The last chapter
I was spiritually preparing myself for a prison gig, where Board Chairman Dan Rooks and I would be guest speakers. It was early Sunday morning, and I clicked on the TV set for the 30-minute broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral.
I was pleasantly surprised to note that the visiting pastor for the day was Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary...one of my favorite preachers. He didn't disappoint.
Dr. Mouw, after laying the groundwork for his sermon, changed course for a moment to make an interesting confession. He said that as an alternative to the stress of his position, he likes to take a break and read a thriller novel. But he didn't stop the confession at that point. He went on to say that by the time he gets to page 245 of the 400-page book, anxiety builds as the hero is surrounded by enemies and the heroine has been separated from her lover. "So what I do," said Dr. Mouw, "is go to the last chapter." He hastened to add that he doesn't quit then...he still goes back and reads through the entire plot to see how they got to the end. He just wanted to make sure that the hero was still alive and the man got his woman.
The fatherly speaker returned to his sermon. "I know that many of you who came to church this morning came with heavy problems, major issues. But you must remember something: You're on page 245. I come with good news for you today, because, you see (and he held up his Bible), I've read the last chapter."
That's it! That's HFP's message to all of these prisoners and their parents and their husbands and wives and their siblings and their kids...all who are experiencing so many issues.
I snapped off the TV and headed for prison.
I knew the end of the story.
I was pleasantly surprised to note that the visiting pastor for the day was Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary...one of my favorite preachers. He didn't disappoint.
Dr. Mouw, after laying the groundwork for his sermon, changed course for a moment to make an interesting confession. He said that as an alternative to the stress of his position, he likes to take a break and read a thriller novel. But he didn't stop the confession at that point. He went on to say that by the time he gets to page 245 of the 400-page book, anxiety builds as the hero is surrounded by enemies and the heroine has been separated from her lover. "So what I do," said Dr. Mouw, "is go to the last chapter." He hastened to add that he doesn't quit then...he still goes back and reads through the entire plot to see how they got to the end. He just wanted to make sure that the hero was still alive and the man got his woman.
The fatherly speaker returned to his sermon. "I know that many of you who came to church this morning came with heavy problems, major issues. But you must remember something: You're on page 245. I come with good news for you today, because, you see (and he held up his Bible), I've read the last chapter."
That's it! That's HFP's message to all of these prisoners and their parents and their husbands and wives and their siblings and their kids...all who are experiencing so many issues.
I snapped off the TV and headed for prison.
I knew the end of the story.
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