I was humbled, touched and encouraged, all at the same time, by an email I got from a friend about this past Sunday’s worship message (posted just below). I want to share it with you and then leave you with a final thought…
“I am always amazed at the impact that a minister of the gospel has when he makes himself vulnerable and shares his personal life experiences like you did yesterday. Dr. Stanley does it but I don’t see many others who personalize their ministries. It makes a huge difference. Even though in our heads we know that temptation and suffering are common to mankind, we still think pastors are immune and are on another plane than us mere mortals.
When you demolish that foolish notion as you did Sunday, we can identify with your suffering and it helps us to identify with the suffering that Christ did for us.”
Now to further support and encourage those that think they are the only ones that struggle with frustrations from Satan, this is what I was thinking as I was walking out of church immediately following the service; “People don’t need a pastor with even an appearance of weakness; I should never have made myself that vulnerable”.
Just a few minutes ago, I got a phone a call from another church friend and he said, “God was awesome in worship yesterday and I want you to know because you were strong enough to admit your weakness, now I see that with all my failures I can still serve God in a mighty way. My life and my marriage will never be the same.”
Did not Paul say something like “When I am at my weakest I am strongest” (2nd Corinthians 12:9)
Thank you Lord, and my friends, for reminding me, it is only when we are transparent that people see God hrough us.

Pastor Larry