Helping Troubled Churches
A church in pain needs a specialist who can restore good health.
Winston M. Sherwick
January 1, 1983
According to Greek legend, Homer, nearly blind, wandered from city to city most of his life inspiring people with his magnificent poetry. I'm no Homer, far from it. But I've often identified with that romantic picture of the nomadic life. I've been nearly blind since my birth in 1916, and in my thirty-eight-year ministry, I've served thirty-five different churches as interim pastor. I haven't inspired those churches with magnificent poetry, but I discovered that God heals sick and suffering churches, and he's used me in some of those healings. I don't know why he's used me in this way. I didn't choose the life of a church doctor. From a natural standpoint, I just stumbled into it. After seminary, I had two regular pastorates in 1944-46 and 1948-49. Like all young pastors, I was inexperienced and fearful. But I liked to preach, did it fairly well, and always had a love for people that made me a natural counselor. Still, something was lacking. Was my poor eyesight too much for the people to overcome? It's hard to say. I could see enough out of one eye (20/200 vision) to read with powerful glasses, and I could use the bus system to visit people in their homes. I had wonderful rapport with the members and left each of those early churches with cordial feelings. But something was missing, and at that time I couldn't pinpoint what it was. It wasn't doubts about my call to ministry. Since I was nine years old I knew I wanted to preach. My mother encouraged me, too. I remember telling her one day I wanted to do something great. Quietly she replied, "Be a minister." I planned to, despite early obstacles. Repeated surgeries on my eyes (the first at four years of age) often left me discouraged and depressed. And I had a tremendous temper ...
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