Does Jesus Have A Southern Accent?

The old dinner table had all the fixings: fried chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, green beans, and the sweetest tea you have ever sipped. Prayer was said, and we would commence to eating. My grandmother would hover over the table watching everyone, making sure we all had our fill.

This was a weekly occurrence in my childhood following the eleven o’clock service at Calder Baptist Church on Sunday mornings. The South is known for strong family ties, Baptist revivals, and sweet tea on a hot summer day.

Time and age have given me a great pride for my southern roots. There seems a love for Jesus here that connects us together. It’s not uncommon to share your faith in everyday circumstances; while shopping at the grocery store, I passed a friend with a cart full. She stopped long enough to tell me of a friend of hers whose father passed away suddenly and she was cooking a meal for that grieving family. I thanked her for telling me and said I would be praying. And I did just that.

On the rare occasion I have left the South, upon my return, I always feel like Jesus is welcoming me home. Yes, he lives in the South with me. He sits on the front porch with me, loves old gospel music and does not make fun of my twang. 

Jesus may be everywhere it’s true, but in my heart, he has a southern accent too.


I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto Me and rest; 
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast."
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say by John B. Dykes