Father, we ask for your help now as we attempt to say a word to Kempton for his encouragement

and for the confirmation of his calling and gifting.

Lord, we ask that this whole evening would be a prophetic evening

that you would draw out of us words and prayers that would land with an equipping and anointing and a gifting on Kempton that would last a lifetime.

I ask this now in Jesus name, amen.

Thank you, Kempton, for the privilege of being a part of this service.

What a high honor it is to be here with you next year.

Mark's 40 years since I sat where you sat at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, and I do believe that when they gathered around me

and put their hands on me and prayed for me God did something that lasted until this very

moment.

is a big deal for me and for you.

This is not a small thing we're about.

I thank you for the years we shared together as colleagues and Karen and you in a small group.

Sweet. It was so good. And I praise God for the call on your life. East St. Louis. Louis, you are the man for the work and the good hand of God will be on you.

Yes, you will.

And what I want to do is direct your attention to a verse. You know it by heart, probably. Not everybody does, but I think you probably do.

It's acts 202424 and it goes like this. Not that I count my life of any value or

as precious to myself, if only.

The point there is, I don't regard my life as having any value except for this,

that I might finish my race, my course, and the ministry that I've been given by

the Lord Jesus and then he names it to bear witness to the gospel of the grace of God.

Now that's the calling on every pastor and it's the calling on you in East St Louis.

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