Grab our RSS feedWorship Preparation | Prayer-Soaked Evangelism with Guest Preacher, Steve Smith
Be praying for our guest preacher, Bro. Steve Smith, and all who will attend Grace this coming Sunday. Steve is my father-in-law, and to the little people who live under my roof, he's better known as "Pawpaw."
Introducing Steve - The Most Godly Man I Know
Steve wouldn't want me to publish this, but he doesn't even know how to turn on the internet, so I'm safe :).
Steve is the most godly man I know. I've watched him for the past 17 years. Closely.
A Man of the Word
Find Steve's Bible and you will find one of the most tattered books on earth. It's not abused. It's loved.
Nearly every page is littered with devotional notes and meditations and prayers. Of the many verses you'd find underlined, you'd also find that most of them are treasured-up in Steve's heart. He memorized the epistle of James in college, and has kept up the discpline and joy of Scripture memory every since. God's Word is authoritative in Steve's life.
As I would often tell others about Clyde (dicipler, died in 2000), I can also say about Steve - God knows Steve, and Steve knows God.
A Man of Prayer
Those who know him know also that Steve is an intercessor in the fullest sense of the word.
On multiple occassions (As in hundreds, not tens), he has been awakened by the Lord's gentle prompt in the middle of the night, laced up his shoes, and gone prayer-walking (or driving).
Every single street and alley in West Memphis, Arkansas has been prayer-walked. I know so because Steve has personally walked each and every one of them as he's called out to God for revival and for conversions to Christ. As he prayer-walked, he would also talk with those who were out. And as many as would listen heard of God's love and provision through Jesus.
Though people say you shouldn't be outside at night in inner-city Memphis, Steve must have missed the memo. My inner-city Memphis home has been circled in the wee hours of morning, on numerous occassions, by Steve and his big-hearted prayers for God to bless and use me to reach this community and city. Grace's other pastors' homes have been similarly circled. The Bridges building too. Humbling indeed!
My first church ministry position was in 1997 as a summer intern at First Baptist in West Memphis. On the first day, Steve showed me to an upstairs prayer room, and proceeded to inform me that most of my office hours needed to be spent there. Any additional time should be devoted to people -- sharing Jesus and building believers up in Christ.
A Happy Man
While Steve is more of a man of God's Word than I've described, and is more devoted to God in prayer than I've illustrated, he is also one of the most simple and happy men I've ever met. The relationship between the two is obvious. Contentment is a fruit of godliness.
Steve loves Jesus contagiously. His life is simple and happy. Who wouldn't want to love Jesus more and live more for his glory after being around someone whose heart is so big with God-given joy?
Sunday's Sermon - "Prayer-Soaked Evangelism"
We've asked Steve to preach on the theme of "Prayer-Soaked Evangelism" because (A) he's a model of both, and (B) we need to grow tremendously in these areas. Some Christians are prayerful, but not evangelistic. Others are evangelistic, but not prayerful. Let's be both!
May God wed the two into the fabric of our souls this coming Sunday as we sit under His Word! Steve isn't coming to preach himself, but Jesus. And I'm glad he's coming!
Steve,
Though you'll probably never read these words, thank you for setting a godly example for me. I love you, and I'm thankful that our people will hear from you this Sunday. May our hearts be fertile ground!
Jordan
Filed under Grace Church and Jesus
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Melissa January 29th, 2010
I absolutely agree that Bro. Steve is one of the most godly men I know. I was just telling a young lady the other day about him and what I learned from him when I was an intern at 1st Baptist. I remember the day us interns sat in his office and he was speaking about time with the Lord and how he had to "wrestle his heart to get close to God". This was somewhat of a new concept for me- I had never heard that spending time with God required work- it required wrestling. This thought has been so helpful to me- I have seen so much fruit and joy come from wrestling with my heart to get close to my God. It is work, but it is indeed the most rewarding work I know of. Thank you Bro. Steve for being so honest and faithful in your pursuit of God- it has encouraged so many to pursue Him all the more.