A TRIBUTE TO ROY CLARDY, A FINE MAN

Roy was a tough man, and a good man, and I will miss him.  I am proud to claim him as my father-in-law. 

From a small town in Missouri, he joined the Navy at 17 and proceeded to see the world.  His ship was torpedoed during the Pacific campaign of WWII.  His family was notified there were no survivors. After his funeral, Roy showed up alive.  He was strong and knew how to persevere, and it served him well.  He married Nora Mae and they had four children. After 20 years in the military, Roy carved out a second career as a mail carrier.  He also did a pretty good job as a grandfather, traveling several times a year from California to Georgia and even the Dominican Republic, just to give piggy-back rides and play house with some appreciative little ones.

He was not a particularly church going man, nor outwardly contemplative.  When he visited with us he would attend church.  He probably tired of my not-too-subtle sermons aimed at his pew, but he never carried on that it bothered him.  Our family prayed for him, and one time my daughter cried for his salvation.  He was interested, but hesitant concerning God.  I understand a grandson lead him to the Lord one day, and that is good news.

Yesterday, the call came. Roy died in his sleep, in peace, at almost 84 years of age.  I can think of several ways to describe this fine man.  He was an excellent citizen who served his country, obeyed the law, and always voted.  He even wrote his Congressman many times.  Roy sometimes challenged my patience, as I did his.  It is said that a girl marries a man like her father. If that is my case, then I am honored.  He often told me he appreciated the kind of man his daughter chose to marry. 

So, Roy, I miss you. And…I love you.  Guess I never told you that- you were too tough, and I too timid.  And, we will see you again.

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I understand Billy Graham stated in a Today Show interview that he was a lifelong Democrat.  And, I understand at his Crusade he jokingly told Bill Clinton that he should become an evangelist and let his wife run the country.  Now, the president of the National Clergy Council has walked out on the Graham Crusade in protest, and he has stated he now has a little less respect because of Graham's behavior.

Give me a break!  More kindly, give this aging evangelist a break!

Where I live and attend church, we have lots of what are called "Dixiecrats" who are as conservative in their politics as any Republican, and yet continue to wear the political label of their ancestors from many generations past.  Graham stated in the Today Show interview that he often votes one way locally, and another nationally.  In other words, he did not say that he was a "Yellow Dog Democrat", one who always votes the party no matter the platform.

I think Dr. Graham was being a gentleman in his banter with these two New York politicians.  And, I am sure by having them on the platform, he was hoping to encourage the attendance of many of their supporters to his Crusade, so they could hear his uncompromising message of the gospel.  Throughout his stellar career, this man has been about evangelism, not politics.  Maybe, no probably, there is a necessity for evangelical leaders to speak up on political issues and take sides.  But not for Graham; he's an evangelist.  He wants the liberal and the conservative to hear and respond to God's message of love and salvation through Jesus Christ.

What do you think?

Tomorrow morning at around 11:30, I will be delivering a sermon based upon our continuing journey through I John.  These particular verses deserve serious consideration:

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." - I John 3:17-18 (NIV)

In the past I have tried to pastor people who proclaimed loud and clear a love for God, and yet would never worship in the same church with a person of a different skin color.  In one situation I tried to pastor church leaders who instructed me to never help people in financial need because the church just could not afford it.  Thank God there are real Christians out there, and not all churches are like the ones mentioned.  I am blessed to have a congregation that welcomes all persons into the building, and seeks to love with action and not just words.  We've got quite a ways to go, but we are trying.

For the racist and the selfish so-called Christian, surely these words of John go unread.

I read today that Billy Graham, as a young evangelist in the early 1950's, insisted that his crusades be racially mixed even in the deep South.  Now that must have taken courage.  No wonder God has blessed his ministry.   I am convinced integrity means alot to God.

What do you think? 

I had a brief conversation with a man today who really encouraged me about the value of what I am about as a Christian and minister.  Sometimes I allow myself to get so involved in the mechanics of doing church, that I forget for a few moments that we are to be "about the Father's business."  I know Jesus made a custom of attending religious services, and we are to do the same.  But, Jesus most often surrounded Himself with people, and not necessarily "churchy" and religious people.  As I recall, He was sneered at for hanging out with "publicans and sinners". 

My new friend has attended our worship services a couple of times.  He sits in the back, alone, and tends to slip out of church as soon as possible.  Last Sunday I had opportunity to look more deeply into his face and eyes, and I saw someone who was searching.  Thus, today I made it a point to find him and talk with him.  He seemed surprised, and first said he was really too busy.  But I persevered with gentleness.  I found he was indeed hurting.  Our next few minutes of conversation revealed much.  He is struggling with substance abuse, has neighbors who are giving him conflicting religious guidance, and he is in the process of a search for spiritual significance.  I walked away truly liking this man.  And, I believe he is probably on the edge- his very survival in life will be determined by what he finds, or does not find, in his search.

So, I will pray for him, and love him, and seek to let him know I care as often as possible.  And I am reminded that what I am doing is the most important of jobs.  And, that's a good reminder.

What do you think?

A couple of quotes to get started:

"Too many of us have a Christian vocabulary rather than a Christian experience.  We think we are doing our duty when we're only talking about it." - Charles F. Banning, The Christian Arsenal (online www.christianarsenal.com)

"Organized religions in general, in my opinion, are dying forms.  They were all very important when we didn't know why the sun moved, why weather changed or why volcanoes happened.  Modern religion is the end trail of mythology," said Bruce Willis, from an interview in George magazine.

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I'm pastor of a small church here in the Atlanta area.  I do not claim to be a great intellectual, theologian, nor even an overly pious person.  I do love Jesus and try to live for Him, sometimes effectively and sometimes with struggle.  I think Mr. Banning is quite right; we are lots better at talking than walking with our faith.  Most everyone can talk a convincing religious conversation.  What the world around us so desperately needs is those who proclaim with their lives a valid Christian faith- on Monday, as well as Sunday; at work, as well as church.

Now, the quote from Mr. Willis is intriguing.  He makes millions of dollars as a Hollywood actor, and I suspect he thinks this qualifies him to speak words of import about religion.  I guess we are all theologians, whether good or bad.  I think he is right about the limits of "religion".  Yet, in Jesus, we enter into a personal relationship with the living God.  Such moves far beyond a stale and empty religion.  Many skeptics, like Willis, have had their lives changed through an encounter with Christ.  Read the story of the Apostle Paul in Acts 11.

What do you think?