Greater Bethel AMEC Athens

09/04/2026

08/29/2026

Four Ways to Multiply Your God-Given Greatness
Have you wondered how God wants you to use your gifts? Scripture reveals four ways to multiply the greatness God placed within us.
First, recognize that God planted greatness in you. Ephesians 2:10 calls you God’s workmanship, created for good works.
Second, grow your greatness by staying connected to Christ, for apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Third, use your greatness to bless others. First Peter 4:10 tells us to serve others with whatever gift we have received.
Fourth, multiply your greatness for God’s glory. Invest your faith, wisdom, experience, and resources instead of burying them (Matthew 25:14–30).
Your greatness was never meant to stop with you. Share it, and let God create a legacy through you!

08/28/2026

God Saw Her: Remembering Teralyn Black Woodford

Before the world recognized her dignity, God saw Teralyn Black Woodford. Born in 1958 into one of Gray, Georgia’s most prominent “Negro” families, Terri entered a society still governed by segregation. Although America was beginning to change, equality remained an unfulfilled promise for many.

Terri’s nearly seven decades embodied the progress and unfinished work of her times. Her journey echoes Hagar’s story in Genesis 16 and 21. Enslaved, exploited, and cast into the wilderness with her son Ishmael, Hagar faced abandonment and despair. Yet God found her there, provided water, renewed her hope, and promised a future for her child. Hagar called God “the One who sees me.”

Terri endured Hagar-like seasons. Sickness weakened her, relationships disappointed her, and unemployment threatened her security. Yet God saw her. He supplied strength in illness, companionship in loneliness, and opportunity when resources were scarce.

Today, as her family lays her to rest, we mourn, yet not without hope. The God who saw Terri throughout her life now sees her children and grandchildren. Death has ended her struggle, but it has not erased her testimony: she was never forgotten, never forsaken, and never beyond God’s sight. Because God saw her.

08/25/2026

“Is There Anything We Can All Agree On? Yes: It’s Dolly Parton.”

Dolly Parton has gone home.
Known for her larger-than-life personality, unmistakable appearance, extraordinary talent, and generous spirit, Dolly rose from rural poverty in the mountains of Tennessee to become one of the world’s most successful singers, songwriters, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists. She died today in Nashville at the age of 80.

Dolly was beloved not only for her talent but also for her heart. Shaped by her hardscrabble beginnings and grounded by a faith that remained with her through the heights of stardom, she possessed a remarkable ability to connect with people across racial, cultural, generational, and political boundaries.

One of the greatest examples of that connection is “I Will Always Love You.” Dolly wrote the song as a farewell to country star Porter Wagoner, expressing gratitude as she left his syndicated television program—the show that helped give her a major career breakthrough. The song became one of Dolly’s signatures and a beloved part of her concerts and public appearances.

Then, in 1992, Whitney Houston carried the song to another generation through the movie The Bodyguard. Whitney’s breathtaking rendition spent 14 weeks at the top of the Billboard pop chart. Before that, Dolly’s recordings had already taken the song to No. 1 on the country chart in 1974 and again in 1982.
From country to pop, from soul to gospel, Dolly touched us all—not because of a marketing plan devised in Nashville or Hollywood, but because being a blessing was simply who God created her to be.

God told Abraham in Genesis 12:2, “I will bless you … and you will be a blessing.” For 80 years, God blessed Dolly Parton with remarkable gifts, and she used those gifts to bring music, laughter, books, hope, and joy to millions.

In a deeply divided world, is there anything upon which we can all agree?
Yes. It’s Dolly Parton.

08/25/2026

Pray for Gary—and Demand Better

For ten days, much of Gary, Indiana, has lived without electricity after devastating storms. Grocery shelves are bare. Schools are closed. Insulin has spoiled in warm refrigerators, and residents dependent on oxygen face frightening uncertainty. In a predominantly Black community where poverty is already widespread, many residents understandably feel forgotten.
Scripture reminds us, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). So today, let us pray boldly for Gary—for power to be restored, families protected, resources delivered, and communities rebuilt.

But prayer must also move us toward justice. We must ask why vulnerable communities can wait so long for essential services and demand accountability from utilities and public officials.
Pray for Gary. Speak for Gary. And demand that every community be treated with dignity, urgency, and justice.

08/23/2026

The world our children are stepping into looks different than the one we grew up in. But the call on the church remains the same: pour into the next generation before they walk into their different world alone. Paul did it for Timothy. Lois and Eunice did it before Paul. And somebody did it for you.

2 Timothy 3:14 challenges us to continue in what we have learned and to remember who poured into us. That same verse challenges us to ask: who are we pouring into now? Find your Timothy. Learn their name. Notice when they go missing. Stir up the gift God placed in them.

08/18/2026

Guard What God Has Entrusted to You

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.” This is Paul's message in 2 Timothy 1:14. That deposit is the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ, including His death, resurrection, grace, and call to holy living. Today, algorithms, social media influencers, and opinions compete to shape what we believe. As we protect a password from hackers, we must protect God’s truth from distortion, neglect, and compromise. Yet guarding the faith does not mean hiding it. We preserve it by studying Scripture, living with integrity, teaching the next generation, and sharing Christ courageously. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment to recognize falsehood and strength to remain faithful. Today, examine what is shaping your beliefs. Open God’s Word, stand in truth, and faithfully pass the gospel forward.

08/16/2026

God has placed greatness within every believer, but our gifts reach their highest purpose when they bless others. Drawing from 1 Peter 4:10–11, Acts 22, and Ephesians, Pastor Marben Bland shares four ways to use our greatness: let God redirect it, do good works, speak the truth in love, and equip others. Saul’s transformation reminds us that God can redirect our knowledge, influence, experience, and voice for Kingdom service. Our gifts were never intended for personal applause. Use your abilities to encourage, mentor, serve, heal, and open doors. Someone may be waiting for the blessing God placed within you.

08/15/2026

Use Your Gift. Fulfill the Vision.

Paul declared in Acts 26:19, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” That vision belongs to every believer. In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations. First Peter 4:10–11 reminds us that God has given each of us gifts—not for personal recognition, but to serve others and glorify Him. Every gift can be a tool for sharing the Gospel. Your voice can encourage, your knowledge can teach, your compassion can heal, and your testimony can lead someone to Christ. The question is not whether you have a gift, but whether you are using it. Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Obey the vision, use your gift, and help make a disciple today!

Join us tomorrow at Greater Bethel AME Church, 140 Rose Street in Athens, Georgia! Our worship day begins at 9:45 AM with Church School and breakfast, followed by worship at 11:00 AM.
I will preach the third message in our Multiplying Your Greatness sermon series: “Using Your Greatness to Bless Others: Four Godly Ways to Use Your Gifts to Make a Difference.”

If you cannot join us in person, worship with us live on Facebook, YouTube, or at www.gbaathens.org.
We would love to welcome you! Until tomorrow, may God bless you with peace and love.

08/11/2026

Your Greatness Is for Others
I am Marben Bland, pastor of the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia, with a Living the Word Moment
Your greatness was never meant to end with you. God placed gifts, experiences, influence, and opportunities within you to strengthen someone. In Acts 22:3–15, Saul’s encounter with Jesus redirected his knowledge and passion from persecution to Kingdom service. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Like Saul, we must ask, “What am I to do, Lord?” Then we must listen and obey. Use your voice to encourage, your hands to serve, your resources to open doors, and your experience to guide others. Someone may be waiting for the blessing only you can provide. Today, surrender your greatness to God and let Him use your life to help someone else become great.