October 3, 1943 -January 14, 2016

 

Our history books tell us that great men change the whole world. 

It’s true, but they do it from a great distance, from a height almost all men will never reach. They cure a disease, lead men into battle, or walk on the moon.  They are extremely rare and almost always we only read about them in history books.

By the world’s standard, Hershel Case was not a great man. We will never read about him in our history books. He was never famous or rich; never led troops into battle or walked on the moon and he never found the cure for any disease. He was, however, something so much more.  Something so much more precious, something so much more important – he was a Good Man.

This is what I have come to understand; good men change the world around us. They change the world as we know it. Good men walk among us. We see them every day.  And in most examples it isn’t until they are taken from us do we realize what a wonderful gift they have given us.

Hershel was indeed a good man, but he was even more than that. He was a better follower of Christ.  His commitment to Jesus Christ was evident in every aspect of his life. Seeing Christ in him wasn’t evident because of something that he did… it was who he was. It was simply him.

Hershel Case and his wife Juanita were missionaries to Australia for over 18 years.  They gave up everything here in the states to go tell others about Jesus.  While in Australia, they started over 5 different churches and saw thousands come to know Jesus.  It is only when Juanita’s health became bad that they decided to come back to the states.  Hershel was instrumental in running the print shop at the Bearing Precious Seed in Milford Ohio and helped again when they came back.  After being home, he felt the calling to start another church and did so in Polk, Ohio, naming it Temple Baptist Church. 

On Sunday, January 10th, while preaching at the Temple Baptist Church, Hershel suffered a massive heart attack.  While in ICU, his family and friends were told there was no hope of survival.  Unfortunately, Hershel passed away Thursday, January 14th… but in truth he began a new journey. It’s hard to believe that we now have had to say good-bye.

So even if you didn’t know Hershel, I am still asking this of you:

Juanita, his dedicated and loving wife of 53 years, needs assistance with paying for his funeral costs and the portion of the hospital stay that their insurance did not cover.  Any donation amount is greatly appreciated.