Preachers/Pastors I have known/loved and why.

[Jay]

T2W, I tried to post earlier, and then wiped it all out by mistake. Mine would have been up for quite a while too.

I do not have an amazing conversion story as I grew up in the church. However, I have some of my own to share. I will save the most influential Pastor/minister for last. However, I have many that I can write about.

I will start with my Grandfather as I would not be here without him. He evangelized and pastored, and gave my father most of the standards that have been passed on to me. I have heard him preach, and can remember some parts of his messages. He has fairly retired from an active part in the ministry, but still preaches on occasion.

My Uncle Ron gave me my first opportunities to preach after we moved from Kansas, and before Dad took his current pastoriate. I know that my early messages were not that good, however I was only given encouragement. I wrestled with my calling for the next few years, but I will always be grateful for him to the experience. It was also while visiting his church that I was first used to give a message in tongues.

I do not remember Bro. Sims, but he had a major impact on the life of my family. My youngest brother was born with asthma, and he would have attacks severe enough to need a trip to the hospital. After one, the doctor told my parents that if he had another like that, they would need a ventilator for him at the house. My parents could not afford that type of expense. Shortly after this, in an evening service, Bro. Sims stopped in the middle of his message, turned to my youngest brother (asleep under the pew as babies will do) and said, "Lord, heal this child." He then returned to his message. My brother never had another attack again.

My family has never forgotten the generosity and obedience to God that was exemplified by Bro. Foster of Dallas First Church. Dad had taken the Church that Bro. Sims had pastored, but being a small congregation, revivals were beyond our ability to afford. I was very young, and asked Dad why other churches had revivals, but we did not. He explained that it took money and we did not have it. When we arrived at home, I gave him roughly 37 cents (my memory is not exact on the amount as I was just a child at the time). I told him that God had told me that if I gave my Pastor all the money in my bank that our church would have a revival. It was later that week, Dad was in his office, and Bro. Foster called. Neither of them were often in their offices at that time of day, and Bro. Foster told Dad that while he was praying, God told him to call my Dad and give him a revival.When the initial dates would not work, Bro. Foster told Dad that he had some young men who needed the experience, and that he would take care of all of the finances including food for them. He then set another date for about a month later, when he himself would hold a revival for us, and set forth the same statement on the finances. It was the first time that I ever saw faith accomplish the impossible.

Bro. Bishop, a pastor in Kansas, was a friend of our families for several years. He always had a kind word for us children, and I remember helping to pray his grandson through to the Holy Ghost.

Bro. Westburg was good to our family. We were welcome to attend his watch night service as the church we were attending served wine for communion. I also remember Bro. Young who was a young preacher in his church, and later became the pastor. He preached the youth camp when I received the Holy Ghost.

Bro. Ogle was another friend of our family's. He had my Dad preach on occasion, and then care for his church when he was involved in a bad wreck. Bro. Ogle broke his back, and was told that he was going to be paralyzed from the neck down. However, he had many people praying for him. One night he had a dream that he was in a tornado, and his body was being spun in the storm while his head remained stationary. He felt pain, and when he woke up, he had feeling and movement restored to his arms and hands. He has since recovered full movement of his upper torso, and limited movement in his legs and feet. We are still praying for a complete recovery, even after the course of several years. He has had my brothers and I preach when we were in town, and his advice to us was of great assistance.

Bro. Elder opened his church to us when we ended a period of time as home missionaries. This allowed our family some time to heal from some of the wounds that had been acquired, and regain our feet financially.

Mom Elder was Bro. Elder's mother. She had been a missionary to Africa and aided Sis. Freeman's mother in the Southwest. It was difficult to get her to talk about what she had seen unless she was approached the right way. Sadly, I took to long to learn it, and so missed a wonderful opportunity. However, I understand that the lesson that she was teaching me was one of humility. She wants to see God get all of the glory. I will always remember hearing her preach and listening to her pray. I hope that I get to see her again before much longer.

Pastor Karriker was the youth leader in Bro. Elder's church when we were there. It was after we left that he was made the Assistant Pastor, and upon Bro. Elder's death the pastor of the church. I had the privelege of being allowed to stay in his home during some the time of Bro. Ogle's illness when I wanted to attend youth functions, that occured on Saturday night. He was always good to me, and I remember his entire family with great fondness.

Bro. Traylor came through town last year, and was mightily used of God. He provided much needed encouragement and direction at a time of confusion. I have will always appreciate the words that he gave me, and have laid them up in my heart.

What can I say if the most important of them all? He has been both my father and my pastor. He has provided more direction and advice for me concerning my method and style of preaching than anyone else. He has performed the work of an evangelist and pastor. He cared for a church that needed a man of God when their pastor was in the hospital with a broken back, and then reported to him the condition of the church and a report of the service. He has cared for his saints, and had them repay him with woundings, but cared anyway. He gives more than any two or three members combined, but does not declare it. He stands to deliver a word of encouragement, even when there are none to encourage him. He is my Pastor and my father. I have seen him used in the gift of the word of knowledge and prophecy. I have watched him do the work of the church in weariness and pain without complaining. He has been patient when I caused him pain because I felt the need to discover the purposes of the standards and when I failed to live up to expectations. If I can ever be half of the man and preacher that he is, I shall be grateful. If I become anything in the ministry, it will be because of his influence and teaching me.