Brother Rufus
At this stage of my life, I have the luxury of looking back
and calling to mind people God has placed in my path. It is mind boggling as I
realize that my life has been touched by of all kinds of people. There are
those who greatly impacted my life and ministry and others who walked with me
just for a season.
Brother Rufus is one of those people. I met Rufus when I was
pastoring a small Episcopal church in a multi racial neighborhood of
Minneapolis. Having moved from rural Montana to the inner city was more than a
cultural shock. Having extended family nearby was some comfort but it was a
whole new world of ministry.
I don’t remember how I met Rufus. It must have been at some
local clergy gathering. He reached out to me and we became friends. Rufus, had
recently started an inner city church not far from ours. As we got to know each
other, he invited me to a midweek service. Since they did not have a church
building they meet in an abandoned movie theatre.
Well, I tell you that service was quite different from the
starched order of service I was used to. People were jumping up and down,
clapping and shouting Halleluiahs and Amens. I saw people slayed in the Spirit,
demons delivered and bodies healed. I was the only white guy in church that
night. It was a real eye opener for Pastor Dan!
Years later after
Brother Rufus and I lost touch, I showed up at a Sunday morning service. They
were now meeting in a regular church building. When Rufus spotted me, he jumped
off the platform and welcomes me as a long lost brother. He introduced me to
the saints and I felt right at home in an all black church.
God sure does work in mysterious ways. I wonder what Brother
Rufus and his wife Diane are doing now. I’ll bet they are doing just what the
Lord has for them: praising Him with all their might and bringing hope and
healing to hurting people. Thanks Rufus for being my friend.
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