EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE FROM rev. bert jones
meet Rev. Bert Jones
Bert Jones has served as moderator of the Missionary Church General Oversight Council since mid-2019 and is also a member of the Constitution Committee. An MC-ordained minister, Bert led the congregation at Woodburn Missionary Church from 2015 until 2021. He then moved to Bristol, Tennessee, to resume work as the Director of Leadership & Church Relations for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA). In this role, Bert oversees the Center for Wellbeing and church ministries and serves as the chaplain of the CMDA. In October 2022, his title changed to VP of Missions & Member Care.
Prior to his ministry in Woodburn, Bert was the president of GO InterNational (a short-term mission agency based in Wilmore, Kentucky). Over the last 30+ years of full-time Christian ministry Bert has served in both local churches and parachurch ministries and has co-authored two books, Leadership Proverbs and Servant Leadership (published by the Christian Medical and Dental Associations). Because of his passion for world missions, Bert has traveled to over 35 different countries to help individuals and congregations engage in the Great Commission. He has also served on the World Partners advisory board.
Bert grew up traveling with his family in music and evangelistic ministries (his father and grandfather were both involved in full-time ministry and evangelism). He was also active in the family radio ministry (started by his grandfather) that aired for more than 50 years on 50+ different radio stations around the country. His grandmother was the author of the hymn “In Times Like These.”
Bert graduated from Asbury University in 1989 with a degree in Bible and then completed two years at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Bert and his wife, Cheryl, married in 1989 and have three grown children—Joshua, Allyson, and Aaron.
Honoring God through Thanksgiving
There is a beautiful image in the Book of Revelation of the four living creatures continuously giving honor and thanks to God, and the twenty-four elders bowing down to worship the Lord in heaven (Rev. 4:9 NKJV). This passage and its description of worship stirs my imagination to dream about what it will be like in heaven someday to honor and give thanks to God in His presence forever.
When we get to the seventh chapter of Revelation, verses 9-12 (NKJV), the multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue along with the angels, four living creatures, and elders are worshiping God by crying out in a loud voice, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Everyone is focused on honoring God and giving Him thanks.
I immediately start thinking of that old gospel song, “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see and I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace, when He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day that will be.”
As I have been meditating on this thought, I started wondering, “Why wait till someday? Why not start NOW? Why can’t I incorporate these two key acts of worship immediately?” Think about that with me for a few moments.
Lysa TerKeurst said, “If there was ever a secret for unleashing God’s powerful peace in a situation, it’s developing a heart of true thanksgiving.” I agree with Lysa — a heart of thanksgiving is the key to discovering God’s presence and power in our lives.
There is a direct link in the verses in Revelation that connect honoring God and offering Him thanksgiving. Honoring God with thanksgiving is not a someday principle to begin when we all get to heaven. It should be something we practice today and every day that God allows us to be on the earth. We should start practicing today in preparation for eternity.
The psalmist addresses this connection in two different portions of Scripture. The first is Psalm 50:23 (NLT), “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.” The second is Psalm 60:30-31 (NLT), “Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor Him with thanksgiving. For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.”
Did you notice that? “Giving thanks truly honors Me” and “I will honor the Lord with thanksgiving for this will please the Lord more than sacrificing.” There are some things that God desires in our lives more than sacrifice. He desires obedience (1 Sam. 15:22), mercy (Matthew 9:13), and thanksgiving (Psalm 60:31) more than sacrifice.
Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth said, “Be thankful. God has commanded it — for our good and for His glory. God’s command to be thankful is not the threatening demand of a tyrant. Rather, it is the invitation of a lifetime — the opportunity to draw near to Him at any moment of the day.” We truly honor God when we are thankful. That is why He commands us, “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15-17).
I’m so grateful for parents who instilled in me the principle and practice of gratitude and thankfulness. My parents purchased thank you cards for me, and every time I received a gift from someone, I was expected to write a thank you to the giver of those gifts. Even in grade school, my siblings and I were expected to write notes of thanks for the gifts we had received.
That training has been invaluable to me, not only in my professional life, but in my spiritual life. I was recently thinking about the principles that I learned from my parents, things that were instilled in me that I continue to implement today in terms of saying “thank you” and showing appreciation. I focus on the word THANKS. Look at these guiding principles and practices. A thank you that is honoring is:
Timely: The first principle is that thanks should be given in a timely manner. The old saying “better late than never” really doesn’t apply when saying thank you. A thank you loses its effectiveness the longer it takes to arrive. When I travel in my ministry, I write thank you notes as soon as I get home. They have a greater impact when they arrive quickly.
Heartfelt: The second principle is that the thank you should be from your heart. It’s possible to go through the process and motion of saying thank you without it being personal. The worst thank you is a forced or fake thank you. The most powerful thank you comes from the heart and is genuine and sincere.
Attentive: The third principle I learned is that a thank you should give attention to the giver of the gift not the one receiving the gift. I was taught to focus my appreciation and attention on the generosity and kindness of the giver. The thank you is not about me, it’s about them!
Notable: The fourth principle is to express thanks in such a way that it captures the attention of the receiver as unique, creative and authentic. It is good to say thank you in a way that is unexpected and unusual. When we take time to thank others for a normal gesture of kindness, the expression is notable in their eyes. The greater length we go to say thank you, the greater they will understand the depth of our appreciation.
Knowledgeable: The fifth principle is to communicate with understanding the value of the gift and the cost to the giver. Often the value is not in terms of expense but in terms of sacrifice associated to give the gift. A thank you that honors the giver or gesture communicates deep appreciation for the investment.
Specific: The last principle is that an effective thank you is specific, not generic, about what you appreciate and value. In general, a generalized thank you is less meaningful. Take time to define your appreciation in detail.
As I reflect on these principles, I’m reminded that when practiced in my spiritual life, they are powerful tools to help me honor God with my thanksgiving. John MacArthur said, “A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.”
Look at these principles once again and take a moment to reflect on them from the perspective of you giving thanks to God. Using this same list, let’s turn it into six questions.
Am I Timely in saying thank you to God for His daily goodness in my life?
When I offer thanks to God, is it Heartfelt and sincere?
Am I Attentive to the giver of all good things or more focused on my ongoing needs?
Would God describe my expression of thanks as Notable?
Am I Knowledgeable of the price that God has extended for His goodness in my life?
Am I Specific in my words of thanks to God?
Take a few moments and continue to reflect on these questions. Then determine any areas that require your attention or adjustment in terms of honoring God with your thanksgiving.
I’m reminded of the words of G. K. Chesterton, “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” I pray that expressing thanks to God will not just be a seasonal event, but an everyday habit. Don’t forget that giving thanks and being thankful is a powerful way to honor God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it best, “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”
May God bless your Thanksgiving season, and may it be so filled with praise and appreciation that God is truly honored with your life and words.
Pastor Bert Jones