For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! - 1 Corinthians 9:16
I will soon be 56 years old. I have been in the ministry for 34 years and pastor of the same church for 31 of those years. We have evidence that God has been pleased to bless our efforts to make Christ known. How many years we have left to labor together in this ministry, only God knows!
I have been doing some heart searching these past two weeks, and I am more determined than ever before to "know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified." There are all sorts of temptations from the enemy of God to depart from the simplicity of Christ; to deal with current events, intellectual and interesting sidelines, prophecy, and religious themes! But, "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."
Let us be about the Father's business, and that business is to "preach Christ and him crucified." My heart is fixed and I challenge my brethren in the ministry; Let's go back to Bethel, where the ladder led to the throne, where the voice of God spoke to our hearts in covenant promises, where the waters were sweet, and where every message rang with ruin, redemption, and regeneration. God, blessed it then and he will bless it again!
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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