Tribute to Pastor Peter Lord
“Welcome to the Lord’s House,” read the sign outside the home of Rev. Peter Lord and his wife, Johnnie. Recently, he got a similar greeting in heaven, “Welcome to the Lord’s house.” But this time it was Jesus Himself welcoming the 91-year old beloved pastor emeritus of Park Avenue Baptist Church in Titusville, Florida.
Last time I visited him he was 86, a widower, and still teaching another generation three times a week in his home. Back in the 1970s he was our pastor. I was a mom of three young children and a newspaper reporter, and my husband was a NASA engineer, when Peter Lord taught us the practical ways of living out our Christian faith. He coached seven couples in our home on Sunday nights after church services. In turn, on Wednesday nights in our living room, my husband and I shared with 14 more people the “one another” principles which Pastor Peter had taught us. We did that for six years until we moved.
He called them “discipleship groups” but today we’d call it mentoring in spiritual and practical ways. Peter had groups like ours scattered all over the town.
Reciprocal living involves “one anothers”—pray, serve, encourage, forgive, love, comfort, bear burdens—there are between 35 and 50 “do unto one another” in the New Testament, depending on the translation. Biblical commands are both direct and indirect and specify how Christians are to relate to others.
Pastor Lord asked church members who were willing to volunteer their talents to help one another to register at the church office. Then those who needed help in some area could call and find out who to contact. Thus, those who taught: Margaret, bread baking. LeRoy, repair cars. Larry, how to fish with results. Quin, writing classes. Liz, flower arranging. Gene, carpentry skills. Dot, sewing lessons. Youth members, yard work for elderly. Lib, babysat for young moms. Jim, to fly the pastor on mission trips. These and many more were busy for years sharing their giftings with one another as well as with those in our town.
Mary Jo gathered a team of church women and decorated homes in the community every Thursday—all free of charge. Years later we counted up the results and realized that 60 women had participated in her “Ministry of Helps” by decorating over 1,000 homes. Peter had let her redo his office and home first to prove to us he trusted this ordinary homemaker who learned how to manage well during the Great Depression.
If you were invited to eat Sunday dinner at Peter and Johnnie Lord’s table, he would ask you, “What has Jesus done for you this week?” Then the guests would relate what wonderful things we had seen Him do. That was the entire table talk—about Jesus working in our everyday lives.
When he wanted to teach us how to conduct family devotions, he demonstrated with his family, including his five children. Their den furniture was moved to the church stage and the kids, wearing their pajamas, sat where they usually did. Then they all participated in their usual 30-minute family devotional routine, with Bible reading and prayer. Now, we in the congregation had no excuse for not duplicating something similar in our homes. But he had a sense of humor too and did all kinds of unusual things to demonstrate a sermon.
While teaching us, he wrote “The 2959 Plan: A Guide to Communion With God.” (2959 means almost 30 minutes). It soon became popular throughout the nation. I once met a pastor in Kentucky who said praying the way Peter taught helped him get through seminary.
To encourage us to be hospitable, Pastor Lord asked visitors to stand up in church at the end of the service. Then he asked, “Who is taking them home to eat at your table today? Go find a family.” One to two Sundays a month my husband and I did that. It was not unusual to have a dozen around our dining table for a meal which I prepared mostly on Saturday for easy warm-up.
I can’t even imagine what all Peter Lord is doing in his new life in heaven now. Many are there enjoying eternity because of him. He had such a passion for winning souls. I keep a picture of the two of us together on my prayer board. Just seems too soon to remove his smiling face. He was asking me to do something when our picture was snapped. “Yes, Lord, and yes, Peter Lord, I will continue to do it!”
I am forever grateful to Peter Lord and the other pastors who have invested in my life over the years. I am sure you too have some you want to thank God for because of their contribution to your Christian growth.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the pastors who have taught and discipled us. Help us to be faithful to pass along what we learned. Let us truly remember Your commands of all the one-anothers as we extend our hands and heart to help others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing onto others God’s many kinds of blessings. (1 Peter 4:10 TLB).
NOTE: More on Peter Lord from my book: Cast Your Shadow: Influence On Purpose, Amazon.
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