Ken

A few years ago I stumbled across a unique restaurant in Fenton, Michigan called “The French Laundry.” One morning I took Lois there. We sat and watched what people ordered. The waiter walked past the table one morning with a waffle the size of a small state piled with a mountain of fresh strawberries and a mound of whipped cream. Lois said, “I’m getting that when I come back.” Over the years we lived in the area Lois and I split not a few of those strawberry waffles. I would get the waffle at the end and drown it with real maple syrup. With the French Laundry house coffee it was memorable.

One day, speaking in our college chapel, I described the French Laundry and their legendary waffle. I think I noticed the students drooling. (Chapel was always just before breakfast). Immediately our students began to frequent the Laundry. This made me very popular with the owner. Sometimes on a Saturday morning I fight a strong temptation to get Lois, jump in the car, and drive to Fenton – but I resist the urge because I want to thoroughly explore and patronize Downriver businesses.

Evangel is one of the best-kept secrets around. If we describe it to others with genuine enthusiasm many will come and share what we enjoy.

If you are in the Evangel family one of the things you are going to hear from us over and over again is: “Learn to be an inviter.” Keep a running list in your heart of people you are going to invite to join you here at Evangel. There is nothing quite as pure and powerful as the testimony of a “satisfied customer.”

This may surprise you, but one of the most significant things you can do to serve the Lord, help people, and make your life count for eternity is learn to enthusiastically invite others to church. You don’t want to badger or button-hole people. You just want to show them your enthusiasm and joy in what you have enjoyed.

Pastor Ken Pierpont
The Study
Evangel Baptist Church–Taylor, Michigan
April 25, 2008

Lois invited me on a walk last night. I’m glad I went. It’s a lot less punishing than the game of “21” the boys and Hope were putting me through in the driveway. After months of pale winter the neighborhood finally has some color in it’s cheeks. There are scores of flowering ornamentals in our neighborhood. They are fragrant and beautiful and they do my heart good after a long, snowy, monochrome winter. It rained last night and deepened the shade of green in the grass to emerald. Branches that have been bare and black all winter are fringed with fresh green or decorated with blossoms now. The highlight of our walk was around the corner from our house. One of our neighbors has a dogwood. Right now the blossoms are a greenish yellow, but in a few more warm days the little tree will display bright while blossoms. It is the tree that dotted the hillsides of my childhood. Maybe one day we will find a spot for a Flowering Dogwood at Granville Cottage. Every day the creation displays the glory of God.

One night the older girls went out on their in-line skates and left little Hope behind because she can’t keep up. Usually they take her almost everywhere they go so it is hard for her to be left behind. She told me about it with a little catch in her voice so I knew it was time for Dad to practice some dadness. I said; “Would you like me to take you to the park?”

She said; “Sure!” (She has the sweetest way in the world of saying “sure,” you would have to hear it for yourself).

In a few minutes we were at our lovely neighborhood park. For about a week we had been enduring record heat but the night before the temperature was dropped off and it was pretty chilly. I could tell we would not be able to stay at the park too long.

After a few minutes I said, “Hey you wanna’ call and have mom meet us at the ice cream shop?”

She said, “Sure!”

So in a few minutes we were sitting in the window of the ice cream shop watching the traffic in the village. Hope ordered an ice cream that tasted like cotton candy and looked like it was from outer space and she forgot all about being left behind.

Some day she will skate away. I won’t be able to keep up. I will be left behind. I’ll have a catch in my voice then. I hope somebody will notice and take me to the park or buy by ice cream.

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
April 21, 2008