Apostolic Christian School & Apostolic Kiddie Academy Commencement Ceremonies 2026

Thank you, my brother. You can be seated. I count this one of the highest honors uh that I've ever been able to be a part of being able to speak at graduation of the school that I attended and graduated from. And I give highest honor this evening to Bishop and Sister Mcool. Without you both, none of this would be here today. And I am eternally grateful for your burden and your vision for this church and school. I remember I almost said little kid, but I don't want to lie to you people. I remember as a kid getting kicked out of class, which was nothing abnormal. And uh my teacher, Sister Kathy Williams, was one of the ones that did it the most. She had made me drag my desk into the hallway. And any other day that I wasn't in the hallway, Bishop Mcool wouldn't come to the school. But every single time I drag had to drag my desk to the hallway, I could hear his keys jingling, walking down the hallway, it sounded like the bells on the high priest ephod. I give honor to pastor and sister Mcool. Thank you, pastor, for giving me my one and only peddling in school. I deserve many more. Thank you for coaching me on the field in the court, but most importantly, thank you for teaching me on Wednesday mornings in Bible class and for preaching to me on Monday morning devotions and Friday morning chapel services. And thank you so much for mentoring me in ministry. Sister Jamie Mcool, God bless her heart. She had me in second grade, fifth grade, and then again in seventh grade. It's probably why she's not teaching anymore. Pastor Nathan, Sister Aley, Pastor Anthony, Sister Kelly, I honor you. Thank you for keeping the legacy of this great school going. Thank you for teaching and preaching to my nephews. To all the former teachers, many that I'm most certain I put into retirement. To all the current teachers and staff, thank you. We honor you today. You could be doing a lot of other things with your careers, but there are hundreds of alumni grateful for your ministry tonight. To the class of 2026, I give you and not just you, but also your family honor for your acco accomplishments. And this is a very special class to me. Drew, my nephew, who I'm very proud of. Emmy, my other nephew's girlfriend, who has become family to all of us. Anna and Katon, the children of two of my classmates and best friends in this world. Brady, the son of two of my lifelong friends. This is a special class to me personally. And last but not least, I want to give honor to my parents. They don't like for me to talk about them, but I promise you they deserve everything that they get talked about. They sacrificed a lot of things to send me and my brothers to this school. And I don't want to embarrass them, but they didn't get to drive brand new cars. They didn't get to live in big fancy houses. But they invested in me and my brothers going to this school. and it's made an eternal perspective, an eternal reward. And I'm so thankful and I love my parents today. I am a proud product, as has already been stated tonight, I am a proud product of Apostolic Christian School. I attended this school from kindergarten through 12th grade. I didn't know what public school was even like until I went to college. Students and graduates, I walked the same halls as you have. I sat in the same classrooms as you did. I was even taught by some of the same teachers that you've had. I've listened to preaching in chapel services like you have. I've ate lunch in the same cafeteria as you did. And 31 years ago, man, I'm getting old. I sat where you are sitting. Well, not exactly because it was in the old building, but uncertain of my future also. I played basketball, football, baseball, and even soccer. And I don't want to give anyone a heart attack from shock and disbelief today, but I even ran track when I was younger, much younger. And I still have the ribbons at my parents house to prove it. Some of them were blue. That means first place. I competed in national apostolic Christian school competition, winning the gold medal in my basket in basketball. My senior year in 1995. I finished third in my class with all A's. And no, there wasn't just three of us that graduated. I was on the honor row my entire academic career. But those things are not the most important things I did at this school. The most important things is when one chapel service I knelt down on my on my knees in an altar and I repented of my sins. I was baptized in the saving name of Jesus Christ during a school chapel altar service. And one day I fasted lunch. That's how you knew I was serious. I fasted lunch and God filled me with the Holy Ghost. At Apostolic Christian School, I learned about numbers, Sister Megan. But I also learned about one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. At Apostolic Christian School, I learned about addition and subtraction. But I also learned that Jesus could take away my sins and add to my life. At Apostolic Christian School, Sister Sandy, I learned the English language and how to speak. Well, sort of kind of, but I also received the Holy Ghost, and I spoke in other tongues in a heavenly language. At Apostolic Christian School, Brother Anthony, I learned about science and bi biology, how plants and animals work on this