Visitation

Yesterday turned out to be a day given over to visitation. I love days like that, but they can wear you out. It started with one of our Life Transformation Groups, where four of us are serious about spiritual growth. So while it is not technically “visitation,” it is sitting donw in an intimate environment and turning everything over to the Lord.

There were some hospital visits, about which more later. I stopped at a few houses of folks shut in for one reason or another. As I was going up one street, I was walking by the house of a church family. Their three year-old girl, Isabel, was standing at the storm door. She opened it and had the sweetest smile. She said, “Pastor Aaron, it's too cold outside. I came over and got a sweet smile and a hug. I talked to her dad for a moment-- they were on their way for her mom to take her citizenship test. Cool stuff.

But I was brought to tears by her sweetness. I can't really say what it was. Perhaps to be called out to by a child you have watched grow, a member of our Princess Mafia with Nadia. Something came to mind about giving a cool drink of water... but this was so much more. I thought, as if for the first time, “Pastor Aaron.” Pastor. Aaron. There was a time those two things could not have gone together, but thanks be to God that He wonderfully saved me.

Visiting some folks in the hospital, I was reminded how much a section of Psalms has such power for the suffering. Ricki Ashkettle and I seemed to land in Psalm reading back in Louisville when her baby daughter had some serious heart problems. I found myself there again yesterday. If you are in a hospital visiting, or with a scik person, or suffering yourself, then here is a great set of verses to pray, to let flow over you:

Psalm 61:1-5, Psalm 62:1-2, Psalm 63: 1-8.

Fast forward to tonight. John went to the hospital with me to visit Mary Philips and Charlie Derrickson. John loves Charlie-- who has a farm with a pond where John caught the monster catfish that he had Jessie fry for him at 9:30 at night... Charlie's granddaughter Morgan is one of the boys' favorite people. She saw John out walking one evening and she told him Charlie would be having surgery. She said she regretted telling him because she said John got a stricken look on his face. So when he found out it was a knee surgery, he was better. And John was really happy to see Charlie.

I suppose if there were a child who should hate hospitals, it's John. But he goes with me to visit every so often. We read Psalm 91, a Psalm that is traditionally an evening prayer Psalm. As we shared some other Scriptures and spiritual encouragement, there was a part of me wondering if I was talking to John as much as I was to the people we were visiting, reminding him of the goodness of God, of His power over life-- “Even in death the righteous have a refuge” (Proverbs 14:32).

Visitation

I have told this story before, but it will be new to many of you.

In my first church, Dunaway United Methodist, in Trapp Kentucky, I was supernaturally led into the most effective ministry practice I know: visitation. Richard Baxter in a great book, The Reformed Pastor says you should visit your whole parish and catechize them. If you have too many to do it reasonably, hire assistant ministers! Wesley was a keen visitor, believing he could get more done in a 1 hour visit than in many sermons.

Visitation is also for the purpose of finding those who do not know Christ and commending Him to their souls.

Here's how it happened. So there I was, rookie pastor, not sure what to do. I fell back on my mentor, Howard Willen, and his constant visitation that he often took me on. But it went a lot further than I expected. First, I got out a map of Clark County that some of the men in the church gave me. I think Larry Baker actually put it into my mitts. I divided up the county, taking a pie shaped piece that started in town and went down to the Red River. I gave El Bethel church everything east of Rabbittown, and I went as far west as the roads would take me. Four Mile Creek stops you somewhere out there.

As I was leaving Winchester one day, headed back to Trapp, right there at the Sylvania plant, the Lord spoke: “Every house to the county line is mine.”

Wow! I was armed with real power and encouragement, so I stopped at the first house outside of town. I don't remember much. I think I came to another house where the family went to the Christian church. Then, I came to a farm house. I knocked on the door and said I was the Methodist pastor and the man said, “I am glad you are here. My wife needs help.”

She was having a psychotic episode, brought on by the anniversary of the death of her son in the army.

What do I know about such things, other than to pray and talk about the love of Jesus?

She got the help she needed, and though she would battle it again, she started coming to church, and so did her daughter and son-in-law when they were in town. Her granddaughter came quite a bit, too.

You just never know what will happen when you stop by someone's house. Very rarely will someone be angry. Many are apathetic. Many will be touched. And some, they really need Jesus, but did not know where to find Him.

Go!