Recently, Douglas Fairbanks, senior pastor of First-Centenary United Methodist Church, announced that the church is in its 40th year of television ministry. Immediately, a strong memory flashed into my mind of how it all began.
One Wednesday morning, my husband, then senior pastor of the church, came in from the weekly Men’s Breakfast Bible Study. He told me that a man visiting our church had suggested that our Sunday morning worship service be televised.
“What did you say to him?” I asked.
“Well, I told him there was no possibility of that happening until the debt on the new sanctuary building was paid off,” he replied.
But the next Wednesday morning, Ralph came in with a very sizable check from the visitor. “That man really means business,” said my husband, “so I guess we are going to be on television.”