planet, but I also learned who created the planet and everything in it. At Apostolic Christian School, Brother Derek, I learned about history, stories of famous people and events, but I also learned about the most famous person and event in history, the birth, the life, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At Apostolic Christian School, I read books and learned about famous authors, but I also read the greatest book ever written, the Bible, and I learned who the author and the finisher of my faith was. And and that is exactly what I want to talk to these graduates about tonight. >> >> Hebrews 12:1 says, "Wherefore, seeing we are also passed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith." Somewhere in the annals of eternity in heaven, I believe that there is a large library. This library is grand, even more grand than Pastor Whitley's. AND AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE UPWARDS, as far as you can look to your left or to your right, there is nothing but shelf after shelf filled to capacity with books. If one was actually capable of encounting the volumes, the staggering number would be in the untold trillions. Each book has a name on it. Each book is different but the same. Each book has the same author, but each book has a different protagonist. Each with its own star character and lead role. Each book begins the same with the author creating the character. And each book has the same closing chapter with that character making it to heaven. Second Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to usward and willing and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Because that is the author's main goal and objective as the finisher in our life. that each and every character call heaven their home one day. But if you take the pen out of his most holy hands and you try to write or rewrite your life story, then he cannot be the finisher of your life. The difference is found within the pages of each book throughout the pages, chapters, paragraphs, sentences. If you were to grab a book and look at the cover, graduates, you would see your name on it because your story is his story. You see, the author also wants not just to be the author, but he wants to be the finisher of your story. But he cannot do that if you take the pen out of his hand and try to write your own story. And you do that with the decisions that you make. So, I've come to address this class of 2026 and really all of us tonight. Give God the pen tonight. 2 Corinthians 3:3. For as much as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. We are his story. And as the author, he is writing our life's story. We are a book that is being read by all that know us. And I believe tonight that God has a story for every one of us gathered here this evening to celebrate and to honor these graduates. God has a destiny and God has a plan for every single person in this place tonight. Earlier today, I was I was going through some of my stuff that's still at my mom and dad's house. And I found uh I don't know if they still do it anymore, but when when we ordered our class ring and our invitations my senior year, uh they gave us a Joinsson's gave us a memory book. And in that memory book, I opened the front page and it said big nasty number 44 was the first thing I saw. And then it started asking questions about my classmates and memories and my teachers. And all my teachers that said they all they hate us. Every one of us them hate us. So, I I know that's not true, but I remember the one thing that jumped out at me was it it there was a a page talking about the future, and it said, "In 10 years, I will." And you filled in the rest. And my 10 years said I would be a veterinarian living in Knoxville, married with four kids. I struck out on my 10-year prophecy because none of those were true. And so, young people, you may think that you know what you're going to be and what you're wanting to do. You may think that you can take the pen out of God's hand, but let me tell you tonight, you need to give it back to him tonight and say, "God, I've got plans, but your plans are greater, and I want you to write my life story." See, in all in all of creation, God deposited something in our into our DNA that nothing else in creation contains, and that is free will. A dog has to bark. A fish has to swim. Birds have to migrate south in the winter. Volcanoes have to erupt. Grass has to grow. Leaves have to turn colors in the fall and die in the winter. They have no choice in the matter. But you and I are DIFFERENT TONIGHT. THE MASTER creator created us with the ability to make our own decisions. And we are able to choose our own paths even if he knows it's going to hurt us or hurt him. And it's those decisions tonight that will determine our destinies. But see, the reason he gave us that free will is also the reason why he loves us SO MUCH. THAT'S WHY GOD CAME IN THE FLESH TO DIE for our sins. because he knows that we don't have to live for him. He knows that we don't have to love him. We don't have to attend church. We don't have to praise and worship him. We choose to do those things. Jeremiah 1 and5 says, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. And before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee." Before Jeremiah was formed in the