Our Leaders
Pastor Ken Cox
Ken Cox has served as Lead Pastor of St. James United Methodist Church since July of 2004. A pastor in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference since 1969, his prior appointments include the Oconee, Ohlman, and Fairview Charge; Odell; Odell and First Church Pontiac Associate; Sherman, First Church Mattoon, and First Church Vandalia.
Ken is a graduate of Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois and Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois.
Ken and his wife Judy are parents of two grown children. They have five granddaughters and one grandson.
Email: kcox65@cooketech.net
Pastor Tiffany Black
Email: tblack@cooketech.net
FROM THE LEAD PASTOR: “Predictions”
“Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray.’” (Mark 13:5 NRSV)
He came to our house every couple of months to sell Watkins products. Mom usually bought something from him. Eventually Judy and I married and were living next door to my folks. He started stopping by our home as well. He was a very nice man so occasionally I bought something from him.
Just about every time he came we would discuss religion. He always suggested that the time for the world to end, as we knew it, was close at hand.
In the time I knew him he gave me four different dates for Jesus to return. They all came and went. Jesus never came.
I enjoy watching the History Channel. In the last year they have been developing shows about the end of history as we know it. An ancient Mayan calendar says history will end in December of 2012. The Chinese have an ancient calendar that says history will also end in December of 2012. Some people believe that Nostradamus predicts the end of history, once again, in December of 2012. Most of the shows make reference to the apocalyptic literature in the Bible we find in Daniel and Revelation. Wow, do you think some cataclysmic event could be scheduled to happen in 2012?
I have an answer for such questions. Maybe it is true but my Lord, and best friend, Jesus will warn me when the time comes. He has always alerted me when some major change was going to happen in our family’s life. Usually the warning comes about a year ahead of time. This pattern has been going on since I accepted his call to the ministry. If you are worried about something happening in December 2012, ask me in December of 2011.
Most likely this prediction will be like all the others. The date will come and go and Jesus will not have returned. Mind you, I would like him to come and set this world right but my insides tell me it probably won’t happen then. Jesus clearly says that no one knows the day or hour except the Father. (See Acts 1:7)
Basically, Jesus tells us not to let any one lead us astray. We need to put our faith in him and be faithful to his will, day in and day out. If we do, everything will be fine. Pandemics will happen. The economy will rise and fall. Nations will come and go. Only Jesus will remain the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He can be counted on in this life and the next. His Spirit is in us and with us always when we invite him to be our Lord and Savior.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Ken
November 15, 2009
