There are many things I love about Eufola Baptist Church. I could go on and on.
But there’s also something about when the Lord directs you to a place that makes it extra special.
It was around 2014 that I felt called to preach. At the time, I didn’t know what that would mean for my life, but my perception was that it meant I would go into full-time pastoral or evangelistic work.
But there were a few problems with that: I didn’t necessarily feel called into either of those things. I certainly didn’t really fit the mold of so many others who I respected that did those things. And no “opportunities” really came about.
I had also developed a passion for stuff you didn’t really hear about in church very often, such as science as it relates to the Bible, Christian apologetics, etc. So the path was far from clear what God would do with this calling I felt.
I loved the church we were going at the time (and the people there, deeply), but after coming to Eufola, things really clicked into place.
From day one, Eufola’s leadership has given me permission to just be a Bible nerd. To preach and teach about the subjects that fire me up. And to help spread the passion for those ideas throughout our church family.
Tonight I’ll start an 8-week series on science and the Bible–something I am SO excited to be teaching on. We’ve had a fantastic number of people to register and I’m sure some will show up that didn’t register, too. How encouraging!
The point is: Don’t give up when your ministry doesn’t look like you think it should. God has a plan for what YOUR ministry will look like. Continue forward in faithfulness, make wise decisions, and let him worry about the details.
I’ve had so much joy come from exercising the gift God has given me to teach within my local congregation; it’d be fine with me if that’s “all” I ever get to do.
But that’s the twist: It isn’t all I ever get to do.
For example, as a result of my professional work colliding with my ministry work, I have the opportunity to work with some incredible professionals in the creation science community and work on some forthcoming projects that I believe will be gamechanging.
I’ve had the opportunity to write a few books (I have two new ones in process right now). And I have lots more ideas for the future.
Your ministry will take surprising turns if you let God be in charge of it instead of following some path you “think” you should take. His way is always better.