Reverend W. Don Young
Heartland Worship Center
Paducah, KY
Sponsor: Rep. Ed Whitfield, (R-KY)
Date of Prayer: 07/26/2005
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Pastor Don Young of the Heartland Worship Center in Paducah, Kentucky, for leading today's opening prayer.
Pastor Young was born and raised in Childress, Texas, and following his graduation from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, he became the founding pastor of the Bible Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky, where he ministered to the needs of the founding 29 members of that church.
Pastor Young has been there now for 45 years, and the church has 3,000 members and is now known as the Heartland Worship Center. Average Sunday attendance is 1,700, largely because of Pastor Young's unique preaching style and the programs he has initiated to meet the spiritual needs of people from all walks of life.
Heartland's vision statement is: Influencing people to come, instructing people to grow, inspiring people to go.
Under Pastor Young's leadership, the center supports 29 missionaries in foreign countries and the United States, assists the members of the congregation with counseling needs, supports the mission projects endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention, helps with the spiritual and moral development of our youth, and honors our men and women in uniform as they prepare for deployment overseas.
Heartland Worship Center is blessed to have such a dedicated servant whose compassion and faith have guided him throughout his entire life.
Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in welcoming Pastor Young and thanking him for today's prayer.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
My Lord God in heaven, the leaders of this nation pause every day to acknowledge Your grace, mercy and blessings. They acknowledge by this exercise that this nation was built on Your principles.
Father God, it appears that we are the players that will determine the destiny of our beloved United States of America. Good people all over the world believe we are standing on a precipice at this moment in history.
Either America renews her relationship with You, or we continue our moral free–fall, which will ultimately mean our demise. We, the pastors and political leaders can’t allow that to happen. Oh, God, help us to guide this great people in such a way that You can bless us again.
Now, please help us to honor You and You alone with the decisions that will be made today and in future sessions.
In the Lord's name,
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory