Grace and Roger Barnes

Craig Barnes’ father was a pastor who spent his life working with the most marginalized - the prostitute, the drug addict, etc. One boy named Roger had two atheist parents who were heavy drug users. Many times the pastor tried to help, but to no avail. What he finally was able to accomplish was to have his phone number written on the wall by the phone, just in case something happened.

Eventually, Craig’s father got the call in the middle of the night from Roger who said his parents wouldn’t wake up. Craig’s father knew what that meant.

And surely when he arrived both parents had overdosed. The police and ems came to take the bodies, and they wondered what to do with Roger. Craig’s father did not care for the family services so he said he would take Roger home and see what he could do in the morning.

Somewhere between Roger’s home and his home, Craig’s father decided to adopt Roger.

Roger experienced the incredible grace in the complete change of his life.

He did nothing to earn this new life and it was given him free of Charge.

But this grace was going to cost him.

Craig’s parents had a lot of rules that Roger had to learn.

“No, No, we don’t do this in our family”

He had to learn this new way of living because he was now in the family. It was expected of him.

He made the changes because he was grateful for his adoption and the second chance.

We have been given a wonderful gift of new life in the family of God;

But there are expectations of us because we are now living in the family. Our behavior doesn’t earn a spot, but it is given in grateful response to the grace we have received.

Roger died in Vietnam in “a heroic act of sacrifice.”

What changed him? The Grace and love of a family and what he learned at the “table talk” that Craig’s mother would give him about the rules.----

Source: Craig Barnes Presentation to the Salem Presbytery, April 22, 2008