Pastor’s Corner: Jody Vickery, Twickenham Church of Christ

Pastor’s Corner: Jody Vickery

Twickenham Church of Christ

Tell us about yourself:

I am a forgiven sinner, a grateful husband, a proud father, and grandfather. I know the hopelessness and terror of being trapped in sin and the joy and relief at being rescued. My wife, Lisa, and I are new to Huntsville, having lived in Atlanta for the past 30 years. We are so blessed to work with the Twickenham Church and to be a part of this vibrant community.

What motivates you to do what you do?

I am motivated by the knowledge that I have received mercy and the memory of what it was like to be lost. By getting a front row seat to witness God at work in the lives of people. I am motivated by my belief that the only thing that can heal the divisions that separate us from one another is the power of God in the person of Jesus.

What is God speaking to you right now?

I feel God is telling me to be a peace maker in this season of political unrest. If Paul could urge Christians to pray for Caesar, who was certainly not an Evangelical Christian and cared not one bit for justice of any kind, then we can certainly pray for all our political leaders regardless of party affiliation – theirs or ours. In fact, I think Paul would have us talk to God about our politicians more than we talk to each other about our politics.

What does unity in our city mean to you?

Neither Jesus’ prayer for unity nor Paul’s instruction to keep the unity of the Spirit was intended to lead us to some kind of institutional unity. There weren’t any institutions to speak of at that point in church history. My sense is that the unity for which Jesus prayed and Paul commanded was one formed from an allegiance to one Lord, Jesus Christ; a commitment to one mission – to go into all the world and make disciples; and a dedication to the two great commands – to love God and to love neighbor.

Prayer for Huntsville:

God, you are Lord of heaven and earth and you are Lord of Huntsville. You have blessed this city with so many intelligent people, people who have explored your universe and expanded our knowledge of it. Yet the more we learn of your creation, the greater our awe of the One who made it. You have blessed us with abundant resources and people who are willing to use them to bless others. Grant us the vision to see the needs around us, so that we will not pass by on the other side; the humility to recognize our own need, so that we will not think too highly of ourselves; and the faith to rely on your power, so that we will not imagine too little.

 

 

Tags: election 2016, Huntsville, jody vickery, Our City On A Hill, Pastor's Corner, twickenham church of christ