Funeral for Randy McDonald

Several New Testament Scriptures That Come To Mind

1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Because Randy was not a quitter. If you were blessed enough to hear his testimony, you knew this. He had his share of hard blows in life, but he always got back up and moved forward - expecting the blessing to overtake him - and it always did.

2 Corinthians 4:9 NKJV

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

These come to mind:

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 HCSB

13 But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.

Because Randy was an encourager - an edifier - always building up. He did it with many building programs in his ministry - but even moreso with People.

Randy had that gift of encouragement that not only convinced you that he believed in you, but made you believe in yourself. He convinced you that Phil 4:13

Philippians 4:13 NKJV

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

was a reality for you.

Because of this, I want to share the scripture that has remained in my heart for Randy for the better part of a year.

I walked into his office to check on him as I would often do, but that day felt particularly led to do. As we talked, Randy poured out his heart to me that day. He recounted a recent disappointment and connected them to the disappointments that had happened throughout the years that I knew form time of testimony he had shared with me.

When he got to the end of that time,he said, “You know, Doc,” - that’s what he called me (I called him Mac Daddy because he was anointed to be a spiritual father). “YOu know, Doc, I don’t really have treasure down here on this earth, but that doesn’t really matter. I have treasure in Heaven.”

That’s when the holy Spirit gave me this scripture that day for Randy.

2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

I asked Randy about how many people were now in ministry because of he and Donna’s ministry.

He said he had tried to keep up with that but that he had lost count when it was somewhere around 75.

I told Randy that he had great treasure in heaven but also great treasure all over the earth because of that fact. He had poured himself into so many others that were now pouring out into others.

Epitaph on a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket, Massachusetts:

Jonathan M. Pease

Under the sod and under the trees . . . Lies the body of Jonathan Pease. He is not here, there’s only the pod . . . Pease shelled out and went to God.

Randy didn’t hold on to the “peas” in his pod. he willingly gave them away to everyone he met.

We wer priveileged at OBC to have Randy preach his last sermon at our homecoming. It was a sermon of vision and encouragement.

As Kristin and Josh put it - he was our number 1 cheerleader!