For the last three weeks I have been priviledged to speak in and exremely vibrant church in Charlotte, Noth Carolina–Central Church of God. Loran Livingston is the pastor there and I have been fortunate to know him for a lot of years and watch the impact of his minisry. A great team works with him in people like Reggie Coleman and Debbie and Paul Sebring, and so many others.

We have been doing the MADE TO COUNT JOURNEY based on a book the I had the joy of writing with my great friend, Randy Singer. It calls every Christ follower to step up to the plate and answer the call of God to impact their world—right where they are—starting now! The response has been wonderful. The crowds have grown weekly with great people wanting to better understand how to be On Mission right where God has planted them.

It really is amazing to see that Paul refers to himself as CALLED of God to be an apostle when he writes to the church of Rome. And who would argue with that? No question…that was a man, called of God. But just a few verses later Paul uses the same word to refer to all Christ followers in Rome, sprinkled in and embedded throughout the culture of Rome at every level–CALLED. They too, were CALLED to a realtionship with Christ, and a mission alongside Christ…to impact their world.

As my friend Henry Blackaby says, it is not that some are called and some are not…ALL are called. The thing that varies is the nature of the assignment. While the Reformation put the Scripture in the hands of the everyday, common person…it fell short. Now we need to get the mission and ministry of the church there. Not just that which happens inside the walls, but expecially that which happens outside of them, Monday through Saturday. That’s the work of the church…and that’s where calling is ultimately fleshed out.

And the hunger for such a move has been evident for the lst 3 weeks running. And I’m having a blast hearing the stories of the people who are putting the principles into practice.

The last couple of weeks has been a hard one for me, and a number of my friends. We have lost a very special friend and colleague…Dr. Forrest Pollock. Forrest was tragically killed with his 13 year old son Preston in a plane crash in North Carolina. He leaves a wonderful wife, Dawn, and 5 great kids. In addition he leaves a wonderful church family, Bell Shoals Baptsit in Brandon, Florida–a church I had the great honor of pastoring several years ago.

I had just had the joy of being with Forrest and the church for a men’s conference and Sunday services a couple of weeks before the tragedy. It was an amazing weekend…just one week before they would move into a beautiful new worship center that would seat approximately 3400. Forrest was so excited…so supportive of the conference…so encouraging to me and Cheryl…and so in love with life!

My world shook on its axis when I got the word that he was missing. Prayers went up from so many corners of the nation that Forrest and Preston would be found safe, even if injured…but it was not to be. Our hearts fell through the floor when on that fateful Tuesday we got word they had found the plane and the bodies.

I have been in regular contact with many folks since then…and have heard many glowing tributes regarding my dear friend. But interestingly, very few of them focused on the size of the new worship center, or the growth of the church, the size of the staff, or the numbers of the budget/attendence/baptisms during his 6 years of leadership.

Instead they focused on his touch with people First, how it was always so obvious how much he loved Dawn and his kids. In fact, in his last sermon on Mother’s Day, he focused in on the impact of his mother, the incredible job Dawn did as a mother and wife, and the joy of his kids! What a great focus for a sermon he had no idea would be his last. But family was a BIG DEAL to Forrest…not just in talk, but in action and priority.

Others talk about the bright light of encouragement he was continually. To know Forrest was to know a “smile personified.” He entered the room smile first…and then sought for a way to be an encouragement to whomever he was talking with. I know, because I was on the receiving end of that effort often. During one of my toughest times in my journey he flew to Atlanta just to be and encouragement to me and to say, “I’m with you…whatever you need!”

Still others, mentioned the continual stream of notes he sent to people telling them he was praying for them, what he appreciated and valued about them, and what he wanted to encourage them in. Several have mentioned having one or more they have kept. I am among that group, as the last note I got from Forrest lays on my study desk. Now I hope more of us who are left, take up that mantle to encourage and build up other.

As I reflect on the leadership of Forrest Pollock I am reminded why John D. Rockefeller Sr. once said, “I will pay more for a leader with the ability with people than for any other skill.” I for one, want to become increasingly effective Afat positively impacting people. How about
you? After all, that’s the really important focus on true leadership.