Date: 09-30-2012AM
Title: What Do You Need?
Speaker: Pastor Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Text: Matthew 20:29-34
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What Do You Need?
Lee
(A classic re-post from 2004)
You don’t find many self-proclaimed Buckeyes as far north as Newaygo County, Michigan. That’s why I was a little curious about the fellow behind me in line at WalMart that day about five or six years ago. Usually Buckeyes don’t do too well that far north.
I struck up a conversation with him. We made pleasant conversation for a while. He was a nice guy.
From childhood I have been taught to think of people not just as fellow occupants of this planet but as people with eternal souls destined one day for heaven or for hell. Because that is true I am always looking for opportunities to nudge people toward Jesus and get them thinking about things that matter most and last forever.
That’s what I was thinking when my first conversation with Lee was coming to a close. What could I do in our short encounter to nudge him toward the Kingdom and help him see the beauty of Jesus and the reality of eternal things. An idea came to me.
“Say, Lee, since you are new in town have you found a church yet?
“No, we really don’t go to church.”
“Well,” I said, “Us Buckeyes have to stick together up here. It gets kind of lonely sometimes. You’ll have to come and hear me preach some time.”
He smiled politely and I gave him my card. “Give me a call when you are going to visit and I will tell you the times of the services,” I offered.
I have been a pastor all my adult life and I have invited hundreds of people to church. Most of them didn’t come. I didn’t really expect Lee to either but it was at least an overture. That Sunday Lee didn’t come but he did go home and tell Pam about meeting me and he considered coming.
Months later three little children a boy and two girls came into their lives. They wanted to adopt them and got to thinking that it would be good for them to be in church. They thought of me and gave me a call. The next Sunday they were lined up on a pew down to my left about four rows back on the aisle. I would see them there many, many times.
I visited their home and had the happy privilege of telling them of Jesus there at their dining room table. Later I would visit them at their shop and we would talk frankly of Jesus again. Many times they heard me preach and many times I talked personally with them about Christ.
I went with them to court when they adopted the children. I helped them renew their wedding vows one day. We gloated together when the Buckeyes won and we cried on each other’s shoulder when they lost.
I moved away. Last summer we bumped into them again when Holly came back to town to crown the new Baby Food Festival Queen. That was the last I saw Lee. Last week he gave his last forty dollars cash to his wife, so she could go out for the evening. He helped move a new dinning room set into the house, moved a little snow, came in the house and died in his chair. He was only sixty-one years old.
Today I will preach his funeral. I will use as a text Psalm 90. Psalm 90 is the prayer of Moses about the brevity of life and the importance of thinking on eternal things.
I was to be named to an important board this morning back home but I got up early and drove across the state three hours back to my old parish because I liked Lee and I know he liked me. His wife, Pam is convinced that he had placed his trust in Christ before he died. He was buried in a Buckeye sweatshirt. I hope I see him in heaven someday. (February 2004)
Kenneth L. Pierpont
Riverfront Character Inn
Flint, Michigan
February 25, 2004
The Turning of the Seasons
(A classic re-post from 2007)
Can you hear the voice of God calling to you in the sweet turning of the seasons? I always have. Since I was a little boy on my way to school kicking leaves piled on the sidewalk, smelling the first wood fires of fall, I have had a mystic urge, a Godward pull on my spirit when the seasons change. [Read more…] about The Turning of the Seasons
The Power and Influence of a Listener
In a book entitled Small is Big I found this story about the power of listening.
“People love to tell their own stories. A friend of ours, Tim Pynes, tried an experiment. One day he sat at a coffee shop with a sign that stated, “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee if you let me tell you my story about God.” Over a period of several hours, only one person responded. The next day he moved to another coffee shop with a different sign. This one said, “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee if you will tell me your story about God.” People lined up to tell him their stories. Many were in tears and thanked him profusely for listening. (Small is Big, by Tony and Felicity Dale, George Barna page 150)
Since I was about fourteen I have devoted my life to trying to influence people spiritually. I want to win and disciple as any people as I can. I have spent my life trying to inspire people to know and love Jesus Christ. At first my emphasis was on my own presentation. I spent a lot of time trying to learn how to be a good talker. Over the years, though, I am learning the power of being a good listener. I have learned that the best way to witness to people is to engage in natural conversation with lots of thoughtful listening.
