Sunday, May 25, 2008
GREG GARRISON
It was one of the shortest sermons some of those gathered at Corinth Baptist Church had ever heard.
But at the end, elderly women in the front pews were wiping tears from their eyes. The guest preacher got a standing ovation after he stepped down from the pulpit.
The pastor invited him back to sing a song. He sang "Jesus Loves Me."
Matthew Self, 27, isn't the typical traveling evangelist. Born with Down syndrome, he only started speaking to churches and youth groups in February this year. His message, people say, is simple, but powerful.
"Well, I thank God I'm here," he said, to start. He continued, speaking slowly, thoughtfully. "God has healed my heart. God has always been there for me. I just feel blessed. When I was 11 years old, I got saved."
There were 24 people attending the Wednesday night service May 21 in the small cinder-block country church near Argo in St. Clair County. He had their attention.
"Last year, I went to camp," he said. "I went hiking. I hear his voice. He tells me, “Never give up.” It has changed my life. God has changed my life. It's great. God is good."
Knots formed in throats. Handkerchiefs came out and eyeglasses came off.
"That is God," Self said. "God died for us. God is good. I just feel good I'm here. I feel better and better every day. My mom, she's a good person to me."
Self's mother, Beverly, and his brother, Chuck, were in the audience. He mentioned them, and his sister, Christie, and his friend, Ted Speaker, a staff member at ClearBranch United Methodist Church in Argo. Self has worked at ClearBranch for two years as a janitor for Scott Haefner, the facilities manager.
"Scott, my boss, sometimes he's so funny, sometimes," Self said.
"My brother, Chuck, thank God, he is good to me. He got married. God is good. I am his best man."
His brother got married nine years ago, but being best man was a highlight of his life, his mother explained later.
It appeared Self had said all he wanted to say. So he went and sat down. Everyone stood and applauded.
Pastor Pat Giles went to the front of the church. "If you're willing to stand up for God, he'll give you something to say," Giles said.
"That's what you call from the heart," said Hortense Jennings, 79, wiping tears from her eyes in the front pew. "That's from the heart."
Then Giles asked Self to come up and sing. It was a little off-key, but Self knew the words. "Jesus loves me, this I know," he sang. "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
Emma McCombs, 80, wife of a former longtime pastor of the church, said it was one of the shortest sermons she ever heard, and one of the best. "You can tell it's spirit-filled," she said.
Preaching style favored:
Giles joked with Self that the congregation would prefer his style of preaching. "They might want you as the pastor after that," he said.
Self nearly died shortly after his birth and required surgery to repair a heart defect when he was seven, his mother said. He graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in 2000, and worked at Bennigan's Restaurant for six years, folding napkins with silverware Before that restaurant closed, he went to work at ClearBranch.
"He vacuums, mops, sorts the bulletins," his mother said. "He loves the Lord."
Self has spoken at Midway Baptist, ClearBranch United Methodist and Crosspoint Baptist churches. Haefner arranges his speaking engagements.
"Matthew has always liked to make little speeches, tell how thankful he is, how much he loves everyone," his mother said. "Sometimes he elaborates more. Sometimes he repeats himself. He says exactly what he feels. It just touches people."
Link to original article on The Birmingham News (al.com)