Ridgell's Originals

I was not close to him.  Not really.  He knew my folks.  Was even in our home a time or two if I remember correctly.  I heard him at the Dallas 15 night meetings in the 60's.  Every night.  I heard him many times over the years at Gospel Meetings and Youth Rallies.  Led singing for him a few times.  Spoke on the same program a few times.  

He was perhaps the most famous, and many would argue the most effective, preacher/evangelist in our Church of Christ fellowship for probably 25-30 years.

I knew him to love Jesus, lost souls, preaching, sports, Civil War history, the invitation song Just As I Am, and the church.

Jimmy had a few preacher tricks that I sorta wish I didn't know.  But every preacher does what he thinks is effective.  He really wanted you to believe he decided what to preach at the last minute.  Maybe that was true sometimes.  Sometimes it wasn't.  

But he could preach.  Intense.  Biblical.  Called for a response.  I never doubted that he believed every word that he preached.  And tried to live it.  That is rarer than you might think.

He always acted like he knew me, cared about me, and that we were friends.  And I think every time he meant it.  

He was an enormous influence on my desire to preach.  All my Arkansas relatives (including the Baptist ones) always told me I was the best preacher they ever heard.  Except for Jimmy Allen.  

So here are a few things I learned from Jimmy Allen.

Preach with passion.

Care about people and be sincere in the moment.  

Lost people need Jesus.

Preaching moves people to make decisions for Jesus.

Preachers are people too.

It is OK to love preaching and to realize you are good at it.

You can preach the same sermon again and again.  

Preaching is exhausting.

And exhilarating.

Invite people to act on their heart desire.

Just as I am is enough if your plea is the blood of Jesus.  And if you come to him.

So thanks Jimmy Allen.  You made a difference.

See you in heaven.