Justin Segner
Proff. Thomas Maltmann
English 1101-09
2/1/2017
For Christ’s Sake
Over the years, we’ve seen many different facets of Christianity come and go around the world. Christianity is just one of the many different steadfast religions that can help accompany one’s necessity for spiritual growth. Today, there are about 2.2 billion followers of Christ and his teachings. Christians devote their life to upholding the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, son of David. Whom taught a multitude of his lessons on forgiveness, healing, serenity, and the proper conduct of a successful life. All of which are contained in the Bible throughout various gospels, written by his twelve disciples. After the death of Christ, his disciples formulated the foundation for the church on which Christianity would arise over the years to come. Making way for generations of pastors (teachers) to pass on the proper conduct of what a devoted Christian should be. It’s through these pastors that one can gain a better understanding of what Christianity is and what it means to be on the path of success.
Senior pastor Mac Hammond of Living Word Christian Center, a humble, five-o-clock shadow, gray-haired, and highly knowledgeable man. Whom graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Soon after, applied for his wings in the Air Force as an office commissionaire and promptly reported for his arduous pilot training down at Moody air Force base in Georgia; receiving his wings in November 1966. Continuing his passion for leadership into dedicating his time to two long tours in the Southeast Asia, acquiring 198 combat missions in total. Earning the rank of Captain after being honorably discharged later in 1970. His expletory achievements and disciplined background persistently reflect upon his pastoral passions for Christianity and what a life for Christ can do for one’s success in life.
“A pilot never stop accruing knowledge”
One of the prerequisites to becoming a devoted Christian in the eyes of Mac is to have patience in your faith. Mac holds a tenacious sense of proficiency in his tenets concerning faith based persistence. “We see people reach a level of fame or accomplishment in business and we assume our lives can become like theirs. We tend to ignore the fact that overnight success is most often preceded by years of faithfulness.” Just as a carpenter builds his projects one nail at a time. Mac holds to the idea that goals fall under this very same principle and can only be reached one day at a time. So, by developing faith day by day one can ensure a more successful life in Christ. If you want to reach a higher understanding of Christianity, Mac challenges you to follow this admonition from the infamous Beethoven. “Then let us all do what is right, strive with all our might toward the unattainable, develop as fully as we can the gifts God has given us, and never stop learning”
However, patience in your faith isn’t the only imperative practice one should develop in their Christianity but also, providing space for other religions and beliefs. “To not let anger, get in the way for anger is not an argument.” To allow an opportunity to arise from conflict. Mac personal beliefs, asking the right questions is paramount to discovering what people can know. In other words, are your questions providing opportunity or they simply dictating? Rather, ask questions to help others find the answer to their faith. Help them identify, rather than persecute the reason behind their decisions. “Remember you’re not a dictator for Christ but a servant based on your actions to help others grow.” Conflict, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily as bad as it is. We often exaggerate the conflict at hand and hold these tendencies in our thoughts which in turn speak through our actions; often overlooking the greater opportunity and perspective that could be had.
Christianity spans across the entire world and its followers rely on the knowledge of their pastors to help guide them in their attainment for spiritual growth. One Pastor that has influenced many on how to become a better Christian for over thirty-five year is a pastor named, Mac Hammond. His church started out with twelve people and over the years has grown into a growing multitude of about eleven thousand members today. Bring forth a Maranatha Christian Academy for grade pre-k through twelfth-grade school, prayer notes newsletters, and multi-faceted outreaches both in the city and online, providing the world and its local community a better understanding of what Christianity is and what it means to be on the path of success.
