Introduction
It was on December 29th, 1999 when I decided to give my life over to Jesus. I knew all the fundamental facts of the gospel, the “Church of Christ” teachings, and about salvation (I had pretty good bible school teachers). During the latter part of the year 1999, more of my youth group friends were giving their lives over to Jesus. In addition to that, there was an enormous scare around the world. People believed that when the year 2000 arrived that the world may “shut down and end”. Knowing what I knew about God, heaven, and hell, I walked down the aisle and gave the preacher my hand and God my heart. I knew that if I were to die then, I would go straight to hell. And so I obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ on December 29th, 1999 at the age of eleven.
In the midst of all of that, around the age of thirteen, for some unknown reason, I decided to listen to the preacher. David Wilson is a precise, studious expositor of the Word. His messages were always relevant expositions driven from the text. At the age of thirteen, he was heavily preaching on the topic of “Purpose.” At a young age, the things that were mention blew my mind and caused me to question the purpose of my own existence. After months of child-like prayers and tears flowing from my eyes, for some unknown reason, I woke up from a nap one day I said, “I want to be a preacher.” The following Sunday, I decided to inform the preacher of my desire to preach. He took me under his wings and we walked together learning the craft of preaching. I began preaching at the age of sixteen and was well on my journey to becoming a preacher.
David Wilson in a series of teachings, drills, and discussions shared with me all that he knew about expository preaching and teaching. As a result of his consistent mentor-ship, he used me frequently to preach in his absence. The more I preached, the more I grew in passion and capability in preaching. After every sermon, I received constructive criticism that gave me an opportunity to learn from my mistakes.
Exposure to Exposition & Relevance
David Wilson was trained intensively by Arnelious Crenshaw, minister of the Northeast church of Christ in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Arnelious Crenshaw instilled within David Wilson the importance, vitality, and effectiveness of expository preaching and relevant ministry. David Wilson, after being trained relocated to Brooklyn, New York to serve the Kings church as their minister. From his first sermon, Bro. Wilson showed the congregation that he wasn’t re-locating to New York City to be stagnant and ineffective. I remember him sharing with the congregation that he was on a mission and that he expects disciples to be a part of the mission that he believed that God was placing in his heart.
As a young man growing up under the ministry of Bro. Wilson it was an experience that has and is shaping my identity as a minister and my passion for ministry. Bro. Wilson introduced and executed a ministry of discipline, focus, vision, purpose, structure, and relevance. I witnessed the church grow from a sloppy and lazy structure (which was prior to his coming) to a ministry that believes in excellence. Everything that came out of the mouth of Bro. Wilson was about mission, purpose, and vision. Even though as a young man, I really didn’t appreciate the ministry I was brought up in, I was truly aware of what was going on. As I began to embrace my calling and zeal for ministry, I began to be immersed in the ministry context of the Kings church. At the age of sixteen, I began to be involved in the retention and shepherding ministry. Within this ministry, the men who were
training to be elders were already doing the work of a shepherd. I was serving as an assistant to those who were shepherding the flock. This was made possible because one aspect of the vision that Bro. Wilson had for the church was that while men were being trained for leadership, young men needed to be exposed to what is looks like to be a leader. In addition to my participation in the shepherding ministry, I was also involved in the men’s empowerment, disciple-makers, and pulpit ministries.
As stated before, I believe that the location of my birth, the ministry context I was
placed in, and the experiences I’ve received within that day and time shaped my thinking and perspective of what ministry looks like. The idea of a ministerial identity looks more like a person of God who has been consecrate to the call of Christ. I believe that the actions or lifestyle of a consecrated individual is when one immerses themselves in seasons of prayer, study, meditation, and fasting. I believe that a lifestyle of consecration to Christ opens the heart and mind of God which result to God pouring out His vision into the heart and mind of the consecrated servant. I believed this to be true at a young age and began to annually fast and diligently seek the heart and mind of Christ. Stories in the Bible like Nehemiah and Esther were close to my heart and served as guiding pillars for my journey in consecration. Even to this day, I schedule an annual season of fasting and prayer.
Experience in the South
It was August of 2006 where I left my home to enroll into Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas. While working on my bachelors, I served as a youth minister at the Cedar Crest church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. In addition to that, I was travelling frequently around Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana to preach at any given Sunday and at special occasions. Upon graduating in May 2010, I participated in a yearlong delightful internship with the Cedar Hill church of Christ in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Throughout my travels and ministerial experience, I saw something that was dishearten to me. With much respect to my brothers and sisters in the above locations, I saw a lot of religion but a lack of discipleship. I witness division upon brethren and I saw the poor oppressed. I saw churches with large facilities, but with empty pews. I witness popular preachers highly respected at different venues but hardly known by their own people. I saw and sat through glamorous gospel meetings and lectureships but witness the poor oppressed and unchurch people untouched for Christ.
