Wendell Baggett and Mike Portwood – Men of Influence

Proverbs 61:4,5 (ESV)

From somewhere around my “junior high school years” as it was known back then, my little country church in Russellville, South Carolina invited two people on a rotating basis to come and preach the “spring revival.” One year it was Wendell Baggett. The next year it was Mike Portwood. I can’t exactly remember how long that went on, but my memory makes me think it was most of my junior high and high school years.

Back in April, Wendell Baggett died, and just this week, Mike Portwood died. During January I am reading “five psalms and one chapter of Proverbs” a day and this morning, the words posted at the beginning of this were a part of my reading. They instantly reminded me of Wendell Baggett and Mike Portwood.

In particular the phrase “you have heard my vows” leapt off the pages of my Bible. Both Wendell and Mike spent a life time of serving God. At some point in their lives they made a commitment to be a follower of Jesus. They did that for the rest of their lives. Somewhere along the way they made a commitment to be in ministry as preachers. They did that for the rest of their lives. They both stood in front of a preacher at some point in time and made a commitment “to be faithful unto death” to their wives. They did that as well.

Vows. Vows only matter when the people who make them are people of integrity. Like David who wrote Psalm 61, Wendell and Mike apparently were serious in their desire “to dwell in your tent forever!” and “to take refuge under the shelter of your wings.” I realize that “life happens” and sometimes the vows we make and were determined to keep don’t work. But it seems to me that when we have role models like Wendell and Mike who made and kept vows, we ought to celebrate their lives and seek to follow their examples. And not to be forgotten, we ought to point out people who muster the courage, determination, and godliness to live out such a life.

I can’t remember a particular sermon either of them preached during their revival trips to Russellville. I can remember my mother being impressed by Wendell’s ability “to get so much out of one verse” and that she would often say, “That Mr. Portwood, he can really preach.” Like me, my parents both remembered Wendell and Mike and would often ask me if I had seen them lately.

Because both were graduates of Atlanta Christian College – as was the preacher of my church – they left a great impression among people at Russellville and other churches that came to the revivals about ACC. I’m confident that they were both a part of why I decided to attend ACC as I graduated f rom high school in 1969. It would be interesting to know how many other young men and women were influenced not only to follow Jesus but to invest their lives in ministry because of the lives and witness of these two ordinary guys.

In a bit of blessed irony, the oldest daughters of Wendell and Mike are among my very best friends – and former students. Cindy Westbrook is Wendell’s daughter and she and her husband, along with their children and families are dear to my heart. Kim Macenczak, a former student and now colleague at Point, and her family are friends for whom I have great affection.

I would never suggest that either Wendell or Mike was perfect – and neither would they. But I would suggest that their example of faithful ministry in the gospel has blessed my life in significant ways. As David says of God, “you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.” Both the Baggett family and the Portwood family have a great heritage – as do hundreds of people whose lives were blessed by their ministry.

For those of us still alive with “vows to keep,” perhaps the words of Hebrews 12 could be helpful to us.