Elect Larry Cain

As I drove up to the preacher’s peer meeting that was scheduled at the Peachtree Lane Church of Christ facilities I took a double take. Parked so that it was visible to passing traffic was Larry Cain’s automobile with a sign that touted in patriotic colors: Elect Larry Cain for District Commissioner. Now, if you are not aware of it… Larry Cain is the minister for the congregation there in Yuba City. When we asked Larry about his political aspirations and when did he make the plunge into the dark side he responded as only Larry Cain can. With a glint of mischief in his eyes and a coy lifting of the cheeks to an all knowing smile he informed us that we would have to go to Alabama where he had just visited his parents, so we could register to vote. That is, this Larry Cain was not our Larry Cain but rather Alabama’s Larry Cain. Larry’s aunt had had great fun supplying her nephew with some rather coincidental political posting. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if it had read: Elect Larry Cain for Dog Catcher.

I don’t want to ruin Larry’s great fun but I have thought that I would like to make a slight alteration to his sign. With white out and marker in hand I would like to change the sign to read: Elect: Larry Cain. You see, one thing I know about Larry Cain the minister for the Peachtree Lane Church of Christ is that he is one of God’s elect. Now, I mean this not only in its theological context of one of the redeemed immersed in the blood of Jesus, led by the promised Spirit and secure in the grace of the cross… but I proudly testify that Larry Cain is one of God’s chosen in vocation and demonstration. Let me explain… Larry like many who have gone before and will in the future, heeded the call to give his life to preaching the gospel. Yes, I have a soft spot in my heart for those who take up that cross in service and solemnity. But Larry is a saint among saints. Larry not only accepted the call to preach by making it his vocation but also embraced the meaning of the cross by becoming a servant to all. At every gathering you will see Larry making every effort not to be the preacher but a servant. Larry truly has the heart of a servant… the heart of our Lord!

Now, I said all of that, not so we might elect Larry Cain as preacher of the year but that Larry and those like him might remind us how precious… how honorable… how important is the kingdom of God in proclamation and in manifestation. In him we were also chosen… in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:11,12). -DAN