She's no Mother

Teresa. She would never purport to be. She's no Lady Diana. Doesn't have

the jewels. She's not even a Barbara Bush. I don't know if she owns a

strand of pearls. She's a simple grandma. A grandma with a grandma's heart

for her grandsons.

When her grandson,

Tony Lankford, was a young teenager, he was invited to attend a special

youth discipleship event with other young people. Lo and behold while

attending the event, Tony accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and

Savior. Hey! That's the kind of stuff you want to happen at such events.

Well, Grandma

had a dilemma. She was thrilled with her grandson's decision to follow

Christ and knew he needed to be regular in church. But! "We have

a problem Houston." Her daughter and son-in-law kind and wonderful

folks as they were were not that interested in attending church and in

fact did not attend a church. Another fact: her son-in-law was not a Christian.

Even Grandma Fran Jenkins didn't go to a church regularly.

So, what do

you do? Grandson Tony had opened his heart to Jesus and nobody was particularly

positioned to help him advance his Christian walk. But a grandma will

make a way.

Through a link

with a Fayetteville resident, Marianna Laney, Grandma found out about

a rather new church in town not too set in its ways meeting in a storefront.

That was we. I remember the Sunday when Grandma brought her grandsons

Tony and a bit younger one called Todd to church. The boys looked like

fish out of water.

But praise

God for good ole grandmas who love their grandchildren enough to take

them to church. But of course, these two boys were more than willing to

go.

Soon, we baptized

Tony and Todd in the swimming pool of Tom and Marsha Reese out on Hampton

Road since the church did not have its own baptizing pool. Sure enough,

Tony's mom and dad, Danny and Kathy, came to the baptizing, but kept their

distance otherwise. The boys, neither of whom was old enough to drive,

continued to be brought to church by Grandma Fran. Good ole Grandma!

Well, not too

long afterwards, Tony's mom, Kathy started coming to church. Father Danny

would come only on special occasions when the boys would be performing.

Yet, the word got out that Danny was a former radio disc jockey. So, our

worship minister, Ray Walker, one day approached Danny about operating

the sound system. He agreed. We finally had the last fish corralled. He

had no choice but to hear the Gospel every week.

Maybe a year

or so later, the whole family rejoiced as husband and wife, Danny and

Kathy, submitted their lives to Christ and to water baptism. Now, the

whole family was a part of the family of God.

I am telling

you all this because just Sunday night, Jan. 26, while most people were

thinking they would be watching a true football contest on television,

I was attending a service of ordination as that grandson, Tony, was set

aside as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tony and his wife Tiffany

a product of Harp's Crossing Baptist Church were set-aside for ministry

Dad, Mom, Brother, and yes, Grandma, were all there to witness it.

Don't let anyone

ever tell you grandmas can't shake the world. If you are a grandmother

or grandfather, use your influence with your willing grandchildren. Bypass

your children who may be more interested in other things. Take your precious

ones to church! For Christ's sake!

John Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

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