Ep 105: Coming Full Circle (w/ Lance Cordle)

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What can coming full circle in 
ministry teach us about life as 

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a Christian? 
Well, our guest is going to tell

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us all about that in just a SEC.
I'm Daniel Dalp and this is for 

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your Sunday morning drive where 
the short podcast with the goal 

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of providing some motivation, 
Dr. and encouragement on your 

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way to worship and helping you 
recenter your mind on those 

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spiritual things on a hectic 
Sunday morning. 

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If you've been keeping track of 
the numbers, and I'm sure you 

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haven't, today is our two year 
anniversary of the show and 

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because of that I thought we'd 
do something a little different.

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You can see from the episode 
title I have a special guest 

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this morning and to me he's a 
very special guest this morning.

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We have Lance Cordle on the show
and he's going to be delivering 

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some great thoughts here in just
a minute. 

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This is our first time really 
being on location, so to speak. 

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So, Lance, welcome to the show. 
Well, thank you, Daniel. 

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It is my pleasure and even more 
my pleasure to know that it's 

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been 2 years since you began the
podcast. 

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I'm really a fan. 
I like the way that, but it has 

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worked out and you've had a lot 
of lots of comments from people,

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positive comments and I'm glad 
of that and I'm proud of you, 

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Daniel. 
Well. 

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That means a lot coming from 
you. 

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I met Lance way back in 2010. 
Lance was kind enough to have me

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as a ministry intern at the 
Calvert City Church of Christ, 

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and now he's serving here at 
Atwood Church of Christ, which 

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was his first work. 
Lance, tell us a little bit 

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about yourself and that's work 
at. 

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Atwood, Well, I've been 
preaching for 44 years this 

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summer in June. 
And this, this is my second time

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at Atwood. 
I began my ministry in 1982 and 

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we stayed here almost seven 
years and then we moved and 

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stayed in Calvert City, KY for 
about 34 1/2 years. 

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So I came back as I will say in 
my podcast or in my speech in a 

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moment, my presentation I guess 
would be the best word, but I 

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will say it's, it was 
approximately a 42 year period 

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from the beginning of here to 
coming back here. 

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So there are lots of memories 
there. 

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In fact, I think I may remember 
you as a 8 or 9 year old student

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at camp before I met you in 
2010. 

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So yeah, I don't know if you 
want to count that or not. 

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Let's go ahead and say yes, my. 
Life is long, Daniel. 

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Lance is the man that I, I lay 
solidly at his feet, the credit 

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for more than anyone else of why
I wanted to go into ministry. 

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So you can either take that 
Lance as blame or as credit. 

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So depending on what people 
might think of that. 

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But I appreciate you and I am 
just so happy you're going to 

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going to be on the show this 
morning. 

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Let's go ahead and get the show 
on the road. 

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This is episode one O 5 coming 
full circle. 

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Lance, let's go to church. 
Are we there yet? 

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Approximately 41 years since the
beginning of my preaching 

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ministry in Atwood, TN, and 
almost 35 years after our 

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departure for a church in 
Kentucky, my wife and I returned

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here to work with the 
congregation again in 2023. 

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As I contemplated a return, 
sentimental feelings began to 

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flood my soul. 
Thoughts of thankfulness for the

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opportunity for my first full 
time preaching work that church 

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had given me long ago, and I 
thought of the first years of 

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our marriage and the birth of 
our son. 

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I remember elders who loved me 
like a son and my wife like a 

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daughter and our son like their 
grandson. 

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I remember their families who 
treated us like siblings or 

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cousins. 
I remember making friendships 

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that I was sure would last a 
lifetime, and I am now finding 

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that to be true. 
I remember being both pulpit 

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minister and youth minister, 
preaching sermons, funerals and 

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weddings, teaching classes, 
playing volleyball with the 

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teenagers, and driving the van 
to summer youth series 

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assemblies. 
I remembered baptizing several 

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of the young people, including 
the woman who is now the wife of

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one of our elders. 
And I remember the funny story 

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that goes along with that 
baptism of her and her sister, a

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story which we both chuckle 
about today. 

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And now, almost two years into 
my second sojourn as minister, I

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see some of the results of my 
first work, as well as the work 

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of the preachers who came during
the time in between. 

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I see many of the people I knew 
then who are still faithful to 

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the Lord and growing as God's 
people. 

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I see those who have withstood 
life's pain and disappointment 

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but still have the joy of the 
Lord in their hearts. 

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I dwell among some who were 
young in the 1980s, like we 

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were, who now have children and 
grandchildren of their own. 

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In fact, we regularly share 
stories and pictures of our new 

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favorite pastime, spending time 
with our grandchildren. 

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I'm also dwelling among some who
are middle-aged during our first

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work, but are now at or beyond 
the 70 and 80 years of life that

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Moses spoke of in Psalm 90, 
verse 10 as the normal life 

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expectancy. 
I see and appreciate their 

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resilience, but also I sadly 
anticipate their passing from 

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this life within a few years. 
My emotional state in viewing 

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all of these circumstances is 1 
of satisfaction. 

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I feel that God has blessed my 
life and brought to pass 

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physical, spiritual, and 
emotional growth for the church 

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here in Atwood. 
Some of that growth has come 

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about because of my efforts, 
some of it in spite of me. 

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All of this contemplation causes
me to be reminded of two New 

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Testament verses, 1 by the 
Apostle Paul and one by the 

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Apostle John. 
The first verse coming to my 

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mind is Second Timothy 2 verse 
2. 

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What you have heard from me in 
the presence of many witnesses 

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in and trust to faithful men who
will be able to teach others 

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also. 
In fact, if you look closely you

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will see that Paul mentions 4 
generations proclaiming and 

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maintaining the gospel of 
Christ. 

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First his own, then that of 
Timothy, then the generation 

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that Timothy would teach, and 
then the generation those 

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Christians would teach. 
The cycle is to continue until 

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the Lord Jesus returns. 
The second verse I think of is a

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return to a place I've worked 
and loved is third. 

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John verse 4. 
I have no greater joy than to 

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hear that my children are 
walking. 

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In truth, when a parent sees his
children growing up and being 

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productive in their lives, 
taking responsibilities as 

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workers and parents themselves, 
it brings great joy to their 

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hearts. 
John manifests that same spirit 

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as a preacher who sees the 
progress of those he has taught.

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Friends, as you approach the 
church building today, may you 

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be aware that your children are 
absorbing your training and they

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will in all likelihood pass it 
on to their children. 

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Proverbs 22 verse 6. 
As you teach your students, 

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whether children, teens, or 
adults, please realize you are 

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training a generation to walk 
with God. 

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Maybe someday you will remember 
with satisfaction the planting 

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and the watering of those 
spiritual seeds. 

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And may you know the joy of 
remembering the good over the 

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not so good and seeing the 
growth of the Kingdom among your

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family and friends. 
In other words, may you know the

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joy and the happiness of having 
come full circle in the family 

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of God. 
Lance. 

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Shared some fantastic thoughts 
for our Sunday morning drive. 

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And as usual, now it's your 
turn. 

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Here's our discussion questions 
for this week. 

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Who are you intentionally 
investing in right now so that 

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your faith can continue to the 
next generation? 

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What is 1 specific way you can 
model and teach your faith this 

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week? 
And what spiritual seeds can you

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plant today that you hope to see
grow years from now? 

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Hey, thank you so much for 
listening for two years. 

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Whether you've recently joined 
us or you've been here all 

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along, I appreciate it. 
I hope you have a great week and

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I'll see you Sunday.