“Impact”

Monday, September 13, 2021

On August 28, 2021, wonderful tributes were made to a man who impacted thousands of people for good and for God.  Jack Zorn was the man who was memorialized that day with glory to the God that he served.

One of the people who spoke at Dr. Zorn’s funeral was a distinguished African American man in uniform.  The uniformed man may not have been known by many in attendance at the funeral, but this man knew and deeply appreciated Dr. Zorn.  He shared that day and also on Facebook how Dr. Zorn had impacted his life.  Here is his Facebook post:

I've always wanted to be an aviator since age six… When I was about 13, I would ride my bicycle from Mobile Hwy to Dannelly Field Airport [in Montgomery, AL] just to hang on the gate all day long watching F-4 Phantoms takeoff and land.  One day a wonderful man named Dr. Jack Zorn (Lads to Leaders founder) saw me hanging around the fence at Montgomery Aviation and asked if I wanted to come inside and get a close up of his Cessna 182 (N1444S).  Of course I accepted because I had never seen the inside of a cockpit up close.  Later he received permission from my mother and we actually went flying on several occasions.  I initially got in trouble because my mother didn't know her son was riding a bicycle on Highway 80 chasing F-4's, but she knew my passion.  I thank the Lord for allowing our paths to cross, and I pray that he knows that it was an ordained meeting that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  I now pay it forward to the youth in hopes that I may impact a young life the same way he impacted mine.  I will forever miss him!  To God be the glory!

Thomas Day, First Officer
ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI
Birmingham, AL

Because of Dr. Zorn’s encouragement, Thomas Day fulfilled his dream of becoming an airplane pilot.

A good friend of mine, Steve Phillips, shared Day’s Facebook post on his page.  Dr. Zorn’s daughter, Rhonda Fernandez, posted a comment thanking Steve for sharing the information and included these words of reflection: “[I’m] so proud of Daddy.  [Here was] a little boy – many days a week for a very long period of time [with] his nose in the chain link fence, invisible to all except Daddy.”

That young teen, Thomas Day, is forever grateful that Dr. Zorn noticed him, befriended him, and encouraged him to fulfill his dreams.

Dr. Zorn “noticed” many young people throughout his life and encouraged them to become Christians and leaders in the church.  By his example, his influence, and the Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes Program that he began, my children, many children at Creekwood Church of Christ, and thousands of children throughout the world have been impacted and challenged to become Christian leaders.

I think Dr. Zorn “noticed” people because every soul is important to God.  Every person has sinned (Romans 3:23) and desperately needs a Savior.  God loves every person so much that He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2).  God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Dear reader, God has “noticed” you and wants to save you for an eternity.  Won’t you accept His loving offer by trusting and obeying Jesus?

-- David A. Sargent

P.S. With love, appreciation, and admiration for Dr. Jack Zorn (1934-2021) for his love for God, Jesus, the Word of God, and for his passion to teach and train young people to become Christian leaders.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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