I love to tell the story!
‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love. – Kate Hankey (1879)

What a great Sunday!

First, Rebekah and I drove over to Pinetops Presbyterian Church, just ten miles down the road, where we worshipped with a small but enthusiastic crowd of churchgoers.

Our visit, the latest in the ongoing “Rebekah and Derek go to church” series, hit all the right notes for us. We felt welcomed, we enjoyed the preaching, we sensed the undeniable presence of God and – probably the most important – it was obvious that “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place….”

The preacher, former school principal Nelson Johnston, is an excellent communicator. He shared a strong, positive message, the choir sang from the bottom of their hearts, and it just felt good – it felt right – to be there.

This is definitely a congregation we will worship with again in the future.

Wake Forest!!!

Then, just as soon as we got home, we joined Wake Forest Presbyterian Church for worship via YouTube as they welcomed their new pastor Liz Troyer along with her family.

We were thrilled to see WFPC’s sanctuary completely filled up with all those beautiful people, all that positive energy and contagious excitement – just as we remember (we were there 2013-2021). It makes our hearts warm to see so many worshippers crowding the aisles, coming forward for communion and voting a resounding “yes” for the future of this great church via their presence and their commitment.

The other day I wrote that this is “a challenging moment in our nation’s history.” If you read me much at all you also understand that – for Rebekah and me – challenge and opportunity always go hand in hand.

This is the great challenge/opportunity inherent in “Being The Church”, and of taking our mandate to “Be the presence of Christ” in this world seriously.

I see the ministry of Wake Forest Presbyterian Church, in that busy and growing community, as potentially one of God’s most effective tools in terms of responding to such challenges and engaging such opportunities.

I told a new friend – one who is in despair regarding how she sees the future – that I live in hope. Not wishful thinking, but hope. Because, as the hymn-writer Edward Mote expressed in 1834, “My Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…. when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay.”

“The gospel is still the gospel,” I told her. “The Jesus story is still not only good news but it is undaunted and undefeated despite 2,000 years of darkness and wrong.”

This is why I go to church. I love to tell the story. I love to live the story – DEREK

I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. 
- Kate Hankey (1879)