*2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Evangelist, a Bible-label for work* of God’s empowerment
Victorious for wondrous and glorious reaching-out venture
Asserting that the Saviour anchors redemption-assurance
Nurturing faith, propped well upon rich spiritual nourishing…
Going, guided by the Holy Ghost; with divine light, glowing
Enabled to minister along joyful servanthood example
Lover of the Lord, leading others midst building lives…
I am the fruit; and now endowed with evangelism-influence
Steadfast is my commitment for prayerful winning of souls
Triumphant to tell the Gospel: “Trust Jesus Christ today.”
June 16, 2023
2nd place, "Writing Challenge - E Word" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 6/19/2023.
THE STREET EVANGELIST
There is a new dark shroud of wintry mass,
Covering the hidden beauty of the land.
It emanates from a deceptive layer
Of smooth-honeyed words which stroke
Their spiteful way into artless minds,
Hearing with open conduits.
The charlatan, dressed up
As a worthy preacher,
Smirks through his enticing act
Of treachery, no one, listening
Except the crazed followers to nowhere.
The rest of humanity go about
Their untroubled business
Without a furtive glance,
Disappearing into thin air.
Perhaps a single raised eyebrow
Betrays profound disdain.
Otherwise, life goes on
As though quackery is far from
All circles of sane thought.
His self-perception as master
Has stuck like a sticky plaster
Just like Reggae to the Raster
And prized spaghetti to Pasta …
Now, ahead of our church pastor
In spreading our Christ like Castor
His knowledge of Theology Vast
His reaching of Bible Verse fast …
To many An Overlooked Star,
Because eyes do not grab The Far;
Hence, it’s been an obscurity
And a shaky security
Only in crazy dreams handshakes
With Mr. President or snakes …
True then, An Unlucky Champion
Though served Great Meals in a luncheon.
He could turn a Spring day
into ash and brimstone.
His wife zealously practiced adultery.
She would join him at the pulpit,
her blond hair glowing like a halo.
She loved his money religiously.
He was a bible thumping man of God,
but his cable show was rocked by scandal.
when a car salesman ran off with his angel,
for many of us it seemed almost
biblical.
an evangelist
also had been a lindquist
easy to digest.
Pity the poor evangelist.
He must always be so perfect.
Not for him the downcast brow,
For fear of it's effect,
On those that he may chance to meet,
Who know of his profession.
A man like him must always greet,
A critical procession.
For friend and foe he must remain,
A beacon in the sky,
To sing his song with glad refrain,
And never dare a sigh;
For if he lets the barrier down,
Even for a moment,
The crowd is sure he's lost his crown,
And thinks his spirit dormant.
We all are made of flesh and blood,
And though some think this odd,
It's hard to stand on a pedestal, Friend,
Even for men of God.
I
The first time: "magic," they say
Then taken for granted, almost alway
Music from above
Now unnoticed
Except that first time
II
So, craft every time as "the first time"
And often ... "The Last Time,"
As we live this human experiment of be-ing
LISTEN, O do listen. Rain music, too,
Without a tin roof, harder in auditing
Missing magnificence
III
Human instruments, as in tin roof drums ...
Listen how Wonderful Wind conducts
This orchestra, swaying the drops, patterns
On my African tin roof
I'm evangelist and violinist
So are you: Heaven and Human hear the rain
Because we invented a tin roof
J-oyful
E-vangelist
R-ightfully
R-eads
Y-ear's
B-eautiful
A-nd
S-ensible
A-crostic
L-ines
L-etting
O-pus
T-ruly
E-ntertain
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Jerry Basallote (February 13)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
R-emarkable
E-vangelist
N-otably
E-mploys
P-ropagation
A-s
N-ation's
O-ne
N-oble
C-hurch
I-s
L-etting
L-isteners
O-bserve
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Rene J. Panoncillo (February 02)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
G-od's
R-ighteous
E-vangelist
G-oes
W-ith
O-ne
R-eason
T-ill
H-e
E-njoys
N-onstop
Topic: Death of Bro. Greg Worthen (January 26,2020)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
B-rave
I-mpressive
E-vangelist
N-otably
V-aliantly
E-mploys
N-oble
I-ntegrity
D-ivinely
O-verseeing
S-heep
A-s
N-onstop
T-riumph
I-s
A-mazingly
G-oing
O-n
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Bienvenido C. Santiago (June 15)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
D-edicated
E-vangelist's
N-ice
N-ame
I-s
S-oothing
L-ife
O-nce
V-erse
E-mploys
N-otable
D-ivine
I-nstruction's
N-oble
O-bjective
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Dennis C. Lovendino (May 01)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
B-irthday of the General Evangelist
I-s remembered by the brethren;
E-arly fifteenth of June,
N-ew dawn has just broken.
S-peaker of the truth,
A-nd defender of the faith;
N-ight and day he works
T-o please the Lord so great.
I-n spite of the tribulation,
A-ll he hopes is the glorious bliss;
G-od is the top priority
O-f the General Evangelist.
Pity the poor evangelist.
He must always be so perfect.
Not for him the down cast brow,
For fear of it's effect,
On those that he may chance to meet,
Who know of his profession.
A man like him must always greet,
A critical procession.
For friend and foe he must remain,
A beacon in the sky;
To sing his song with glad refrain,
And never dare a sigh;
For if he lets the barrier down,
Even for a moment,
The crowd is sure he's lost his crown,
And thinks his spirit dormant.
We all are made of flesh and blood,
And though some think this odd,
It's hard to stand on a pedestal, Friend,
Even for men of God.
Sometimes we thinnk so much of someone we put them on a pedestal in our mind's eye.
When we do that we don't really do them any favors. Actually we do them a dis-service.
Because then we expect much more of them than we should.
That's not fair. People are people, no more and no less.
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