NEXT

I can’t pass up sharing a story from “Nextattitude” a few years ago.  We were pulling up to the Galt House hotel in Louisville.  I’m standing in the front of the bus next to the driver.  As we rolled to a stop, a lady looked at me as though she knew me.  As the door opened she stepped onto the first step of the bus, and started to say hi, only to lower her eyebrows and say, “Oh, I’m sorry.  In this light, I thought you were Jeff Purswell.”  She quickly, but cordially, came up with a parting sentence and was off into the night. 

So, we both have beards, are about the same height and frame, and wear similar looking glasses.  Once you get past those, the disparities begin.  I am balding, whereas all of Jeff Purswell’s follicles seem to be hard at work.  He is also a scholar, an author, the Dean of the Pastors College, and other things which I most definitely am not.

The first message I heard from Purswell was The God We Worship.  It was given at WorshipGOD 2000, and it began what has now been almost ten years of regularly interacting with and being helped by Jeff’s writing and sermons.

Jeff’s sermon, A People of God’s Presence (a biblical theology of God’s promised presence with His people from Genesis to Revelation, given at WorshipGOD 06) is without question one of the most clarifying and penetrating messages I have ever heard.  In passage after passage, along with his outstanding ability to illustrate truth, the promise of God to have a people and dwell with them gained steam, such that at the close of the message, all Jeff had to do was read Revelation 21:1-5.  As he read that text I felt like the whole group sat in stunned silence.  Truly a holy moment.  I’m still affected as I recall it even now.

Jeff Purswell is a man who labors and delights to know God in His Word.  I have no doubt that come May 2010, Jeff is gonna bring it, and our hearts will be affected by the truths of Scripture.

If you’re the lady who came into our bus that humbling night – no hard feelings.  We’re ok.