An interview with Pastor Bob

Robert Hancock

1999- 2002

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bobhancock@mac.com

Sermons

Books I Recommend

Evolution : A Theory in Crisis

Darwin's Black Box : The Biochemical...

Darwin on Trial

There are many reasons why I believe in God. They generally fall into two categories--philosophical and experiential. For some people, discovering the rational sensibility of belief in a Creator leads to a personal encounter with God. The late philosopher Francis A. Schaeffer is an example of an atheist who discovered God in this way. Check out Schaeffer's writings. For others, the experiential encounter with God comes first and the philosophical foundation for belief gets synthesized later.

It's difficult to say which of these approaches to finding God came first for me because both aspects have really co-mingled throughout my life. However, many people I've met in this world have not had a personal encounter with God so I'll begin by touching on some of the philosophical reasons I am a believer.

Philosophical reasons I believe

There are several basic questions that help direct and define the meaning of life. Among them are:

1) Where did I come from? (a question of origins, not sexuality)
2) What is my purpose here?
3) Where am I going?

The picture of reality as described in the Bible satisfies these basic questions better than any other philosophy or religion I have encountered, including evolution.¹ I have been created in the image of God, saved from death, called to live in love for God and experienced the beginning of eternal life in Him.

In the Bible I find the best answers to the toughest questions of life such as, "Why do the innocent suffer?" and "How can God be both all powerful and all loving?". This essay on the big questions of life does a good job of comparing the Bible's superior answers to those of other world views. It should be noted, however, that I disagree with the author's suppositions about the timing of our eternal reward. I understand the Bible to teach that everyone receives their eternal reward concurrently on the day of resurrection (e.g. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) rather than at the moment of individual death.

Experiential reasons I believe

Without any doubt I can say that God reveals Himself to me. One way I came to know God gradually in my developmental years was through the example of godly parents. I grew up in a home where my parents were committed to living with spiritual integrity. Their purpose was to experience God's transforming power in their own lives so that they could truly reflect His character. I don't ever recall my parents raising their voices in anger at me. There were clear expectations and rules in our house. There was punishment when I disobeyed. But the punishment always happened in the context of love and I have no memory of questioning my parents' love for me. I was never punished unfairly. The demonstration in my parents of self-sacrificing love, intentional fairness, and unapologetic justice helped me understand God in ways I can never repay. The more I observe of tragic family conditions in our world, the greater this evidence of God's presence in my home impresses me with His reality.

God has also revealed Himself to me in dramatic and miraculous ways. When I was 18 my life was supernaturally saved from a huge oak stump. Uprooted by a bulldozer high above me, it raced down the hill where I was logging. Having never left the ground on its traverse down the mountainside, when it reached me, it flew up four feet in the air over my body which was trying to sprawl out of the way. Two independent observers saw this and told me what happened. Given the situation, there was no natural explanation for what happened. I believe an angel flicked the massive stump with his little finger and made it fly over me. The stump and root cluster were so massive I would surely have been crushed to death had it not flown over me.

In addition to the circumstantial evidence of God in my home and the supernatural evidence of God in saving my life from the stump, I have experienced the quiet, inner presence of God in my heart and mind. I have sensed His presence bringing me to conviction of sin, leading me to repentance and giving strong assurance of forgiveness and salvation.

Why do you love God?

How could I not love the One who chose me even before I was born (Ephesians 1:4), personally guided the very process of development in my mother's womb (Psalms 139:13), designed a plan for my life before I even knew Him (Psalms 139:16), rescued me from a life of selfish despair, made possible the forgiveness of my sins (Colossians 1:13, 14), made me a new person, entrusted me with the most privileged commission (2 Corinthians 5:17, 18), has a place prepared for my eternal life with Him in glory (John 14:2, 3) and has blessed me now with every possible spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)!

Why do you trust God?

My life has not been free from trouble and heart ache. I have been the target of racial prejudice. I have been hated without cause. I have lost a child to death. I have lived in impoverished conditions. But through it all, God has never failed me. His calm and peaceful presence has never abandoned me. He has given me strength to bear up under all challenges, disappointments and sorrows. He has shown me how good can come from the worst of evils (Romans 8:28) and how my own weakness can lead to the manifestation of His strength in my life (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

Furthermore, the same evidence which leads me to believe in God's existence provides ample evidence of His worthiness of my trust.

What is your favorite text or chapter and why?

There are so many rich and meaningful passages in the Bible it's hard to choose just one! Here's one of my many favorites, though:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)

I love this passage because it paints such a clear picture of who we once were, what God has delivered us from and what He has called us to become. In contrast with what we would otherwise be and do, it shows where our attention should be and what our lives should look like when we realize our status in Christ.

Furthermore, it demonstrates the equality of all believers in Him and points to the reality that every child of God is called to minister for Him as a spiritual priest. This text was not written to pastors or apostles, it was written to the multitude of believers in Christ dispersed all over Asia Minor. As a "holy priesthood", all are called to act as God's agents of reconciliation to those who are still in darkness. All are called to minister the word of life to others and declare the praises of God.

Why did you enter ministry?

My perception of God's calling on my life to become a pastor was laid on the foundation of several convictions.

First, I acknowledged the scriptural teaching that I, along with every other believer in Christ, has been given spiritual gifts (see 1 Cor. 12:4-7, 11; Ephesians 4:5; Romans12:6).

Second, I believed that my choice of vocation must begin with the question of where I could most effectively use my abilities and spiritual gifts to further the kingdom of God.

Third, I recognized that my own spiritual gifts are not revealed, determined or denyed by my perception alone, but also by the body of Christ to whom I am attached and connected. God has blessed me with the gifts of pastoring, teaching and wisdom. In times where I might not have had the confidence to acknowledge their presence myself, other members of the body of Christ have affirmed their existence.

These three principles gave me the courage to follow God's calling to enter pastoral ministry even when I did not have the confidence in myself to know I could do it. God has affirmed this calling every step of the way. Looking back on my life I can see clearly the steps through which He guided me in preparation for this very challenging task.

What is your burning desire for the churches you pastor?

My greatest desire is to see every member of my two congregations, the Brooklawn Seventh-day Adventist Church and the North Stamford Seventh-day Adventist Church, actively using their spiritual gifts in ministry for the edification and building of the body of Christ.

To this end I recognize my responsibility to: 1) live my own life with integrity as a worthy example to follow, 2) faithfully communicate the Word of God from the pulpit every Sabbath, 3) work to enable and equip the congregation to recognize and use their spiritual gifts as my equals in the Body of Christ.

¹The theory of evolution fits the definition of a "religion" by Websters dictionary (i.e. "A cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith"). Many evolutionists demonstrate the quality of religious zeal in refusing to honestly face the challenge of empirical evidence which contradicts the idea of very long ages for the earth. See, for instance, this page of the Geoscience Research Institue which lists seven instances of measured processes suggesting a young earth.

There are some who find their spiritual faith challenged when scientific "evidence" seems irreconcilable with truths in the Bible. Questions surrounding the age of the earth and the issue of the creation of humanity are a particularly sensitive point for some. It has been observed that what is reported as scientific "fact", especially regarding ages, is often little more than a scientist's opinions about data rooted in presuppositions regarding the evolutionary time scale.

The following books demonstrate hard scientific evidence that the theory of evolution utterly fails to explain. While at least two of the three authors are not creationists, they have concluded that evolution as a theory is an utter failure in explaining some observable facts in nature and have concluded the origin of life must have an alternative explanation. I have read and highly recommend these books.

Evolution : A Theory in Crisis by Michael Denton	Darwin's Black Box : The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution by Michael Behe	Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson