Preparing To Cross the Jordan River
Pastor Charles Rehberg's story of service in Baxley
4:00am
and the day begins. A hot shower followed by a piping hot cup of coffee, a
quick stop at Dunkin Donuts for the boys, and then a three and a half hour
drive down to the Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries campus
in Baxley, Georgia.
This is how every other Sunday morning begins for Pastor Charles Rehberg.
He enters the campus chapel the same way every time, turning on the lights, cutting on the air-conditioner or heat, and then preparing to share the gospel with eager young men.
The kids and staff alike call him Pastor Charles around campus. He is always greeted with warm smiles and excited shouts from the kids during the service, saying, “Amen, Brother Charles!” The service is lively with interactive questions that keep the boys involved. Worship in song is led by some of the young men on campus that enjoy singing. The whole chapel is electric with the Holy Spirit.
"All these kids will cross their own Jordan River one day and go home," Charles explained with a smile. "It's my job to see that they are not afraid and put one foot in front of the other, and to know that they have a great partner: the Holy Spirit that they can ask to come into their life."
Not every Sunday has been the same for Pastor Charles. It wasn’t until a few years ago that he actually got involved as the official pastor at Baxley. In the beginning, Charles got started years ago with the Caring Hearts Sunday School Class in Thomaston, Georgia. The ladies encouraged him to help cook hamburgers for kids on Saturdays at the campus.
Afterwards, he got involved coming to campus to do Cowboy Church. His church would bring horses for the kids to ride and had lunch afterward to fellowship together. Later, Charles then participated in bringing presents for children on Christmas.
During one Cowboy Church event, Charles listened to God’s call to be a pastor for the Baxley Campus. He explains, with a big smile on his face, that he was standing right outside the chapel when he was encouraged by a few GBCH&FM staff members to be the pastor.
"I didn't know anything to say but yes," Charles said. "I decided to give up my Sunday school class and come be with the kids and get ordained."
Pastor Charles explains that starting his journey of pastoring at Baxley turned out to be a natural blessing because God was involved from the very beginning. He’s never had to worry about the messages or anything because God continues to provide for him.
“Starting
out, I realized a lot of the young men didn’t read well, which I could identify
with because I was the same way when I was younger,” Charles said. “Luckily,
with the help of ladies at my church, we discovered these Action Biblesthat
incorporated lots of pictures that help tell the story of Jesus."
"So we decided to provide all the children with these Bibles to help them learn."
After gathering interest and planting small seeds in his teachings with the Action Bibles, the boys became interested in the Bible that Pastor Charles was using, a Life Application King James Bible.
“The boys wanted Bibles like mine to grow their knowledge and lay the foundation for the right decisions to be made in their lives,” Charles explained. “I want these kids to have something they can use when they leave us as a guideline they can always follow.”
Since Charles began pioneering the initiative to help these young men find Jesus, there have been countless professions of faith at the Baxley campus.
“Pastor Charles is such a vital piece of the puzzle here in Baxley,” Michael Shumans, Baxley Campus Administrator says. “His willingness to serve and the encouragement he brings to campus is truly making a difference in these boys’ lives.”
It is evident that he has a God-given passion to share the love of Christ with children and wants nothing more than to be an encourager and supporter to everyone he comes in contact with.
“It is important for me to encourage others. I am just in the field of life, sewing seeds, watering, and planting. God is the one that makes it grow.”
Charles’ main goal is to share Jesus with these young men, but he also was very passionate in wanting others to get involved in working with the Children’s Home.
“These kids need love 365 days a year…not just once or twice a year. We need to make a permanent commitment to be there for them,” Charles explained. “Sometimes it’s tough on my family, but if it’s Christmas, Easter, or no matter the occasion and it is my time to be here…I am here. People often ask me, ‘Why don’t you call and cancel?’ If God wants to cancel, then it will be, but as for me, I will be there until He does.”
Working with volunteer groups, churches, and staff, Pastor Charles has made a lasting impact on the Baxley campus and he explains that all that success is because of God.
“These kids put the footprints of their lives on my heart…I do this because I love them,” Charles said tearfully.“Footprints will always be there, even after I retire. If I follow Joshua, though, who the Lord didn’t let retire until he was 110, I got another 40 years left in me.”
If you're interested in serving with us, we'd love to talk with you about our opportunities!
Learn how you can get involved
or contact us today: hello@gbchfm.org // 770-463-3800!
Because of your support, lives are forever changed.
Thank you for giving children and families hope and a home.
