Servants Of God at Emanuel Baptist Church
Roger Sponaugle:
Ephesians 1:3-4, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
I was born in San Francisco, in the first month of the year that Israel became a nation, at approximately, 4:30 am on a Sunday morning; an answer to my mother’s prayers. I was soon baptized under the promise, to a believing mother. Acts 2:39,The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call." From that time on, I cannot remember a time that I wasn’t in church, a world that became mine. I sat under several very good ministers, who loved the Lord and his Word. I learned to read, using the Bible.
I come from a family of teachers. My mother taught in elementary school in the San Francisco Bay Area and woman’s classes in church. My father trained mechanics on new aircraft at United Airlines. My father was a charter unionist Democrat and my mother a staunch conservative Republican. My uncle (mother’s side) C. John Miller taught practical theology at a seminary near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Director of World Harvest Mission and founding pastor of New Life Presbyterian Churches.
While on the surface I looked like I was a Christian, having all the outward manifestations to prove it, underneath I was ashamed to be associated with Christ – which came apparent to me when I had to go door-to-door, witnessing. What if my friends from school heard about what I was don’t – or even worse, saw me? I also remember a retired (liberal) Presbyterian minister who unloaded on me during one of my “witnessing” visits. It would be a while for me to realize that the world and institutions “out there” were not as “nice” as I thought them to be.
Things got worse. When I graduated from high school I was accepted by several of the top schools in California, one in science and the other in Berkley. However, my father wanted me to go to a community college, nearby. I was furious. I had done well in German in high school, so I joined the Air Force, hoping to go to language school in Monterey, California, but I ended up going into electronics (which I strongly dislike) and eventually, to the top school in the Air Force, which led to the confrontation between what I desired vs. how I actually lived, hypocrisy. Rom 7:21-25, So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
The Father had made a promise, I was about to meet the Son and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Before I left the Air Force, some friends and I were driving past Lookout Mountain in Tennessee, when I looked up and saw Covenant College on top of the mountain. I boasted to my friends that the college is where my mother wanted me to go to school, but that I would never go there.
After I left the Air Force, my ’54 panhead chopper and I got a job printing in a union and an apartment, aimlessly, numbly, wondering what would be my life. Then God literally reached down his Hand to me squeeze my insides while on my bed, causing me to cry out, “I will go!” How did I know that? My mother was very pleased that I was going to the school that I boasted, I wouldn’t. I traded my chopper for a VW bug and I was on my way.
Like a thief in the night
I went to school. It was o.k., but I felt somewhat out of place. What was even more frustrating was my isolation from where my living quarters were. The school had been a hotel in the 1920’s and my room was in a house separated from the hotel by a good distance. This house had been a restaurant/speakeasy downstairs and my room was upstairs in the attic. My room had been the crib of a prostitute. I could sense the resident evil that was in the building, the same evil that I had experienced throughout the time I had lived in the south.
I remember one evening that I went to the main building and worked out. After that I returned to my room and on the way back I remember complaining to God that I had done what He had told me – and nothing. Nothing seemed to be different, and why was I here.
I entered my room and laid on my cot of a bed. I felt like my life had hit bottom.
Then it happened – the Glory of the LORD appeared before me, His infinite cleansing power bought at the Cross and recreating Spirit entered my being. It felt like I was about to die, because I could not contain Him, but He restrained It to be just enough. My arm immediately went up and covered my eyes, in my sin I could not look at Him. I cried out, “I’m Guilty.” That was the first time that I ever acknowledged my sin and the completeness of it. I could offer no excuse, I was completely guilty before Almighty God. Then with the greatest words one can hear He said, “I Love You.”
My sins were forgiven, He had put His Spirit within me. I heard the hosts of heaven shout with joy. I experienced what it would be like to be in His presence in Heaven and I understood His power and Who He was. I knew in my spirit that the prayers of several older ladies that had been praying for me were answered. Job 42:5-6, My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.
Then He was gone.
But I was now a new creature. I knew God -- I understood Who He was, and He loved me. I now had the Father, one that I never had, but had always wanted. I ran out of my room, no one seemed to be around, but back at the college I ran into a good childhood friend, she looked at me like I was drunk, but I was so filled with the Holy Spirit, bubbling with joy and amazement, that soon she saw that it was true and was glad with me.
I hadn’t asked for it, I hadn’t sought it, and from a human viewpoint there was no reason for Him to love me -- I worshipped myself, and He showed me how dead I was to the things of God, even though they had always been near me. I was beginning to learn to trust God and not myself. John 3:5-6, Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
My next great event was to stop looking for a wife.
Matt 6:33-34, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
After school ended for the summer, I returned home and set my priorities on what I could do for God. I sought God’s direction, letting Him supply the things I needed and at His time. I looked around our church for something that needed to be done. It turned out that something was so lowly that it wasn’t getting done. That something was an extensive invasion of weeds between the ice plants that needed to be removed, effecting our testimony in the community. Later, this event reminded me of the sins (weeds) in our lives that we let overgrow our testimony to God’s grace.
Shortly after I began my work the Lord gave me a wife, one of His choosing, a wife that He had been preparing for me. Throughout the years, she has proven to be a true blessing from the Lord and a true helper, as He intended. Now the adventure was beginning and she said she was ready. Eccl 4:9-12, Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
But we have had much to learn. While we each have many talents, we had to learn to live as ONE. We have lived through trying Desert years, including home schooling, starting businesses and running for political office. My mother is known for her “good ideas” and I found myself falling prey to that blessing. But God is always faithful and patient transitioning me from my plans to God’s plan, even as I am a slow learner. Phil 4:12-13, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
We have five children, three boys and two girls. It was awesome to see them having their adventures in the Sonoran desert north of Tucson, playing in the vastness of the old West -- especially cooking rattlesnake and raising championship farm animals. In addition, God has added fourteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren, most who live in Utah.
While I have trained employees at work for most of my life, I began to develop curriculum and teach at the college level, for an advanced high technology degree program. What started in the business world, has led to the spiritual, where I have taught Adult Sunday School, special classes (Knowing God, Men’s Retreat) and preached from time to time, when asked. 1 Peter 3:15-16, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
While I learned that I loved doing the best for others, by training them to be their best, God has changed my focus to serving Him and others, which I found helped me grow. My wife’s experience is similar to mine, whether listening to/counseling people with their problems at the candy shop (now Walmart) or teaching Explorers bible studies for women. Serving God and helping His grow people has now replaced our worldly goals.
For several years, Leaving Fantasyland is the title of classes that I have offered , with the goal to enable believers to stand on their own two feet when it comes to Truth. 2 Tim 2:15-16, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.