I received a text message this morning asking if I had heard that Wendell Smith, a pastor and great leader from Seattle, Washington, went to heaven last night. It immediately brought back memories of the times he ministered in our church, encouraging us with His contagious faith in God! I remember Wendell challenging me to step out prophetically in worship as he stood beside me coaching that night. (The inspiration for the song “Gonna Build His Church” came from that night with Wendell Smith as he sang the words, “God’s gonna build His church,” over and over with passion and conviction.) Remembering his graciousness in those moments puts a grin on my face today, since my first phrase of prophetic song to follow was something like, “I smell the smell of the sweet smell of harvest.” How lyrically embarrassing – and how funny!
One night in particular stands out to me when Wendell was preaching at the Montana Shepherds Conference on March 30, 2001. His topic was “Peter the Preacher” and he said there were those present that night who were under thirty years of age that were called to preach. He said that, like Elizabeth feeling John the Baptist leap in her womb, we were feeling a fire or a churning on our insides. That’s exactly what I was feeling – a combination of adrenaline and the Holy Spirit’s stirring. When he asked for those who knew they were called to preach to come to the front I responded quickly along with several others. I remember Wendell anointing us with oil, and my journal contains the prophetic words he declared over me that night along with his encouragement to preach boldly and with great faith.
The last time I saw Wendell was four years ago in November of 2006. He was speaking at the funeral of his good friend, Steve Valentine, who had battled leukemia. Wendell was in the midst of his own battle with cancer as he stood and boldly declared that we would all continue forward with faith in God. He is now receiving the reward of his great faith!
While Wendell Smith has finished his mission on this earth, the mission of God that he loved to declare as he preached continues. God used him to encourage many thousands of people, many of whom lead in churches today around the world. Today, I remember Wendell and am grateful as I freshly realize that God spoke through him to shape my own life and ministry. I know similar stories from many others will be anything but rare! I close out today with the most memorable (to me) of Wendell’s declarations: “God’s gonna build His church!”
