FROM THE DESK OF JOSEPH J. MORRISON

from the desk of the
Executive Minister
Joseph J. Morrison, Jr.

Last week I had the privilege to accompany Pastor Chuck Paul to the Newtown Reformed Church. He was invited as the guest speaker.

During the move from the old facility, several members from Newtown Reformed Church volunteered, and during the move indicated they had listened to some of Pastor Chuck sermons from the website and wanted him to come preach at their church. We learned that they were currently without a pastor and were inviting preachers and students from around the area to come an assist with Sunday service.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and recognized several of the people who had helped out with our move. Approximately 35-40 people arrived to worship, and Pastor Chuck conducted the entire service, which was a fairly traditional Order of Worship.

Then, Pastor Chuck got up to preach, expositing a text from Galatians 3:
1-3. He entitled the sermon Faith Beyond Foolishness. From his opening statement to the closing prayer, Pastor Chuck was filled with the Holy Spirit. He shared how preachers, and those who are called to stand at the “Holy Desk” must not only take this calling seriously, but also be so faithful to, engaged in, and careful with, God’s Holy Word that they almost “leave a trail of blood” up the aisle and to the pulpit because they have been cut to the marrow in struggling to reveal God’s Holy Truth.

It appeared to me that the congregation had not heard such powerful and passionate preaching in a long time. One person, after the service, commented “I’ve been here 13 years, and have never heard anything like that.” We took that as a good sign, and felt that Pastor Chuck had hit the mark, since, as we were leaving, we were called back into the office and told “There’s a rumor going around. Everyone really liked you, Pastor, and what you had to say. The rumor is they’d like to have you come back.” Pastor Chuck agreed, chose a date in April, and will be returning with even more passionate preaching next time.