This year’s Summit Meetings speaker Pastor Chris Anderson joins guest host Pastor Jared Baldwin to tell a little of his story and preview the meetings.
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Episode transcript:
Chris Harper: Welcome to Harvest Time. My name is Chris Harper, and our guest host on this program is pastor Jared Baldwin executive pastor at Harvest Baptist Church. Every week we spend these 25 minutes together telling you the stories of our church, interviewing our members and other friends of the ministry. We’d like to invite you to join us at Harvest Baptist Church this weekend and in the upcoming week for summit meetings with pastor Chris Anderson. We begin this Sunday morning with 2 services, the first at 8:45 AM, the second at 10:45 AM.
We have a service on Sunday evening too. That’s at 6 PM. Then throughout the week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening at 7 PM, we’ll also be having services as well. Each summit meeting service will be carried live here on 88.1fm and khmg.org. Here’s pastor Jared Baldwin to introduce today’s guest.
Jared Baldwin: Talking to Chris Anderson, in this interview, by the time this airs, Chris will be getting on a plane on his way here to Guam, but we wanted to get him on the phone ahead of time. So, Chris, nice talking with you today.
Chris Anderson: I’m so glad to talk to you, and I’m so eager to be there. I’ve been looking forward to it since pastor asked me and been praying for god’s blessing on our time. So Awesome. Can’t wait.
Jared Baldwin: Awesome. Well and we were talking before we started doing this recording that You’ve got some connections to Guam through people that have been in your ministries, most recently in Killian Hills there in the Atlanta area. We’ve had a lot of lot of folks that have either taught here or served here in some way or another that came through your ministry there?
Chris Anderson: Yeah. A number of connections and, you know, I feel like Harvest has had such a positive influence on me and the ministries I have just by virtue of the people that have been discipled there and then eventually came here. So, you know, Doug and Karen Abels and then Nick and Julia Brown, the Jespersons, Matt, Lewis and his family. So just, just have very high regard for what the word’s done there. And thankful that we were able to borrow some of those people and that that many of them have moved on to the mission field or somewhere else.
Yep. Yeah. But god’s been been good.
Jared Baldwin: That’s neat how god uses, ministries like Killian Hills, ministries like Harvest to be a kind of a next step in ministry preparation and serving and growing in experience and discipleship and then moving on. So, we have that in common. And Yeah. I I wanted our our listening audience to hear a little bit about, your background. How did you end up in ministry, and where have you served?
Chris Anderson: Oh, that’s great. And, actually, you know, the idea of people being sent out is a big part of the story of what god’s done in my life. So, I’ll give you just a kind of a quick summary of it. I grew up in a pastor’s home. My dad was a church planter in Colorado and, planted or replanted 4 churches.
All of them still exist. They still preach the gospel, and the worries of my parents that way. So, you know, I grew up in a wanna club, heard the gospel, and, I professed to know Christ when I was 5, I think. And, I think really I I wanted to make my parents happy. I’m the youngest of 3 boys.
My brothers to trust Christ, and I baptized as I felt a little bit left out. I’m not sure I was really born again until I was, when I was a teenager, I had a very clear understanding, not just of saying a prayer, but just of kind of the the logic of the gospel that I’m a sinner. My only hope is Christ. He lived a perfect life in my place. He died a terrible, fatal death in my place, and my only hope was to repent of my sins and trust in him.
So I I’m gonna find out when I get to heaven, you know, the moment I was born again, but, but I think it was probably during my teen years. And then, at that point, it really began to grow and God called me to ministry. So I, did my training at Bob Jones and then stayed for, seminary for a few more years. And then I’ve been in in 2 churches, during my pastoral ministry. I pastored for 25 years.
The first was a church plant in Ohio. I was at a church called Grace Church of Mentor for about a year, and then they sent me out with a core group of families, maybe 20 people, and we started a church in Madison, Ohio. And, I probably was too young to be the lead pastor, But, I joked I didn’t know how to pastor and they didn’t know how to be a church. It was a church plan, but God did tremendous things. I just got to go back there for the 25th anniversary last year, which was just amazing to see what God’s done.
