The Preachers: Pastor Orrick Quick addresses "Expectations vs. Reality"
By Kevin Scott Collier
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| Pastor Orrick Quick delivers his message "Expectations vs. Reality" on The Preachers as Pastors Bryant, Smith and Gray look on. |
Pastor Quick has had plenty of life experiences confronting the Devil. But, the nasty reality of life that takes a bowl full of cherries and reduces them to pits hasn’t defeated Orrick. He would be the first one to tell you that God left you with the pits because they are the seeds to plant an orchard.
Pastor Quick, in his message, reflected on a time early in his life when others around him had new homes, cars, clothing — all because they were selling drugs. With drugs in hand, he telephoned everyone he knew to make a sale, but no one picked up. Except God, that is.
Pastor Quick announced in his 90 second message the valuable lesson he learned that day.
“Never exchange your future expectations for your present situation,” Pastor Quick said, to the roaring approving of a studio audience. “I am grateful God kept me from falling.”
You can hear more of this story via a video the Pastor made several months back on the Orrick Quick YouTube Channel. It’s one of many personal life testimonies of God’s saving grace.
“By Christ Jesus … you serve a God that can turn things around,” Pastor Quick passionately cried out, pointing to the camera and studio audience, as he concluded his 90 seconds.
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| Pastor Orrick Quick |
Years ago, I became inspired by Pastor Joel Osteen, and bought several of his books. They uplifted me, but at the same time, it didn’t fit my “reality.” One of Osteen's books I purchased was “Your Best Life Now.” However, 6 years after the release of that book, I’m still not feeling my best life yet.
I’ve matured enough spiritually to know that God molds us by forcing us to be patient. It’s our Achilles' heel. Akin to a child heading into Christmas, we learn early on we cannot bear to wait for anything. That’s why prophecy, a subject Pastor Quick addressed on his YouTube Channel, is so popular today. Folks can’t wait for anything.
When you have to have it now, and know it now, how does that figure into your spiritual education? How does having it today make you a better servant to the Lord? How do you measure your best life in the natural? Is it money? Material things? Hey, there’s a reason that you can’t take it with you when you go to Heaven — because that stuff doesn’t matter.
If Pastor Quick had written that 2010 best seller, I can imagine the title he would have put on the book would have been, “Your Best Life Tomorrow.” I doubt it would have been a bestseller next to Pastor Osteen’s book. I mean, why wait until tomorrow when you can have it now?
In fact, "reality" may be your best life won't come until next month, or next year, or even until the next decade. Maybe, it will be never. If you are totally in it for Christ, you have to reevaluate what best means. Do you really want best now? You’d best get closer to God, for that’s where life is best.
Pastor Quick knows this. He has a been a model Christian of patience. This man has had to wait, and wait, and wait, for everything that God has ever blessed him with.
Pastor Quick knows this. He has a been a model Christian of patience. This man has had to wait, and wait, and wait, for everything that God has ever blessed him with.
Pastor Quick would be the first to tell you that God never shows up early, but he never shows up too late. He also knows, as he said in my podcast, that God can also make things happen “in one second.”
Ironically, with a name like Quick, blessings have been anything but quick for the Pastor. But reward comes to those who serve and wait.
Pastor Quick entered the lineup of The Preachers as the new kid on the block. E. Dewey Smith, John Gray and Jamal Bryant all have successful, respectable wide reaching ministries. Pastor Quick, before shooting the program, was essentially an unknown. His powerful videos on YouTube barely rarely cracked a three digit number in plays.
Pastor Quick told me during our podcast interview, that throughout his life the Devil went after his confidence level to disturb him the most. One can imagine the new kid on the block seated next to Smith, Gray and Bryant. I can even imagine Pastor Quick asking himself, “How do I belong here?” But, he’d “Quickly” have the answer — it was God.
When Pastor Quick finished his “Expectations vs. Reality” message, the pastors embraced. Orrick is newbie no more. He's one of the veteran kids on the block. But Orrick is no fool, he knows it’s not his best life now — it’s just the beginning. There's no graduation, "job well done" in this life. God doesn't hand out diplomas here, he points your nose back into the books. Spiritual homework never ends. The tougher the exams, the more God loves you.
Pastor Quick told me he doesn’t plan to retire from ministering the Gospel when he reaches old age. He said he'll stop preaching when the Lord calls him home. And when the Lord does, I see a humorous scenario play out as Pastor Quick arrives at the gates of Heaven and speaks with St. Peter.
“Name please?” St. Peter asks.
“Orrick Romaine Quick,” the pastor replies. “I have my pass with me.”
St. Peter takes the Heavenly ticket, examines it, then addresses the pastor.
“This isn’t good until tomorrow, Mr. Quick,” St. Peter explains. “I'm sorry, but you’ll have to wait outside the gate until we open at sunrise.”
Pastor Quick flinched, then struck his trademark joyful smile, and replied, “That’s OK. I’ll be right out here.” The pastor then seated himself on the cloud, leaning back against the gate, and began to sing a hymn.
St. Peter cleared his throat. “Pastor Quick?" he spoke. "Ummm, Pastor Quick?”
Orrick rose to his feet, put his face to the gate, and addressed St. Peter. “Yes sir?”
St. Peter tore the ticket into tiny pieces, opened the gate, and motioned to Pastor Quick to enter Heaven.
"Sorry," St. Peter said, with a chuckle. "I know you have a sense of humor — I was just messin' with you."
"Sorry," St. Peter said, with a chuckle. "I know you have a sense of humor — I was just messin' with you."
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