each Saturday morning found John at either Dr. Frank Barkers or Dr. Lamar Thomas prayer breakfast. Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. John Spencer, a faithful member of Briarwood for almost 50 years beginning in 1964 as he arrived simultaneously with Briarwoods move from the Storefront to its first church building. A verse that has stuck with her is James 1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.. Once, according to a story he frequently retold, he fell asleep at the wheel of a car while doing 60 mph between Birmingham and Pensacola, Florida. Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), is located in Birmingham, Alabama. My first personal encounter with John and Emalyn Spencer was in the fall of 1983. Men of God like John Spencer are needed in even greater numbers for the church-at-large and the PCA in particular. She married Woodrow Ash in 1947. I had a choice of playing piano or teaching Sunday school, said Ash. I believe in the plurality of leadership because I know that when one leader is above accountability you may receive the blessings of his strengths but you will also receive the curse of his weaknesses. Henson felt the call to ministry but avoided it for almost two years. Recently some believers whom I respect greatly approached me with that question knowing that I have been in an accountability group for nearly 3 decades and that part of my discipleship ministry is encouraging what I call a band of brothers or a circle of sisters. A band of brothers would be men who covenant together to commit themselves to Christ-centered, Gospel-centered, Spirit-filled relationship of nurture, encouragement and accountability. Henson and Briarwood Baptist Church welcomes all to come and attend worship services. He also built and established the golf driving range at the corner of Elder Road and Hog Mountain Road. $10 per thousand reads up to $50 per post. He swerved off the road and crashed. My first thought is just a pastoral observation of thanksgiving to the Lord. Discover the practices of the best performing sales teams, Trusted by 280,000+ revenue teams of all sizes, By clicking Submit or signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Subscribe to CT We raised our children in and out of church, Mrs. Henson said. Don't Threaten. It is in these personal life experiences that we often find the strongest elements of growth in our church, as people forge connections in an intimate way that the church at large may not and gives us each the opportunity to serve others by caring and sharing of the wonderful joys and blessing that we each possess as believers in Christ. Keep it Clean. He would fill in at different churches over the next few years. Taking the Lords Name in Vain Without Swearing, God Wanted Me When the Foster-Care System Didnt. that is degrading to another person. But the Bible tells us to reach out to others, so I had to discipline myself to do that.. They realize there was a reason the Holy Spirit inspired the content of the books of Second Peter, Jude, Hebrews and I John, as well as the needed warnings against legalism in Galatians. In August of the same year, the Hensons both surrendered to the Lord. Even more, such groups promote a narcissistic Christianity centered upon the performance of the believer instead of the grace of God, the joys of salvation and the freedom of Christian liberty. Interestingly, the heresy of antinomianism/licentiousness gets more ink in the New Testament than legalism. I started trying to straighten up.. Annie Bray, one of the pillars of the church, according to Ash, had to step down from teaching the teens to care for her ailing husband. Also, could it not be that because of their love to Him they desire to keep His commandments? The Adult Sunday School Class and Wednesday Evening Bible lessons are filled with doctrinal and applicational truths and draw people in as they create a hunger for a more serious grasp of who God is, and what He is teaching us in His revealed Word. Thats wrong, Barker said to the chaplain. On Mothers Day, 2008, he surrendered to the ministry. He gave me some strong marching orders: Dont ever let a year in the life of your church go by that you are not personally equipping the people of your church to share their faith, said Randy Pope, who founded a PCA church in the Atlanta suburbs in 1977. John, along with fellow ruling elders, supported their Pastors with courage and fortitude, standing firmly yet graciously, boldly yet with humility for the inerrancy of the Word of God, the vitality of the Reformed faith and a relentless commitment to fulfill the Great Commission. So, I think I will keep my accountability group as we nurture, encourage, admonish, rebuke and exhort one another since these are simply Biblical commandments and I dont think I have a greater grasp of grace than the Christ who put these relational commandments in His Word. Finally, as the Chairman of the World Missions Committee, early in the life of Briarwood he was instrumental in introducing Briarwoods Faith Promise Offering commitment while supporting the Sessional policy requiring 50% of all giving at Briarwood to be directed to missionary causes outside of Briarwood in local, national, global mission and mercy initiatives. I have to go through it word by word, she said. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. Swipe left to right for previous article.

