Gospel shared during Wagoner funeral

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--For years the public face of the Grand Ole Opry, country music legend Porter Wagoner recorded dozens of albums, helped launch Dolly Parton's career and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

But in the year before his death from cancer Oct. 28, Wagoner had a dream of more eternal significance, one in which he visited heaven.

"Heaven was more beautiful than anything you could ever imagine," Wagoner is said to have told family and friends. "What was so wonderful was there were so many people that I hadn't see for many years –- old friends and family, Momma and Daddy."

When someone asked if there were any surprises, Wagoner is said to have replied, "There was one. There were some people I expected to be there that I didn't see."

Jerry Sutton, senior pastor of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, shared that dramatic story during his sermon at Wagoner's funeral, held Nov. 1 at the Grand Ole Opry.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.