AH! We finally get rolling on this project.
As one who enjoys historical perspectives I found this first chapter interesting in a few ways. The evolution of the structure of preaching through the ages in particular. One thing we rarely talk about is how the ministers of the early church preached. We talk about what they preached about, but not how they delivered or structured the messages. Most of what we do know is based on the written epistles. Things written and things orated are not structured the same. As such we don't really know what sermons preached by Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Thomas, John, Bartholomew or any of the NT preachers sounded like. We can surmise that they reflected Christ's own delivery and the cultural dynamics of the day.
We all have our own ideas about how sermons should be today, often in the modern church preachers are accepted or rejected more on the style rather than the substance of the preaching. As Quicke states prophetic preaching is more measured on sweat and noise. It would seem to me that the term "prophetic" as applied here is more akin to what we Apostolics (likely most American Churches) would call anointed.
The fact is that time, place, and audience would really dictate the type of preaching called for. In other words do i need to "herald" "bring good news" "hold discourse" "pronounce" or "dictate and argue" my message.
In the jail I may herald or bring good news, however in a church I may pronounce or hold discourse. Even with in the later it may well depend on what my function as preacher in that setting is, as well as my relation to the hearers.
One thing that particularly struck me is the concept of antagonistic preaching. If we all agree that preaching is God's word in human words then why are we modern preachers so afraid of offending those we preach to? Jesus offended many but some where saved, likewise with all the early preachers. It requires an act of boldness. In ACTS 4 we read of the boldness of Peter and John as their preaching antagonized the elders, they were threatened and commanded to stop preaching in that name "Jesus". Upon testimony of this to the church prayer was offered on their behalf that they continue preaching boldly. If our preaching is truly anointed we must preach it. We can not interpret rejection of our message as being a lack of anointing. It is said that Jeremiah never won a convert, he was rejected by his own church (people of God) yet we today call him a prophet and a preacher even though by our own standards today we would consider such an outcome to mean that he is not called. To make sure that I am called by my church I will be sure to preach messages that are well acceptable.
I was a little confused by the correlation between OT prophets, NT apostles and modern preachers in that Quick cites that both those in the old and new testaments represent God, speak God's word, and understand that God's word is God' deed, but he then cites Greidenus statement that modern preachers share the last two characteristics as if to imply that modern preachers do not represent God. Yet he goes on to state that Preachers are "God's sent persons" and he alludes to the passage of scripture that states we are the ambassadors of Christ. I would argue that today all Holy ghost filled Christians "represent" God. I will take it one step further to say that it is all Holy Ghost filed persons job to "proclaim" their good news as a witness. When any of us witness to the lost we are speaking God's word in Human words and representing the almighty himself in that time, place and situation.
I did strongly agree with the final pages of this first chapter in that the delivery of the message much be relative maybe even innovative to the times and the field in which it is to be delivered. Dr. James Littles delivered a beautiful "discourse and argument" two years ago at Mo Dist conference on this dynamic entitled "the changing of the field" Both Quick and Littles argue that we must be commensurate with the times and culture in delivery and application of our sermons and mission. Quick also makes reference to this matter earlier in the chapter when he equates the prophetic application of the word with the term "today-ness" or how this applies to us today.
Making use of trends in speaking, and in medium is vital. Just as the early protestants took full advantage of the print medium so must we use all the tools at our disposal to day to propagate the transformational message of Jesus Christ. At the end of the day isn't that what our job really is all about?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The last shall be first!
I received the Holy Ghost at nine year old. During my teen years, I went to church but did not live for God like I should have. When I was 21 years old the Lord began to deal with me and I gave my life to Him once and for all. There have been some real hard times but the Lord saw me through and He still does. I cannot tell anyone the very moment God called me to preach but I can tell the year I accepted the call, in 1992. Bro. Forbes and I feel we will pastor a church one day but until then we are both happy in the ministry He has us in. It is very rewarding to be in the will of God, where you know you are called and it is a restful place, if you know what I mean. I like the way the Lord give us the desires we desires of Him but will give another desire to attain in Him. Word of advice, an important fruit of the Spirit that needs to be cultivated in a minister's life is patience, waiting on the Lord.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The "Voice in the Wilderness" in the Wilderness of Voices
Summarizing Chapter 1: "Preaching Roots"
When you think about it, it's really a counter-intuitive claim. That retelling stories from an ancient Book is key to transforming modern peoples' lives. Yet, that's exactly the claim made for Christian preaching! And even Paul seems to recognize the almost-irrationality of the statement when he speaks of the "foolishness of preaching."
Preaching is foolish. And effective. As Quicke says, every great spiritual revival has been led by a revival of preaching! (In a sense, Jesus' use of parables represented a revival of preaching that had degenerated in the synagogue into mind-numbing squabbles amongst scribes).
Really, what Quicke wants to offer in this first chapter is a definition of preaching. But what I think is most obvious is that "a" definition of preaching might be as impossible as finding "a" word to describe the character of God. Preaching is multifaceted; no one definition can completely explain what preaching is.
Instead, Quicke offers three biblical descriptors of preaching that, while not "defining" what it means, sort of set the boundaries for the discussion. Preaching, according to the Bible, is prophetic, transformational, and incarnational.
