Thirty-six years ago I preached for a church in Ohio, which was without a pastor. One of the members of the church told me that the preacher who had preached for them the week before made the statement that there were only four preachers in America preaching the gospel of God’s grace and he was one of the four. I thought of Elijah’s statement in 1 Kings 19:14, “And I, even I am only left.” But what did the Lord say to Elijah? “I have seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal.”
My friends, when we are prone to be depressed and discouraged over the condition of things in our areas or circles, let us remember those words of our sovereign Lord and rejoice! He has many witnesses of his grace whom we have never seen. As I travel around the country, I am encouraged to find, not less, but more and more pastors preaching the gospel of God’s grace. There are not one nor four, but thousands, the Lord said, who believe his word and love his Son.
Elijah made the mistake of limiting God! Let us not dare to do that, no matter how deep our convictions on certain points of doctrine. “I, even I, am God and none shall stay my hand nor say unto me, what does Thou?”
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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