Honoring Pastor McLaughlin

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Pastor McLaughlin of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Swartz Creek died. It was very sad day for his family and his church family as well. I have been going to this church for several years now but was not a member yet. While I enjoyed Pastor McLaughlin's sermons, they were sometimes over my head. I never really knew this man but last June, he did take time out of his very busy schedule to attend the 25th wedding anniversary party that my husband and I hosted. This past Sunday he stopped by twice at the Open House the Deaf Church at Cornerstone was having. that was the last time I saw him. I never really had a conversation with Pastor - which I'm now sorry never happened. This man really cared about people and loved the Deaf.

A good friend of mine, Vonnie Taylor, wrote her feelings for Pastor McLaughlin down and I was given permission to share her thoughts...

My Pastor

My pastor was just an ordinary man trying to do an extraordinary job.

He was not a man of large physical size, but his spiritual walk with the Lord made him 10 feet tall.

My pastor was not a perfect man and he often pointed out his own faults instead of pointing out the faults of others. When he was wrong, he would humbly apologize without making excuses for his actions. He would even apologize when he had done no wrong if it meant to healing would take place between him and another.

My pastor was very concerned about the feelings of his flock. He always seemed to be more concerned that he would somehow fail his people and therefore fail his Father in Heaven.

My pastor held the title of Doctor and it was a hard earned degree but I heard him say that the title of “Pastor” was more precious to him.

I never doubted that he loved his flock and therefore loved me as one of his “sheep. I saw him make sacrifices of his time, money and even his health to care for those God had given him to lead. I had seen him take the time to sit on the floor in a darkened hallway with a weeping man to offer comfort, help and show the man the love of God through his actions. Pastor did not speak the same language this man spoke, but he spoke the language Jesus had shown him – love for his brother.

My pastor was a man I respected and loved as a friend. I did not agree with him all the time and he respected our differences of opinion without giving up his own opinions. Some would say he was stubborn but I say it was strength that the world doesn’t often see.

My pastor was a man of integrity and honesty. He was a man who stood alone all too often while carrying the burdens of those he to whom he ministered. He was a man that carried the weight of our hurts, complaints, and troubles all on his shoulders even as his body began to suffer for the stress. He made time for his flock but not for himself.

My pastor was a private man. He kept his hurts and sorrows mostly to himself and only shared with those he could trust.

My pastor was intelligent but never showed it off by making others feel less intelligent. He did like a “smart” comment every once in a while and loved to “zing” those he could tease with. I am honored that he liked to pick on me for fun.

I will grieve the loss of my pastor and friend. I can honor him best by loving and caring for those he left behind and that is both his Earthly family and his spiritual family. I can honor him best by serving the Lord with all my heart just as he encouraged me to do each and every time he stepped into the pulpit.

The pulpit of our church will seem hollow for a long time no matter whom is standing there preaching the Word of God. For a man of small stature, he left a large empty place in our world and I will not forget him or what he has taught me.

If anyone should think that the description of my pastor is inaccurate, I beg to differ. None of us can know the inner heart of even ourselves but I saw his actions and the consistency he lived.

I cannot and will not judge him on his final actions. I have not experienced what he had experienced so I have no idea of where the same experiences may have led me.

Who was he? My pastor. My friend. My fellow servant. Perhaps he was an extraordinary man in an ordinary world.