Preachers as Prophets
I'm prejudiced here by my ongoing love for the Old Testament prophets . . . but I think that the picture of the "preacher as prophet" very accurately describes the task of preaching today. I would go so far as to say that the entire mission of the Church could be described as prophetic . . . but more on that later.
Pedagogical theory claims that lecture is the worst form of information dissemination available . . .at least, it has the lowest information-retention rates of any learning method. In many respects, a sermon is a lot like a lecture (and maybe this is something wrong with our contemporary understanding of the "sermon" but, again, more on that later . . .)
But, if the analogy between lectures and sermons is even only slightly correct, then we are forced to ask ourselves: "Why did God choose 'the foolishness of preaching' as His preferred means of sharing the saving Gospel?" If passively listening to someone else speak means low retention of information, why would God communicate the life-or-death message of Jesus Christ in this manner? Does God not remember how our cognitive capacities are designed?
"God's Word in Human Words"
I think the answer to this question lies in the simple fact that preaching (unlike lecturing) is not about our words but about God's words! And God's words are very unique in that, as Quicke says, "God's words are God's deeds!"
There's this whole thing called "speech-act theory" which attempts to understand the ways in which words "do" things. For example, when the pastor says, "I now pronounce you husband and wife," just by virtue of saying those words, that couple is now married. The pronouncement of the words actually performs the marriage. Though the pastor led them through the vows, if he does not pronounce them "husband and wife," they are not considered married.
Granted, not all words "do" things. But, in the Bible, God's word is always "doing" something. From the beginning, God does things with His word. "And God said, 'Let there be light!' and there was light!" God uses His word to create the world because His word has creative power. It brings into existence something that wasn't there before.
And that's exactly why Christian preaching literally "produces" (or "creates") conviction in the soul of the sinner, peace in the mind of the troubled, motivation in the heart of the discouraged. God's word has literal power to transform lives.
So, that's my definition of "preaching": God's Word in human words. For me, this helps to remind me of the importance of being faithful to the text . . . of focusing not on what I think the congregation "needs to hear" but on what the Word of God says to that congregation. So often, I find myself looking for a text to support a "thought". . .but that's completely backward. I am trying to make the Word of God fit my preaching agenda rather than shaping my sermon to fit God's agenda for the service. Instead, I should allow the "thought" to lead me to the text, but then I must allow the text to "challenge" my thought and reshape my perspective.
This is the real reason much of contemporary preaching is powerless: they are human words POSTURING as "God's word" not God's Word expressed in human words! What this world needs is not more "creative" sermons but more authoritative sermons where the hearer can be certain that he or she has heard the voice of God in the words of the preacher! The voice of God is the only power in preaching!
So, that's my thoughts . . .how would you define preaching?
When you think about it, it's really a counter-intuitive claim. That retelling stories from an ancient Book is key to transforming modern peoples' lives. Yet, that's exactly the claim made for Christian preaching! And even Paul seems to recognize the almost-irrationality of the statement when he speaks of the "foolishness of preaching."
Preaching is foolish. And effective. As Quicke says, every great spiritual revival has been led by a revival of preaching! (In a sense, Jesus' use of parables represented a revival of preaching that had degenerated in the synagogue into mind-numbing squabbles amongst scribes).
Really, what Quicke wants to offer in this first chapter is a definition of preaching. But what I think is most obvious is that "a" definition of preaching might be as impossible as finding "a" word to describe the character of God. Preaching is multifaceted; no one definition can completely explain what preaching is.
Instead, Quicke offers three biblical descriptors of preaching that, while not "defining" what it means, sort of set the boundaries for the discussion. Preaching, according to the Bible, is prophetic, transformational, and incarnational.
Preachers as Prophets
I'm prejudiced here by my ongoing love for the Old Testament prophets . . . but I think that the picture of the "preacher as prophet" very accurately describes the task of preaching today. I would go so far as to say that the entire mission of the Church could be described as prophetic . . . but more on that later.
Pedagogical theory claims that lecture is the worst form of information dissemination available . . .at least, it has the lowest information-retention rates of any learning method. In many respects, a sermon is a lot like a lecture (and maybe this is something wrong with our contemporary understanding of the "sermon" but, again, more on that later . . .)
But, if the analogy between lectures and sermons is even only slightly correct, then we are forced to ask ourselves: "Why did God choose 'the foolishness of preaching' as His preferred means of sharing the saving Gospel?" If passively listening to someone else speak means low retention of information, why would God communicate the life-or-death message of Jesus Christ in this manner? Does God not remember how our cognitive capacities are designed?
"God's Word in Human Words"
I think the answer to this question lies in the simple fact that preaching (unlike lecturing) is not about our words but about God's words! And God's words are very unique in that, as Quicke says, "God's words are God's deeds!"
There's this whole thing called "speech-act theory" which attempts to understand the ways in which words "do" things. For example, when the pastor says, "I now pronounce you husband and wife," just by virtue of saying those words, that couple is now married. The pronouncement of the words actually performs the marriage. Though the pastor led them through the vows, if he does not pronounce them "husband and wife," they are not considered married.
