The Strength of the Kingdom

This past Sunday, we had the wonderful opportunity to honor a woman who is faithfully serving the Lord at Hillcrest.  Doris Hurst turned 80 and we celebrated her birthday.  Unlike many people in her age category, she is still going strong.  She is still teaching the children in our preschool Sunday School class.  Each week, she comes up on Thursday to prepare her classroom and then shows up 30 minutes before Sunday School to welcome every child.  She has ministered to so many families over the past several decades and is still making an impact.  At the end of the service, we called forward everyone who has been taught by her or whose children have been taught by her:  Over 90% of the congregation came forward.  As we laid hands on her and prayed for her, I was thrilled to see how one life can impact so many others.

This is the model Jesus set for us while He was on the earth.  He simply invested in twelve men and those men invested in others.  The Kingdom of God has grown and grown until it has reached us.  I know many people who like to discuss and argue great theological questions.  They enjoy finding fault with those who theology doesn't quite measure up and nit pick on them.  However, the strength of THE church is not found in these Wannabe Church Guardians.  The strength of the Church is found in servants like Doris.  The servants who humbly going about investing the basic truth that Jesus loves us and is our Savior are the ones who are changing eternity.  There are countless and unnamed millions of saints faithfully serving the Lord as best they can.  They won't get notoriety on this earth and they don't have the theological pedigree to argue with the Wannabes.  These humble saints really are the ones on whom the Kingdom is built.

I am grateful that we had the opportunity to thank Doris Hurst for being such a Godly example for us to follow.  I am thrilled that my sons have had their first taste of God's love at the hands or Doris Hurst.  I pray that you will be a servant like Doris.  Remember that you are the ones who have an impact on the Kingdom, so keep grinding.