Henson and his wife, Sabrina, residents of Pine, are the parents of four children and are blessed with four grandchildren. person will not be tolerated. rights By 1968, practically every doctrine held precious by Gods people had been denied, rejected, ridiculed, or at least called into question in the denominations official publications, pronouncements, policies, or programs, Settle wrote in an official PCA history. Most of all, it is simply rooted in a Biblical concept that, along with other such concepts, caused me to become a Presbyterian. Use the 'Report' link on I know my flock needs for me to constantly be aware of the various ways Satan would assault me and ensnare me because he knows if he strikes down the shepherd the sheep will scatter. But another significant reason I am a convinced Presbyterian is that it is the only system I have found where every Christian, every church and every family is accountable to someone and therefore enabled to live out organically and organizationally the one another passages. racist or sexually-oriented language. Sunday School is at 9:45 AM, and Wednesday Study Time is at 7:00 PM. Contact Candice Hunt at 573-937-9402 for details. Shortly after, Rev. But even more so must be the grief of a devoted wife, Emalyn, three children, John Jr., Ginger and Janie along with 4 grandchildren who now deal with an extraordinary vacuum which only the Lord of glory can fill. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. They had to take up the floor and bring in the water. Eddie Henson has been welcomed as the new pastor at Briarwood Baptist Church in Stateline. Briarwood is a church which strongly encourages the individual believer to look for ways to minister to others around them, both inside the church body, and outside as well. Finally convinced that God did, in fact, just give this thing away, the young minister accepted Jesus free gift. John provided leadership for Christian Education Committees, not only at Briarwood but also, in the Evangel Presbytery and the General Assembly. They had four children: Weyman, Linda [Haygood], Gloria [Faulkner] and Beverly [Shivar]. Look at what he does to distort Christianity through heretical preaching; but I would not dismiss preaching because of the distortions any more than I would dismiss accountability groups and the principle of accountability because of its misuse by some. Granted, we very seldom employ the Biblical system of being submissive to one another in a consistent, healthy, vibrant and effective manner. The second reason is Johns devotion, specifically to the task of Christian Education in the church. In the following years, Barker always charged young PCA pastors to place a high priority on evangelism. I think Ill keep my accountability group since the freedom I have in Christ is not the absence of accountability but the joy of accountability. After serving at another church, he moved to be pastor at Briarwood. My pastoral privilege has been to observe it, participate in it and be instructed by it as it has been gloriously manifested and continues to grow though the crisis has passed. In the summer of 2006, our youngest daughter went to a local church for Vacation Bible School. I had totally missed that salvation was about grace, he later said. Yes, I think Ill keep my accountability group and Ill keep teaching others to employ accountability groups like the one that has blessed me because it is a divinely designed means of grace whereby the Holy Spirit and the Word of God work on me, in me and then, through me. His strength and courage woven into the fabric of compassion and humility became a contagious hallmark of Christian leadership benefitting not only Briarwood, the PCA but also numerous organizations and ministries. Traveling systematically through the Bible, one book, and one verse at a time, we learn to dig far deeper into the Scripture than we otherwise might have on our own and come away with the true fruit of hearts changed by the Holy Spirit as a result. As many of you will know, our area was recently devastated by multiple tornadoes in the space of 24 hours causing not only the loss of lives not only in our own congregation but also with the loss of property, businesses and the consequential assaults upon the dreams and hopes of many. or anything. Nor would I assume that a covenantal relationship of nurture and accountability of necessity would lead to a moralistic, pharisaical Christianity. Based on data from National Weather Service and OpenWeather. There is a cry room available for infants and toddlers, and many helping hands in and out of the sanctuary who are always willing to aid families with lots of small children! Our women's ministry centers on building each woman in our Church up in their faith, strengthening them to use their unique gifts in their lives. The next challenge: keeping foreign donors. Recognizing that the family unit is one of the biggest areas that is under spiritual attack in this age, we seek to strengthen our men through sound biblical teaching and equip them to lead their families into an ever greater understanding of the Gospel. During one of his attempts to turn from parties to the straight and narrow, Barker decided to become a minister. Ash gave up teaching because her voice has softened, and she can no longer make herself heard in her class, which includes many of her peers. When she was 18, she started teaching the teen class at Bishop Baptist. Our accountability group was basically patterned on the covenantal commitment that Jonathan and David employed. Even though John was well known for his excellence as a longtime employee of Bellsouth, being fully engaged in his family and the community and immersed in various leadership responsibilities he found the time to complete a Masters Degree in Christian Education at Birmingham Theological Seminary. