Bringing Wisdom to the Table

It is a most ordinary-looking scene: four gentlemen sitting together in the morning at a suburban Chick-fil-A.

But this gathering is anything but innocuous.

It is warfare.

Harold Pritchard, Bob Dawkins, Dean Evans, and Dick Powers are praying for one another, for friends and families, for their city, their state, their nation, and the world.

Every week, rain or shine, good times and bad, busy times and not, they have gathered around the table—praying, studying God’s Word, and sharing their love of Jesus Christ—for fourteen years.

What began in 2009 as a gathering of prayer warriors in support of an organized 40-day call to pray for America evolved into a deep and lasting friendship that has encouraged and emboldened these men as soul winners and helped them weather life’s storms.

This is not your usual group of “retirees”. They are here in suburban Memphis on a Friday in November in their usual spot, even though Dick, an aviation safety auditor, just got back from a conference in Paris last night. Harold, who teaches English as a Second Language has a mid-morning class. Bob will be heading to his job as planned giving officer at Love Worth Finding. And Dean is preparing for another mission trip to Central America—all of these men have been faithful over the years to share Jesus Christ at home and abroad.

They have something else in common—a shared love for Pastor Adrian Rogers. All had the privilege of sitting under Pastor Rogers’ teaching and they love him still today.

Dean has vivid memories of trips taken with Pastor Rogers to Central America. “I’ve listened to a lot of people speak and he was the best,” Dean says. “One of my favorite memories is seeing people walking down the aisle to be saved during an English microphone check in a Portuguese-speaking country.”

This year the group has used the LWF daily devotional book, “Wonder and Worship,” and the Bible study, “Walking in the Spirit,” to fuel their discussions.

“You can hear Dr. Rogers’ voice in the studies,” Harold says. “That’s important to us. I told my wife I think more people have probably come to Christ through his messages since he’s been in Heaven.”

“Dr. Rogers always comes to the table,” Dick says. “He was here before we started using the studies, but now it’s more organized.”

Today the group is finishing its discussion on the Holy Spirit.

“Walking in the Spirit is an act of the will,” Dick says.

“Yes,” Harold agrees. “I don’t fight the issue on my own. I humble myself and surrender my life.”

“You let go and then the peace of God will come,” Dean echoes. “Pastor Rogers said nothing sets a man out of Satan’s reach so much as humility.”

“Which,” Bob says, “does not come naturally.”

Bob distributes the next LWF Bible study books, “The Door to the Morning,” the group prays, and the men say their goodbyes.

Another weekly meeting. Another good breakfast to nourish them for the fight ahead.