And then, about 12 years ago, God moved me to Atlanta, and, everything was so good in Ohio. There was no reason to leave other than I I kinda was unnecessary. I was expendable because we had other godly leaders and a church that was saved when I thought, you know, if I weren’t here, they would be fine. Maybe we should, do this again somewhere else. The lord led me to Killian Hill Baptist Church in the Atlanta area.
Much different ministry, probably more like Harvest. You know, there’s a not as not as complex as Harvest, but there’s a Christian school and just a lot more moving parts. But I pastored there for 9 years, and I really enjoyed that. And then during that time, I was serving on the board of Biblical Ministries Worldwide, just a faith based, gospel, a gospel preaching mission board that helps missionaries get to the field. And, the work did a unique work at Chilio Hill where over a course of 3 or 4 years, a dozen of our families, ended up leaving the church and either going to pastor or to church plant or go to the mission field.
Some of the people from Guam are among that group. The Lord did such unique work, and part of it just stirred my heart. What if success for the church doesn’t mean we get bigger? What if success means that sometimes we get smaller because instead of holding on to people, we’re training and deploying people? It was just such a unique season.
At that point in my life, this was about 3 years ago, I just had a sense that, boy, if I could do that, if I could, encourage people to consider missions, if I could help churches get a vision for training and deploying people rather than just holding on to them, That would be a really good use of my experience and my burdens and my gifts. So for the last, coming up on 3 years, I’ve worked for Biblical Ministries Worldwide. And, I kinda describe myself as a missions catalyst. I get to encourage missions. So sometimes that means I’m preaching in churches or colleges or conferences, camps, stuff like that.
Other times, I’m writing or I’m I’m taking mission trips to to go teach in a seminary in India or something like that. But it it’s been just a really good fit. I love what God’s called me to do. I get to I get to preach missions, beat the drum for the great commission week after week, and just really love that.
Jared Baldwin: That’s great. I believe, one of our missionaries, at least 1, John and Jamie Zimmer, are with Biblical Ministries Worldwide.
Chris Anderson: Yeah. They are some of my favorite people. In fact, I, the one time I’ve been in Guam, just a very short layover, I was going last fall. I went to Palau, and I was supposed to go and preach in the church and teach unexplainatory preaching, and they told me what a great relationship they have with Harvest. A couple of the leaders in their church, they have some young leaders that they’re preparing to pass the baton to who are graduates from Harvest.
I love that. And then the Zimmer’s couldn’t be there because Jamie’s father, Dick Kester, passed away, so they were back in the States. They were actually back here in Atlanta. But, I was able to, work with their teammates and and with the church and loved it. Yeah.
And, this time, after I’m at harvest, for a week, I’m going out to Yap to see the other Zimmer’s. So I’m excited about that.
Jared Baldwin: That’s great. Yeah. We’re very close to all those folks. And you’ll not only see the missionaries from the states, but, yeah, some graduates from our Bible college that have been, you know, over the last 3 decades, the Lord has graciously given the opportunity to help train and mentor, disciple, support, some of the leaders throughout all of Micronesia. So yeah.
Neat. Well, I’m I’m excited to hear that that you’re gonna get to go out and do that.
Chris Anderson: I can’t wait. And the influence that Harvest has all over that part of the world is is just remarkable. And and, again, actually, it’s around the world because there’s so many either former students or staff members that the Lord’s using in different parts of the world, and here in the States. And just, you know, I’m I’m deeply grateful for the gospel work that’s been done through the influence of harvest. So eager to I I just can’t wait to be with you.
I can’t wait to sing with you and, fellowship with you, and then, of course, it’s always an honor to be able to preach the word. So I really look forward to it.
Jared Baldwin: And I know you mentioned, sing with us a little bit, and that was also in the little video that you sent us. Tell us a bit about, your ministry related to music, because, I think I’ve seen your name pop up on a few a few music sheets in the past. Tell us about that.
Chris Anderson: Well, I love Christian music, and, you know, I I did my dissertation on the importance of Christian music for the church. The command to sing is the most frequent command in the whole bible. I’m not saying it’s the most important command. You know, the first is to love god. The second is to to love others, but but it’s the most frequent command is to sing.
And, you know, what a blessing we have that we can take biblical truth and then we make it memorable. We make it stick in people’s hearts and minds through rhyme and rhythm and and melody and harmony. So I just love Christian music generally, and then, by the grace of god, part of my writing ministry over the last 15 years or so has been, I write modern hymns. And so I tried writing a tune once, and it it didn’t go well. I’m a word guy, so I will write a lyric to a hymn.