Granted, not all words "do" things. But, in the Bible, God's word is always "doing" something. From the beginning, God does things with His word. "And God said, 'Let there be light!' and there was light!" God uses His word to create the world because His word has creative power. It brings into existence something that wasn't there before.
And that's exactly why Christian preaching literally "produces" (or "creates") conviction in the soul of the sinner, peace in the mind of the troubled, motivation in the heart of the discouraged. God's word has literal power to transform lives.
So, that's my definition of "preaching": God's Word in human words. For me, this helps to remind me of the importance of being faithful to the text . . . of focusing not on what I think the congregation "needs to hear" but on what the Word of God says to that congregation. So often, I find myself looking for a text to support a "thought". . .but that's completely backward. I am trying to make the Word of God fit my preaching agenda rather than shaping my sermon to fit God's agenda for the service. Instead, I should allow the "thought" to lead me to the text, but then I must allow the text to "challenge" my thought and reshape my perspective.
This is the real reason much of contemporary preaching is powerless: they are human words POSTURING as "God's word" not God's Word expressed in human words! What this world needs is not more "creative" sermons but more authoritative sermons where the hearer can be certain that he or she has heard the voice of God in the words of the preacher! The voice of God is the only power in preaching!
So, that's my thoughts . . .how would you define preaching?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Rev, Jack's Turn
I grew up bouncing around St Louis Metro until I was around 13 or 14 when my dad and his third wife decided it would be good to give us kids a three day heads up that we were moving to Texas, just for the record it was not a good idea.
To make a long story short I left Texas as a troubled teen who had experienced divorce twice, death, rejection by a step-parent and abandonment. I had been to 16 schools from kindergarten to the tenth grade which I did not complete due to being thrown out.
At 17 with a waiver from my mom I joined the US Navy for all the wrong reasons and couldn't even make it to my first assignment after graduating boot camp with out getting busted twice for pot and doing some time in the brig. Twenty three months after joining I had been found guilty of drug violations on six separate occasions plus a laundry list of delinquent issues ranging from unauthorized absences to failing to obey orders to disrespect of an officer. These resulted in multiple restrictions to duty station, 3 stays in the brig of thirty days or more, and a three days bread and water punishment. This all came to a close at Treasure Island Naval Station upon completing my last tour of the Brig and then being deposited outside the base gate with an Other Than Honorable discharge and a signed promise that I would never step foot on Navy property as long as I lived. From there I deposited myself in the hippy area of northern California and honed my addiction skills.
Y2K was good to me as that is when it all came crashing to an end, A DWI and a lose of what little I had to pay for it had me in deep dark despair which God responded to. After the witness of some close friends, a visit to a little Apostolic church, a bizarre bible study on BOTT radio, I found my self crying to God in the cab of my truck driving home from work. God responded by jumping into the truck with me and cleansing me from my addiction, right then, right there, that was when my life made the transition from darkness and into his marvelous light. I think God liked my pickup as he visited me there often. Peter may have walked on the water but I drove with no hands, praising God while my truck steered true and straight, until I started looking at the road. I know we traveled more than a mile that way.
God called me into ministry early, my first ministry was the church calendar which was a desk calendar in a case on the wall in the foyer. I bought colored pencils and got creative with the announcements, from there it was Foreign Missions Director for the church, and from there leading Wed and Sun night services. Nursing home and jail services soon followed.
I don't know the specific point I can say the call came down, but two instances stick out, one was that I immediately wanted so bad to serve God but I did not know how. In prayer God spoke to me one word, "learn", not long after in a prayer meeting I found a mysterious piece of paper with the simple instruction from Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which though knowest not, WOW! God has always been true to that promise.
In 2003 I wanted to become involved in jail ministry and teach ACTS substance abuse, I approached a brother about watching him and others at the St. Louis County Jail, little did I know that I would still be there in 2009 playing apart in Holy Ghost revival services week in and week out, or that I would be the district director of prison and restorative ministries as well as playing an integral part on a national level, indeed great and mighty things.
I have watched as God has provided for the burden of this ministry in so many ways, bringing in workers, interns from UGST, putting me in positions to mentor, and anointing me to take this ministry to a level never seen in our ranks before.
In addition to ever moving this ministry forward personally, locally, and in other churches, I have no doubt that the call to Pastor is on the horizon, the desire to plant a daughter work is something that my Pastor and I have discussed and we believe that in the next one to two years that will be a reality.
My advice to a young minister is to first get the visions of pulpits and sugarplums out of your head. Pulpit preaching is not to be minimized in ministry,but it is not where we start, faithfulness and contentment in knowing your calling and where you are at right now is. Understand all is in Gods hands and timing. Ministry is about being Christ-like, it is about service to Christ by serving others. Ministry titles and positions are nothing more than platforms from which to serve. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoners is how we win souls, and winning souls is the heart of the ministry. If we fail to go there first, we have no business in the pulpit. When we are in the pulpit it should be about saving souls. I have not been called to preach, I have been called to serve, sometimes that requires that I preach. When I do, it had better serve the church, not me. Whether in the church, in the jail or on the street, it should encourage, edify, reproof and perfect, it should engage the mind and the spirit, and in the end it should bring people closer to Christ. If those people then are empowered to reach more people then I preached successfully.
