"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18:20 NRSV
I had been at the Salvation Army (S.A.) for about 3 weeks and had been reading my bible and doing consistent daily devotional time when God sent a Band of Brothers to show me the way. One Monday morning I was in the lunch room and we were just about to have breakfast when Ed Jackson introduced some men from Lakewood Church. Rawle Joseph got up to speak. He told us that him and some guys from Lakewood were about to start a class at the the S.A. called "Quest for Authentic Manhood." This class would teach us how to be better Christian men. Well I took one look at them and I said, "Those guys came here to get me."
That was it. That was the beginning. I realized very quickly that these were the kind of loving Christian men that I needed in my life in order to learn how to live free!
So I started that night in Quest and I instantly bonded with these men. In fact two of the men, John Trevino (Best Man) and BB Carrasco (Groomsman) are in my wedding. Brandon Bedingfield (Groomsman) would come into my life later.
I started calling these guys everyday from the pay phone at the S.A. asking if they would come pick me up and take me to church. I started fellowshipping with them and they would take me to dinner after church and then take me back to the S.A. These guys never told me what to do...they showed me what they did. I remember asking them when I first met them where they went to AA (They all had struggle with alcohol/drugs) and they told me that they didn't go to AA. Now they had my attention. They told me that Jesus had removed drugs and alcohol from their lives totally! Now I was really listening!
Not only did I start to fellowship with them but I started serving with them on the Lakewood Men's Ministry. When I got out and got my own apartment I started serving with them on the Men's Encounter team. These guys were the real deal. They shared their stories of salvation with me. They shared how they had lost everything and tried AA and all the programs but nothing worked until Jesus saved their life. They modeled what REAL Christian men looked like. I saw how they cared for their wives and kids. I saw how they too struggled with everyday chaos but that they believed in Jesus and they followed the way of the Bible. They showed me how to pray and how to read the Bible. I knew that they cared for me and I knew that they loved me. This was something that I was searching for and longing for. True unconditional brotherly love.
I started volunteering at church...
Well it looks like the end of this Faith Action has come.
To Recap:
Get yourself surrounded by Loving, Caring Christian Men. We as men need to feel love and respected. There are so many churches out there. And hey...if at first you don't feel like the Men's Ministry that you are involved with is helping you then please try another one. Remember your LIFE and your PURPOSE depends on it.
Next time in Faith Action #3 we will get into being at church ALL THE TIME!
We love you and are praying for you!
And remember...Jesus IS KING!