In 1996, when God called me into ministry, I was relatively certain my calling was not to local church ministry. Yet, as the grandson of a pastor; the son of a pastor; and the brother of a pastor, I was only familiar with local church ministry. After several times of prayer and counseling with retired and active pastors who I trusted and believed were hearing the voice of the Lord, I made the decision to pursue my Master of Divinity and see where God directed me.
When Nancy, Elijah, and I moved to Wilmore, Kentucky, Nancy worked at the Wilmore Day Care Center. I was hired as their janitor, so I went to work each afternoon around 5:00 or 5:30 to start cleaning. It was a paying job and was not a difficult job, but my being an extrovert, it was a boring, non-engaging, people-lacking job. As I was cleaning peas off the floor in the cafeteria one evening, I was talking to God. I said, “Lord, there has to be another job available where I can be with people more.”
The next day when I was checking my Seminary Post Office box, I turned around and looked at the large bulletin board behind me. This was where groups posted meeting announcements, where people posted items for sale, and there were job postings. There in front of me was a posting for a Campus Life Director with Youth for Christ, International. I cannot say a beam of light illuminated it, but the Holy Spirit clearly directed my attention to the tear off piece with a person’s phone number. I made the phone call and soon I was on staff with Bluegrass Youth for Christ (BGYFC) as the Campus Life Director for Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, Kentucky.
This ministry opportunity was mission-based where I had to fundraise my salary. I would not receive funds from the organization; I had to find individuals and churches who would support my ministry to the students. In short-order, I sent letters to potential supporters, and over the next three years God provided the funds necessary for me to earn a salary.
As we were wrapping up our time in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury Theological Seminary, God opened a door for Nancy, Elijah, and me to return to Illinois to serve a local church as the Children’s Minister/Preschool Director (Nancy) and the Associate Pastor/Student Ministry Pastor (Matt). Though I was not done with my seminary education, Nancy and I agreed to move back to Illinois and I would travel six-hours each week for 14-weeks as I finished my last semester at Asbury. God provided a dependable car for me to drive each week and provided Nancy and Elijah a fantastic support system at the church.
The youth ministry at Troy had a wonderful youth ministry team who placed an emphasis on an annual summer mission trip for the youth. After finishing my seminary degree and going full-time on staff, I was being trained on how to lead mission trips. This included the wisdom of the volunteer staff and organization training through Adventures in Mission and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. In my time at Troy, I would have the opportunity to lead seven mission trip teams and expand the mission ministry to adults.
As our family was preparing to move from local church ministry to full-time evangelism and mission ministry in 2008, God opened the door for us to serve part-time as the pastor of Real Life United Methodist Church in Waterloo, Illinois, while establishing a strong foundation for Living the Adventure Ministries. While serving at Waterloo, I was able to hone my leadership skills and better understand ministry where the church is being established, as Real Life was not yet chartered as an official UM Church. We witnessed 15 people baptized and a doubling of attendance while we were in Waterloo.
In 2011, 15-years after my initial call into ministry, God opened the door for us to be full-time in evangelism and mission through Living the Adventure Ministries. I share these stories because I see how God worked the details out in my life in small instances and experiences that established a foundation for deeper growth and obedience. God placed me at a camp where pastors and leaders were willing to pray with me for discernment. God placed me at BGYFC to learn how to do ministry outside the local church and how to fundraise for a mission ministry. God placed us in a season where I traveled each week to prepare us for traveling ministry. God placed me in Troy to learn how to lead mission trips as a spiritual experience. God placed me at Waterloo to learn how to bridge the gap between denomination, new church, and community. God placed my family in Albion, where we have lived for 14-years, to be a support for my family when I am gone and a harbor for me to find rest and engage in intentional ministry.
Our lives in God’s plan are puzzles where we do not see all the pieces ready to be put into place, but God has the master plan. God regularly invited the people of Israel to remember how God had brought them through and provided for them. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, we are also invited to look forward: “let us run the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (12:1-2). God has a plan; God gives us a vision; and just as God put the puzzle pieces together in my life, God will continue to give me visions and invite me to live in obedience to God’s call for the next steps.
How do you see the pieces of your life puzzle being put together through past experiences that are leading you to new opportunities with a strong foundation?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for reminding me how you are using each experience of my life to establish a strong foundation for future opportunities. Help me be faithful in each place where you call me and remind me of your faithfulness in each step. In Jesus’ name. Amen.