womb, God said, "I knew him and I called him." SO BEFORE THERE WAS A PREGNANCY, THERE WAS A PURPOSE. GOD didn't wait until after Jeremiah was born and then find a purpose FOR HIM. BUT GOD MADE Jeremiah for his purpose, not to find a purpose for Jeremiah. And I believe the same is true for all 12 of these graduates tonight. God created you on purpose for a purpose. You were created by God for God. You are here in this place at this time for a reason. This is you're not here by accident. You're not a coincidence. It's not by happen stance, but you are here by divine appointment. And God has positioned you exactly where you are, right where he wants YOU BECAUSE THERE IS something he needs to do through you that you and only you can do for him and his kingdom. God chose you not because of where you came from, but because of where he's TAKING YOU. GOD CHOSE YOU NOT just because of who your parents are, but because of who he created you to be. You are not a mistake. You are not an accident. You are not an afterthought. You are not a second choice. You are not a fillin. You are not a replacement. You are exactly who he wants for this assignment. And the author of a novel knows the character better than they that know themselves. And the reason behind this fact is simply because the author created the character. If there wasn't an author, there wouldn't be any characters. And without any characters, there wouldn't be a story. parts of our story graduates. Sometimes your story will seem like a comedy. Sometimes a drama, a mystery, a romance, a horror flick, a tragedy, or even an adventure. Each chapter and scene will be different. But no matter where or what your lives bring you to, YOU'VE GOT TO be willing to trust him to be the author and the finisher. You, we must be willing to give God the pen. Hebrews 11:8 says this, "By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whether he went." He didn't know where he was going, but he went. He didn't know where he was going, but he gave God, the author, the pen and say, "God, write my life story." Psalms 119 and 105 says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." It's a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The the reason a car's headlights only shine so far down the road is so that you won't get distracted by what's in the distance and miss what is in directly in front of you. And I'm going to tell these graduates today, don't get so distracted by down the road. Don't get so distracted by your dreams and your hopes and your goals that you miss what God is doing in your life right now. Joseph dreams prophetic dreams. He makes the mistake of telling his brothers and they get jealous and hate him for it. They sell him to slavery. He's falsely accused. He's imprisoned and then he's forgotten about. But one thing Joseph did not do is he did not take the pen out of the author's hand while he was in the pit. And he did not take the pen out of the author's hand while he was in the prison. And because he did not take the pen out of the author's hand, the finisher pinned him into a palace. Psalms 37 and23, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delightth in his way. Isaiah reminds us that his thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways are not our ways. And as high as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways higher than ours, and our thought his thoughts higher than our thoughts. The writer of Proverbs reminds us in in Proverbs 16:9, "A man's heart deiseth or plans his way. A man's heart takes the pen out of God's hand, but the Lord directs his steps. There is a way, verse 25, there is a way that seemth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." See, we find trouble when we take the pen from God's hand. We find oursselfves in a mess when we begin to try and write our own life story. And I've come to tell these these graduates tonight and all of us really, don't ever put a comma or a question mark where God puts a period. Don't ever put a period or question mark where God puts a comma. That's that's what these characters in the Bible did. They took the pen out of God's hand. The prophet Samuel told King Saul, "When thou was little in thy own sight, was thou not made the head of the tribe of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?" The Apostle Paul said, "Deus hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." The rich young ruler went away sad after Jesus instructed him to sell all that he had and follow after him. See, you've got to understand graduates, there is nothing wrong with desiring nice things. As long as your desire for heavenly things are great is greater. There is nothing wrong with desiring to receive higher education. As long as you don't forget to seek godly wisdom from a higher source. And I believe we need more one God, Jesus name. Baptized, Holy Ghost filled, holy and righteous living apostolic teachers, coaches, doctors, lawyers, policemen, firemen, business owners, and entrepreneurs. And there's NOTHING WRONG WITH DESIRING TO HAVE MONEY as long as you don't fall in love with money because I believe God desires for us to be blessed so that we can be a blessing to his kingdom. There is nothing wrong with desiring to be successful as long as your desire to be success successful in God's kingdom is greater than your desire to be successful in this world. Jesus said for what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Aswald Chambers said this it is not what a man achieves but what he believes and strives for that makes him noble and great. And Jesus, I believe, prayed the hardest prayer that you can ever pray. And graduates, you will have to pray this prayer if you've not prayed it yet. