Tuesday, December 22, 2009

a changing of the guard?



In the last month, the city of Tulsa has seen two pillars of Christian leadership give up their lives on earth and take hold of their lives in Heaven. One month ago today Billy Joe Daugherty died and one week ago today Granville Oral Roberts died.

I had the privilege of attending the memorial service for Oral Roberts yesterday. It was a very cool service. Without a doubt, a celebration of his life and how God used him during those ninety-one years. As I sat there among thousands, I had a very profound and sobering realization that, in some small way, the mantle of Oral and Pastor Billy Joe was being passed to me.

Hey, please don't get me wrong, I'm no Oral Roberts or Billy Joe Daugherty. When I say the mantle is being passed, I mean to me and many other Christian leaders. How much of that will rest on me? I think that depends entirely on how closely I follow the Holy Spirit.

Oral's daughter, Roberta, said yesterday at the service, "The only thing my dad feared was that he may not listen to God." I would say I'm in that boat today. God has called me to do so much in this puny life. The only way that could fail is if I don't listen to His voice leading me.

Thank you Billy Joe Daugherty and Oral Roberts. You have done immeasurable work for God's Kingdom in Tulsa and around the world. I feel honored to carry on your work, however small that part may be.

2 comments:

Tracy Thomas said...

J, Yes, Yes, A thousand times, yes! The fact is you are an Oral Roberts, you are a Billy Daugherty. Those guys would say the same thing you said. I'm no ________ (fill in the blank).We need more bold statements just like that, J! He has given us the land! You just reminded us how to take it!

Jason Fitch said...

TT, you're the best dude. I love you man.