Has It Been That Long?

Romans 10:18
.....Their sound has gone out to all the earth. And their words to the ends of the world.

Today is an anniversary of sorts. Sixteen years ago, Jim Bentley ordained me as pastor into the Association of Vineyard Churches. Has it really been that long? Yet, it seems as though it was only yesterday. I won't go over the journey that lead me to that day. Suffice it to say that I had been running from "the call" for 30+ years. Why? Because of my own insecurities No one told me that God loves insecure people who can't. That opens the door for Him to "Can". This very thought in my heart kept me afraid of walking in that calling. Like Jonah, I ran. Oh, there weren't any whales or trips to Tarshish on my journey. But there was a whole lot of trying to find a peaceful place to live in.  Bless their hearts...my family....I took them on a whale (no pun intended) of a ride. Through out it all, God never relented or cast me aside, but patiently waited until the time was right. 

My running took us into some ditches along the way. Ditches that I thought we'd never get out of. Usually, what I have found out, these ditches or problems I found myself in were a result of bad choices on my part. God was ever the tow truck to pull me out and set me back on the road. I didn't know this at the time, but today I am grateful for His actions.

February of 1998, God spoke to me at a conference the Anniston Vineyard was hosting. His words were very clear and very scary. "You are to quit your job and begin full time on August the first." Quit my job? I didn't even have a church that had called me to pastor. Wasn't exactly the news I wanted to take home and break to the family. I remember getting home and telling my wife, Vicki, that God had spoken to me. Without batting an eye, she said, "Your suppose to quit your job and you're to go full time for God on August the first. Seems as though God had been speaking to her. That's my wife! I do love that woman.

You see the funny part in this journey is that when God called me, God called my wife also. The marriage bound us together and she has been right there with me every step of the way.  I don't know how a call to serve or a marriage can exist if both parties aren't willing to move forward together. I've seen many a good marriage end because of this dilemma. I am grateful to my wife and to her tenacity over the years. There have been several occasions when I wanted to quit. When life just seemed to be totally overwhelming and there was no way out. My wife would say..."Then quit! Don't do it anymore. Now what? What are you going to do now?" Sometimes a  little slap to the face (and heart) with spiritual truth  is needed to wake you up. I didn't quit and that which seemed to be insurmountable and over whelming faded from view as the days and weeks moved on.

Rather than have a church call me to pastor, I called the church. I talked with Jim Bentley and asked him, "I want to pastor here at the Vineyard." I was already overseeing the morning service so everything was in place for me. We both agreed that the church couldn't support two pastors at that time. I assured him that they didn't have to pay me anything, that I was just trying to be obedient to what God had called me to. You see, I don't know that I would have fit in anywhere else but the Vineyard. That isn't a shot against any other church or denomination, it is just the truth of who God created me to be. Being in the Vineyard is like putting on a pair of old tennis shoes that fit you like a glove. There is a level of spiritual comfort that frees me to not be concerned with anything but teaching God's word and training others to play in His Kingdom.  So I called the church rather than wait for them to call me to pastor. 

Tonight I will go to that building on Broad Street and unlock those front doors.
I'll pull chairs and set the room. Get the sound equipment ready, and practice with the worship team. Then at 7 p.m. we will gather under the name of Vineyard Recovery Fellowship. God will show up because we've been in prayer all week for His presence to be with us. Seth Barber will stand and deliver what has been birthed in his heart and spirit. Over all this activity, God's Holy Spirit will be moving and touching those who are present...me included. There will be change in the air tonight as hearts and lives are turned over to Him.  That is why I do this. God called...and He would not have called had he not wanted to see lives changed for His kingdom. I've said it before and I'll say it again...it's not about me...never was and never will be. It's about HIM! I just unlock the door's and make sure there is toilet paper on the little "roll-ey" things.
Thank you Lord for 16....
Hope there are more to come.

God on you....
mb