By Ryan Coggins
Few people have left such a profound impression on my life as my grandpa. It wasn’t through his words or lectures, for neither were necessary to impact my life. It was through his tangible devotion to Christ that I saw what it meant to be a follower of Christ and a pastor.
I remember going to the grocery store or to a restaurant, and without fail, he would share his faith in Christ with someone. It was never forced, but through simple conversation, genuine care, and meeting felt needs, he left a mark on this world. He lived out the great commission daily.
I remember living with him and my grandma one summer in college, and I was astonished by how many hours he spent reading the Bible and praying. He told he he had read the Bible cover to cover four times that year and it was only May! This is a man who pastored for fifty years, and was a student of theology. He could probably quote most of the Bible. And yet, he would tell me (and still tells me) about things he never before saw in scripture. His love for the word was rich and deep.
I remember hearing stories from my mom of the humble lifestyle she grew up in, as the daughter of a church-planter. Most of her upbringing was spent literally in church, because her bedroom in the church doubled as a Sunday School classroom on the weekend. My grandfather truly laid down his lifestyle for the sake of the call.
To this day, I have never heard my grandpa pray (which has been countless times) without crying. Although he’s built like a lumberjack, his heart is melted by the love and grace of his creator.
I’ve encountered many pastors in my life. I’ve known thousands of Christ Followers. But my grandpa showed me what it meant to be a pastor and follower of Christ like no one else. My prayer is that these words would one day be said of me.