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism The ancient mosaics, identified by the biblical heroines telltale tent stake, were discovered during a synagogue excavation in Galilee. In 1992, when George H. W. Bush was running for reelection, Briarwood invited Vice President Dan Quayle to speak at the church on a Sunday morning. What is Briarwood Presbyterian Church known for. Sign up for our newsletter: Why & How Should Marriage Be Honored in the Church? By his account, he went wild in high school, continued his raucous living at Auburn University, and partied his way into the US Navy, where he trained to be a jet pilot. This message will not appear on the live site, but only within the editor. The denomination formally repented of its historic support for segregation in 2016. But I would not use our imperfections or those who employ the principle of accountability wrongly as assuming that those who desire accountability and who develop a functional system of accountability must be legalistic moralists. Teaching her peers is nothing new. Be Nice. Juanita Ash went to Sunday school last week, which is nothing unusual. Johns love for the lost and evangelism was continually exhibited in living and sharing the Gospel as a way of life and providing leadership, as well as being a Trainer in the Briarwood Evangelism Ministry. This covers everything from supplying local food pantries in our county, supporting the Missouri Baptist Childrens Home for foster children, Disaster Relief efforts, local and global church plants, and supporting over 4,000 international missionaries around the world. I felt like I was in the presence of celebrity John Spencer, well known for his leadership in the PCA as well as at Briarwood and beside him his lovely wife Emalyn, the author of Christian books and Bible Studies (one of which Cindy and I had raised our daughters with A Woman that Feareth the Lord a study of the Proverbs 31 woman). He was buried at Alabama National Cemetery on January 3, and his memorial service is planned at Briarwood Presbyterian Church on January 8. By encouraging our ladies to build strong friendships, a sense of community, faithful study habits, and a love for the Lord and His Word, our families and congregation are continually blessed. Thirdly, I do find it interesting in our glorious day of recapturing the Doctrines of Grace that some grace-enlightened have appointed themselves as the grace police. Without being invited they have decided to become an accountability group for others, and without knowing the hearts of others they suspect that those who commit to an accountability group must actually be closet legalistic moralists instead of simply desiring Christ-centered nurture, grace-saturated encouragement and discerning accountability. First of all, to assume that someone in an accountability group is driven by a moralistic approach to Christianity or that accountability groups of necessity produce a self righteous, pharisaical Christianity is in my humble opinion not only unbiblical but arrogant and short-sighted at best. South wind around 5 mph. After about two years, the class begged her to come back. Barker started Briarwood Presbyterian Church in a storefront in a Birmingham suburb and grew it to a congregation of more than 4,000 by the time he retired in 1999, making it one of Alabamas first megachurches and a strong example of the PCAs commitment to evangelism. Sunday school teacher retires after nearly 70 years, Matthew Honeycutt signs with Young Harris, Grocery store and shopping center proposed at Hog Mountain Road, U.S. 78 intersection, Public-private partnership will revitalize Rocket Field, Family raises funds for childrens hospital, The Nutcracker Returns to The Classic Center for Showstopping Double Performance, Watkinsville girl interviews WWII veteran, Medical Billing and Coding Training. reserved. Briarwood did eventually get involved in politics. At the time, conservative Presbyterians concerned about the liberal forces in the denomination were opposed to churches getting involved in politics.

While he will be missed by a grateful church and denomination, a wife of 64 years, two daughters, a son, and four grandchildren, he has been welcomed into Glory where the Savior, whom He loved and served by faith, he now beholds by sight. Where is Briarwood Presbyterian Church headquarters located? The tragic assassination of JFK and the other overshadowed but perhaps an even greater loss was the homegoing of C.S. How many employees does Briarwood Presbyterian Church have?

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