Dr. William Varner's Eulogy for Milton Pope, February 12, 2022

On this day, we remembered a life well lived. Dr. Will Varner (24-year pastor of the Sojourners adult fellowship group) returned to Grace Community Church to honor Milton Pope, our beloved brother in Christ whose long life encouraged many and brought glory to God.

You'll also learn things about Barnabas and the Apostle Paul that maybe you never knew before. Here is Dr. Varner's own summary as he posted it on his own FB page earlier that day:

"Have you ever heard this? The Apostle Paul owed his success and fame in Christian history to a guy named Joe? That was his given name (Joseph), but we know him better by his nickname, Barnabas, the "son of encouragement" (Acts 4:36). It was Barnabas who introduced the new convert Saul to the apostles, who were frankly scared of him (Acts 9:26-27). It was Barnabas who later traveled to Tarsus and rescued Saul from anonymity by bringing him to Antioch and sharing the ministry with him (Acts 11:23). And it was Barnabas who was willing to take second place behind his co-worker, so that "Barnabas and Paul" (Acts 11:30; 12:25; 13;1) became "Paul and Barnabas" (Acts 13:13, 46, 50; 15:2). Luke's estimate of Barnabas was huge: "he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (Acts 11:24).

"I am speaking today at the funeral of a modern Barnabas!"