The Janitor Who Understood the Equation
In 1993, a janitor named James Gates Sr. sat in the back pew of a small Baptist church in Baltimore while his son, a brilliant...
This is stories & illustrations, drawing on 1 Corinthians 2:1-16.
In 1993, a janitor named James Gates Sr. sat in the back pew of a small Baptist church in Baltimore while his son, a brilliant physicist at MIT, tried to explain string theory over Thanksgiving dinner. The family nodded politely, understanding nothing. But when the pastor stood up that Sunday and preached about how God knits the universe together with invisible threads of grace, the elder Gates leaned over to his son and whispered, "That's what you've been trying to tell me, isn't it?"…
Sign up free to read the full illustration
Join fellow pastors who prep smarter — free account, no credit card.
Sign Up FreeScripture References
Powered by ChurchWiseAI
IllustrateTheWord is part of the ChurchWiseAI family — AI tools built for pastors, churches, and ministry leaders.
PewSearch
Find Your Church Home
The most complete church directory in the US and Canada. 218,000+ churches searchable by location, denomination, and tradition.
Search ChurchesChurchWiseAI
Voice Agent & Church Chatbot
24/7 AI phone receptionist and website chatbot for churches — answers calls, handles questions, and follows up with visitors automatically.