Wednesday, May 16, 2001
|
Wednesday, May 16, 2001 |
|
Hats off to Pastor Herndon for a job well done ... By REV JOHN HATCHER The Fourth Annual March for Jesus made its way down Georgia 85 into the County Government Complex, Saturday, May 12, with Pastor and musicians from His House Community Church leading the way. As I walked and sang along the near-two mile route, I saw the Body of Christ coming together. There we were Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics and on and on down the denominational and cultural identities. It was a diverse crowd, indeed, but not a large crowd. Pastor Knox Herndon, this year's March coordinator, in the midst of opening his own house of worship south of Senoia, gave leadership in attempting to bring the Body of Christ together for one hour, one Saturday morning, once a year. One pastor, with whom I walked a portion of the march, pointed out how busy churches were doing their own thing, including his own. As I marched I saw members of my own church conducting a car wash to raise monies for youth camp. Most of the Fayette area pastors must really be busy for not more than five or six aroused from their Saturday den to participate in the march. On the one hand, I want to stand on the top of the county courthouse and lead a cheer for Pastor Herndon. Although leading the march this year, for three precious years he and his church have gathered their guitar players, horn blowers, and singers joining in to make the march as a good as an offering to God as the Fayette area could muster. Pastor Herndon, a retired Army chaplain, and his wife, Dee, started His House Community Church about five years ago. They now have bought property and a facility on Georgia 85, south of the Georgia 85 and Georgia 16 Senoia intersection. If you don't have a good church and looking for a good church where you can count on a pastor being there for you, check it out. So, let's all thank Knox for the "earthly" thankless task of organizing the march. Knox, you will finally have some stars on your shoulders one day for your efforts or is that stars in your crown? Then, let us pastors crawl out from under our rocks and ask Knox and the Lord to forgive us for not uniting our churches in this great day of celebration of unity. The churches with the most to participate were the least in appearance. Go figure! In many countries around the world, where governmental restrictions are tight, if the rumors began circulating about a march, thousands would flood the streets to sing out in praise to Jesus. Here in Fayetteville, the Police stopped traffic so we could march. Here, the county government let us use their property. Here, the school let us use their parking lot. Here, we can do it and don't do it very well. In many places, they can't do it, and Christians by the thousands participate. On the other hand, we have another chance next year. When March organizers set the date for the march, let's all put it on our calendars and guard it with a passion. Let's plan to put together the most rocking parade for Jesus that any town could experience. It should be a Fat Saturday for Jesus. This Christian life is a marvelous thing. We get another chance. Let's plan on taking it next year!
The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
