Sitting at the feet of an Elder

I just got back home a few days ago from an amazing weekend out of town. To save a lot of time, I'll just jump to the point of this Blog and say that there were two different events that I will NEVER forget that came out of that weekend. The first event was the honor and privilege of having the opportunity to preach in Jena, LA. The heritage of that church pastored for years by Elder Crawford Coon (now pastored by Bro. Dan McClure) is rich to say the least. Bishop Crawford Coon is known across the Apostolic Movement as a tremendous teacher/preacher of the Apostolic Message and has written some of the best discipleship materials for the Apostolic Church! So, that in and of itself was absolutely amazing. I remember just sitting there on the platform and soaking in the moment as Bishop Crawford Coon introduced my wife and I. It was a moment that I'll keep with forever.

However, the other event is what I want to talk to you about today, and that event was the honor I had to sit at the feet of some great, anointed Elders of the Apostolic Movement. It began with getting to sit and talk to Bishop Tommy Craft from Jackson, MS.

I had called him on my way to see if there was any way he could meet me at the church on Friday morning because I wanted my kids to get to meet him. I wanted my kids to meet a great Elder whose fingerprint is on thousands of young preachers just like myself. Of course, the kids had a blast with Papa Craft as he showed them around the church, especially his office that comes equipped with a fire place and a stuffed Asian tiger (NO KIDDING)!

Anyways, we got to visit, eat lunch and sit around the fire and talk for a total of 5 hours. I wouldn't take anything for that time spent with an Apostolic Elder as we talked about building a church in these Last Days. I will cherish that time forever!

Then I got to hang out with Pastor Donald Tipton (Vicksburg, MS) Friday night and Saturday morning.I had the privilege of being taught by Bro. Tipton while I attended Jackson College of Ministries and learned so much from this great Elder of the Apostolic Faith. Just getting to sit around and talk with him was time well spent and I cherished every moment we had, especially Saturday morning when he decided to "share" what he'd been studying...AMAZING!


My final destination on this memorable weekend trip took me all the way to the BIG CITY of Jena, LA! Already, my trip had provided some quality time with great men of God, and this was just the icing on the cake. Elder Crawford Coon has written material that the Apostolic movement has been using for years to disciple the converted and teach the church the basics of New Testament Salvation and how to live a Holy and separated life. Getting to sit around and talk to Bro. Coon was a great way to end an unbelievable weekend.

The opportunity I had to sit at the feet of these Elders was priceless. I think one of the funnest things for me was the opportunity to simply ask them questions and then sit back and receive their wisdom and instruction. I remember after church Sunday night just sitting in the living room at Bro. Coon's house as he sipped on coffee I asked question after question and by midnight when my family was about to pass out he was still going strong! He actually made fun of us "kids" needing to go to bed when the "night was still young."

My point is this, when is the last time you found yourself sitting at the feet of an Elder? When is the last time you stopped talking long enough to let an Elder speak into you life? When is the last time you let an Elder tell you something you didn't really want to hear but took it in the right spirit simply because he was your Elder? When is the last time you gave an Elder the opportunity to "really" help you by giving you some instruction, even correction? See, it's easy to sit around and receive encouragement from an Elder, but sometimes what many of us really need is to simply sit at the feet of Elders and let them impart wisdom and pass down some things that we're lacking to help us be better men, women, parents, leaders, etc.

I'll close with some wisdom from an old Elder of the Scriptures who said such things as, "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14) This Elder also said, "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end" (Proverbs 19:20) and "Every purpose is established by counsel" (Proverbs 20:18).

We could learn alot by just sitting at the feet of an Elder!