Evangelism, Exhortation and Edification

Sometimes, it is just time to get back to the basics.

You know, this year has been a bit tough--pretty close to burnout, actually.  Been a hard year, especially when the tornadoes came our way.  And, sometimes the work of an evangelist can be a challenge even without that.

Some days I have been tired, weary...through God's grace it is getting better.  So, it is time to look at my life and simplify some matters and get back to the basics...like evangelism, exhortation and edification.

Yep...time to make some changes...in the wildwood.

Julius Sprayberry

Do you know that name? You may not find it in the annuals of history. Actually, I never met him--all I know is he was a Christian man who worked in a Georgia factory. While working there he met a young man, a co-worker, and he began talking to this young man about the gospel of Christ and invited him to worship services at the local church of Christ. That young man and his sweet wife attended, studied with brother Sprayberry and both the young man and his sweet wife obeyed the gospel of Christ.

That young man brother Sprayberry converted decided to become a gospel preacher...and he did! He and his wife are faithful servants to this day, some sixty years later.  My, think of all the souls that have been reached due to the efforts of one man, bro. Sprayberry, in reaching another soul...that certain young man.

Tonight, I am going to hear that "young man," Lord willing...and I cannot wait to hear and see my good friend, James Watkins and his sweet wife, Foye.  I'll be headed out to the country...when I finish working at the Wildwood.

Remembering 9-11...

...as I am sure many will think about where they were that day.  Me?  I was on a sales call at the old Wal-Mart in Sparta, TN and conducting a meeting at the West Sparta congregation in the evening. 

While in Wal-Mart, I was talking with the manager when the office clerk opened the door and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center.  I ceased discussions with the manager and returned to my hotel room just down the street and saw the second plane hit.  After a few moments I said out loud, "That thing is gonna fall" and I no sooner said it, that it did.

Then the second building went down.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks later...at that time I was working for Russell Stover Candies.  Being a national company, we would have annual sales meetings and sales reps from all over the country would assemble at one locale.  The company would have “smaller” meetings mixing regions together so we could learn various sales techniques.  The south region blended with the northeast region—of course, two different cultures so to speak.
 

Yet, from those meetings, I met a native New Yorker named John.  We really hit it off well and of course, we both accused one another of having an accent.  He loved to hear about Tennessee and honestly, I was fascinated by New York life.

A couple of weeks after 9-11, I called John and we visited.  I was sitting on the front porch of our house admiring the beauty of the fall night telling John what I was seeing.  He told me he would love to be sitting there with me.  He attended his third funeral that week as seven members of his church had died on 9-11.  He broke down crying like a baby and in that distinctive voice said, “Jeff, nothing you see on television touches what we are seeing and what we are going through.”

I have thought of my friend, John...wonder if I could find his number?  Might just give him a call...from the Wildwood.