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One was a president. One was a preacher.
One was a Presbyterian. One was a Baptist.
One was born in 1767. One was born in 1925.
One died the year the Southern Baptist Convention was born. One dedicated his life to Southern Baptist ministry so that others could be born again.
One led a nation. One led small churches.
One was called “Old Hickory.” One was simply called “J.P.” |
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Two different men. Two different lives.
But one thing tied them together.
President Andrew Jackson was a wealthy land owner, military commander, governor of Florida and, eventually, the seventh president of the United States. He was known for his tall, lean appearance and thick locks of fiery red hair — occasionally with a temper to match.
J.P. Skinner, on the other hand, was not wealthy by any means. He served as a seaman in the Navy and worked at an artillery depot after his discharge. He was known for his robust appearance, thinning head of hair and a strong but gentle demeanor.
During 42 years of ministry, J.P. saw hundreds of people saved and dozens called into the pastorate or to the mission field. And those are the things that remain close to his heart today as he nears age 85.
Two different men. Two different lives. But what was it that tied them together?
A $20 bill.
The first time J.P. Skinner preached at Rock Creek Baptist Church in 1949, they didn’t have an offering plate. At the end of the service, they took up the collection in a hat and he got five dollars plus some loose change. He told them he’d be back the following Sunday. The church called him as their pastor for a salary of $25 a week.
Rock Creek was the first of ten small, rural churches J.P. and his wife, Wanzell, would serve during more than four decades of ministry. He never made more than $300 a week and very few of the churches were able to contribute toward his retirement.
When it came time to retire, the future looked uncertain with just a modest retirement check and a small Social Security benefit. The Skinners’ total income was about $600.
That’s $600. They would have to live on $20 a day!
You can’t fill up a gas tank with $20. It’s hard to buy a bag of groceries with $20. What about the electric bill, or doctor visits or prescriptions?
But that was what J.P. and Wanzell were facing when they left their last church. However, in the midst of that challenge, there was help. A local pastor heard about GuideStone’s Mission:Dignity program — Southern Baptists’ ministry for honoring God’s retired servants in need — and encouraged J.P. to apply. Of course, they were approved immediately and began receiving additional assistance right away.
This is a recent note received from J.P. telling how much that extra help means to them:
It’s such a blessing now to be able to pay our bills at the first of the month, to buy the food we need, and to have enough to live on the rest of the month. We can’t say thank you enough to the people who make this possible.
J.P. and Wanzell are just two of the nearly 2,500 people assisted by your gifts through the Mission:Dignity ministry. Individuals can qualify for $200 in monthly assistance; couples are eligible for up to $265. The neediest persons, like the Skinners, with at least 30 years of ministerial service, may qualify for double those amounts.
For some recipients, it means having heat this winter. For others, it’s the difference between eating and not eating. And for others still, it’s not having to choose between food and medicine.
If you have a moment, take a $20 bill out of your wallet or purse. It’s the one with President Andrew Jackson’s picture on it. Could you live on just $20 a day?
One man has his face on a $20 bill. The other man faced retirement on $20 a day.
You will make it possible for folks like J.P. and Wanzell to pay for heat this winter, buy groceries or get needed medicine. Make an online gift today.