Some of them are His Ropes for Mine, I Run to Christ, Reformation Hymn. There’s, I don’t know, 70 or something, but a handful of people might be familiar with. And then I rely on musicians, friends of mine who write the the music for it. And nobody’s more surprised that the Lord’s allowed them to be sung in other churches and other places than I am, but, but it was just so good for me, the meditation process, to just think deeply about scripture, was was a blessing for me. And, again, I just I just really love Christian music.
It’s not as important as preaching, but it is really important. It’s one of the teaching ministries of the church. Sometimes I feel like we’re very careful about preaching, and then we shrug it like, Oh, it’s only music. What it says doesn’t matter. No.
It actually matters a lot because we’re memorizing doctrine, and it could be right doctrine or wrong doctrine. So, when you think deeply or at least carefully about music and then just sing with all of our hearts. And my expectation is everything I know about the music, their harvest, or what I’ve seen, like a group of students from Bob Jones who are coming from Guam, they sing. So I can’t I can’t wait to experience that with them.
Jared Baldwin: Yes. That’ll that’ll be wonderful for for you and for us. Let’s talk a little bit about what’s coming up. We have our summit meetings. You’re you’re our key speaker for summit meetings which is September 22nd through 25th.
We start Sunday morning during our 2 worship services at 8:45 and 10:45. And then Sunday evening at 6 PM, we’ll all be together. And then Monday through Wednesday at 7 PM, we will be also having special meetings. And so you’ll be speaking during that time. Tell us a little bit about what what’s what’s on your heart, for upcoming opportunity to preach.
Chris Anderson: Well, sometimes it’s difficult to choose because they’re just you know, the Bible is so full of such amazing truths. But I’m gonna be preaching probably some some of the biographies, some of the stories from the New Testament. On Sunday, I’m planning to preach from John 4 on the Samaritan woman, and, that’ll be Sunday morning and then part 2 on Sunday night. And just Jesus’ interaction with that woman is remarkable because she actually is just like the rest of us. You know, we should identify with her in her sinfulness, in her confusion, in her thirst.
You know, she can’t figure out why she’s so dissatisfied with life, and and what she needs is Christ. So John 4 is just such a beautiful passage, and it moves right from her salvation all the way to her ministering to other people, and it’s it’s kind of a snapshot of what God is doing in the world for people like us. And then I’m gonna do a similar biographical study of Barnabas, and he’s another guy I relate to. He’s not maybe as gifted or as notorious as, say, a Paul or a Peter, but the Lord used him in such remarkable ways and there’s so many lessons for us. I’m expecting to do that and Whatever I preach, we’re definitely going to get just to the beauty of Christ and of the Gospel.
The hope of the Bible is not that we can do better or try harder. The hope of the Gospel is that God has compassion on sinners like us, and our only hope is Jesus. He’s the one that forgives sins. He’s the one that changes lives. Even the fact that he uses us in ministry at all, it’s just grace.
My favorite, word in the bible is grace. You know, everything we do is just God’s undeserved kindness to us. So very eager to open the scriptures and and study them, and and even that is part of worship just like our singing. We’re gonna worship God as we study the Bible together.
Jared Baldwin: Wow. That’s great. How would you recommend, for us, those that might be listening to this interview, that we prepare our hearts for the preaching, of these summit meetings?
Chris Anderson: Wow. I love that question. I think too often we arrive at church, and, you know, we have everything in our mind except for I’m I’m going to meet with God and be with his people. So I would encourage people, if possible, try to take some time to kinda clear the clutter from your brain, and and just prepare. It it wouldn’t hurt to, before Sunday, read John 4, either on your own or as a family.
I think we’re gonna end at verse 42. But, to read that and kinda give some thought to it before, before Sunday would probably be a blessing. And then when we’re studying Barnabas, we’re especially going to be in Acts 11, the second half of Acts chapter 11, so you can read that. And then I think beyond that, just pray. Scripture is so clear.
Anything we do, our effort is inadequate. Unless the Lord builds a house, will they bring in vain? It’s the spirit that gives life. The flesh doesn’t have any profit. We need God to meet with us, and I fully expect that, But I wanna be praying for that as well.
