Radioshack adapters and passion

A Brother “electronic” typewriter and a couple sets of sheets— part of my teenage years were marked by those things.

Recently, my good friend Scottie and I were reminiscing about the “olden days.” When he was 17 and I was 16, we became best friends over a lively debate at a local Huddle House Restaurant. From there began Crossfire Ministries which would later turn into Spirit-Led.

We were hungry and ready to charge Hell with a water pistol. A quote from Kris Vallotton the other week was the topic of our reminiscent conversation. He said that when he began in ministry he was taught to always prepare as if he were speaking to 1000s, be faithful in the seemingly small things and see where God will take you. So, he would spend hours praying, studying and preparing for 11 people in the nursing home where he held a service every Sunday for five years. Don’t despise the day of small beginnings. 

That brought to memory the Brother typewriter and the sheets. When we had a “service” scheduled back then, and even when we didn't, it was on. Perhaps, first, a kayak ride down the Broad River to clear our heads, and then it was on to hours upon hours of prayer, worship to 90s praise music, studying, drama practice and writing on that Brother typewriter at the church. Then, we would practice preaching— late nights preaching to an empty room or to each other (it was always awkward when the cleaning people walked in). Then, no need to go home at night, we got the sheets, we would take a “nap” in a Sunday School room then start over. It was about basking in His Presence and being propelled out of that.

Every pew, seat and door was prayed over. Our make-shift “sound system,” which was a boom box on the front row with SEVERAL Radioshack adapters haphazardly connected was very much prayed over. One night, the “altar call” music ran out, and the song “I’m Sorry Ms. Jackson,” which we thought we had fully “taped over,” began to play. I suppose we didn’t pray over it that night. Of course, it didn’t help that the youth leader at that particular church was, you guessed it, Mrs. Jackson… There were mistakes all over the place!

We had no idea what we were doing. In fact, when we would show up somewhere for a service, the question was usually, “Wait, how old are y’all?” One thing we did have, though, was passion and no matter whether one person or 1,000 showed up, we were going to be ready with hours and hours of worship, prayer and prep behind each service. We just wanted to hear from Him and see people set ablaze to go after Him.

As we talked the other night about those days, I just wanted to go back in time. It was glorious to think about, and it was convicting to say the least. I began to think about how, comparing then to now, I fall short. Those kids had something. Yeah, we screwed up a ton in ministry and personally as you would expect teenagers to do, but all that aside, I can’t think about that time without crying and being challenged. 

I remember Jeremiah 29:13 was a verse that was marked up in my then, multi-colored study Bible, “You will seek Me and you will find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” That was a leading verse. It was about just seeking hard after Him and taking Him to people. 

There were not stadiums of people coming to Jesus. No one, to my knowledge, got up out of a wheelchair, but it was about being faithful in the small things, not despising the day of small beginnings. It was about knowing that He was entrusting us, a dude with a semi-afro and a 130-pound redhead, with a group of people, and we dared not disappoint Him. We didn’t take it lightly.

There was no voice saying, "If you will be found faithful in this, I will entrust communities in Peru to you." I didn't even know what a "Peru" was then, but I knew Him, and that was all that mattered.

I use that period of time as a check for myself. So, as I have been challenged, I challenge you, especially those of you that find yourself in “ministry.” As one scholar once said, we just need more weak-kneed ministers. Whatever you have to do to get back to that is worth it. Grab a set of sheets and go lay on the floor. As Heidi Baker says, the most productive thing you can do is be in His Presence.

In the early days posing with Pastor Earl in North Carolina