The Random Thinker

A rare event happened yesterday.  One Ebenezerites have probably seen far too often, yet it doesn’t happen much:  I was speechless.  After watching the HOW Campaign Video from 2008, I could barely speak.  When I stood to introduce two men who mean the world to me (Oscar Holland and Ted Mears), I honestly could not find the words.  For someone who makes a living as a “public speaker”, this is rare.  Maybe too rare.  But, there I was …

I watched the HOW video from the hallway behind the choir loft.  The words of all of those people welled up in my heart.  As Oscar Holland stated yesterday, Ebenezer has been talking about building a sanctuary for 50 years or more.  For ALL of my life.  I watched the video and saw faces of our EBC forefathers and mothers.  Once again, I heard the voices of people like Wallace Fulmer …  Jeddie Luhrs … Ginny Rogers …  I saw the face of Jerry Enzor.  I saw others who no longer live in our area but were a huge part of this church.  And it all started bubbling up for me.

Then, as I walked to the pulpit with nothing prepared but to speak from my heart about Oscar and Ted.  Oscar pastored EBC for most of the 1960s and into the ’70s.  Ted followed Oscar and was here well into the ’80s.  And both of these men have chosen to retire and be part of Ebenezer.  I know these men well, and I know they worked their lives to the bone to help this church prosper.  They were obedient to God first and foremost.  As I said yesterday, when I grow up THIS is the kind of man … The kind of PASTOR I want to be.

So, when you approach the sacred desk and plan on sharing what is in your heart, that is exactly what comes out.  And I could not speak.  I was overwhelmed by all of this.  And one more thing …

That one more thing being the BIGGEST THING in my heart.  When I stop and think about what God is doing at Ebenezer Baptist Church, I realize how unworthy I am to even be here.  To be a pastor, let alone the pastor of this great church.  And I count my blessings.  And I wonder if I am living on borrowed time.  And I know that the fact that God can use me in any way at this church is LIVING PROOF that He can use ANYONE to do ANYTHING.

And when you stop and really think it through, THAT will overwhelm EVERY ONE of us.

Here we are.  On the verge.  I feel like Joshua, about to lead the Children of Israel across the Jordan and in to the Promised Land.

Tomorrow we will do something we’ve really never done in my 21 years at Ebenezer:  A walk-through for Sunday.  Not really a rehearsal, mind you, but a walk-through to test microphones, lights, get familiar with everything.  There will be close to 100 people there tomorrow morning to get our ducks lined up for Sunday.

Sunday will be an emotional day for Ebenezer.  We’ve worshiped in what will now be known as the “Chapel” since 1889.  On Sunday, we will begin our Sunday worship day in that room one more time.  And then, as a group, we will move to the new facility.  With an added surprise or two!

Speaking for the staff and myself, none of us will probably sleep on Saturday night.  The excitement is building!!  We are on the verge of God’s next major step for Ebenezer Baptist Church.  My prayer tonight (and from now own) is that God will use that new room for His glory!!  Not for ours.  If we built it for US, we built it for the wrong reasons.