What Would Jonathan Think?

After our final evening service on the Oakhurst Campus tonight, I had the privilege of showing Phil and Maye Jepson around our new building on the Southridge Campus. They were in town for the memorial service of Phil's aunt, Margaret Hughart. They saw what Phil's parents, Reid and Mary Grayce Jepson, did not and will not see since they are now with the Lord.

Phil was a small child when his dad, Reid Jepson, served as the first pastor of Bible Center. He watched as his father led the fledgling church to relocate from a renovated house on Broad Street to a brand new building built specifically for Bible Center. Every location the church met in prior to this new location on the Kanawha Boulevard in 1956 was either rented or purchased space that had been renovated for worship services and Bible classes. Phil remembers that first building the congregation every built. He saw Bible Center during one of its many growth spurts.

Both Maye and Phil were extremely complimentary of our new building. They were a great encouragement to me regarding the excellence and opportunity the building represents. We had a great time looking through the building. At one point in the children's theatre on level one, Phil remarked that his mom and dad would be pleased with how this building would be used for ministry. Maye and Phil also referenced how much their grandchildren would enjoy learning about God's Word in the new children's ministry area of Bible Center.

They were a blessing and encouragement to me. They could look back and see how Reid and Mary Grayce Jepson would celebrate what God is doing through Bible Center. Plus, they were able to envision how the next generation, including their own kids and grandkids, would be touched for the Lord through our ministry in the new Southridge building. Wonderful!

On the way home from our tour, I could not help but imagine what my son, Jonathan, would think if he, fifty years from now, was allowed to walk through the new facilities of the future Bible Center.

I hope he would find a church still Bible-centered and Jesus-focused! I hope he would see a church adapting its methods to reach the next generation without compromising its message! I hope he would find a church that celebrates its rich heritage of faithful servants while seeking to develop new ones! I hope he would find a church family passionate about seeing others come to, grow in, live for, and talk about Jesus!

I hope that is what Phil Jepson found tonight on that tour!

He and his sister Priscilla saw their dad and mom over the span of a decade and a half invest their blood, sweat, and tears in the early and very fragile years of Bible Center's development. From what I know, hear, and read about both Reid and Mary Grayce Jepson, they would be thrilled at what God is doing in and through the people of Bible Center Church.

What a joy to have Phil and Maye join us for this special, final evening service and to take them on a tour of our new building!

May Bible Center be faithful to share Jesus and His Word with each successive generation! Maybe, just maybe, Jonathan will see how what we are doing today is still impacting the Charleston community and the world half a century from now!