Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. II Timothy 4:2 (NIV)
I have often thought about how Paul encouraged Timothy to faithfully share the Word of God in everything he did and how we can do the same today.
I believe he was telling Timothy to give 110 percent to sharing the Word of God even when the world around him was not Christian and certainly not open to the message.
Sometimes it seems we face the same thing today. We live in a world that is openly hostile to God’s Word and it’s easy to get distracted or even discouraged by an ever-changing world that is doing so at warp speed.
I’ve been there many times.
I’m John Herndon. For more than three decades, I wrote for The Anderson News in Lawrenceburg, Ky. I started out as a free lancer, then worked my way up to sports editor, the position from which I retired on Dec. 31, 2018.
The job titles I have held over the years include sports editor and minister, but my identity is that of sinner saved by God’s grace. Like the Apostle Paul, I am constantly amazed that He could still love one who has failed Him many times. But that’s just how amazing God is.
As a junior at Anderson County High School, I was sitting with some friends at the annual athletic awards banquet as Coach Wayne King was handing out the superlatives. We’d been really good that year, going 24-7 and being ranked in the state’s Top 10 at various times throughout the season.
I was a lot short and way slow, so I had asked to be a manager just to be a part of the team. I did everything from washing uniforms to keeping stats to shooting during rebounding drills. I tell people that I am the only person in history to be yelled at for making too many shots — a true story!
Never have I been more surprised than that night when Coach King called my name as the recipient of the 110 Percent Award. As a journalist, I have received over 100 awards, but none mean more to be than the one given when I was 17 years old.
As a Christian, we can’t earn anything from God. He loves us unconditionally and Jesus has paid a debt we could never repay. But we still can give everything we have to Him.
That’s what I want to do!
I have a B.S. in Bible and Christian Ministry from Roanoke Bible College, now known as Mid-Atlantic Christian University, and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Cincinnati Christian University. I have served churches in Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina and have written for publication since 1985, most of that time with The Anderson News. I currently serve as minister of East Union Christian Church, located in Nicholas County, Kentucky.
I live in Anderson County with my wife, Stephanie, an elementary school teacher. We have five grown children and eight grandchildren.
110forchrist.com 