Our Faithful Founder, Dr. Jack Zorn (The Red Coat Series, Part 1)

Dr. Jack Zorn, photo from the L2L Website

I had the honor of representing the participants of Lads to Leaders 

at Dr. Jack Zorn's funeral on 

August 28, 2021.

My Presentation at the Funeral

A Man of God in our Time

Jack Zorn impacted my life for Christ. 

He did that for many young people.  

Grown people, young people, tiny people... 

Dr. Zorn touched so many lives 

Dr. Zorn and his wife, Frances

The Red Coat 

The Red Coat Award is the highest achievement attainable for youth in Lads to Leaders.  Dr. Jack Zorn often wore a Red Suit Coat, and it matched his vivacious personality.

He wore his Red Coat from the time he began to mentor young men to speak and lead hymns.  He wore that coat to preach, and to worship.  It became an icon in the Church of Christ.  The Red Coat represented leadership, energy, magnetism, love, and encouragement.  It represented mentorship, sacrifice, humility, hard work, and dedication to a worthy cause.  It still does.  

I aspire to wear that coat one day.  I have dedicated much of my free time in pursuit of the achievement, much like an Eagle Scout award known to the Boy Scouts of America.  This last year of high school has been strenuous.  It has been challenging.  Times got tough, things went wrong, plans changed, but I pressed on, much like my mentor, Jack Zorn.  

I know that I may not attain this worthy goal; while also knowing that it is a high honor if I do.  I hope that Dr. Zorn will be honored if and when I am on stage, handed that Red Coat, and putting my arms through the sleeves, wearing it proudly.  I will strive to honor him, and his late wife, Mrs. France Johnson Zorn.  

I will be writing a series of 4 posts about my journey to the Red Coat in the next few posts.  I hope you enjoy reading about my endeavors.  

One can view the funeral of Dr. Zorn here, click the link: 

[Aug. 28, 2021] Jack Zorn Memorial - YouTube

(my portion of the service presentation

 begins at the 3 hours, 34 minutes, 45-second point)

From the L2L.com website

Jack Zorn taught me many things, one of them is this Poem: 

Honesty and Integrity 

 Approach all events and activities with the proper attitude. 

 Do your best. 

 Do not look for ways to stretch or bend the rules.

 Your honesty and integrity are more valuable than silver and gold.

 (Proverbs 22:1)

Dr. Zorn and Jack Watkins

Endorsements for L2L (from the website)

“Lads to Leaders is one of the most productive programs that our congregation has been involved in with our youth. It would be a wasted opportunity not to take this program seriously.”
Terry Broome, Minister at Broad Street Church of Christ, Scottsboro, Ala.

“I am impressed with the Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes books and materials, and especially the critical topics they address.”
George Bailey, Evangelist (deceased), Dallas Tex.

“Please allow me to express my gratitude to Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes for your outstanding work in training young men and women to be active workers in the church.”
Jeff Jenkins, Minister at Lewisville Church of Christ, Lewisville Texas.

"If we would have had this program [Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes], the young men I grew up with would not be in jail and dead today."
William Hardy Jr., Minister at church of Christ in Palestine, Tex.