To make a long story short I left Texas as a troubled teen who had experienced divorce twice, death, rejection by a step-parent and abandonment. I had been to 16 schools from kindergarten to the tenth grade which I did not complete due to being thrown out.
At 17 with a waiver from my mom I joined the US Navy for all the wrong reasons and couldn't even make it to my first assignment after graduating boot camp with out getting busted twice for pot and doing some time in the brig. Twenty three months after joining I had been found guilty of drug violations on six separate occasions plus a laundry list of delinquent issues ranging from unauthorized absences to failing to obey orders to disrespect of an officer. These resulted in multiple restrictions to duty station, 3 stays in the brig of thirty days or more, and a three days bread and water punishment. This all came to a close at Treasure Island Naval Station upon completing my last tour of the Brig and then being deposited outside the base gate with an Other Than Honorable discharge and a signed promise that I would never step foot on Navy property as long as I lived. From there I deposited myself in the hippy area of northern California and honed my addiction skills.
Y2K was good to me as that is when it all came crashing to an end, A DWI and a lose of what little I had to pay for it had me in deep dark despair which God responded to. After the witness of some close friends, a visit to a little Apostolic church, a bizarre bible study on BOTT radio, I found my self crying to God in the cab of my truck driving home from work. God responded by jumping into the truck with me and cleansing me from my addiction, right then, right there, that was when my life made the transition from darkness and into his marvelous light. I think God liked my pickup as he visited me there often. Peter may have walked on the water but I drove with no hands, praising God while my truck steered true and straight, until I started looking at the road. I know we traveled more than a mile that way.
God called me into ministry early, my first ministry was the church calendar which was a desk calendar in a case on the wall in the foyer. I bought colored pencils and got creative with the announcements, from there it was Foreign Missions Director for the church, and from there leading Wed and Sun night services. Nursing home and jail services soon followed.
I don't know the specific point I can say the call came down, but two instances stick out, one was that I immediately wanted so bad to serve God but I did not know how. In prayer God spoke to me one word, "learn", not long after in a prayer meeting I found a mysterious piece of paper with the simple instruction from Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which though knowest not, WOW! God has always been true to that promise.
In 2003 I wanted to become involved in jail ministry and teach ACTS substance abuse, I approached a brother about watching him and others at the St. Louis County Jail, little did I know that I would still be there in 2009 playing apart in Holy Ghost revival services week in and week out, or that I would be the district director of prison and restorative ministries as well as playing an integral part on a national level, indeed great and mighty things.
I have watched as God has provided for the burden of this ministry in so many ways, bringing in workers, interns from UGST, putting me in positions to mentor, and anointing me to take this ministry to a level never seen in our ranks before.
In addition to ever moving this ministry forward personally, locally, and in other churches, I have no doubt that the call to Pastor is on the horizon, the desire to plant a daughter work is something that my Pastor and I have discussed and we believe that in the next one to two years that will be a reality.
My advice to a young minister is to first get the visions of pulpits and sugarplums out of your head. Pulpit preaching is not to be minimized in ministry,but it is not where we start, faithfulness and contentment in knowing your calling and where you are at right now is. Understand all is in Gods hands and timing. Ministry is about being Christ-like, it is about service to Christ by serving others. Ministry titles and positions are nothing more than platforms from which to serve. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoners is how we win souls, and winning souls is the heart of the ministry. If we fail to go there first, we have no business in the pulpit. When we are in the pulpit it should be about saving souls. I have not been called to preach, I have been called to serve, sometimes that requires that I preach. When I do, it had better serve the church, not me. Whether in the church, in the jail or on the street, it should encourage, edify, reproof and perfect, it should engage the mind and the spirit, and in the end it should bring people closer to Christ. If those people then are empowered to reach more people then I preached successfully.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Rev. David Kellogg's Story
I am a 5th generation Pentecostal on both my mom and dad's side of the family. Some of the very first memories I have are of times at Church. When I was a child, we would be a Church on Monday night for prayer, Wednesday night Bible study, Saturday night fellowship and two services on Sunday. Most of the time, we had a Bible study with someone at our house on Tuesday or Thursday as well. Church was the center point of my life.
At about the age of 10 years old, my dad felt a calling into the ministry full time. He had served in various ministerial capacities in our home church but had not felt led to pursue a full time calling. At the age of 12, our family moved to Lebanon, IL, a suburb of St. Louis, MO where my father pastored a church for the next 2 years. At the age of 14, my mother and father obeyed a calling as a missionary pastor for a church in Kaiserslaughtern Germany as part of Foreign Missions serving the US Military in that area. My parents made a very difficult decision to leave me with my grandparents in Southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau) during the school year while they, my brother and sister lived in Germany. It was during the next several years that I first felt a call of God on my life while at the same time running from God...
During my High School years, I have the tremendous privilege during summer and Christmas vacation to travel to Germany. We traveled throughout Europe as a family. I also was selected to play for a traveling baseball team that traveled throughout Europe as well. Most significantly, my father took me on several missionary trips along with other European missionaries to Eastern European countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. It was hear that God really began to deal with me about ministry. I saw the poverty and hunger (both Spiritual and natural) of people in desperate situations. I saw God heal and fill so many. I heard the testimonies of men and women who did not realize there was a UPCI or organization that believed like they do. I heard them tell of their travels and persecution and imprisonment to take the gospel that had not been revealed to them by any person but by God through prayer. All of this made the Word come alive to me in a way that was so far beyond anything I had seen or thought...and God began dealing with me.
