Pastor John Collins, head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, is one of the 15 most influential pastors living today. Inspirational Faith Magazine has chosen to highlight the ministry of Pastor John Collins. His faith is unwavering and
inspirational. His preaching is
spiritual and moving. His style is
vibrant and animated. He is a fresh and honest example for evangelism, revival,
and renewal that has begun to sweep the nation.
Pastor John is a man of God and he lives to serve God. He was not always a Christian and didn’t
believe in God. For the past ten years,
Pastor John has grown into an outspoken, dynamic evangelist, very much like a
modern day Billy Sunday of the 1930’s.
Late last month, Pastor John Collins heard God tell him to walk for Him.
Pastor John is quoted to say “Was sitting Sunday
watching the Cubs play when I felt GOD tell me to walk for him” and he believes
that when God asks Pastor John to do something, Pastor John obeys. Creating a sign which says “Blessed are the peacemakers, BLUE LIVES MATTER, GOD MATTERS,” Pastor John Collins walked 19
miles the next day in the July heat. Pastor John did not look for attention for
that walk, but people did notice and have spread that message across the
country by social media. “GOD MATTERS.” Too
many times, God asks us to act for Him and we ignore Him or we don’t hear His
voice. That quiet voice is drowned out
by a chaotic world that is noisy and all too quick to turn its back on the One
who created it. Pastor John Collins is
not ashamed to profess his faith. Pastor John does not ignore that quiet voice. Pastor John does not turn his back on
God. Pastor John Collins will take a
firm and unshakeable stand on the difficult issues that are facing this
country. That stand takes guts and
courage. That stand includes taking a sign across country, 19 miles, to tell
people “GOD MATTERS”.
What is so special about walking 19 miles carrying a sign? Pastor John is NOT a marathon runner. He DOES NOT devote hours every day to working
out to improve his stamina or increase his strength. Pastor John is very much an average man of
middle age. Pastor John did not have
time to have a professional sign created to catch the eye or to promote the
appearance of God’s task. Pastor John
did not have any specially made footwear or athletic clothing to accomplish
God’s task. Most people struggle to walk
two miles on any given day as a form of exercise for their health benefits.
Pastor John simply felt God’s call, got up the next day and began walking. He did not know when he started out just how
many miles he would walk. His goal was
to walk to the next town, carrying a sign that stated “GOD MATTERS”. That next town was 19 miles away: not two
miles or five miles, but 19 miles. Most
Americans take about 20 to 45 minutes to go 20 miles in a car, depending upon
where they live. In a days’ time when Jesus Christ lived, the average distance
covered by Jesus and the disciples was about 1 or two miles to get from one
town to another. Pastor John walked
those 19 miles unconditionally without any special preparation in
advance, without any special training, without any specially
designed clothing, and without any advance notice to media
to bring awareness to his mission.
Pastor John did it because he knows with all his heart that GOD MATTERS
in everything.
How many of us have the dedication to anything that would inspire
us to get up and go do something without any preparation or planning in
advance? Most churches take months to go
from suggestion to implementation of a decision. Most people don’t have the enthusiasm to
participate in something like a marathon or competition without months of preparation
and planning. Pastor John is dedicated to God. GOD MATTERS so much in Pastor John’s life that he did what he was asked and then paid a physical price of discomfort for days. The message here is that God really wants us as a country
and a people. He hasn’t given up on us
even though society on the whole has given up on Him. Pastor John’s message is
very simple: God should count in our everyday lives, whether it’s while watching a baseball game or when we are in the
depths of misery. GOD MATTERS and He wants to be part of our lives unconditionally.
Pastor John Collins will tell you candidly that he is not
politically correct, but he IS biblically correct. What was written over 2000 years ago in the
Holy Bible is just as applicable today as it was when it was written. God mattered then and GOD MATTERS now. The
Holy Bible holds records of men and women who were called by God to perform and
complete what to us were impossible tasks. Those men and women had faith that
barely exists in today’s world. Pastor John demonstrated a rock solid belief that God moved him to walk for Him.
Pastor John’s rock solid faith allowed him to walk 19 miles in the heat of a
summer day to serve God, without any special preparation or fanfare, to spread
the message that “GOD MATTERS.” Pastor John Collins gives us all an extraordinary
example of how to obey and honor God.
To Pastor John, “GOD MATTERS.” Pastor John Collins chooses to serve God by
obedience to what God asks of Pastor John.
God has played an important role in Pastor John Collins' life for over
10 years. Pastor John will tell you that
he was once so far from the Cross that he needed binoculars to see it. But now, by the Grace of God and all that He
has blessed Pastor John with, Pastor John Collins will tell you that he has
splinters in his hands from clinging to that Cross. GOD MATTERS. With God,
everything is possible. Peace, ending
violence, ceasing chaos, living in harmony is not a fairy tale or an impossible
dream. Pastor John Collins wants as many
people to know that God knows what is happening here in the United States and
around the world. His message of GOD MATTERS is meant to reach everyone, everywhere.
What God wants, according to Pastor John Collins, is for us as people to
get to know God again. We have all stepped so far away from God that we have forgotten that He really does exist. GOD MATTERS. Pastor John will tell you that God wants us
to read the Holy Bible again, that He wants us to talk to Him again. Pastor John preaches that God sent Jesus
Christ to us as our salvation and our hope.
Pastor John preached that hope through his walk for God with the simple
message “GOD MATTERS”.
You can read excerpts from his sermons and Facebook archives
of daily devotionals by clicking on http://lovethatcrossministries.blogspot.com. Pastor John Collins through Love That Cross
Ministries has preached across the country, from Idaho to Wyoming, Georgia to
North Carolina and many places in between with the message that GOD MATTERS. Pastor John Collins says “It’s time for us to
get to know GOD again. GOD MATTERS, BELIEVE THAT.”
