And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:15
I recently had a
conversation with another former FOC member, wherein the person claimed that
Walter White was “pure evil.”
I never met Walter, but
I immediately jumped to his defense. “No he wasn’t,” I said, “people were just
so attached to him that they couldn’t let go.”
“Walter allowed himself
to made into a god,” the person replied.
I don’t think it was
Walter’s fault. But, then again, how would I know? I was born after his death.
And I lived in a world of limbo.
If this happens (a preacher is called), then you can be saved. If it doesn’t
happen, well…we don’t actually know what will become of you. But, if you don’t
toe the line, you will go directly to Hell. So our options were stay and be
uncertain of our eternal destiny or leave and be certainly damned. This is
where the saying, “damned if I do; damned if I don’t,” really rings true.
It is because of this
legacy of waiting in limbo for the miraculous calling of God to save our church
that I have become so interested in how preachers are called.
* * * *
It was 2003 (or thereabouts)
during church service at the Marsing, Idaho Followers of Christ when the most
recent preacher was called.
It was a non-preaching
service (the regular preacher was preaching at another FOC location) and
members of the church were taking it in turn to stand and testify. Most of the
testimonies consisted of the brethren standing and saying some version of, “I’m
not worthy,” and “I need to become a better person” and, “I need to become a
better servant to God.”
Just as someone sat
down, Junior Porter rose out of his wheelchair and was shaking as he began
speaking in prophesy. Nearly everyone was crying at the wonder of this. One of
the messages Junior had was that Brother R—was called to do God’s work. R—had been
having dreams/visions for several years that he would be called to preach. At
the next service, Brother R—preached his first sermon. Shortly thereafter,
Junior Porter died.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among
you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
2 Corinthians 12:12
