A bubbly personality, with a life full of testimony, a talker, a speaker, a messenger, a great storyteller....that's our new Pastor, and it is quite appealing!
An Early Introduction
"For sometime, I have not seen how intent and focused the congregation gets when listening to the Sunday Service message until now...."
Even before our new pastor arrived at our church, he has sent out an introduction letter briefly getting us all ready for their arrival. They are actually an interesting bunch. A young couple serving together, with three adopted children and a grandson. A family of seven filled with life stories that they openly shared with everyone.
I sill remember his family's life verse: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
I love that personal letter sent out prior to their arrival and welcome, it felt very intimate knowing your new minister and his family. A very young family coming to our church at a time when the number of attendees are just about holding by a thread. Mostly Seniors filling up the chairs, seasonal members come out for Easter or Christmas cantata.
The first Sunday they came, you can feel the warm welcome. I felt like they blend in right away, who wouldn't with those cutest smiles the little girls and their grandson have on their faces.
The Animated Preacher
Within his first year of preaching, we have come to know him, his wife and kids, his parents, his brothers, his favorite aunt, some of the most interesting people from the last church they served in Ohio. Two years on, he still animates us with his life and ministry stories but you know what, these stories spring out of his message in order to deliver a more practical illustration of the Biblical truth he was trying to point out in his message.
At first it was such a change from how we were used to, but because he brings so much energy it was such a welcome change. I, myself, have noticed that I am well-tuned in to his preaching every time.
His preaching style is different. His approach to the Word of God is very simple, direct, realistic, personal and yet inspiring. We have explored and revisited a lot of familiar Bible stories and characters that have all thought us basic teachings in christian living. The Bible reading is usually a whole chapter, then he retells the story with conviction and in his own animated way. It entices you, it catches your undivided attention. Being more focused to the message therefore leads everyone to grasp more, retain more and understand the Bible teaching. He is not too serious when he preaches, he can seem to pull the listeners to pay attention to the message. Most of the time the congregation reacts to his preaching which I suppose is an affirmation that everyone is all ears...we laugh with him; OOHS! and AAAHS! in amazement of GOD's power revealed; sometimes we also feel the pain that these stories tell us...
Stuns His Listeners
"One Sunday, I felt he got carried away being that Storyteller and was so animated giving life to the story of Queen Esther. It was so entertaining to listen and watch him get into character."
I do not speak for everyone, but I do love how he preaches and delivers the Sunday message. Apart from being a good preacher, he is also a good writer as I have read some of his works on an online christian publication that he contributes to.
It could be well said that God is indeed using him to grow our church. It is quite evident that people are hungry and thirsty for the Word of God and it helps to know and listen to someone who can deliver it with such conviction and yet in a very simple and personal approach. The Sunday attendance is increasing; the membership is continuously growing; more members are stepping up to take on more leadership roles....Praise God for continually using our new pastor to advance and multiply His kingdom.
Get Inspired
To be honest, I have never met a pastor, a preacher this excited, this full of life, this open to his congregation about his personal and family life. Together serving our church with his wife, who is another gifted child of God, is a great package deal altogether. We have all come to love our new pastor not just because he can tell a story but because he tells and shares the best story where one can learn great life lessons and Biblical truth to live by as a Christian. PRAISE GOD for giving us our pastor.
"I dedicate my very first blog post to our new church pastor who has proven himself to be quite the Storyteller. Oh yes, he admits it himself....he can talk! but talk with sense and conviction."