A Word from the Vine No. 544: The Casserole Gospel

Hey there, friends. You’re listening to A Word from the Vine, and I’m Pastor Loren from the Danish Countryside Chapel, just outside of Exira.

Now I want to tell you a little story today. It’s not about theology or politics or anything fancy. It’s about a casserole.

Yep. A casserole.

You see, a few years back, I had a neighbor — let’s call him Bill. Bill and I didn’t see eye to eye on much. He was loud where I was quiet. He liked his steak rare and his opinions even rarer. We’d had our share of disagreements — everything from zoning laws to the best kind of lawn fertilizer.

But one day, I heard that Bill’s wife had taken ill. Real serious. And something in me — maybe the Holy Spirit, maybe just a nudge from the Lord — said, “Loren, it’s time to stop arguing and start loving.”

So I did what any good Midwesterner would do. I made a casserole.

Now, I’m not saying it was a great casserole. It had too much cheese and not enough seasoning. But I wrapped it in foil, scribbled a note, and walked it across the street.

Bill opened the door, and I’ll never forget the look on his face. He didn’t say much. Just nodded, took the dish, and said, “Thanks, preacher.”

And that was it. No sermon. No debate. Just a casserole and a little bit of grace.

Later that week, he came by and said, “You know, I’ve been thinking… maybe we’ve been too hard on each other.” And we sat on the porch and talked — not about politics or problems, but about life. About love. About what matters.

Friends, sometimes the Gospel doesn’t come with a microphone or a pulpit. Sometimes it comes in a Pyrex dish, wrapped in foil, with a prayer tucked inside.

Romans 12:9 says:

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

And I believe that genuine love — the kind that shows up with a casserole instead of a comeback — that’s the kind of love that changes hearts.

So here’s your word from the vine today: Don’t underestimate the power of small kindness. You don’t have to win the argument. You just have to show up with love.

This is Pastor Loren, reminding you — the Gospel isn’t just something we preach. It’s something we carry across the street.