Ron Mehl is pastor of the Beaverton Foursquare Church in Beaverton, Oregon -- a church which has grown from eleven people to more than 5,000 during his 21-year pastorate. Ten years ago, Ron was diagnosed with leukemia. Rather than allow that diagnosis to end his ministry, he has found that it has brought new depth and purpose to his pastoral ministry, and particularly to his preaching. As he points out, "no one can live life to the fullest until they've dealt with their mortality."

Preaching: Your church has experienced remarkable growth over the past two decades. Are there some particular reasons for that growth?

Mehl: When I came to Beaverton twenty years ago and had eleven or twelve people for Sunday worship, it was a real humbling time. As I walked out of there I thought it was such a horrible service. I had been in the ministry for nine years, but had never been a pastor -- I've only pastored one church and that's Beaverton. That first Sunday I realized why for nine years God didn't trust me with a church, and then when He did give me a church it was one of eleven or twelve people -- I couldn't screw things up too badly!

Since then, it's been a truly overwhelming experience. I don't think I have ever experienced such grace in my life. I'm one of those who is very humbled by what the Lord has done. I think it's His sovereign act, that's what it is. You know, people love to explain away why something happened. I work hard -- I don't think there's a pastor I know who spends as much time as I do -- but ultimately it's just been an incredible, amazing work of God. I feel privileged to be a part of it.

Someone once asked me, "Do you ever get proud of what's happened at the church?" I said, "As a pastor, I've learned never to take any credit for what has happened at the church, but I'm not going to take the heat if it falls apart either, cause God doesn't get it both ways." I think my heart is right, so I feel like I get to do what I do -- study and love people -- and I leave the rest to Him. It's just been a truly miraculous thing to watch. It's overwhelming.

You know, it's not me. I offer my two cents like everybody else, but there is a chemistry. There is sovereignty and human responsibility, so it's been really a privilege.

Preaching: For at least a decade, you have faced a battle with leukemia. How has that influenced and shaped your preaching?

Mehl: In every way. I believe that until a pastor comes to the realization of his own mortality, and until a man realizes he's not going to live forever, I doubt that he will live with purpose or priorities. You must come to the realization that you are dying -- and I'm not trying to be morbid about it. Because I realize how critical every day is, I've become so serious about it that my life has become more tender, not only for my touch in the life of the church, but in my family. I literally got to the place where, when our boys entered their high school days, I marked off on the calendar the number of days that I would have to touch their lives: 874 days, 873 days, 872 days; I realized that I'm not going to touch their lives forever.