Calling and Ministry

Having met Christ, been filled with His Spirit, experienced numerous answered prayers and several miracles — and having gone through some really rough times — I ended up learning a lot about God, people, circumstances, and myself. Looking back on all of that, I can clearly see God's Hand in my life. He allowed me to go through those storms to prepare me for the ministry He eventually gave to me.

Here's What I Do Now

1. I am a teacher to some. I teach others about the various aspects of, and maturity levels within, Christendom—things oftentimes not taught from the pulpits.
2. I am an anchor and a lifejacket to some. I help others weather the sometimes unpredictable and tumultuous storms of life.
3. I am a listener to many. I listen to those who feel no one ever listens to them. I will often listen for hours (two to eight hours) — without giving comment or advice (unless I'm asked).
4. More specifically...I help those who struggle with anger, bitterness, resentfulness, hostility, and unforgiveness — because I speak those five dialects fluently!

Why the Basics Matter

From working with a lot of current and wayward Christians, I've observed that many of them have never been taught the basics of their faith. If someone has been a Christian for five to six years, shouldn't they know a lot about spiritual development and real-life encounters with God? Shouldn't their teachers have taught them about how to read and study the Scriptures, how to pray, how to listen for God's Voice, godly living, holiness, how to effectively communicate their faith to others, finances, fasting, stewardship, evangelism, and more?

Yet, there are so many Christians who don't know how to pray, don't read or study their Bibles, can't give personal examples of answered prayer, and don't know specifically what they believe — or why - and aren't involved in ministry (even though they've been a Christian for ten to thirty years). This is a topic I will address in subsequent articles.

The Point

From where I stand now, I see the Christian journey as very similar to the journey most of us experience in normal life—with one key difference: Christ is supposed to become the centerpiece of life!

Now, while I'm thankful I've overcome all of the negative stuff along the way, I'm embarrassed it took so long. I'm also ashamed of the relationships I've lost (and ruined) along the way. But when I look back on all I've experienced, I can see how the Lord used every single event to teach me lessons I'm now able to handle with grace, equip me to pass those lessons on to others, and empower me to help others overcome the very things I once wrestled with.

If you have questions or comments, you can email me here.

In His Name,

Roy