Throughout High School, I never fully committed to Church or God's calling. I was the only young person in my Church and was unfortunately heavily influenced by the only friends that I had in School. I received a baseball scholarship and went to college. The call of God still very real in my life, however I began to question everything. I started asking questions like...all of my friends in High School went to other churches...they seem like good people...how do I know that what I've been raised in is really the only way. And so I began to explore other religions. Soon after that, I stopped attending Church all together and entered into a dark time in my life. Only by the grace and mercy of God was I able to make it through without getting into trouble...and through it all, I was able to graduate from college with honors. Sometimes I look back and wonder how in the world that happened but I know it was the mercy and grace of God.
During my last semester in college, my parents were passing through and attending a church in Mattoon, IL. They asked if I would go with them. At first, I refused but later, mostly out of respect for them, I accepted their invitation. My parents knew how I was living and while it was hurting them a great deal, they never condemned me or got angry...they loved me the same as they always did and tried to encourage me to live right. I am so thankful for Godly and Grandparents who were covering me in prayer! In any event, I went to Church that night and to make a long story shorter, I re-committed my life to Jesus and have never looked back.
After graduation, I went to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN where I would work towards a Master and possibly a PhD School Psychology. My ultimate goal in College was to get into graduate school and work towards a career. As soon as I started, every day I prayed and began to feel a strong calling to Bible College. At first, I blew it off but could not get away from it. Now this was very difficult as my entire focus was on school and a career. I had a fully paid scholarship along with housing paid and a paid graduate assistant-ship under a professor. For me to walk away from that was to walk away from everything I had worked for and as it turned out, everything that tied me to the past 5 years of my life.
Finally, I surrendered and moved to St. Louis to attend Gateway College of Evangelism. I committed to God that I would stay there as long as he wanted me there. If that meant all 4 years then I would do it...if it meant 1 year, I would do that as well. God put some connections together very quickly. I moved in with missionary kid friends of my mine, Brad and Lance Reed (sons of Gary and Linda Reed). Little did we know it, our similar experiences created a bond that helped us encourage and help each other a great deal during the next couple years. I also quickly met Bro. Vic Votaw as Gateway. I spoke to him about a church he as starting in Chesterfield and felt led to help him. I quickly got very involved and became close to he and his wife as well as their children, Aaron, Amy and Hannah. The friendship with Hannah soon became more than just friends and we eventually married.
After 1 year at Gateway, God opened a door for a job opportunity in St. Louis and I felt led to take it. Hannah I became Associate Pastor for Bro. Votaw and worked in Chesterfield with him for the next several years until he decided to go back to Asia as a missionary. During this time, God blessed us greatly including the birth of our 3 children, Christina, Luke and Lily. After Bro. Votaw's going back to the field, I served as Pastor of the Church for the next two years. We then felt led to approach Bro. Dumaresq in Creve Coeur about our churches merging. Both Churches felt it was good and we made the transition. We have not been Associate Pastor for the Church in Creve Coeur for over 3 years
I am not exactly sure what direction God has for us in the future, however I am certain that He will reveal it to me. One thing I have learned is that God does not always show us every path. Often times His timing and direction are revealed in the most unlikely of ways. I believe we have to be open to whatever and wherever He wants us to do and trust in His power to order our steps. Ministry and calling comes in so many different forms and through so many different paths. Patience is also very important...things may not unfold the way we thought or when we thought. It could take years, however the key is to be faithful wherever God has us right now and to continue following Him.
This is my "story" and hearts desire...I want to serve in WHATEVER way He wants!
At about the age of 10 years old, my dad felt a calling into the ministry full time. He had served in various ministerial capacities in our home church but had not felt led to pursue a full time calling. At the age of 12, our family moved to Lebanon, IL, a suburb of St. Louis, MO where my father pastored a church for the next 2 years. At the age of 14, my mother and father obeyed a calling as a missionary pastor for a church in Kaiserslaughtern Germany as part of Foreign Missions serving the US Military in that area. My parents made a very difficult decision to leave me with my grandparents in Southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau) during the school year while they, my brother and sister lived in Germany. It was during the next several years that I first felt a call of God on my life while at the same time running from God...
During my High School years, I have the tremendous privilege during summer and Christmas vacation to travel to Germany. We traveled throughout Europe as a family. I also was selected to play for a traveling baseball team that traveled throughout Europe as well. Most significantly, my father took me on several missionary trips along with other European missionaries to Eastern European countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. It was hear that God really began to deal with me about ministry. I saw the poverty and hunger (both Spiritual and natural) of people in desperate situations. I saw God heal and fill so many. I heard the testimonies of men and women who did not realize there was a UPCI or organization that believed like they do. I heard them tell of their travels and persecution and imprisonment to take the gospel that had not been revealed to them by any person but by God through prayer. All of this made the Word come alive to me in a way that was so far beyond anything I had seen or thought...and God began dealing with me.
Throughout High School, I never fully committed to Church or God's calling. I was the only young person in my Church and was unfortunately heavily influenced by the only friends that I had in School. I received a baseball scholarship and went to college. The call of God still very real in my life, however I began to question everything. I started asking questions like...all of my friends in High School went to other churches...they seem like good people...how do I know that what I've been raised in is really the only way. And so I began to explore other religions. Soon after that, I stopped attending Church all together and entered into a dark time in my life. Only by the grace and mercy of God was I able to make it through without getting into trouble...and through it all, I was able to graduate from college with honors. Sometimes I look back and wonder how in the world that happened but I know it was the mercy and grace of God.
During my last semester in college, my parents were passing through and attending a church in Mattoon, IL. They asked if I would go with them. At first, I refused but later, mostly out of respect for them, I accepted their invitation. My parents knew how I was living and while it was hurting them a great deal, they never condemned me or got angry...they loved me the same as they always did and tried to encourage me to live right. I am so thankful for Godly and Grandparents who were covering me in prayer! In any event, I went to Church that night and to make a long story shorter, I re-committed my life to Jesus and have never looked back.
After graduation, I went to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN where I would work towards a Master and possibly a PhD School Psychology. My ultimate goal in College was to get into graduate school and work towards a career. As soon as I started, every day I prayed and began to feel a strong calling to Bible College. At first, I blew it off but could not get away from it. Now this was very difficult as my entire focus was on school and a career. I had a fully paid scholarship along with housing paid and a paid graduate assistant-ship under a professor. For me to walk away from that was to walk away from everything I had worked for and as it turned out, everything that tied me to the past 5 years of my life.
Finally, I surrendered and moved to St. Louis to attend Gateway College of Evangelism. I committed to God that I would stay there as long as he wanted me there. If that meant all 4 years then I would do it...if it meant 1 year, I would do that as well. God put some connections together very quickly. I moved in with missionary kid friends of my mine, Brad and Lance Reed (sons of Gary and Linda Reed). Little did we know it, our similar experiences created a bond that helped us encourage and help each other a great deal during the next couple years. I also quickly met Bro. Vic Votaw as Gateway. I spoke to him about a church he as starting in Chesterfield and felt led to help him. I quickly got very involved and became close to he and his wife as well as their children, Aaron, Amy and Hannah. The friendship with Hannah soon became more than just friends and we eventually married.
After 1 year at Gateway, God opened a door for a job opportunity in St. Louis and I felt led to take it. Hannah I became Associate Pastor for Bro. Votaw and worked in Chesterfield with him for the next several years until he decided to go back to Asia as a missionary. During this time, God blessed us greatly including the birth of our 3 children, Christina, Luke and Lily. After Bro. Votaw's going back to the field, I served as Pastor of the Church for the next two years. We then felt led to approach Bro. Dumaresq in Creve Coeur about our churches merging. Both Churches felt it was good and we made the transition. We have not been Associate Pastor for the Church in Creve Coeur for over 3 years
I am not exactly sure what direction God has for us in the future, however I am certain that He will reveal it to me. One thing I have learned is that God does not always show us every path. Often times His timing and direction are revealed in the most unlikely of ways. I believe we have to be open to whatever and wherever He wants us to do and trust in His power to order our steps. Ministry and calling comes in so many different forms and through so many different paths. Patience is also very important...things may not unfold the way we thought or when we thought. It could take years, however the key is to be faithful wherever God has us right now and to continue following Him.
This is my "story" and hearts desire...I want to serve in WHATEVER way He wants!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Now Introducing . . . Bro. Dumaresq!
Bro. D e-mailed me his bio and asked that I post it for him . . . so, here 'tis.
Pastor Says . . .
I was born in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. As a child of four years old my parents relocated to the city of Durban located off the Indian Ocean on the east coast of South Africa. I was placed in St. Martin’s Home for boys where I was raised and educated. After leaving the boys home, I continued my education until I dropped out to pursue a job situation. Due to lack of parental influence and direction, I became loosely involved with a gang led by my elder brother. From this point things started downhill for me-trouble with alcohol, discipline, police, and authorities. The following years of my young life became dark, evil, sinful, and disappointing. One night, while standing behind a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Catholic church garden with a bottle of wine in my hand, as I lifted the bottle to drink, I became disgusted with my life, and, looking up past the face of the statue, I prayed, “God if you are able to help me – please do so."
Around 1960, God started to intervene in my life. In the midst of my hedonistic indulgences I met Karleen Sargent, a British subject living with her family in the St. Andrew’s Hotel. We fell in love and consummated our marriage on the 1 October, 1962.
We took up provisional residence in a small hotel until we could find an apartment. Several days after our marriage, we met a family that witnessed to us both and convinced us to attend their church. That Sunday night we surrendered our lives to Christ. We were later baptized and filled with the Hoy Spirit. For the first five years of our Christian walk we attended Full Gospel churches where they preached God as a Trinity. We were happy serving the Lord!
About 1967, we met Brother and Sister Carpenter, missionaries with the United Pentecostal Church International who witnessed to us about baptism in the Name of Jesus and the oneness of God. After many questions and personal research on the Godhead, we accepted the truth of God’s Word. We were re-baptized and started to attend the Oneness church.
The call of God was on my heart and I started to help preach and teach in a couple UPCI churches in Durban, South Africa. I felt the call of God to attend Bible college and further my knowledge in God’s Word. After much fervent prayer then discussion with Brother Carpenter, we settled to leave South Africa in early 1971 to attend Conquerors' Bible College in Portland Oregon.
Leaving South Africa we stopped by London, England where we worked until our flight to the USA.
Arriving in Portland, Oregon in the fall of 1971, I began a three-year course in Biblical studies. My fourth year was spent as an intern at the college. It was at this time that God impressed on my heart to begin evangelizing. With the help of God, I purchased a 26-foot travel trailer and a Chevy pick-up truck. We evangelized across the USA for about five years, experiencing God’s power and miracles. After a trip to England we arrived back in the USA and relocated to St. Louis, Missouri.
In January 1980 we were elected as pastor of The Pentecostal Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The church began to grow and revival fires broke out amongst the members. Home Bible studies were conducted along with all night prayer meetings that were well attended. There was a well-rounded growth in every department of the church.
About 1990 my first wife developed cancer and by 1995 the cancer had spread through her body and she passed away November 2, 1995. The next few years were years of resting in God’s love and mercy. Though I thought marriage would never occur in my life again, God had His own plan for me.
I met Irina, a Russian woman, in St. Louis in 1997, . Irina had attended an underground church whilst in Moscow and there was gloriously saved and healed. She immigrated to the USA around 1995 and shortly after began work in St. Louis. We were married 17 January, 1998. Both my present wife and I have been serving in leading The Pentecostal Church until the present time.
Pastor Says . . .
I was born in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. As a child of four years old my parents relocated to the city of Durban located off the Indian Ocean on the east coast of South Africa. I was placed in St. Martin’s Home for boys where I was raised and educated. After leaving the boys home, I continued my education until I dropped out to pursue a job situation. Due to lack of parental influence and direction, I became loosely involved with a gang led by my elder brother. From this point things started downhill for me-trouble with alcohol, discipline, police, and authorities. The following years of my young life became dark, evil, sinful, and disappointing. One night, while standing behind a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Catholic church garden with a bottle of wine in my hand, as I lifted the bottle to drink, I became disgusted with my life, and, looking up past the face of the statue, I prayed, “God if you are able to help me – please do so."
Around 1960, God started to intervene in my life. In the midst of my hedonistic indulgences I met Karleen Sargent, a British subject living with her family in the St. Andrew’s Hotel. We fell in love and consummated our marriage on the 1 October, 1962.
We took up provisional residence in a small hotel until we could find an apartment. Several days after our marriage, we met a family that witnessed to us both and convinced us to attend their church. That Sunday night we surrendered our lives to Christ. We were later baptized and filled with the Hoy Spirit. For the first five years of our Christian walk we attended Full Gospel churches where they preached God as a Trinity. We were happy serving the Lord!
About 1967, we met Brother and Sister Carpenter, missionaries with the United Pentecostal Church International who witnessed to us about baptism in the Name of Jesus and the oneness of God. After many questions and personal research on the Godhead, we accepted the truth of God’s Word. We were re-baptized and started to attend the Oneness church.
The call of God was on my heart and I started to help preach and teach in a couple UPCI churches in Durban, South Africa. I felt the call of God to attend Bible college and further my knowledge in God’s Word. After much fervent prayer then discussion with Brother Carpenter, we settled to leave South Africa in early 1971 to attend Conquerors' Bible College in Portland Oregon.
Leaving South Africa we stopped by London, England where we worked until our flight to the USA.
Arriving in Portland, Oregon in the fall of 1971, I began a three-year course in Biblical studies. My fourth year was spent as an intern at the college. It was at this time that God impressed on my heart to begin evangelizing. With the help of God, I purchased a 26-foot travel trailer and a Chevy pick-up truck. We evangelized across the USA for about five years, experiencing God’s power and miracles. After a trip to England we arrived back in the USA and relocated to St. Louis, Missouri.
In January 1980 we were elected as pastor of The Pentecostal Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The church began to grow and revival fires broke out amongst the members. Home Bible studies were conducted along with all night prayer meetings that were well attended. There was a well-rounded growth in every department of the church.
About 1990 my first wife developed cancer and by 1995 the cancer had spread through her body and she passed away November 2, 1995. The next few years were years of resting in God’s love and mercy. Though I thought marriage would never occur in my life again, God had His own plan for me.
I met Irina, a Russian woman, in St. Louis in 1997, . Irina had attended an underground church whilst in Moscow and there was gloriously saved and healed. She immigrated to the USA around 1995 and shortly after began work in St. Louis. We were married 17 January, 1998. Both my present wife and I have been serving in leading The Pentecostal Church until the present time.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
My Story
As We Begin
Since this is a blog by ministers for ministers about ministry, it seems appropriate if we would all begin by briefly sharing our "ministry biographies," if you will. How were you called to ministry? In what types of ministry have you participated? What is your vision for your future ministry? What are the two most important things you've learned about being in ministry that you would share with a new minister?
Me First
So, since I'm the one proposing all these questions, I'll go ahead and answer them. One Sunday morning during the preaching (I was maybe 13 or 14), I had one of the oddest experiences of my life. I was looking up at the pulpit from my pew, and I saw myself behind the pulpit. The thought that crossed my mind was something like, "You know, I could do that!"
