Bro

He stands a little taller than me. His hair has greyed over the years. He often does his office work at Target where he builds relationships with the workers. He is one year and one day younger than me. Wherever He goes he is the life of the party. His personality is large. His heart is larger. When he enters a room people are drawn to him. He is gregarious, outgoing, an extrovert, friendly and loving. He is an encourager. He embraces religious as well as irreligious people.

Over the years he has been one my biggest supporters. When we are together we laugh, at times cry, and bear each other's burdens. He is more than a friend. I just call him Bro.

God has gifted Eric Adcock in ways that amaze me. I watch him with people. He has that rare ability to make people feel important. All people. Race doesn't matter. Economic status is not important. Sordid pasts do not trip him. He loves people. Whether it be a senior adult, a waitress, a parent, mechanic or a middle school student he loves them. He is one of the most loving people I've ever known. He models the love of Jesus to people. He is compassionate. He is merciful. He extends grace. He forgives. He is always open to loving and embracing new people. None more than to his wife and three sons.

I watched him honor his parents in their old age. He ministered to them. He helped them. He made time for them even when his job had him living in another city. He made his parents a priority. He made memories with them and brought his sons to share in those memories as often as possible.

He is a gifted and talented musician. What he can do on a guitar and the sound he gets from that instrument awe me. I have seen that same sense of awe on the faces of people all over the state. We often joke about what the two of us could have done in our early ministries if he had played the guitar back then.

I watched him lead worship in a traditional church singing hymns and southern gospel recently. Those people loved him. I could not help at times to sit back in admiration of my Bro. He could just as easily lead worship at any church as he works with students. We didn't just sing that day. He didn't just play his guitar and sing. He brought us to the throne of God in worship. We felt the presence of God in a powerful way.

I have seen him do this with senior adults. I have seen him do with teenagers. I have also witnessed him be God's vessel of music with children. God gifted Eric. In ways I will never fully fathom and in ways I can only admire he is gifted. Gifted in ministering to people. Gifted in music. Popular. Loved.

None of it goes to his head. He is humble. He is also a servant. Willing to do the little jobs, the undignified jobs. The jobs some ministers think are beneath them. He models Jesus in servanthood.

He doesn't just play music. He feels music. He brings out the soul of the music. His sensitivity to the Spirt in worship meetings sets the table for the deliverance of God's word. Hundreds of times I have been privileged to preach after he led the worship. Those are memories I do not take for granted. We have seen God move in profound ways.

Eric is also generous. He is quick to reach in his pocket to bless others. To buy a meal. To help a teenager. To give to a single parent. To help a guy down on his luck on the side of the road. He doesn't judge. He loves giving. He loves to bless others. He did this when I met him in college. He still does it today.

Some do not take Eric seriously. They think he is silly. Too loud. Too fun. Too unconventional. I see genius all over him. I watch from a distance at how he works, plans, leads, teaches, inspires and again mostly how he loves. We have shared deep conversations late nights in hotel rooms. I know him. He has deep thoughts. He has a deep walk with God. He is profound ideas for ministry if people listen. He will not push those ideas on people. He can contentedly sit in the background. He has much to offer.

He has been wounded. He doesn't talk about it a lot. He has shared that pain with me from time to time. The pain oozes out in worship at times. Especially the pain of losing his parents and brother. He has known the sting of criticism. He has seen the ugly side of church. He has known rejection. He has not let it get him down. He keeps loving and keeps smiling anyway.

He has remained faithful. I have seen him in lean seasons. I have seen him in seasons of abundance. He has stayed the course. Neither failure or success have moved him off course. He's still my Bro.

I count the gift of his friendship, or Broship, as one of God's greatest gifts in my life. He has encouraged me through the darkest seasons. He has counseled me during those times I doubted. He has built me up each time I have failed. He believes in me. He encourages me. For reasons I will never understand he loves me. At times I am about as easy to love and get close to as a porcupine. He perseveres. He worked his way into my heart. He did not give up on me even when I gave up on myself many times. He prays for me. He accepts me. He comforts me. He makes me laugh. He is not afraid to speak hard truth to me.  He has given me so many ministry opportunities. I love him.

All I can say is I thank you Jesus for Eric Adcock. More than a friend. My Bro. I am blessed to know Him. I am more blessed to have been accepted into his inner circle. Even more blessed on top because of all the other people he has introduced me to over the years. I love him. I thank God for him. I pray God continue to use him with others as He has done with me.