Reverend Michael T. Whitson
First Baptist Church Indian Trail
Indian Trail
, NC
Sponsor: Rep. Dan Bishop, (R-NC)
Date of Prayer: 05/25/2023
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to introduce America to First Baptist Church Indian Trail in the person of Pastor Mike Whitson, who opened us in prayer.
Pastor Whitson celebrated this past month his 40th anniversary in the pulpit at First Baptist.
Indian Trail? You may ask, what is Indian Trail? It is a small town, I would say, immediately east of Charlotte, North Carolina, except that is not quite right. The mayor of Stallings, North Carolina, is in the gallery. Stallings is immediately east of Charlotte, and Indian Trail is immediately east of Stallings.
It is a small town, and in its midst, the institution of First Baptist Church has over 7,000 members. In the course of the pastorate of Mike Whitson, more than 7,000 people have been baptized, and they have two satellite campuses.
In 1992, they began the Metrolina Christian Academy, which now matriculates 1,477 students in one of the largest K–12 private schools in our State. There is ministry after ministry––to the county jail, a Russian language ministry. Where God undertakes to do His will, it can be in the most unexpected of places.
It was related in the church's celebration of Mike's pastorate and his 40th anniversary that, in the early days, Mike would surprise everyone, certainly the men of the church, when he would bid them a farewell by saying: I love you.
At first, they were taken aback, but after a time, they began saying to Pastor Whitson: I love you.
That is what Pastor Whitson has meant, and the work of the Lord through him and in him is a masterful thing for the Nation to behold.
It is my honor to have had him here in the House Chamber today.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Almighty God and Heavenly Father, we acknowledge Your holiness, Your goodness, Your faithfulness, and Your undying love that forgives our transgressions. We confess before You our total inability to make ourselves righteous before You, and we bless You for providing a way of forgiveness and a path to know You.
Drawing from Your unfailing Word of the prayer of King Asa, a powerful King of long ago, who cried out to You and said: ‘‘Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on You.''
You established leaders over this Nation. May we acknowledge and recognize You as our only source of strength. Your Word convinces us that we can do nothing without You. Because of that, help us to totally trust You in all things. May Your cause be our cause.
We humbly ask in Your matchless name. Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory