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Building One Another


E. Stanley Ott

POSSIBILITY THINKING Vol 14 No 15

April 14, 2015

Dear Friend,

Perhaps you read the news that Robert H. Schuller, founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, died just before Easter. At the peak of his ministry he reached millions with the hope of Jesus.

I heard him speak when I was just getting started in the church. I was challenged by his thoughts of being a possibility thinker, of dreaming really big dreams, of trusting God for great things. Such thinking has shaped me for forty years. He took the image of the song from The Man of La Mancha, “The Impossible Dream” and made it possible! 

His detractors were at times critical of his theology or his dramatic approach to speaking or ways he could more effectively have passed his legacy to the next generation. Our culture loves to find flaw in a person and is filled with glee. Yet, when aware of a person’s flaw, Jesus always reacted with grace and never glee. Schuller said, “Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it.”  

He had many sayings such as, “Tough times never last, but tough people do,” or his Possibility Thinker’s Creed: When faced with a mountain I will not quit! I will keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, with God’s help!  Or his approach to ministry: Take the long look (vision), use the Lord’s book (worship), the shepherd’s crook (fellowship) and the fisherman’s crook (mission).  

He bore witness to the love of God and to the value of every human being. 

I will miss him.                 

Joy to you - E. Stanley Ott
Copyright 2015 E. Stanley Ott
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgErHXQAiig
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