On August 24, 2025, Rev. Dwayne Lowry delivered a sermon at Shoeheel Holiness Methodist Church in Maxton, North Carolina, centered on the pastor’s vital role, the importance of a spiritual legacy, and the ripple effect of our choices. Anchored in scripture, particularly Ephesians 4:11-12, Rev. Lowry highlighted the pastor’s calling to equip believers for God’s ministry, empowering the congregation to grow spiritually and serve purposefully.
Rev. Lowry opened by exploring the biblical mandate for pastors, emphasizing their duty to equip the church. Referencing many verses particularity Ephesians 4:11-12, he highlighted how pastors equip believers to serve God’s ministry and steward the souls of their flock, fostering a spiritual legacy that passes down biblical truths to family, friends, and the lost. His clear delivery inspired the congregation to embrace their part in God’s work and build a lasting heritage of faith.
The sermon’s second half captivated the audience with a powerful illustration of cause and effect. Rev. Lowry traced a chain of influence beginning in 1855, when Edward Kimball, a dedicated Sunday school teacher, led to D.L. Moody’s conversion, sparking Moody’s evangelistic ministry (1860s–1899). Moody’s work inspired Billy Sunday’s revival campaigns (1890s–1930s), which influenced Mordecai Ham’s preaching, leading to Billy Graham’s conversion in 1934, whose global ministry (1940s–present) inspired Shoeheel’s cherished Live Nativity production after a church visit to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte. Notably, Henry H. Lowrey a Native American from Elrod and founder of the Lumber River Conference in 1900, attended the college established by D.L. Moody in the 1890s, further linking this legacy to Shoeheel’s mission. This vivid narrative demonstrated how faithful choices can shape communities and spark global movements for God’s ministry. By connecting these historical figures to Shoeheel’s Christmas evangelism event, born from the inspiration of the Billy Graham Library’s live nativity, Rev. Lowry brought the message home, urging the congregation to continue to make godly choices that echo across generations.
As a side note Lowry pointed out that Sunday school classes, a cornerstone of this legacy through Edward Kimball’s influence, were pioneered by John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodist movement, in the 18th century to educate and nurture biblical training in communities that continue in all church congregations today around the world.
