On The Job Training

Last week I wrote an article about how we need to be less of control freaks, and more of encouragers trusting God to gift people for ministry. Well this week I want to tell you a testimony that confirms that truth. I have a friend who is a recovering alcholic, who sometimes fights with his wife, and often times regrets other actions in his life as well. When Paul said that it was trustworthy and reliable to say that Christ came to save sinners, of whom Paul was the worst, my friend might tell Paul that he wasn't so sure because he was pretty bad himself. This friend of mine became a Christian just a couple of months back, and his life is starting to become more Christ like everyday. He still has problems, he still sins way more than he wants to or should, yet he is trying with all of his heart to follow Christ. So as this man approaches me and asks for ministry in the church "wisdom" would say to tell him no, have him sit back and study the word a while, sit under some solid teaching and preaching, and then at some undetermined point in the future we would plug him into ministry. A lot of people would say that "wisdom" was heavenly wisdom, but I put it in quotes because I think that it is the world's wisdom not God's, and I think I can back that up. Interested? Then read on -

You see this man's name is Kyle Kelley. If you were to look at Kyle you would see a man nearly covered with tattoos who does not look like the "model christian" whatever that looks like. The night Kyle got saved he sat in my home telling me and the rest of a small group of close friends how badly he wanted his mom to come to know Christ as well. God had immediately put a burden for the lost on Kyle's heart. Kyle even drove hundreds of miles to see his mom and tried to share while he was there. He came back and said that it didn't work to well because he didn't have enough answers. I told him I knew what he meant, and then I encouraged him to get in an evangelism class we have at church called the Way of the Master. While he was waiting for that class to start Kyle joined the worship team, and is learning to play hand drums, as well as trying to learn the guitar. Also he comes to small group every week, and he even started helping out in the children's ministry. Yes that is right a couple month old Christian is be given ministry.

So finally a couple weeks ago the evangelism class started, Kyle broke down crying while he was telling everyone why he wanted to take the class. His heart was broken for the lost, by the way he still has some problems and still struggles with his alcoholism. The very first week, it is an intro into the course, however Kyle took what he picked up from the intro and tried to lead his friend Tom Walter to the Lord. Well poor Kyle botched the job and confused Tom, so he told Tom to come to a men's breakfast at the church on the Saturday following his first class. Tom came, sat through a study on Every Man's Battle, and at the end of the study he repented of his sins and became a Christian. It looks like Kyle might not have botched it so bad after all.

Class number two on the Way of the Master happened this past Sunday. It was a class called Discovering Hell's Best Kept Secret. Well Kyle was there, and so was Tom the one day old Christian. Look's like the Lord really did a work in Tom and Kyle both. And this brings us to last night. Kyle has another friend named Robert Oldeck, who was having some marital problems and other issues. Kyle sat him down and took him through the only four of the Ten Commandments he could remember - lying, aldutery, theft, and blasphemy. Just using those four commandments alone Robert was convicted of his sin (which is what the commandments are really for) and asked Kyle how to fix it. Kyle drew upon his small knowledge and told Robert that he needed to repent and trust the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. He even explained to him what repentance was. He went so far as to tell him that he couldn't just keep on doing the same sin over and over again without caring because that wasn't real repentance. He told him he was going to sin again after he got saved, but he had to want to not sin and work to follow Christ. I don't know if you like his definition, but I think it was great.

So here we are, two or three month old Christian, Kyle Kelley, has been an instrument that God has used to bring two people into his grace and mercy. We all know this scripture probably: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 I think that have seen from this testimony that part of presenting yourself approved, and rightly handling the word of truth has some "on the job" training. Pray for Kyle as he seeks more opportunities to minister.