Barefoot sermon kicks off Buckner shoe drive

Posted: 6/01/07

Barefoot sermon kicks off Buckner shoe drive

By George Henson

Staff Writer

HOUSTON—Pastor Ed Hogan recently preached a sermon unlike any he ever preached before—not because of its content, but because he was barefoot.

Jersey Village Baptist Church in Houston asked its members to come to church barefooted to kick off the church’s efforts to gather 2,000 pairs of shoes for Buckner International’s Shoes for Orphan Souls campaign.

“It was one of those crazy ideas that someone had heard of another church doing, and we decided it would be fun to give it a try,” Hogan said. “And it really was a lot of fun.”

But it also helped tangibly and memorably communicate the needs of the world’s orphans.

“It became a visual reminder of what it would be like to come to church without shoes and that people all around the world come to church every Sunday without shoes because they have no shoes,” Hogan said.

He admitted it was a little different standing in the pulpit with his toes hanging out.

“It took about five minutes to get used to it, but then it was really liberating,” he quipped.

Shoeless Sunday received broad support throughout all age groups in the congregation, he noted.

“I’d be lying if I said everyone was excited about it, but a lot more people came without shoes than we anticipated,” Hogan said. “It was fun especially to see senior adults come in with no shoes and big smiles on their faces. And as for kids, I think probably every one of them was barefooted.

The congregation brought 951 pairs of shoes on the opening day of the collection effort that was to extend through June 8, and cash was received to buy about 200 more pairs.

The children of the church will take the money received to stores soon and shop for shoes for orphans. Also, fifth graders will take a field trip to Buckner’s Dallas warehouse to spend some time preparing shoes for transport and distribution.

Eight or nine church members expect to make a trip to Romania with Buckner next spring to assist in the delivery of shoes to orphans—a trip Hogan plans to attend.

“I sold children’s shoes while I was attending Southwestern Seminary,” he said. “This will be my first opportunity to put what I learned there to use in ministry.”