Preachers/Pastors I have known/loved and why.

[Titus2woman]

OK... I hear that a lot of threads on this board turn into 'pastor bashing'... so... let's do something different. Name a preacher/pastor in your life who has taught you a valuable life lesson or changed your views in a good way or helped you in a time of need or anything else positive. Name them or keep it anonymous and just share the story.

As much as I dislike the line... Let's give honor where honor is due!

I'll even start.

Bro. Rick,

Many years ago Br0. Rick met us as a young couple who had not been raised in church and were pretty wild, when we showed up at the church where he was the assistant pastor trying to find God after the death of a good friend. He did not shy away from the rock band member and his wild bartender girlfriend even inviting them out to eat after service.

I am sure he had no idea how far out of his comfort zone that one little meal might take him. After all we did not know that everyone in the world did not cuss or that cigarette smoke bothered anybody and asked to be seated in the smoking section of the restaurant but Bro. Rick never looked askance.

Through the vapor cloud of our many Marlboros Bro. Rick talked about God, about the plan of salvation, about how to have a better life. His sweet wife by his side had to have been horrified by the girl with the 10 tattoos and facial jewelry back when you never saw that on anybody but the strangest kind. They invited us back the next week and then to their home to meet their kids and play games. Never saying a word about the low cut blouse and jeans I came to church in. A few days after that Sis Mary showed up at my house with a bunch of nice clothes. She said she was cleaning out her closet and I looked about the right size if I wanted them. There were pretty dresses for church with matching shoes. Not something she didn't want anymore but things that she loved. I now realize they had little and parting with some of her nicest things must have been hard but she did it with a smile.

We came back to church a few more times and Bro. Rick preached Jesus, the real Jesus, by living out an example. When the time came he married us and dedicated our sons to the Lord. He made sure we had bibles and that we knew how important it was to read them. He taught us to pray. Although I had a Catholic background and my husband Baptist no one had ever prayed with us before or taught us that we could talk to God for ourselves.

We moved away without fully understanding all God had for us but we ended our time with Bro. Rick much better than we started it. We forever more had a soft spot for the church, the ministry and the God that would one day reach for us again, in large part because of Bro. Rick. He planted, someone else watered and God gave the increase.

We found Bro. Rick three years ago on our 25th anniversary. He is an old man now but we visited and it was just like old times. We wrote him a generous check for the marriage ceremony plus interest and told him how much he changed our lives. He was beyond grateful, not so much for the money although I know it was a blessing to him but that he was remembered.

[Falla39]

What a beautiful, heartwarming testimony!

Falla39

[Scott Hutchinson]

My first pastor Brother Glenn Akridge taught me that one must know what they believe and why they believe.He taught me the importance of being able to defend one's doctrinal views with the word of God. He also taught me to love the people and they will love you.
He also was the one who ,baptized me in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ,He also was the one who taught me to read the bible all the way through.
I also learned alot about playing music from him.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Falla39

What a beautiful, heartwarming testimony!

Falla39

No story of your own Falla39?

[Amanah]

Brother Joel Velie used to preach at the Pentecostal Lighthouse in Melbourne FL. He preached the Acts 2:38 one God message to me when I was 15 yrs old, and baptized me in Jesus name. (I received the HG at an AoG church when I was 11 prior to this) Bro Velie has gone on to be with the Lord, but his Wife is still with us working for the Lord, and his Son Kevin, who is like a Son to me, is a talented musician serving the Lord.

Pastor McClure taught me what it means to live a Christian life, to pray and fast and seek God, and have a burden for souls. My Mother,Sister, and Son were baptised and filled with the HG under his ministry.

Both these men made a significant impact of my life, I would not be the person I am today if I had not met them.

[Titus2woman]

Funny... not even 24 hours and this thread is almost solidly at the bottom of page one with only 2.5 responses... LOL.

All who cry 'pastor-bashing' when someone tells of a negative experience with pastors have nothing good to say about anyone when given the chance? Really?

Wide open and waiting for your comments!

Last chance to revive this thread and see if anyone will openly give honor.

I will tell you another story... years later...

My husband had just lost his older brother unexpectedly. Since they were hunting/fishing buddies and very close it was a huge blow. After some time when he still could not leave his grief behind we began praying for a friend for him, someone godly with a good heart and some common interests.

A few days later we were out building a patio and along came Bro. Jim riding a horse. He stopped to say hi and we got to talking about horses. At the time our horses were boarded so when he stopped it was not for that reason particularly but really because the Lord had sent him by. You see we found out years later that Bro. Jim had been praying that he be led to someone hungry for God.

We made plans to ride the next weekend and the weekend after. On our rides Bro. Jim talked about the Lord in a way that was more real than anything we'd ever heard, like he was talking about a close friend. When one of us had a problem and mentioned it Bro. Jim asked if we wanted prayer... well to a Baptist that means that at some time later that person, when in prayer, will pray for you too... Not to Bro. Jim... uh-uh... he got down off his horse and on his knees right then and there and began beseeching the Lord for us and encouraged us to do the same. We were shocked and overjoyed!

After a ride one day Bro. Jim suggested that maybe I might like to meet his wife and the wife of another fellow who was riding with us. We all decided to meet at Cracker Barrel. Of course we had talked about where we went to church... us at the local Baptist, Jim at the local Pentecostal, in fact while he was not the pastor there, he was a preacher. They had this thing where they called each other brother all the time, a term we reserved for our pastor. And then there was that praying out loud thing...

Well in walked the denim skirted, bun wearing wives in their Pentecostal uniforms (hehehe) and it was like a light bulb went on. I blurted out loud "OH, You are THAT kind of Pentecostal" (they have never let me live it down to this day, LOL!). And they smiled and then laughed and then sat down to a great time of fun and fellowship. We met their kids and they met ours. They introduced us to the kids as brother and sister and we we felt loved and accepted.

Many months of friendship and fun and dinners and horseback rides and late nights around the campfire singing to the Lord followed. We shared our lives and our stories and Bro. Jim talked with us about Jesus name baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, living separated from the world... and we knew that these sweet Pentecostal people knew God in a way that we did not. In spirit and in truth...

We owe much to Bro. Jim and to all of those who loved us while we were so different then them in our ways. That they were willing to see deep down we loved God but had no idea how to worship him in a way that was pleasing to Him. That they reached for us in love, stepping outside of lives that were complete and comfortable to bring someone else into the safety and rest that is the church.

[Cindy]

I always think about my childhood Pastor, Paul Hosch. Loving, kind, and humble man. And he could be firm, without being hurtful, or unkind. The kind of person you never wanted to displease, or hurt. Because you knew he loved you so much, he always wanted the best for you.

More later......

[RandyWayne]

One of the nicest ministers I have ever known was our old Catholic priest.

[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.

[Jay]

I apologize for the length of my post.