The church is now North Florida Baptist Church. We spent nearly 30 years in Tallahassee laying bricks for the Master Builder, Jesus Christ. Some of my friends there give me entirely too much credit for the building of that great ministry. I was not much of a "Saint", and no great intellect. I was not an Apostle Paul type church planter or a John the beloved of the Lord. I was an all too human type of Simon Peter (Petros is a hand sized stone or brick) who happened to be the first stone present when God chose to build a church there on the Rock (Petra is a foundational slab of bed-rock). When Jesus asked His Apostles, "Whom say ye that I am?", "... Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt.16:15-16. Immediately after that confession of faith, Jesus declared, "... Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (a stone), and upon this rock (a slab) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt.16:17-18.
Simon Peter's real name was Simon Barjona. Peter (stone) was his nick-name. It's easy to guess why.
In the verse above, Jesus addressed him, "thou art Peter" (a stone or brick), and upon this confession of faith, that I am the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God, I will build my church. Jesus was simply saying that Simon Barjona, who was nick-named Peter, a hand sized stone, would be one of first of many stones or bricks laid upon the bed-rock foundation of Jesus Christ Himself. That is what Jesus had in mind when He sent this brick, me, to Tallahassee. I was not the builder or the corner-stone, or the foundation ... but simply the first brick on that bed-rock foundational ROCK of Jesus Christ. I am now gone and few noticed my absence but the Bed-ROCK, upon which that church is built, is firmly in place and will be til Jesus comes and raptures His church, bed-rock, bricks, dust and all into glory.
The church in Tallahassee is now 51 years old, "...and the gates of hell" have not and "shall not prevail against it." All those ministries, the church, world wide missions, the children's home, the rescue mission, the city food bank, three Christian schools, T.V. station and thousands of souls saved is, without doubt, the most important thing most of us will ever have been a part of. At least it was in my family's case. Praise God, and thanks to all of you who have worked and sacrificed and prayed for the church and all those wonderful things Jesus built there. Psm.115:1, RB
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Pastor, the church and school was a cornerstone in my formation as a teenager. The things I learned there would stay with me, protect me, and guide me through the Spirit for all my life. I can't imagine what my life would have been like without you, the Palumbos, and the God loving servants of TBC in my life during those critical years. Thank you for being His "brick"
Because of Dad's obedience to the Lord's call, the most wonderful woman in the world came all the way from North Miami Beach, FL to teach at North Florida Christian. Charlene Law became my wife, April 12th, 1974, 40 years ago.
Thanks Mom and Dad for your service to the King of Kings
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