As a result of my experience within the bible-belt and/or the south, a greater passion grew within me to focus on the northeast. Though my experience in the South wasn’t completely a disturbing one, I felt that the countless number of churches of Christ on “every corner” was enough. I felt in my heart that communities didn’t need more congestion of divided churches warring against each other for members. I felt in my heart that I needed to one day accept the environment of church politics and church battles and focus on entering into a place that has been abandoned, neglected, and overlooked.
The calling
The more I ponder on my experience in the South, the more I begin to see why I was born in the Northeast. There is a reason why I was born and raised in the northeastern area of United States. I saw firsthand the constant spiritual drought that plagued the entire tri-state (NY, NJ, and Conn.) area including the various neighboring states. I saw firsthand the extreme difficulties to do ministry in this highly populated, highly expensive, and highly regulated part of the United States. I saw why many servants didn’t want to serve here because it was and is easier to prosper and be fruitful in ministry in the south. In the south, the seeds religion has already been planted within the hearts of people. In other words, the south is already filled with “religious” individuals. A disciples, than will simply have to water that plant and God will give the increase. Though that may seem ideal,
from my observation, there wasn’t many churches that were doing this. I’ve seen lectureships that were designed to confined people to a set of rules and teachings rather then lectureships that focus on learning more about effective ministries. I’ve seen churches split and fight over pity things while the surrounding neighborhood is still “left for dead” with no hope.
The Northeast
Ever since I decided to give my life over to the ministry of Christ, I’ve always have had a passion and desire to serve in the northeastern area. As my passion grew for the northeast, I began to study different ministries that were targeting New York City. I noticed that many churches and academic institutions where focused on New York City area. I was impressed and encouraged by the vision of many who saw and knew the need for ministry in that area.
In witnessing a growing desire by many to serve in New York City, there was something inside of me that desired to pick another area that had a need. I knew that my personality fit more in a multi-ethnic diverse metropolitan area. Therefore, I began to look at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia has a rich history that is filled with art, music, and a diverse population. I prayerfully looked into Philadelphia and made a commitment to visit the area once a year to get more familiar with the area.
The summer of 2011 was my first visit to Philadelphia and I heard and saw the calling of God to serve in ministry in that location. The trip showed me that the growing contemporary city was desperately in need for Christianity. As I was touring the city, I thought to myself: If I was to come here, serve, and disciple people to Christ, then I will have to come with a missional mindset. Therefore, I believe that God has placed me a journey that is heading toward south Philadelphia to plant a ministry
Ever since I plugged my eyes on Philadelphia, I have grown to have this burning desire to be a servant there. I truly do not know what my ministerial identity will be if the Lord calls me to serve in Philadelphia. I believe that is it through me being consecrated to Christ and being immersed in the context of Philadelphia where I will begin to see the identity that I must have in order for me to be effective. With possibly a few more items that maybe added to the list, I do not believe that the recognition of my ministerial identity will occur separate and apart from a consecrated life and an immersion into the context of communities in Philadelphia.
My constant struggle
If I were to be honest, I sometimes struggle with my passion and ‘calling’. I often wonder if my passion and calling has been tainted by selfishness; my “buy-in” to believing that the Northeast has an enormous need for ministry; and if “just picking Philadelphia” was the best way to go about deciphering my calling. I often ask myself questions like: 1. Is this truly what God really want me to do? 2. Aren’t I too young to know what I’ll be doing in life? 3. Why does it seem like everyone else says they’re “not sure what God want them to do in the future…” but they’re open to His calling? 4. Why do I seem so sure that I’m going to Philadelphia? 5. Why am I struggling with this “calling”? I have decided therefore to be more humble and “slow to speak” concerning God calling. Is this the right approach or is it a lack of trust and a self-centered focus?
Journey through ACU
I am currently entering into my third year in the GST program. Out of all the classes I took during my second year, my missional classes with Dr. Kent Smith have had a profound impact in my calling and identity. The idea and concept of being missional, according to Dr. Smith is the notion that a missional Christian believes that God is a working God. Therefore, a Christian should actively pay attention to what God is doing and participate in His work. This understanding of what is means to be missional has shaped my perspective in regards to church planting in the Northeast.
Prior to taking Dr. Smith’s class, I had preconceived ideas regarding how I would plant a church in the Northeast. I had everything mapped out from the first day of starting the church plant to the first day the church entered through the door of its church building. The ideology of being missional does not discount planning; however, it promotes paying attention to what God is up to in the world. Therefore, as Professor Smith would say, Christians should be “attention payers.”
Conclusion
I believe that God positioned my birth in the northeast; revealed an enormous need for ministry to be done in the northeast; led me to experience life and ministry in the south; and allowed me to have a burning desire for Philadelphia for a reason. I believe that the Lord positioned me at Abilene Christian University to learn, grow, and experience a Graduate School of Theology Masters of Arts in Divinity with a concentration of Missions degree so that I will be expose both to academics as well as the practice of ministry.
While I struggle from time to time with my “calling” and my “identity” as a minister, I believe that the journey here in Abilene has added variables to my transformation as a servant of Christ. I will continue to take a more humble and open stance when it comes down to God’s calling for my life. I look forward to my journey through ACU. I have faith that God will continue to shape me to be a missional servant.