Just, you know, Lord, make this a really powerful time where maybe by his grace, years from now, we look back and say, wow. Look at what the Lord began, during that summit week. And and I’m praying part you know, part of my prayer is always, Matthew 938. Jesus said, pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers, into the harvest. And so I’m praying that that as a result of the week, the Lord will will increase our burden for the lost and, and just allow us to see with fresh eyes what a privilege we have to be part of what he’s doing in the world.
So a lot of expectations, and, and we just need God to be with us.
Jared Baldwin: Yeah. Amen. Well, maybe as we wrap up this interview, would you be willing to just pray with us right now, for the upcoming summit meetings?
Chris Anderson: I would love that. Alright. Lord, thank you for the opportunity to fellowship on this call, and, thank you for those who are hearing it. I pray for your blessing on them. I, specifically pray for your blessing, when we get ready for the meetings next week, beginning on Sunday.
Lord, we are very aware of how much we need you. Like Jesus said in John 15, without you, we can do nothing. And I need you to help me, to get me there safely and and then to help me preach. And, people don’t need to hear my wisdom. They need to hear the word of God, and they need to to, experience the power of the Holy Spirit working in hearts.
So I pray for that. And I pray that if there are those who come to listen who don’t yet know Jesus, that you will open their eyes and and bring conviction and draw them to salvation. We would rejoice with you, if you bring lost people to Christ. And I pray for Christians to grow and come to greater maturity and that we will worship and just marvel at how awesome you are, how kind you are to to save us and to work in our lives. And I do.
I pray for laborers. Some that are training for ministry, they’re at college, but maybe some who are they have other plans. But, maybe there will be an interruption of their plans where in university, you kind of, stir their hearts and do a work because there’s there’s so many needs all over the world, all over, Micronesia. And I pray that you would just do a work and and send out more laborers, so that we can see the name of Jesus, exalted by more people. So do all these things, and please improve on this prayer when you answer it.
Do exceeding, abundantly beyond what I could ask or even imagine. And we’ll give you all the glory for it. Not to us, but to your name be the glory. We pray through our savior Jesus. Amen.
Jared Baldwin: Amen. Chris, we’re really looking forward to you coming out. Just for our listeners, I want to remind them again that the summit meetings is a very special time for us. We do this once a year where we have a a specific time set aside to to focus on, okay, Lord, what do you have for us? This is kinda early in our school year, for example.
This is kind of kicking off this new season and what does the Lord have for us? And so we are praying that God does speak to us and change us from the inside out. And so these summit meetings kind of implying that, hey, this is the pinnacle. This is where where we we come to meet the Lord. Our summit meeting starts Sunday, September 22nd.
We have 2 AM services. They’re the the same. Both services are the same. It’s just we have 2 services because of the number of people that, will be here but they’re at 8:45 and 10:45 AM. And then we have combined services Sunday evening through Wednesday evening.
Sunday night, 6 PM and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night, 7 PM. And just to kinda incentivize people to, make it on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night, we do have our coffee shop open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night, the hour leading up to church. And we decided to keep it open until the minute the service starts. So we used to close it early and then we realized here on Guam, everyone shows up 5 minutes before church. So what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna have the coffee shop open right up until the service starts so that people are coming straight from work.
You can grab a smoothie or a cup of coffee and then get on into the service. So Chris Anderson, we’re really excited about you coming. We are praying that you have a safe, comfortable, uneventful trip, which those three things, I gotta warn you almost never happen flying to Guam, but this, this would be.
Chris Anderson: Yeah. That that is I feel like you’re praying for a miracle, but thank you.
Jared Baldwin: That’s that’s a sign of god’s hand of blessing on you. If it’s safe, uneventful, you know, and just comfortable. So but no. It it’ll be great, and we really look forward to seeing you. And, thanks for taking time to, talk to us today.
Chris Anderson: I will see you soon. God bless
Chris Harper: you. Thanks again for listening to Harvest Time. Be sure to join us at summit meetings on Sunday at 8:45 or 10:45 AM and also at 6 PM, and then on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7 PM at Harvest Baptist Church. If you can’t attend one of those services, they’ll also be carried live on 88.1fmnkhmg.org. We hope to see you at summit meetings.
Thanks again for listening to Harvest Time.