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He must see the effect he has, but he never brags. He praises God first, then says that ‘we’ had success, or often ‘you’ are a great congregation. He has been called one of the great American preachers of this day. People come from around the world to be in his church.
He is a cheerful person, yet not to the point of being effervescent. Mild-mannered and predictable would describe him. When he steps up behind his wooden pulpit, he is always wearing a subtly-toned suit jacket with a contrasting tie.
Opening on a Sunday morning, he often cracks a football joke –about missing the big game, for example, but requests that his congregation record their sports in order to join him for the evening service.
His scripture-grounded messages consistently have something for everyone. Those who are grieving listen to him for encouragement, those who are at peace gain insight. He explains his point taking care to make perfect sense. When it comes to sin, he is not afraid to call it what it is, though in doing so he makes enemies for himself.
He is not particular about the genre of praises sung in the church, because he says that it is about God, not about the music. He loves Christmas, but warns not to get lost in all the pageantry.
He loves Jesus passionately. When he talks about how Jesus has changed someone’s life one can expect a frog in his throat, or a glow in his eyes.
A few years ago, he was so sick with cancer that he had to stop preaching. He has come through, singing the grace of God. Now, with white hair and sloping shoulders he is back to preaching up to four times in a weekend, (three times on a Sunday) and overseeing numerous programs that keep the church vibrant. He jokes about keeping in shape, but says that he doesn’t want unfitness to take him away from his calling one minute sooner than it should.
We walk by faith, not by sight,* but I am sure that many of my pastor’s ‘students’ would agree that we can ‘see’ his faith. In the darkest of days, when nothing makes sense, his sermons reach into our souls and say, ‘Don’t be discouraged. God will come through for you. He has never failed me.’
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This is a character sketch; I have done my best to be accurate from my point of view.
*Complete verse: “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” 2Cor. 5:7
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