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  My church has special events from time to time.  First Baptist Columbia is known for that.  There was one special event I couldn't miss.  It was a Sunday evening with Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea.  They were great friends of Billy Graham and was with him on his crusades around the world.  Cliff would direct the choirs, and Bev would do the solos.

 This evening, they were guests of our Minister of Music Steve Phillips.  They sat on the rostrum and told stories of their experiences with Dr. Graham and the crusades.  During the hour, they also sang hymns of faith.  It was the closest thing to Heaven that I had ever encountered.  I just sat in awe of the two of these humble men who had gotten so much fame over the years, but it didn't go to their heads.  They were of a generation, much like my father, who did God's work for Him, not for them.  Ego is a terrible thing in the ministry.  These men did not have that problem.  

 There is a difference between preachers and pastors.  Preachers are up there to preach, and that's all.  Pastors care about their flocks, also known as their church members.  There are some great preachers out there.  I have known many.  But, I have also known many who get self-absorbed by their adoring members who worship the preacher and not God.  These preachers forget why God called them into the ministry in the first place.  Pastors are generally humble people.  They don't care about the fame.  They have been called to do God's work, and they do it with caring and love for others.  When I met Billy Graham back in 1964, and you can search for that story in my blog, I thought of him as great.  I also saw he could laugh with my father about the incident the year before.  He was just an ordinary man and doing extraordinary things for God.  Cliff and Bev also fit into that category.  That night with the two of them was one of the highlights of my life.

 After it was over, I had to walk home.  I couldn't afford a taxi, and the buses weren't running.  I was hoping that I wouldn't run into anyone along the way home in the dark.  I got up to Earlewood Park, and a man asked me for a cigarette.  I just said no and kept walking.  That neighborhood at night can be dangerous, but I made it home without incident.  What a night!