I Love Jasper County!

One of the greatest events in my family’s life took place 15 years ago. It was August 2, 1998 when my family moved back to Jasper County.

We had spent the previous 10 years serving as a pastor in nearby Walton County. Walton County was the location of my family roots. I had explained to my two children that all Sorrells in Walton County were related.

My son DeWayne came home from his first day of kindergarten and informed me that I was wrong. He said, “Daddy there is a little girl in my class named Latisha Sorrells, and she said she ain’t no kin to me because she is black.”

There were African American and Caucasian Sorrells in Walton and we all became friends and joked about that first kindergarten day. With all this said, I still considered Jasper County as my home.

When we moved back, we found many things had changed. Growth had come to the area and we met many new folks.

I took my two oldest children to register them in Jasper County schools. Some of the same teachers who taught me were still teaching. (I thought they were old when I graduated in 1981).

Now some of my former friends and classmates were teachers also. I could only hope they would not label my kids because of who their Dad was in years past. Jasper County schools still appeared to be about the same as I had left them many years before.

These past 15 years have continued to bring about change in our area and yet many things have stayed the same.

At Shiloh Baptist Church we have experienced much growth and still have great opportunities for more. Most of the growth has come as a result of a vision that God gave me many years ago.

The vision was to, “Reach Children and Youth as a Link to Reaching Families.” God has blessed this vision time and again. We want to reach people at an early age by presenting Christ and watching them grow in their faith to be quality men and women.

In the past there have been many tools used to accomplish this vision. Two such tools are our recreation and Christian School ministries. Jasper County already had a quality recreation program in which my kids participated. Jasper County also had a quality public school system in which two of my children graduated.

Piedmont Academy, one of the top leading private schools in our region with a great tradition was already a part of this county. It is a place that is now led by Tony Tanner. Mr. Tanner was one of my former high school teachers and is a man that I have great respect for.

Even though Jasper already had these things present, God gave us the opportunity to participate in these areas as well. We did not do it to be in competition with any of the above mentioned, but we did each with a desire to reach more young people and families with the Gospel of Christ.

I am blessed to be back home these past 15 years. It is an honor for me to be able to write this article every other week and share my thoughts with the readers. I love Jasper County!!!

I would like to ask all the readers of The Monticello News to join with me in prayer for the schools of Jasper County as we near the opening days. Please lift up the leadership, staffs and students at Jasper County Public Schools, Piedmont Academy, and Shiloh Christian Academy.

Pray for a safe and productive year as we educate for the future!