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said these words, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me." "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." In other words, God, I've made a mess taking the pen and trying to write my own story, and I'm putting the pen back in your hand. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the moral, for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself." And then Jeremiah says this in Jeremiah 29:11. For I have I know the thoughts that I think towards you, sayeth the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. See, authors can do whatever they want to do with a story because it's their story. They can change the beginning, they can change the ending, and they can change everything in between. And since he is the author, Jesus can step into your life tonight. And he can change not just your beginning and your ending, but what you're going through right now. He can step in and change the ending. Now, I know these young people, they don't have a clue what I'm getting ready to talk about because of streaming services is all they know. But back in the day when we watch DVDs menu that you could you could click and it would say alternate ending. If you didn't like the way the movie ended, the maker of that movie filmed a couple of different alternate endings, and you could pick whichever one you like the best. AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOUR LIFE IS GOING RIGHT NOW, if you'll give God the pen, he can give you an alternate ending. You don't have to stay in the shape that you're in. You don't have to stay in the circumstances that you're in. God can change your life. What the devil meant for a curse, God can turn it into a blessing tonight. Proverbs 3 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Give God the pen and give him complete control of your life. Give God the pen and follow after him tonight. Give God the pen and follow in his paths. Give God the pen and follow in his steps. The writer of Hebrews says, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." He is the author of eternal salvation tonight. And you can follow him in his death. I said it this morning. You can follow him in his death by dying out to your sins and repentance. You can follow him in his burial by being buried in water baptism in the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. the saving name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can follow him in his resurrection by being filled with the same spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the grave. And and and in the conclusion tonight, John the Revelator while in exile on the aisle of Patmos in his prophetic vision of future things and events, John gives us the greatest reason why you need to give God the pen tonight. Revelation 20 and 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were open, and another book was open, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. So why do you need to give God the pen? Because if you take the pen out of his hand, he won't be able to write your name in the lamb's book of life. Musicians can come Philippians 1 and6 being confident of this very thing that he which begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. God doesn't just want to be the author of your life. He also wants to be the finisher. He's not just the alpha, but he's also the omega. He's not just the beginning, but he's also the ending. He's the author of your story. You didn't have a chance, a choice in that matter. He became that when he created you, but you do have a choice tonight whether or not you're going to make him the finisher of your story. And I and I had some pins custom made to commemorate this event that I'm going to give to all these young people. It's a orange pen, which is the most beautiful color on planet Earth. And on one side it says, "Give God the pen, which I preached tonight." And on the other side it says, "Apostolic Christian School, class of 2026." And brother Will Farmer, I want to ask you if you would hand these graduates. I want you to take these pens with you. I want you to take them to school with you. If you're going to college, I want you to take them put them on your desk. Put them in your car somewhere you can look at them and remind yourself that I need to make sure I'm giving God the pen. Give God the pen. Glass class of 2026. Give God the pen. Aiden, give God the pen. Alvin, give God the pen. Anna, give God the pen. Brady, give God the pen. Drew, give God the pen. EJ, give God the pen. Emmy, give God the pen. Eie, give God the pen. Grace, give God the pen. Jeremiah, give God the pen. Josiah, give God the pen, Katon. And may all of us here tonight make sure that we've not taken the pen out of God's hand and we give him the pen back and let him write our life story. Can we give a big hand clap to these graduates tonight?