Where Beautiful Feet Stood

I enjoy history and often reflect on history when thinking about the present and future.  I have an unusual wall display in my office.  Here it is:

This piece has hung on my wall since soon after moving to the 7 Oaks building.  I cut this hardwood section of flooring from behind the pulpit of the old 7th and College Church of Christ in Mayfield KY.  I still remember, taking my circular saw to the building and cutting it out when the old building was being stripped of its furnishings.  This took place in June of 2006.  It has been some 10 years, but this piece still inspires me each week to give my best in preaching God’s word.

The plaque has this inscription:

This floor was taken from behind the pulpit of the Seventh and College Church of Christ building where preachers from February 1950 till June of 2006 stood to proclaim the Gospel.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!””   (Romans 10:14–15)

When I first stepped into the pulpit of the 7th and College church as the preacher in November of 2003, I was humbled by the church’s history and the task before me.  I wanted to take these floor boards as a reminder to myself and other preachers who would come to fill the pulpit that we are standing presently on a rich heritage.  We have the duty and responsibility of continuing this legacy of faith, love, and truth.  We are entrusted with the riches of the gospel and are called to proclaim them in simplicity and truth.

As a part of this research back in 2006, I put together a list of some of the preachers that stood on these boards.  I laminated the list and intend it staying with the boards as historical significance.  Here is a sampling from that list of preachers:

Full-time Preachers – John B. Hardeman, J.T. Marlin, Elvis Huffard, Flavil Nichols, W.E. Skipper, Hilton Royster, Mike Baker

Gospel Meeting Preachers – Jimmy Allen, George Bailey, Batsell Barrett Baxter, V.P. Black, W.A. Bradfield, Winford Claiborne, Burton Coffman, Willard Collins, Perry Cotham, Sellers Crain Jr, John Dale, Jim Dearman, George Dehoff, H.A. Dixon, Adron Doran, Earl Edwards, Garlin Elkins, B.C. Good pasture, Pat Hardeman, Steve higginbotham, Tom Holland, Sammy Jones, Eric Lyons, Cecil May III, James Meadows, Wendell Needham, Gus Nichols, Ira North, Neale Thomas Pryor, Todd Walker, Thomas B. Warren, Wendell Winkler, Guy N. Woods, William Woodson, and David Wright.  

If that list will not humble you as a preacher and inspire you to keep studying and preaching God’s word than you need to pull out some old tapes and start listening to their sermons!

Churches, preachers, and members don’t need to forget that we are drinking out of wells we did not dig!  We have received the faith once for all delivered to the saints and have a responsibility to continue to preach God’s word!