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| Pastor's Corner |
Meet our Pastor
Jess Smith Jr. was born in Brownfield, TX January 28, 1949. He was saved at an early age and attended church faithfully with his family. He was educated at Baylor University and in 1970 married Becky Lyth. He has pastored in Texas and Colorado before coming to Alabama. He holds degrees from Luther Rice and George W. Truett Seminaries. Jess and Becky have two married sons, Josh, currently in surgical residency at Vanderbilt in Nashville and Nate, currently a youth pastor in Memphis. They rejoice in their two godly daughters-in law, Kelly and Emily, and three grandsons, Clay Nathanael, Thomas Lyth and Henry Joshua. Jess lifts weights and works in his yard when he is not studying.
It is Brother Jess’ great joy and desire to preach, teach, and strive to live God’s powerful Word and to lead others to do the same. His current life verse is I Corinthians 2:2, "For I am determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." He has served as Senior Pastor of Providence Baptist Church since its inception on May 4, 2003.
Servant Leadership
June 15 article click here...
An Open Letter to President Obama
March 17, 2009
Dear Mr. President:
Congratulations on your historic election to the White House. Please know of our continued prayers for you and your family as you serve as the president of the United States. May our great and awesome God grant you wisdom, strength and courage as you lead this nation.
The purpose of my letter, sir, is to state my strong disapproval and sadness at your recent decisions concerning abortion and stem cell research. To remove Mr. Bush’s executive order to prohibit the funding of abortions outside the United States in her territories was most troubling. Then to overthrow a prohibition to fund stem cell research that destroys embryos was unethical and unnecessary. The abortion industry is a tragic mark on the soul and conscience of this nation. The killing of unborn children is both deplorable and reprehensible. To add to that the destruction of unborn babies for the sole purpose of harvesting their embryonic cells and tissues in the hope of discovering treatments for diseases affecting older and larger human beings is beyond comprehension. This is nothing less than the signing of a death warrant for these precious, helpless children. This decision cannot be understood as a matter of science only. It was and is both a moral and ethical decision. I cannot help but believe that it is also driven by political motivations and agendas. These kinds of decisions, along with the continuing support of Roe vs. Wade brings this nation closer and closer to losing its conscience and drifting into an immoral abyss. It is very possible that the economic woes this nation is now experiencing represent a measure of judgment against our country for our callous and measured disregard for the lives of the unborn.
Human trials using stem cells from non-embryonic sources have produced therapies for at least 73 ailments in human beings, despite the fact that such cells are not considered pluripotent, according to Do No Harm, a coalition promoting ethics in research. Extracting non-embryonic stem cells does not harm the donor. In addition, scientists have discovered in the last 16 months ways of converting adult cells into cells that have nearly the identical properties of embryonic ones. Such cells are labeled induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. (Reported by Tom Stone of Baptist Press, March 9, 2009)
As an African-American you know very well what it means for a class of people to be subjected to mistreatment, abuse and even slavery. To have been considered less than human was deplorable. The same consideration has now been applied to the unborn and must also be
changed. These are viable human beings and must be extended the same rights as any other human being in this great land. Your statement is that, “In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent (choice between sound science and moral values). As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research - and the warrant and conscience to do so responsibly.” As a person of faith, I would encourage you to read and meditate upon Psalm 139. The truths of that text shout at us about the viability of life in the womb. If we are to care for each other, that includes those who are yet to be born, and that carries with it a commitment to protect and defend them. It is most noble to want to ease human suffering. But it is most immoral and dishonorable to destroy human life in sterile operating rooms and laboratories in order to advance a political or scientific agenda. I would encourage you to speak with women who have had abortions and listen to the pathos in their voices when describing the loss and suffering endured. There is no humanity in destroying embryos and there is no responsibility of conscience to do so. Our responsibility to humanity is to protect, defend and honor, not to destroy. These embryos are not chattel or property to be cast away. These are lives.
I know that your administration rightly opposes torture as a means of interrogation for our enemies. Yet you are willing to sanction and support abortion and now the destruction of human embryos. Does this not appear to be hypocritical? To protect the rights of enemy combatants whose sole intent is to destroy this nation, is just and fair under the Geneva Convention. How much more should we uphold the rights of the unborn? It concerns me that this new order will open the door to overturn the Dickey-Wicker Amendment that was passed in 1996.
As a Christian, a citizen, a father, a grandfather and a pastor, I implore you to rethink your position and have the courage to do what is moral, ethical and absolutely necessary in the defense and protection of the unborn.
Sincerely,
Jess Smith
Created on 05/08/2004 04:07 PM by admin
Updated on 03/29/2009 08:30 PM by msellers
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| Church Info |
Click here for map.
Sunday School 9:00am
Worship 10:15am
K-Groups
Wednesdays 6:00pm
Adult Choir Rehearsal
Wednesdays 7:45pm
Children's Choir Rehearsal
Sundays 8:30am
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