Up to that point, I'd never considered ministry at all. My dad's a letter carrier. I had always told people that when I grew up I wanted to be a computer engineer. (Now, I can't remember why I ever wanted to be that; I've always hated math.) I don't know that I would label that the actual moment of my "calling," but it was the first time I had even considered "ministry" as a career option.
I'm sort of "all or nothing" personality, so I latched on to the idea. I wasn't even in high school but I bought all the required reading for a UPC local license! (As Bro. Blash would probably say, "That's not normal. That's diagnosable!") I really thought that God was calling me to home missions work mainly because I had grown up in home missions churches.
My First "Aha" Moment
Two experiences since then have really shaped my ministry path. The first occurred the summer I turned 18. I was invited, with some other young preachers, to "tag-team" during Youth Day (a Thursday) of Family Camp. What nobody outside my family knew was that 18 years prior, on the Sunday before Family Camp 1979, I had been diagnosed with bacterial spinal meningitis; I was only five days old. The saints gathered at Family Camp prayed for me every day and, on Thursday, when I was 10 days old, the bacteria in my spinal column stopped growing.
Eighteen years later I was preaching at Family Camp. And that's when I recognized that I truly was called to preach.
That was also when I decided to go to Bible college. I stayed home and worked for a year saving money, then came to Gateway in Fall 1998. My goal at that point was to start a home missions work in Kearney. However, coming to Gateway radically changed all that. I discovered an aptitude for academic biblical study (I graduated valedictorian of my class with a 4.o). The instructors at Gateway recognized the aptitude, too; in fact, Bro. Littles had me work as his "assistant" my second year and really cultivated my desire to further my theological education.
My Second "Aha" Moment
My second "aha" moment was less of a "point in time" and more of a process that occurred my senior year of college. And it wasn't just "me and Jesus," but involved leaders. Bro. Johnston approached me about "test-lecturing" my senior year to see if I enjoyed teaching in a Bible college environment. If I thought it might be something I was interested in doing, he offered that I could teach at Gateway while I finished a Master's. I taught two courses (Major Prophets--still my favorite class; and Systematic Theology) my senior year AND LOVED IT!
Now, I know this sounds like bragging, and it certainly would be, except for the realization that dawned on me in the midst of all these attentions and accolades. When I contracted meningitis, my pediatrician gave my parents all the statistics about what could happen to me. He especially warned my parents that, since I was so young, there was a good possibility I would be mentally handicapped or have severe learning difficulties. But isn't just like God to take what should have been my weakest area (intellectual ability/school work) and make it into a strength?
I came to realize that Paul's words: "You are not your own, you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies" (1 Cor. 6:20) literally applied to my brain. My brain should be damaged; I shouldn't be a "good student." Whatever smarts I have are directly the result of God's mercy on me! Therefore, my passion for studying and teaching the Word of God comes right down to this one simple fact: my mind is a gift from God and I must use it for Him. I don't pursue education so everyone will think I'm smart; I pursue it so that I may be counted a faithful steward of the gifts God has given me.
Future Vision
So, where do I plan to go from here? I only know for certain that God has called me to teach. But I also realize that I can teach the Word of God in all sorts of venues--seminary, Bible college, local church, youth group. So, I came into Pentecostal Church with one quest: how can I best share my gift of teaching with this congregation? My goal as a youth pastor right now is to do my best to ground young people in the Word of God. If I become a home missionary, my goal will be to ground new people in the Word of God. If I become a pastor, the goal will be to ground the church people in the Word of God. If I have no formal leadership position in a church, my goal will still be to help ground people in the Word of God!
What I've Learned
You see, I had unwittingly defined "ministry" as "home missions" andtherefore almost missed my true calling as a teacher. I now realize that being a teacher doesn't exclude home missions work (Duh! Most home missionaries spend a good part of their time teaching Bible studies to new converts.) or, for that matter, any other specific "ministry position." The mistake I made has led me to these two key pieces of advice for a new minister:
1. Define your calling not your ministry.
The first never changes; the second never stays the same. I am called to be a teacher; I am currently involved in Bible college and youth ministries. But even if I stop working I Gateway or being youth pastor at Pentecostal Church of Creve Coeur, I will never stop being a teacher of the Word. Evangelism (winning new converts) is the calling; evangelist (itinerant preacher) is just one type of evangelistic ministry.
Let me add another difference: God defines your calling; the Church defines your ministry. I couldn't teach at a Bible college if we didn't have them. I couldn't be a youth pastor if we didn't have any youth in our Church. Which leads to the second thing I've learned . . .
2. Ministry means "service."
To paraphrase JFK: "Ask not what your church can do for you (what titles or offices could be conferred on you), ask what you can do for your church (what gifts and talents do you bring and how can those best be utilized to the benefit of this group)." I'll admit, I'm not very comfortable (or very good at) teaching the Bible to high-schoolers. But it's what our church needs, so it's what I'll do . . . and I'll do my best to get better at it!
I know this was a rather long post. Maybe your journey in ministry has been totally different than mine. Maybe God has given you a very specific job description. But, now that you've heard my story, I'd love to hear yours!
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