From the Heart of your minister and friend, Mickey Burleson

November 15, 2018 – Can you believe that next Thursday is Thanksgiving? Morrilton, Arkansas is certainly beautiful this time of the year.  As you travel I-40 west from Little Rock about 50 miles north and west on the Arkansas River at the foot of Petit Jean State Park you’ll come to the only “Morrilton” in the United States of America.  As you exit I-40 just look up to the top of the ridge and see God’s handiwork of just about every color; green, gold, silver, yellow, tan, and brown.  Make a slight right turn and drive about a mile.  On the right you’ll see our beautiful Morrilton High School with Devil Dog Stadium and our new Devil Dog Arena.  Look left and you’ll see our property at 906 E. Harding Street; the meeting place of the Harding Street Church of Christ.  I can almost watch the Devil Dog’s play football from my office.  What a prime location for preaching the gospel and showing and sharing Jesus’ grace to the world.

Cindi and I will close on our new house in Morrilton this week and plan on moving right in. We plan to host an open house for the church sometime early December, Lord willing. I have a mighty long list of “honey-do’s.”  What do they say?  “The longest journey begins with but a single step.”

The ministry at the Harding Street Church of Christ is moving forward with God’s rich grace and provision.  This Sunday (18^th) I will introduce our plan to lay a solid foundation for the church in the appointment of elders to serve and lead us to ever greater service.  We will also look at the qualifications of an elder.  We plan to appoint elders first then continue to the appointment of deacons.  Here is the plan in a “nutshell.”

This Sunday, November 18 – Distribute Elder Recommendation Forms – Forms are located on the table in the lobby.  Turn in forms to Brother Bane or Brother Burleson.  Forms will be kept confidential.  Instructions are on the Recommendation Forms.  Only signed forms will be considered.
(The church will have 2 weeks for consideration and filling out forms.)

Sunday, December 2 – All Recommendation Forms to be turned in to Brother Bane or Brother Burleson by evening service.

(Ministers will then meet with the men who have been recommended to discuss desire and qualifications.)

Sunday, December 9 – Announcement to the church of those who have been recommended.

(The church will have 2 weeks for prayer, consideration of those placed before the church, and discussion with ministers as to the qualification or disqualification of those recommended.)

Sunday, December 23, Lord willing – Official Appointment of Elders of the Harding Street Church of Christ.

We’ll see how it goes.  God is so good to us. Our only desire is to serve His will and purpose.  Take a look in your Bible in Titus 1 and read about Titus’ commission from the Apostle Paul: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you…”  Paul then gives Titus the Holy Spirit’s list of characteristics that would qualify a man to serve as an elder of the church of Christ.  Now just change “Titus” to “Mickey” and “Crete” to “Morrilton.”