Sometimes The Best Sermon/Message Is One That Is Lived

Bobby, A Story About A Child of God

God chose a small non-denominational church to be blessed and to be a blessing to a poor victim of a lifetime of rejection, physical and psychological abuse. We are sharing this true story as a testimony of God’s faithfulness, grace and love.

Background of the Church

Our church, Community Family Fellowship is a six-year-old, startup fellowship, located in a large metropolitan city – Jacksonville, Florida. The church formed around a basic principle: we love and serve God by loving and serving each other, every each other. The pastor receives no salary, perks or financial benefits. The fellowship began in the pastor’s living room, where they met and worshiped for several months. A friend who followed their ministry offered them a store front located on a major thoroughfare in which to establish a church plant, expecting no rent until financially stable and then “whatever amount the church could afford”.

The church does not pass a collection plate for offerings, tithes, and donations. Rather there is a basket located on a table where everyone is welcome to place whatever God places on their hearts. Ten per cent of whatever is in the basket is automatically placed in the missions and outreach account. The practice has been extremely comfortable and effective. Envelopes are provided at the table and accounting is maintained by the church treasurer.

Bobby’s First Visit

One Sunday as the service was just about over, we all noticed a somewhat disheveled man pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, in front of the church. In and of itself that isn’t all that unusual and we did not feel led to go out to see what he was doing. But soon he approached the door. We opened the door and welcomed him in. He handed the pastor forty dollars and with difficulty said that he wanted to make an offering. We invited him in and asked him if he would join us for the closing hymn and prayers. His response almost floored us, He said, “I can’t! I am retarded and I am cursed”. The pastor immediately told him that we did not believe that he was cursed and we wanted him to feel safe and welcome. The pastor then offered to welcome him with a hug, at which time he cried out and cowered away. He was terrified of anyone touching him or even getting into his space. He left immediately and we did not expect to ever see him again. However, we began to pray for him and put him on our prayer list.

Lo and behold the next Sunday Bobby arrived and gave us an offering and started to leave. The pastor engaged him in conversation enough to learn his name, before he left. We were not all that comfortable taking his offering but also felt that by not accepting from him would mean just one more rejection in his life. The next Sunday, when Bobby arrived, he hesitatingly agreed to stay for the service. He sat in the back off to himself but followed and participated in the entire service. We all immediately felt a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit among us. After the service Bobby left rather hurriedly.

Bobby continued faithfully to attend and participate every Sunday. As Christmas neared, we managed to have a small gesture of love and appreciation to give each person attending. Bobby was concerned that he had nothing to give back in return. We assured him that his presence, trust and acceptance of us was more than we could want for a Christmas gift. We invited him to go to a Christmas gathering of the church for a meal at a local restaurant. After a long discussion, he agreed and came with us. At that table, he shared a lot about his life and circumstances.

Bobby was an orphan and grew up in orphanages and being shuttled from foster home to foster home. At about age eleven, while living with a foster family, he was instructed to open a can of soup and warm it up in the microwave for him and the others at lunchtime. Bobby did as he understood the instructions to be. He opened the can, stuck it in the microwave and pushed the button. There was an explosion that made quite a mess in the kitchen. Bobby was physically “punished” and kicked out of the foster home to be returned to an orphanage.

As an adult he got married. It wasn’t long into that marriage that he became the object of spousal abuse from his mate. At one point she shot him and placed a gun to his head saying, “You will do exactly what I tell you or I will kill you!” He escaped and was rescued by a rescue agency for victims of violent domestic abuse. He was moved by the agency to Jacksonville, Florida, far from the location of his past. This rescue operates much like the witness protection program but is administered by Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Bobby began attending a church where he felt comfortable. However, he was told that he was cursed because he was retarded. Eventually, he was told to find another church to attend. We have come to believe that he is not retarded but plagued by this lifetime of abuse and rejection. As hard as it is for us to believe, Bobby was denied at several churches here in Jacksonville. Some of them very prominent. At our next church service, Bobby walked up to the pastor and stuck his hand out wanting to shake hands. There wasn’t a dry eye in the church. Now when Bobby comes to church, he goes around and shakes hands with everyone. He participates fully in all the church activities. He will pick up a broom and sweep. He helped take down and pack away the Christmas decorations. He brought chocolate for hot chocolate and cheese and crackers for refreshments during an after church fellowship time. Bobby is one wonderful child of God and we are super blessed that he chose to attend our church. He announced that he wants to join the church as a bona fide member. He was officially accepted into full membership at the next church service.