Personal Testimony
We are both native Atlantans, growing up in the suburbs of the city.
Martin and Doris Cook met as young teenagers and were married in 1973. After being married for two weeks, Martin was involved in a horrible crash in his car, pulling in front for a 40 car freight train in the City of East Point. After recovering for 6 months from injuries, God began to work in my heart. We moved to the suburb of Forest Park and bought our first home.
Several months went by, and Doris met the lady next door. Her little boy rode the bus to Pinecrest Baptist Church. The Church was having a special day to get the parents there. Our neighbor wanted to go, but did not want to ride the bus. She invited my wife to go with her, and they followed the bus to the church. The next week, the assistant pastor and a deacon from the church came by to visit us. The Lord had been working hard on us, and they were able to lead us to Christ and we were both saved in 1975 and immediately began working in the church.
We were called into full time vocational ministry in 1978 and entered the ministry 1980 and ordained April 5, 1982 at Pinecrest Baptist Church, Morrow, Ga.
Doris has been a bus captain for over 20 years and is involved in Ladies Ministry. She has been instrumental in setting up ladies meetings, banquets, etc. and has a servants heart. Doris works at Forest Park Christian School.
We were childless for 13 years of marriage. The Lord began to lead us to seek adoption, and as a result of friends and our Pastor helping, we adopted Heather Marie Cook, through the Rebecca Home for Girls. Heather is 19 years old and is a graduate of Bible Baptist Christian School, Hampton, GA. She has been active in Children's ministry, bus ministry, puppet ministry. She taught Sunday School for 1st-2nd graders. Heather has been an Honor Roll Student and loves the Lord. Heather is a freshman studying for the ministry at Crown College of the Bible, Knoxville, TN.
We are seeking the Lord's will for our lives. God has used us in a very unusual way in that we have seen many saved through the ministries we have been involved in. Since our ministry has been a long term one, we have seen the development of young people and the long range results of the work. We thank God for His goodness. We do not deserve any glory for His using our lives, it is all because of Him. We are fundamental, independent, Bible believing, conservative Christians.
Martin C. Cook
Email: Cookfam2@comcast.net
Phone: 770-968-9114 Cell: 404-247-8781
Ministry Experience
Assoc Pastor - Pinecrest Baptist Church, Morrow GA 1980 - Dec. 1998
Assoc Pastor - Rock Springs Baptist Church, Morrow GA Jan. 1999 - May 2004
Evangelist - Asst. Pastor - Liberty Baptist Tabernacle, Stockbridge, Ga May 2004 to present
Bible College Teacher - Atlanta Baptist College, Stockbridge Oct 2004 to present
Bus Ministry Director
Directed bus ministry full time for 24 years. Established many different routes with several thousand salvation decisions. Most number of routes operated - 14. Highest attendance record - 728 on 7 bus routes.
Bus Captain
Bus Captain for 27 years. Fifteen years in same area where many young people and their families were reached and added to the church. Personal high attendance - 360 on one Sunday with 60 Saved off this route on same day.
Children's Ministry Director
Directed Children's Church programs, staff and overseer of Awana Club and misc. children's programs. AWANA Commander for two years. Instituted training programs and recruited workers for all Children's Church
Sunday School Administration
Directed all Children's Sunday School Department. Added new teachers to vacant positions. Responsible for teacher training sessions and materials. Responsible for ordering and maintaining curriculum for all Children's classes.
Children's Church
I have preached and led Children's Church for 1st-6th grade for 22 years. Many salvation, baptisms, and young people have been called to preach from these services. Have the ability to capture the attention of all age groups from 4 yr olds up. Have preached to over 500 children in several meetings. Use mediums of Gospel Illusions, flannelgraph material, object lessons, etc.
Director of Pastoral Care
Developed program of visitation of hospital and sick of the church. Set up program and administered care ministry for deaths and funerals. Conducted many weddings and funerals.
Visitation Director
Set up and administered visitation programs including house to house, and soul winning visitation.
Food Bank Ministry
Instituted and administered out- reach program for needy. Coordinated and administered USDA approved food pantry and annual Christmas and Thanksgiving outreach food programs. Many saved through these programs.
