By Victoria Ostrosky
There are so many Bible characters we can’t wait to locate in heaven so we can ask them a ton of questions like the Apostle Paul, or King David, or maybe Moses or even Abraham. There are so many things we’d love to know about. Showing honor to the ‘greats’ in history is natural. There’s a wonderful verse in I Timothy 5:17 that says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” Here and now, we have a considerable number of seasoned believers among us, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, from whom we can learn much. Maybe it’s time to seek them out and start asking them some questions.
With over 50 years of faithful ministry on his resume, Pastor Gueary Clendening is a brother fitting this verse exactly. He was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, then, as a married adult, worked in various organizations such as Teen Challenge in Chicago, then pastored churches in Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, and, lastly, Valparaiso. He retired from pastoring in 2015, five years after his wife’s death.
Pastor Gueary admits “There were some difficult times, but God in His grace and mercy saw me through.” His beloved wife was an extreme extrovert, and when she went to be with Jesus in 2010, Pastor Gueary realized that his introverted personality was going to have to make some adjustments. “After she passed, it brought me to a dimension where I had to learn to speak up. God will put you in situations where you have to talk.”
Full of the Word, with Bible verses spilling out from his heart, Pastor Gueary is a wellspring of knowledge and wisdom and he is happy to share with young or old. He loves being part of his local church in Destin – he says it’s been “rich and rewarding.” He believes that the church is God’s agent on earth – filled with the Holy Spirit. Being Christ’s ambassadors, the church is a necessary light to the world. “The Holy Spirit uses the church to proclaim the truth, along with confidence and peace.”
Pastor Gueary is convinced that it’s vital to our spiritual growth to be physically plugged into a local church of believers. “The fellowship and encouragement we receive and give are important. When you’re part of a church you can call them and ask for help when you need it. You also need connections with a small group. They’re your friends and will lift you up.”
Speaking of his decades as a minister, Pastor Gueary compares pastors and members of the congregation. Together we are an essential component in the Great Commission, always reaching out to others, sharing what God has done for us. “I feel like there are everyday occurrences where we can reach out to someone lost and in the dark. Some don’t realize they’re even searching.”
He loves going out to eat, and actively anticipates opportunities to share his faith with the waitstaff or anyone else. “Ask God what you need to say to witness.”
Pastor Gueary loves Psalm 90:17 and Psalm 91:1 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us, yes, establish the work of our hands! He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” He expounds on it this way: “What’s going to shine in us? The beauty of the Lord. We want our lives to be fruitful and not wasted. We need to get quiet with God daily. Every morning God comes to visit us and it’s up to us to be receptive. He wants to share with us.”
You can hear Pastor Gueary Clendening’s entire interview and listen to many other incredible stories on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com.
Author: Sowal Editor
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