Sunday, April 18
Bob, with one ‘O’…
I’m in Orlando for the Exponential Conference that begins tomorrow (Monday). I arrived Friday evening, spent yesterday recalibrating…reading (great book ‘on’, not ‘by’, the author Frederick Buechner), disc golfing (6 under at the Turkeynator, I’m just saying…), and resting at the free condo (thanks Stadia).This morning I went to church at Summit Church, recommended by Michael Sevilla, who used to attend Crossings before he moved back to Orlando.
It was good. I loved their bookstore/resource center (Buechner and Wright books everywhere), worship was good, there was a good feel to the service, and the teaching was really good by Isaac Hunter.
About 10-15 minutes before service started I sat down near the back, in a completely empty row, in the end seat. Within a couple of minutes an older gentleman came to the same row, still completely empty except for me, and asked if there was ‘room for another’. I said ‘sure’ and he proceeded to sit in the seat right next to me.He introduced himself to me. “I’m Bob, that’s with one ‘O’.” We chatted for a few moments, told him why I was in town, etc. Very nice guy. He said jokingly that he was 39 years old. I found out later he is actually 79. He had a very low voice and sang rather loudly, not always on key, but mostly.
After service he asked me, “Is there any question I could answer for you, or information I can get for you?” I simply asked him, “What’s the best thing about this place? What’s the best thing about being a part of Summit Church?”
He quickly answered, “The depth”, but then quickly said, “But let me tell you why by telling you my story.”
Bob, with one ‘O’, then proceeded to share with me his story…grew up Catholic, left the church after marriage, had 7 children, he wasn’t always the perfect father/husband, got a divorce many years later, married again but to a woman addicted to prescription drugs, divorced her, found Jesus at Northland Church, and came to Summit when it started 7 ½ years ago, and he doesn’t know where his life would be without this community.
He was very gracious, very compassionate, and very much in love with Jesus and his church.
It seems obvious to me that every church needs in their community a group of “Bobs with one ‘O’”…(insert obvious word play joke here)
Mark Nelson at 3:19 PM 2comments
