Pastor H. Gene Allen

About Me…

* Bond-Servant of the Most High God.

* Son of a wonderful Mom who has been very supportive and encouraging to me my entire life, and a person who has always told me the truth about what she sees in me. (My Dad is deceased.)

* Husband of one wife, the love of my life, who has been a great inspiration to me for the past 25 years. A beautiful lady who has been willing to travel down the same sacrificial road.

* Daddy to three beautiful daughters who have to be my greatest success story. They are more intelligent and more creative than I am. They are all serving the Lord and working in ministry. I also have a great Son-in-law who I am very proud to call my “First Son.”

* Pastor to a wonderful congregation in whom I feel their love and support, and whom I love dearly and am very humbled to be their servant-leader. We are a great team who still have a lot to accomplish together.

As a minister, I feel like I am in that last generation of the “old school” preachers. I love all the new technology and many of the new ways of doing church, and still yet, I long for those old fashion Holy Ghost meetings that I was in as a kid. I still love altar calls and lingering around the altars watching people seek for more of God. I love demonstrative preaching, and I love teaching-type, laid-back, styles of preaching; but don’t tell me that only the new, more casual way of doing things is the ONLY way church will work today. (I had one guy look at our church and tell me that we wouldn’t grow because we had greenery on the stage and a communion table in front of the pulpit. Maybe he’s right.) I believe it all can work, because God is in charge of it all and has distributed each persons gifts and styles. I personally believe that it is prayer and the presence of God that really builds a church.

I feel, sometimes, out-of-place. I am an old soul and enjoy preaching, praying and pastoring people. I like being with my people; smelling like my sheep. I am big on building relationships and being in touch with the folks I serve. I still like a hymn and a testimony service every once and a while. I’m apt to call for a “Jericho March!” Though I like owning and driving fine automobiles, I feel more like a pickup truck and boots type of preacher, than a skinny, square-toed loafers and Lexus lead-pastor. And that is no slam against the new. I wish I could look that good; and I actually have two pair of square-toed loafers. I am just more “old school.” And, I still believe God uses us all to do His work!

On my tombstone…

“He was a faithful servant of God and a fun husband, daddy, poppa and friend.”

Other Interest…

I love spending time with my family.

I enjoy shooting. I have a small gun collection and have my “carry-conceal” permit. My daily carry is a Taurus Millennium PT 111 Pro – 9 mm.

I enjoy automobiles. I have a large collection of die-cast model autos. I have also been blessed to own some nice vehicles. Right now I have a 1965 Ford 500 with only 58,000 miles on it. I am the third owner. The first owner owned it from 1965-2000. I have all paperwork and original owners manual. It’s fun to drive, but no power-steering.

I recently sold my 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL which I loved and am still upset with myself for selling it. I was the second owner. UGH! It makes me mad thinking about it!  Moving on…

I am not a good mechanic, but have just always loved messing with cars. And I love owning and driving fine automobiles. I love it, but I haven’t yet got my checkbook convinced of it.

I also enjoy preaching outside my pulpit. I enjoy traveling for revivals, teaching conferences and special services. Give me a call…I’m pretty cheap.

My family is my number ONE interest. I am in love with my wife and think my three girls and my son-in-law are the very best! I am very excited about becoming a Grandfather in September 2010!

Outside of my church work, I pretty much spend most of my time with my family. We do lots of family dinners, movies, traveling and other activities together. We are very close and I love it being that way.

I enjoy studying theology, Hebrew and Greek, and leadership. I also enjoy writing, though my goal is to do more of it. Still working on the whole “time-management” issue.

That is probably more information than you cared about reading. Talk to you soon!

Gene

“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. 11 Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. 12 Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!”  Psalms 51:10-12 (THE MESSAGE)

This morning when I woke up, my heart was heavy. I knew why; I was feeling guilty. I had sin in my life. In a moment I will confess all; but first, when you hear what my sin is you might think I’m being too hard on myself. It’s easy to justify our actions and minimize them by making excuses. But sin is sin; and I have sinned.

My sin? Lack of a consistent prayer life; lack of Bible reading; lack of personal time with God; lack of faith. I am a pastor. To whom much is given much is required. God expects more from me than what I have been giving Him. It’s been about six weeks.

Here is my prayer.

V. 10: “God, make a fresh start in me…” – “Father, it’s time to do what is right. I repent of my slothfulness; my unbecomingness a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to start all over. Please help me start all over. I want to be pure; I want to be righteous. I will need your help every day of my life. This is my weakness; the place the devil can distract me. I rely on you.”

V. 10: “shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.” – “Father God, out of my sin, help me create a stopping place, then a beginning place for your grace and forgiveness. Today is a new day! My life will never be the same because of your fresh grace, and my hard work and steadfast faithfulness to consistently do as You desire of me.”

V.11: “Don’t throw me out with the trash…” – “Father in my old state of mind I was worthless to you. I don’t want to be as waste to you. I don’t want to be fruitless and be thrown away like the chaff. I desire to be something of great worth to you, and do much good for Your cause. I want to be involved in building your Kingdom.

V. 11: Don’t “fail to breathe holiness in me.” – “Lord, You are holy so I must be holy. I cannot keep from sinning without Your Holy Spirit in my life. I need Your power to help me become holy so that I can stay in Your presence. Breathe into me righteousness, and help me hunger and thirst for it continually. Holy Spirit, refresh me!”

V. 12: “Bring me back from gray exile…” – “Lord help me understand from now on that there are no gray areas, but that I must live exactly like you desire me to live. There is no argument; I must not compare myself with anyone else. You expect of me exactly what You expect of me and I must live up to those expectations. And I can Lord, with Your help. Help me hear from You daily that I may know exactly what Your desire is for my life. It is when I hear from You, and live as You desire me too, that I am made to have great joy and satisfaction.”

V. 12: “put a fresh wind in my sails!” – “Holy Spirit breathe on me and sustain me. Lift me above the choppy waters of life. May my spirit and Your Spirit be in unison and may we soar high together. May I never be brought down low again because of my own making. Keep me pure!”

In Jesus name, Amen.

If you need to pray this for your own life, do it right now.

God bless you!

Gene