I was so close to being surprised by Kye Idleman. I mean pleasantly surprised. So close.

Kyle is and was the pastor at South East Christian Church when Bev and I stumbled into that very first night. He was, as he is prone to be. on sabbatical - a pastor's language for vacay.

Alright.
Let me start again: I feel I am being a little snarky,.

As I got engulfed and dived into this church, I had met at least 45 people in small groups and bible class - and not one person know or had ever met the pastor. This bothered me.
My problem years later, is it is still that way.

I got Baptized on November 7th because that was the day I could meet Kyle Idleman. My Pastor. We sat together between services. He was so taken by my enthusiasm and love for Jesus he asked if he could record our conversation. I was Holy Ghost filled already, and don't know what I said but it kept him running late for the next service. 

When Pat died, he could not be reached. I wanted to share this amazing story with him - but, he didn't know this yet. He was receiving a call that someone's partner had died. But nope, he couldn't make time for me and I got relegated to the happy, young on-line personality pastor.

Okay, maybe I was feeling snarky then too. So...  I decided to go ahead and talk with him. I can't remember his name but he is still there (2024).
When we got on the call, he wasn't sure of my name... and when I was beginning to tell him my story, a miraculous story, and a story about dying in the arms of Jesus literally... I could hear him shuffling papers. He wouldn't (said he couldn't) do a video call. Anyone who knows me I love video calls so we can really see each other and be present. 
Shuffling papers. Did I mention that already?

I said to him:
"Young man. I am going to hang up. I want you to know that shuffling papers can be heard on the call and it is amazing me, stunning really that you are so unaware."  And all he could manage was "Sorry for your loss" when actually I was calling because of wanting to do a testimonial at the church.

So, that was my experience with South East and Pat's death. There is another big story about my final departure, with Bev in fact, around the Easter Service of 2022. Amazing - no mention of Jesus, Betrayal Last Supper, you know the, Crucifixion, the doubt and fear, and I don't know - the Third Day resurrection!

So, we left. Another story.

Back to Kyle almost surprising me in a good way.

Out of the blue, I got an email. He said there was something I had inspired in him a few years back in my story and he wanted to use it on a sermon on Romans. I was so joyful. I immediately wrote back, and said yes, let's chat!

Then he said he couldn't get together. And, well, uh, it was actually someone else he was thinking of.

Weird, right?

I watched him that Sunday and had not watched in over a year. Kyle is a very nice guy. He is a great, gentle story teller. He is a kind self-help teacher.
And he is a coward. At least for now.
So many times I have seen him creep up to stand against culture and the wide variety of evils... so close. But then at the end of the day, a soft-serve.
Soft serve-preachers are cowards, or, are mislead, or, are misguided.

I am afraid the doorway and walls of hell will be lined with kind, well intended coward preachers that had a special mission, a special assignment. Something about millstones....

I am disappointed.
I cannot even get a meeting time all these years later. Seriously, I think, I guess, that his secretary suffers when I write such nice notes and ask - well then, just when is his next free time, big-girl come to the office meeting time, not a meeting between services.... I will drive from whatever state I am living in and get to it... and she has to write he is busy.
somewhere.
doing something-else.
with someone-else.

I wanted to tell him about my film about Pat, and how he could help me. How we could do something together here through South East Christian Church.

Yep, he is truly a nice guy.

And he is completely inaccessible.
Remember, not one in the church I knew had ever even met him.

Millstone. Lukewarm. Coward. I am working on grace, assuming he is working things out. He was affected by the revival at Asbury last year. I wrote him then when I saw his comment about being moved. I urged him then - BE BOLD! HAVE ALTAR CALLS. SHAKE IT UP. JESUS IS.

I cannot help but feel my deeply, even more-burning fire would cause him to want to record the Holy Spirit blowing through me again.