Dear Editor:
This past weekend we lost one of the greatest ministers I have ever known. John Case went to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus is putting his arms around John and saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I was privileged to have John as my pastor for over 15 years and to serve with him on staff for 11 of those years. He was a kind, godly pastor but also a fiery preacher once he got in the pulpit.
One of my favorite memories of working with John was when I would go into his office 10 minutes before each service. My job was to say a prayer or call for the offering. I was always a little nervous about what to say to John during those 10 minutes, before he was about to bring the Word of God to thousands of people. John wasn’t much for small talk, and there was usually some awkward silence in the room. I was always thankful for college football season, because John would talk a little about his Ole Miss Rebels. But after we ran out of things to say, we would just sit quietly; then John would sigh and say, “Let’s go pray with the choir.” We would walk down to the choir room and say a short prayer. We would then go to the side door of the sanctuary and wait until it was time to enter. It was in those final moments that I wondered what God was doing in this man. There was almost a shyness about him in that last minute - before going in to worship Jesus as Savior and Lord and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to all who would listen.
John would open the door and simply say, “Let’s go.” It was then I could almost see the Holy Spirit fall down on him as he preached the Word. The shyness and silence were gone. God’s Spirit was all over John. The Lord had given a Word for His people and God chose John Case to bring it. And man, did John bring it. He was always prepared for the sermon. He had memorized everything that God wanted him to preach. He usually spent 25-30 hours each week, preparing for those few minutes. He didn’t use a manuscript - he would only have a few notes on a small notecard. He'd walk all over the stage and never stay behind the pulpit. And John always hit a home run in his sermons. He would use grand, sweeping gestures with those long arms. He'd point his finger, and it was like God used him to point straight into our souls.
He was convicting, inspiring, genuine, and authentic. And always Biblical. I was never bored. Many times I wondered how John knew to preach what I really needed to hear. He was funny; he had a great, dry wit about him. I loved how he would mispronounce a few words on purpose, like “Chicargo" or "Challie Lott.” Sometimes he would even surprise us, like when he said, “You might be wondering how long the sermon is going to be today. I'll tell you what Elizabeth Taylor told her fifth husband: 'I’m not planning on keeping you very long.’ ” Hysterical!
Church growth experts agree that adequate parking is imperative if you want your church to grow. But that was not the case for us back in the day at 5301 Old Canton Rd. Our parking was terrible for a church our size. But it didn’t matter. People would park over a half a mile away and walk in their suits, ties, and high heels in the sweltering Mississippi summers just to come to hear John preach. I have heard it said, “If you light a fire, people will come from all over to watch it burn." John lit that fire every Sunday.
During my time working on staff with John, I worked with teenagers. Most Monday mornings I would get in trouble with some of the other staff members for our teenagers making a mess or being too rowdy. John would pull me aside and tell me, "Don’t worry about it, Dave. Just make sure those teenagers keep coming and let them know about Jesus.”
John Case was truly one of the most effective communicators of the Gospel. Even now, whenever I’m given the opportunity to preach, I always use John as a template. I try to put all my notes on one card, be well prepared, tell memorable stories, and preach from the heart. Just like John did. The ripple effects of his ministry have reached far and wide. John’s ministry has touched generations and will continue to do so. I would like to thank John for investing in me - even as a teenager - and showing us all how much Jesus loves us.
My love to his wonderful wife, Ellen, whom he cherished. To Mark, Renee, and Paul: Your dad was a great man who lifted up Jesus and loved His people.
Dave Marshall
