Monday, July 14, 2008

I'VE LEARNED A LITTLE ALONG THE WAY

Tuesday is my 31st anniversary for getting to preach at Memorial Drive. Such a mark has deep and great meaning to me. I'm proud to be a part of such a special people. I don't deserve to get to be their preacher, but I am. Here are 31 things I've learned along the way:
  • God Works.
  • I am more sinful than originally imagined.
  • Power is perfected in weakness.
  • "I'm sorry" and "I'm wrong" are important phrases for a leader.
  • Everything is always a "Yes".
  • People need at least one person to believe in them.
  • God's Word really is like a River.
  • Unbelieving people want to know God.
  • Pain lasts longer than the initial incident.
  • The church craves freedom.
  • Every member is essential.
  • Weddings and funerals are wonderful times of evangelism.
  • Men and women need hugs.
  • Because one disagrees with me doesn't mean he is my enemy.
  • Enthusiasm is contagious.
  • The giving of money is God's great secret to success.
  • Some conservatives are quite liberal when it comes to adding rules to the church the Word never revealed.
  • The Holy Spirit is active among us.
  • Jesus is our answer to getting right with God.
  • Resurrection power ruins everything negative.
  • The mysteries of God will never be grasped by man's best logic.
  • Trying to please members who try to guilt us into action is an impossible task.
  • We have only begun to learn the the tiniest of truth of our Majestic God.
  • The worst of enemies find reason to be lovingly civil at funerals of mutual friends.
  • The church does better when we restore people instead of the church.
  • When our backs are against the wall, God is not the least bit stymied.
  • Every person I know (common or celebrity) possesses significant reservoirs of self-doubt and inferiority.
  • I'd rather try and fail than to never try and brag that I never made an error.
  • There is more dynamic good going on in the kingdom every hour than man can report in a month.
  • The Bus Ministry was one of the best seminars/workshops I ever attended.
  • We are not the only ones who get a few religious practices right.

I don't take my work for granted. I haven't forgotten other good men tried out for the position in 1977 and for some weird reason Memorial hired the least qualified; no degree, a Christian only seven years and preaching only three. I've changed. I'm not as mean as I once was. I have been blessed by patient elders, staff, and members to get past a lot of baggage. While on occasion I get pounded by a brotherhood paper or sermon, I've learned to love right now....and I do!

Thank you Memorial Drive. Due to your kindness, I've learned a little along the way.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ME!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

You've been a blessing to a lot of people -- including me (and I've never even met you!).

Thanks, and happy anniversary.

Anonymous said...

One more thing.....

You preached a sermon at a seminar in Indianapolis (summer 1996) that changed my life. It was titled "The Call." I still try to listen to the tape at least once a year.

tim rush said...

Congratulations dad and congratulations Memorial Drive. Wow, 31 years! I think that says a lot about you and about those you get to minister to/with. God bless the next 31.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations,

Terry that is a wonderful testimony to your preaching ability:) You are a great leader for the brotherhood:-P Preach on Brother Preach on:) When you started preaching at Memorial I was 9 1\2 months old:) You need to come back to Wendy's comment blog we are nearing 300 better see if you can be # 300. You should have only given your password to Max if he agreeed to give a series of lessons at the Workshop:)

Missy:)

Anonymous said...

wow ..... By the way thank you for the criticism article. I used it Sunday morning. They think me smart now!!

I couldn't help but to give you credit. It gave the lesson far more credibility when I mentioned your name.

Thank you for letting God fill your life.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on 31 years at Memorial Drive. It is obvious from your blogs that God has tried you thru trials and blessed you from the outcome. Yours is the first blog I read every morning and I have been blessed by it. Thank you for experiencing the hard things so that I can learn from your life. May God bless you with many more years of touching souls by your life's example and pulpit speaking of the GOOD NEWS!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your anniversary.

Robert said...

Congratulations!

Thank you for your continued ministry to me through your blogging.

I'm borrowing these 31 lessons for my own post today.

I enjoyed RoadMap 08 with a few Memorialites this weekend. They sang your praise, and that of the great things God is doing at Memorial.

I'm looking forward to the possibility of lending a hand at next years ISWW and working with the great folks at Memorial.

God bless you as you enter your 32nd and BEST YEAR!

Jay said...

Something that I have learned in TWO whole years attending Memorial Drive: When Mr. Rush speaks, listen close, because God is whispering in his words.
Keep on speaking, keep on preaching, the world needs you.

Stoogelover said...

I felt pretty good about preaching 31 years while you've done it at one church! You're a wonderful blessing to my life and I appreciate you more than I've ever been able to let you know. Your blog, your books, your tapes (I still have many) from years ago still bless my life. I wish I had learned a few of those lessons much earlier in ministry!!

Tammy said...

Happy Anniversary! It only seems like a few days have passed since your 25th! But with God a day is like a 1000 years and 1000 years like a day...hmmm that's a lot of God years for you!

I love you!

Shane Coffman said...

Congrats on 31 years! I've especially enjoyed years 30 and 31.

C said...

Congratulations!!

Anonymous said...

congratulations on 31 years! You must have been 10? 11?

Anonymous said...

Happy preachaversary. Let's work that into the book jacket somehow, okay?

BTW - We spent some time with the amazing Suzy Brown last week and I found out I'm not the only girl you talk to on planes. :)

Jim Martin said...

Happy anniversary and thanks for that wonderful list!