Remembering My Uncle Jack

Each of us will remember and give thanks for Jack Hester is his or her own unique way: husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, pastor, mentor, broadcaster, evangelist, neighbor, encourager, friend.  For me, this man is Uncle Jack, my mother’s baby brother.  Let me tell you how I’ll remember him and why I’ll always thank God for his life. 

Jack was our family chaplain.  I believe this is the first family funeral I’ve attended at which Jack didn’t minister.  His parents.  All but one of his six brothers and sisters.  Nieces.  In-laws.  We called upon him in times of deep need and he faithfully brought the comfort of his presence and a word of hope from God.  He taught us to be there for each other and, in the storms of life to stand upon the rock of our faith in Jesus. 

My Uncle Jack was also our family instigator.  When our family got together, Jack was always the ring master.  He always had some kind of foolishness going on to lighten our spirits and fill the room with laughter.  He enjoyed seeing other people enjoy their time together and he had a gift for helping that happen. 

Jack was our family instigator in another way I’ll always cherish.  He challenged us to make memories while we were together.  He would draft some combination of his sisters to recreate the Hester Sisters’ Trio, to sing one of the songs of the faith as they did so often for their father, Rev. W.R. Hester, Sr. during his ministry.  I have sweet memories of hearing my mom and aunts lifting a song in three-part harmony with Aunt Shirley accompanying them on the piano. 

My cousin Joy faced significant health challenges her entire life.  She was one the world might overlook.  But time and time again, Jack would call her to the front of the family and give her confidence to share her beautiful song and her beautiful spirit with all of us.  Jack never let us go through the motions of being together without celebrating and sharing what matters most.  We need to shoulder that mantle and make Godly memories when we are blessed to be together. 

Jack was a natural entertainer.  When you spotted him in a group of people, they were always smiling and probably laughing.  I remember hearing of him going to McDonalds with a group of his minister friends.  Jack wore a pair of very dark glasses and, claiming he could not see, asked the employee at the counter to read the entire menu to him to help him make a selection for lunch.  After he finished his meal, Jack, still wearing his glasses, took the wheel of the car, drove through the drive through and thanked the staff for their good service. 

When I was on one of my first dates as a teenager, my date and I happened to run into my Uncle Jack.  I introduced him as the minister in our family and thought this would make my stock go up with my date.  Jack looked at us and said, "Remember that puppy love leads to a dog's life."  I didn't marry that woman, if you were wondering. 

When he served Nine Forks Baptist Church a few years ago, Jack heard that one of his members had worked for hours pruning some fruit trees on his property.  That night, Jack slipped

into that member’s yard, took the pruned branches off the pile at the road, and stuck them back on the trees, weaving them into the remaining branches. 

And I can’t count the times I heard him tease my Aunt Shirley by telling a group he had found the perfect place to hide her Christmas presents, the oven in the kitchen. And you always took it as a good sport, Aunt Shirley. 

I don’t know anyone who needs to be reminded that life is hard.  I know many people who need to be reminded that life is good, that we were created to enjoy life’s journey, and that a good laugh, as one wise person said, is a first cousin to a prayer.  My Uncle Jack was a minister of joy who lifted the spirits of countless people and reminded us all that life is wonderful because God is wonderful.  He brought to life the words of Paul when he wrote,

(Philemon 1:7) Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Jack was a visionary.  He saw the power of media to share the gospel with many people and in new ways.  Many of you remember his daily radio broadcast, “The Gospel Dynamite Hour.”  One of the great joys of my first years in ministry was when Uncle Jack invited me to fill in for him on the radio for a few days. 

In an inspired act of creative genius, Jack saw a way to tell the story of Christ’s return as though it were actually happening through the recordings he directed, “The Rapture” and “The Tribulation.”  How many churches and Sunday School classes and families listened to those dramatic portrayals and thought about their faith and their future.  Jack knew that the God who created everything wants us to do His work creatively too. 

Jack was a pastor to thousands of people in several churches.  Grace and Cannon Memorial and Powdersville First and Nine Forks and many other places he served in one way or another.  Jack was a shepherd to his people, a friend to his fellow Christian, an example to the flock. 

But if you asked me to sum up the essence of my Uncle Jack’s life, who he was in the marrow of his bones, I would say this. 

Jack was an evangelist.  He lived to tell the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  I heard him say so many times, “Some people may not understand why I get a little bit excited.”  We understood, Uncle Jack.  The focus of your ministry, the purpose of your life, your greatest joy was leading people to Christ. 

The Bible says so clearly that our human minds can’t begin to grasp heaven, so our frail words always fall far short.  But in my imagination, I see Jack being led through heaven by the Lord Jesus.  And at a certain place in that journey, they pass through a great multitude of people.  And Jack realizes that these saints, these citizens of heaven are not only looking at Jesus with joy, they are looking at him with smiles on their faces and joy in their eyes.  And Jack, never slow to speak up, might ask his Savior, “Lord Jesus, I know why these dear people are looking at you in worship and wonder, but why are they looking at me with such smiles?” 

And I hear our Lord saying, “Because Jack, my child, my servant, they know that they would not be here if not for you.” 

God bless you, Uncle Jack.

Welcome home.

You go with our blessing, our admiration and our love.