This is why I Still Love doing what I do . . .

This is a letter I received from Phil Hamblin, the pastor at Rhea's Mill Baptist Church outside of Dallas. I'm so thankful to be used this way.

Wayne,

I just can’t express with adequate words how much we enjoyed—how much I enjoyed your visit with us. God has given you a talent not just to sing, but to communicate through your brokenness.

It was a big step forward for our church, believe it or not. I shared with you a little about our history while we were at lunch. While it was a big step forward, it has been fun hearing all the really positive feedback from our members, young and old. Like I said, you have an ability to connect even (especially?) through your brokenness.

I think brokenness is the theme that so many Christian leaders miss. We somehow have been led to believe that just because Christ gives us strength, that the only way to demonstrate His glory is to appear strong, that just because He makes us overcomers then we can’t show places in our lives we haven’t overcome. We have this list of things that have to go perfectly in our lives otherwise we lose some kind of anointing. The problem is that most things on that list are dependent on other people. Our children make their own decisions because they are not robots. Our spouses do the same. What part we play in things only God knows fully. I’m convinced we don’t always know fully.

What made the disciples so influential was not their perfection, but their brokenness. Peter wasn’t really used until after he betrayed Christ. Paul wasn’t really used until God struck him down on the Damascus road. There is something really powerful in our brokenness. For someone that people generally look up to to be able to take the pain, disappointment, betrayal and shortcomings of their own lives and not varnish it with Christian-ese, but also not glorify it, but share it as a reason for hope is really powerful. It may not be conventional wisdom, especially considering the body of your work, but I believe your greatest influence may be ahead of you. God gave you this gift for life, not just till people could see you aren’t perfect.

You touched our church. Thanks for your ministry, and please keep up the good work.

Grace and peace,

Phil

Phil M. Hamblin, pastor, The Mill

Rhea's Mill Baptist Church :: 5733 N. Custer Rd. :: McKinney, TX 75071 :: 972.562.6772 :: www.rheasmill.org