"These Are the Days"
My Story
I have been pastor of the Middletown, Indiana, Church of the Nazarene for more than 31 years. What has transpired has not been the result of any well laid out plan or carefully defined professional strategy. It just happened. I never really planned to stay, but I also never planned to leave. So here I am, and hopefully what I have to share can be an encouragement and challenge to you.
Giving a lifetime of ministry to Middletown was certainly not a choice I made. In fact, Middletown is a place that only God would have chosen. I sure wouldn't have. Middletown is a bedroom community of about 2500 people, nestled uncomfortably in the center of the Indiana rustbelt. In 1978, Anderson, our nearest city, had over 19,000 well-paid General Motors employees. Now, there are none. The decline has also occurred in the other two cities near us, Muncie and New Castle.
Author Profile
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Philip C. Rogers, 56 years old born in Kendallville, Indiana, son of a farmer and school teacher.
Graduated from ONU in 1974 with BA in Biblical Literature and 1975 with MA in Biblical Studies. Received a M.Div from NTS in 1977. Was granted a D.Min from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1994. Also graduated from the Institute of Large Church Management in the Church of the Nazarene and the School of Large Church Management with Asbury Theological Seminary.