A Pillar in the community. The Pastor’s Pastor. The City’s Pastor. I felt privileged to attend the memorial service of such a great leader, husband, father, servant, visionary, missionary, in all … a great man of God.
People’s church was my first church, I find it to be very true that it was coined for so long as … ‘A Place Called Home.” And like visiting homes and stomping grounds I grew up in as a kid, it has a part of me and I have a part of it. No matter how long I have been absent from worshiping there, there is a piece of me that fits right in and feels comfortable when I visit …just like home. To loose Pastor Johnson is a great loss in so many ways.
This was a cherished piece that we all got to go home with, at the back of the program a copy of his Bible with his markings on his favorite scripture, along with his famous words often used at the end of his sermons.
I was amazed and encouraged last time I saw him speak. He was our guest of honor in March for our Church’s 5-year anniversary, and I remember watching him write notes as the other speakers spoke. With sincere interest and what seemed like new revelations, he wrote down his thoughts. This to me was inspiring. A man 80+ years, retired already from the “pulpit” serving as a Senior Pastor, still passionate .
Three qualities I pray I can emulate …
1. Pastor Johnson knew your name. As said more than once throughout his service, because it was a strong uncommon quality we all admire(d). Yes, not just mine, or Jon’s or the Pastoral staff, or the ushers, etc. he must have known THOUSANDS of names. And thousands throughout the world. This quality is of high admiration. Like Jesus, Pastor G.L. knew our names, maybe not the number of hairs on our head, but he valued people and he knew how it made us feel to be called by first name or to be called a friend.
2. Pastor Johnson knew how to have fun. Being a pastor’s wife, I know that there are whirlwinds, sometime the ugliest of tornados you’ve ever seen that go on behind the scenes of a message from the pulpit on a Sunday. We people are a messy bunch. So I know it’s not all glamourous, but being privy to a few of the stories that my Senior Pastor got to share in mission trips with Pastor G.L. across the world, it is fun to hear that such a highly respected man, who could be serious about God, also knew how to have fun in the life God gave him. We all knew his sense of humor through his sermons, but to hear some real life stories of his fun side, makes him just that much more lovable.
3. Pastor Johnson was a man of Excellence. This was the quality about him that I admired, probably equally to knowing everyone’s names. For a year or so I worked in the nursery at People’s church as a paid position. I received my “Employee Handbook” and there is one thing that has always stuck with me. There was a section, I don’t know if it was just for the Pastoral Staff or all Full time staff, but I knew I was exempt (phew – I was in my late teens early twenties), but it was required that you kept an almost immaculate car. YES – You heard me correct, car! This had nothing to do with rules and regulations on serving the church, or appropriate dress code, or conduct between a male and a female. It was a minor detail in life that not many people would even see, but it represents that spirit of excellence in every area of our life. Someone said at his service, that Pastor G.L. Johnson did everything with a spirit of excellence, and that he did. He lived his life well, showed us excellent examples to follow, and served his generation and then went home.
Rhonda Temple wrote a PERFECT and moving piece as well as did the voice over for what was the highlight of the service for me, take a look ….
As the service ended Jackie (Johnson) was escorted out down the long aisle with what she deserved …a standing ovation. Pastor Johnson’s fruit will continue to bear and I hope in the future mine would as well.
I covet his example to us all…. now off to clean my car!! (And remember the name of the guy who washes it!)
xoxo
