Gideon and His Texan Cousin Willy

Sermon Notes: August 27 & August 30, 2026

1 Corinthians 1:24-31

I found this story on the internet so I do not know whether this story is factual. But it makes a very good point so I will share it and you can decide its value.

A Navy seaman named Douglas Hegdahl was captured during the Vietnam War and was sent to the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison. He was considered to be “stupid” and incompetent. He wandered around singing a child’s song. Because he was considered stupid he was not considered to be a threat to the prison guards and administration. They only mocked and ridiculed him. But all the time he was learning the names of the 256 prisoners through his little song. When he was released after two years of imprisonment, he recited all 256 names of the men in the Hanoi Hilton. By doing this he exposed the lies told by the Vietnamese authorities regarding the fate of the prisoners.

God uses simple people to do great feats of power and grace. We remember Moses, a man with a stick taking on the great Egyptian Empire. We often think of King David, a man with wealth and power. But do you think of Gideon, a poor, simple, insecure military leader who fought thousands of Midianites with 300 men? Or Willy a Texan with unusual dreams? Wait…..who is Willy? And what does he have to do with anything? Come and Worship with us on Thursday night at 5:30 pm or on Sunday morning and meet Gideon, Willy and just maybe yourself.      

Ken Casey