Youth Ministries
I have filled in as youth director many times. Taught many teens in special meetings and Sunday School. I have much experience in counseling teens and their particular problems in life. Preached in youth meetings and activities for other churches.
Youth Camp Director
For 7 years involved in teen camp, Camp Glory. Directed entire youth camp one year. This included setting up property and recruiting workers for on site camp program. Responsible for coordinating workers and all Camp Counselors. Set up and contracted all outside providers and companies involved in teen camp.
Mission Church Director
Instituted, administered and preached in Mission Church Ministry. One of these a Vietnamese ministry and one an inner-city work. Responsible for renting locations, staffing and over site. Operated "B" Sunday School for inner city mission with an average attendance of 150 per Sunday.
Street Ministry
Converted church bus to mobile classroom used for inner city and apartment ministry. This included puppets, video, flannel and other preaching methods.
Puppet Ministry
Instituted and administered puppet team that included 7 teens. Built stages and have performed on a weekly basis and also outside programs for public school, nursing homes, VBS, and for other churches, etc.
Preaching and Teaching Ministry
I have preached many times in the pastor's absence. I have also been used in Christian school chapel services, nursing homes a special meetings. In 1994 the Lord opened the door for us to go into an elementary school to do programs.
Conducted seminars on Bus Ministry, Children's Church, Sunday School, teacher training, and ministries for other churches. I have written several articles and stories for magazines.
I have substituted for teachers in Christian schools and have taught Bible College for college students entering the ministry.
Purchasing and Management
I have been responsible for purchase and maintenance for church buses, and vehicles, office equipment including copy equipment, phone systems, etc. I have negotiated contracts and services for many things for the church. I have had much experience in business as my family was in the Electronics business and had two antique shops in Atlanta for over 40 years. I was raised working in these businesses.
References:
Pastor Glen Anderson (current pastor and church)
Liberty Baptist Tabernacle
410 Valley Hill Rd.
Stockbridge, GA 30281
770-474-1247
Pastor Tommy Aman
Rock Springs Baptist Church
5900 Reynolds Rd.
Morrow, GA. 30260
770-961-5900
Dr. Raymond Hancock (my Pastor for 20 years)
Former Pastor, Pinecrest Baptist Church
410 Milky Way
Stockbridge Ga. 30281
770-389-1615
Pastor Don Marlyne - Former staff member, Pinecrest Baptist
Berean Baptist Church
661 Highway 41 Bypass
Griffin, GA 30224
770-227-5817
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
SCRIPTURES - We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. The Old and New Testament are definitely inspired word for word. We accept the Textus Receptus manuscripts from which came the King James Bible. The Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The King James Bible is the Word of God and the only Bible we use.
SOVEREIGN GOD - God is a Person, eternally existing as a Trinity in unity Father, Son, and Holy Spiritthree Persons and yet but one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; I Corinthians 8:6)
SON - Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, Who became a man totally apart from sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-15; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15)
SIN - Man was created in the image of God but fell through sin, bringing not only physical death but also spiritual deathseparation from God. Now all mankind is totally depraved, having inherited a sinful nature; is bent toward sinning; and has become sinful in thought, word, and deed. (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:16, 17; 3:6-19; Romans 3:10-23; 6:23)
SACRIFICE - The Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified; He ascended into Heaven in the glorified body where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father as Head of the Church, making intercession for the saints as our High Priest. (Luke 24; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 1:20-23; I Peter 3:18)
SALVATION - Man is lost and must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Salvation is by grace alone through personal faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. (John 1:12; 3:3-7; Ephesians 2:8,9)
SERVICE - The local church is a group of believers baptized by water; banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission; preaching the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15; I Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 1:22, 23)
SECOND COMING - The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is coming again in the air at any moment to catch up His Church and to reward their service. The unbelievers left behind will go through a period called the Tribulation, after which Christ shall return visibly to the earth to set up His Kingdom of one thousand years of righteous rule. After this the unbelievers of all ages will stand at the Great White Throne to be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire, separated from God forever, while the believers spend eternity in the fullness of joy in Heaven with the Lord. (Matthew 24:29-42; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 19:11-20:15)
