Courage - Wasem

While a student at Emmanuel in the mid 1970’s, I attended my first North American Christian Convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit. I was a fairly new Christian and very new to the world of vocational ministry. I observed with keen interest the President of that convention. I was awed by his humility, hospitable attitude, relational ease, and authentic faith. To me, he was the consummate gentleman and ambassador for Christ. From my vantage point, he made all people in that auditorium feel as though they were meeting one-on-one with him over coffee in a corner booth as he spoke from the main platform. I leaned over to my wife during the final session and said, “I’d give anything to serve Christ with that man and learn from him.” A few years later, I was given that opportunity and had the privilege to serve as an associate of Russ Blowers during the 80’s. Thousands of people have described RFB as an encourager. I commented to a fellow pall bearer at the November 15 memorial service in Indianapolis that for me, Russ was the one person who didn’t just encourage me … he gave me courage. The courage to attempt things for God well beyond my comfort zone. The courage to “let my yes be yes and my no be no.” The courage to love, forgive, and give extravagantly when my human logic would hold me back. I learned more about being a minister of the gospel, a pastor of souls, and a human being from Russ Blowers than any other person I have known. God bless you Russell Fredrick Blowers and the global Church of the Lord Jesus Christ you loved and led so well.
John E. Wasem / November 30, 2007