Do I Believe? Part Three:

Hello To All:

It was not long after my conversion, that the Lord our God brought me to a deep and abiding understanding, that part of His plan, for my life, was the ordained ministry. I was to become an elder (elder, as used here, is in the New Testament context of ordained elder; as being opposed to the contemporary context of an elder being elected, by popular vote, for a term of office, as is, typically, the practice in the western church). How this was to happen, was not made clear to me; but, the fact that it would happen, was made very clear.

Shortly after my conversion, I became a part of the institutional church, by becoming a member of a well organized and denominational church. I liked how everything, including teachings and doctrines were all neatly systematized and clearly stated. Seemingly, here was understanding; here was truth.

One of the odd things, about this choice of church, was that two denominational perspectives, were competing for my allegiance; each of them claiming to know the truth; and each of them having significantly different perspectives, on a number of very important teachings. The odd thing was, was that the matter of truth was not as important to me, as the matter of heritage. The church that I chose, was the church of my youth. Having committed myself, to this particular institutional church, I embraced their teachings, as the truth; and I would not consider the possibility that they might, in some way, be in error.

This particular denomination, was organized by districts. Early on, I was being encouraged to consider the ordained ministry, by a number of the men in this assembly. From the perspective of the institutional church, I was an unlikely candidate; not having any significant education beyond high school; having had a less than morally and ethically correct lifestyle; and being a very recent new convert. But, in spite of these factors, the district pastor also recommended that I consider the ordained ministry. He made arrangements for me to visit one of their seminaries. Over a four day weekend, I went and stayed with a seminarian and his wife, sat in on classes, visited with professors and the president of the seminary. I was also tested in ways that brought me to my knees and to tears.

It was, while at the seminary, in the midst of the challenges of that weekend, that Jesus Christ made it very clear to me, that He was intending to set me apart and serve Him, as an elder, in His church. It was also made clear, to the seminary, that I should be allowed to apply, to their school, for the training that would lead to the ordained ministry, in their denominational structure. Shortly, after returning to my local church, I chose to follow the way of Jesus to ordination, rather then the institutional church. I did not apply to the seminary and went on to follow the path that my Lord Jesus Christ set before me. I did not have a clue, regarding how Jesus intended to ordain me; but, for almost ten years, I remained, by His grace, steadfast in that certain knowledge, that I would serve Him, in His church, as His elder.

In the fall of 1990, our Lord Jesus Christ, sent me and my family to the black churches of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Earlier, in the summer of 1989, I had been involved in some extensive street evangelism and was blessed, to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, to close to ten thousand people of varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds. But, in 1989, I did not lift up the name of Jesus to the black community; and, in this, I sinned against God and against my black neighbors.

In the spring of 1989, the Lord our God, in a most sovereign of ways, made it very clear to me that I was to go to Milwaukee, with the gospel. I was to go to the whole city, with the whole gospel. But, being a fairly typical white man: I was frightened by the prospect of being in the midst of my black neighbors; and, yielding to my sinful nature, I allowed that fear to keep me from my black neighbors. I took the gospel, to everyone in Milwaukee, but stayed away from the black community. The only excuse for such an attitude was my fallen sinful nature. Even as believers - sin can still get its grip on us. Then, in the summer of 1990, God did another sovereign work and brought me to repentance and the blessing of His forgiveness - thank you Jesus!

Then, in the fall of 1990, He sent me to a specific black preacher, in a specific location and at a specific time. The elder was there, as if waiting for me. His first words to me, after I walked up the path to meet him, were: "I want you to preach in my church." Two years later, he and other black elders, laid hands on me and confirmed God's intent for me; and they ordained me as an elder. A bit before my ordination, he told me that as I was walking up the path, on that first day, that God gave him a sign, affirming that I was the man that he had been praying for. You see, my brethren, this elder, who was also a bishop, had been praying for God to send him a white man to be his assistant pastor. I happened to be that white man; and in the midst of circumstances, that were completely surprising, Jesus Christ fulfilled His promise to me; and caused me to be ordained as an elder to serve Him, in His church. Can we say thank you Jesus.

Once again, our Lord has dug deeper than I thought He might; but then, Jesus is always full of surprises. His ways, are truly way beyond our ways; and for this, I am very thankful. We shall continue, with this testimony, on another day.

Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus