Jimmy had a certain swagger.
When he preached, hell’s fires blazed.
Still, he had a fleshly thorn that took him down.
A flawed and broken spokesman
for the Savior he adored,
Jimmy’s demons took him hostage, held him bound.

All the same, I loved his music.
From the time I was quite young,
I would watch the gifted preacher on TV.
Jimmy’s skill on the piano
(like his cousin Jerry Lee)
entertained his mega-church as well as me.

And when wealth and fame and ego
found the preacher on the ropes,
his weakness was exposed.
The preacher fell.
Then, ashamed and most repentant,
he confessed his need of grace.
And what happened next we know so very well.

Who are we to judge his failures?
Let the sinless throw their stones.
As his family grieves his death, I ponder grace.
None of us deserves God’s mercy.
We, like Jimmy, stand condemned.
But whoever seeks God’s face finds His embrace.

Peace to his memory!

Here is one of Jimmy’s final performances at his church.