I like think of a good Gospel conversation as three stories:
The first story is THEIR STORY. I encourage them to tell their story and I ask follow-up questions until they tell me their story of faith or belief or religion or values or philosophy of life. I try to take my time and listen deeply and sincerely at this point. It doesn’t matter if they are an atheist, a Buddhist, a Mormon or a practitioner of Wiccan. This is much more powerful and important than you would think. It is a powerful thing to really give the “Talking Stick” to another person and then show that you really listened by repeating back what they said. Listen for hurts. Listen for guilt, shame and regret. Listen to show them you really do care about them.
A few months ago I listened to Linda’s story for about an hour only interrupting to ask a question or two for clarification. She told me of her childhood experiences in church. She told me of her disappointment and confusion about the racial prejudice she encountered there. She told of the influence of a priest in her Corktown neighborhood growing up. She told of her relationship with a man and her abandonment. She told of her experience with Jehovah’s Witness practitioners. She told of her strong longing for social justice. I just listened and she opened her heart to me. I handed her Kleenex as she poured out her story for nearly an hour. When she was done I made a few short comments and encouraged her to continue to explore the message of the Bible with us. She has come to understand and embrace Christ and she will soon be baptized. I’m convinced that listening to Linda was a very powerful agent in her journey to Christ.
The next story is YOUR STORY. This is the story of how you came to know that Lord. Try to tell that story in a swift and clear way in about a minute so it will leave them wanting more.
After you have listened to their story (and this may require additional meetings) and told them your story, then you want to explore the best vehicle to deliver THE STORY, the gospel. I like to seek permission to do this. I like to set up a specific time, if possible, so they know the purpose of the meeting is to listen to the Story of God. You will do this more than once and in more ways than one. You may use media, a book, or a video. You may give them a booklet or a book or point them to a message on-line. You may draw them the Bridge Illustration on a placemat or napkin to explain “The Story.” (If you would like to read a great book about this try A Walk Across the Room, by Bill Hybels).
Ask them if they have questions. Be patient and interested in their questions. Most people will need more than just the words of the song of the Gospel. They will need words and the music. They will need you to do more than just explain the gospel to them, they will need you to demonstrate the gospel to them. They will need you to show them, not just tell them. When they don’t immediately drop to their knees in repentance and plead with you to schedule their baptism, just keep loving them. Just keep listening to them. It’s powerful.
The dance of spiritual influence might look something like this:
Listen to their stories….and take your time.
Tell your story…and make it quick.
Tell the story…and make it clear.
Listen more
Think of ways to love them and keep the relationship alive and well
Listen more
Tell them the story again
Love them more
Listen more
Tell them again
You get the idea. But never underestimate the power of listening to their story, really listening from the heart.
Oh, and if you like, I will buy you a cup of coffee and you can tell me your story.
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
September 26, 2012
It’s Good to Be Alive Here and Now
This the time of the year nighttime temperatures have us looking around for sweaters and sweatshirts and thick quilts for the bed. Autumn is here but it won’t stay for long. It’s brevity is a part of it’s charm. In just a few, short weeks the glory of Autumn will turn into the gray of November and we will be giving thanks and looking for the perfect Frasier Fir for the corner of the family room in Granville Cottage. Like life, savor it while you can. It will be gone soon and very soon.
I don’t want to be inappropriately personal but when I wake up in the morning the first thing on my mind is a visit to the “necessary room.” It was cold in the house this morning. We are dragging our heals about turning on the heat. This time of the year I prefer it that way. We have thick covers and flannel sheets and it is a luxury to sleep soundly on a cold autumn night, but I’m really glad I didn’t have to take a path to the outhouse this morning. Cell phones, antibiotics, indoor plumbing, personal communication devices, and the amazing speed and comfort of modern travel are just a few of the dozens of reasons its good to be alive in the world right now.
I often pine about the way things used to be and for some reason I like to read others who write nostalgic pieces about the virtues of old times, but there are a lot of things about modern life that make this the best time in the history of the world to be alive on planet earth. (I often read those nostalgic articles on my computer or Kindle or iPhone). Anyway, we have no choice in the matter. In the good providence of God he placed us on this earth now for such a time as this and he equipped us for the task and time he planned for us. It’s good to be alive here and now. Since we can’t go back, let’s go forward.
True Greatness
Date: September 23, 2012 AM
Title: True Greatness
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Scripture: Matthew 20:17-28
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