Douglas Young

He had a bodybuilder’s physique, tattoos that covered the entirety of his massive arms, and a shiny, shaved head. By all appearances, he might not be the kind of person you’d think would get it. But he did. That’s what we get for thinking in terms of common stereotypes.

I’m sure, for some of us, his job description might not help. After all, he cleaned carpets for a living. He might have been the owner for all I know. That’s inconsequential. What matters is that he got it.

He was cleaning my carpets in conjunction with my residential lease agreement. There were several companies to choose from; I made the call; he came.

He, though, asked the question: “Why are you moving?” Here’s how the conversation went.

“New job,” I responded.

“Military?”, he inquired.

“Nope… I’m in ministry.”

“What kind of ministry?” he probed.

“Well I was a pulpit minister, but now my wife and I are going to work with a children’s home in Portales.”

He developed a look on his face that said it all. He smiled with a particular look on his face, shook his head, and we continued to converse about which home we were working with. But as we parted company, I couldn’t help but think to myself…that guy got it. He really got it.

My decision to give up pulpit work for something else hasn’t been well received by all. There are not few who believe that pulpit work is about the only to do ministry. I use to think that myself.

I knew there were a variety of spiritual gifts one might use, and they weren’t necessarily connected to a preaching ministry (Romans 12: 6-8), but I still thought pulpit work was the only legitimate way to serve. Youth Ministers were a waste of money. Family Life Ministers were silliness. Both might be “unauthorized.” Looking back, I wound up being the one with the silly thinking.

Real ministry happens when service takes place in the name of God. It might be at a church building, a homeless shelter, and/or a children’s home. Scratch that…I’m now 100% certain that it happens at a children’s home. It is odd, though, to see who really gets it.

It’s hard to put a finger on the things that have so significantly figured into making us who we are today. Sometimes it is hard to even pinpoint who those people are. My friend John Dobbs has encouraged his friends to post tributes to those who have significantly influenced them in their ministries. For me, this is no easy task. I’ve not possessed a mentor who has been able to work with me in the way I would like and need. Thankfully, of late, men have begun to fill that void, but we are just starting the process. Therefore, their influence is minimal at the moment.

There are a number who have been vital to my life. I’m truly indebted to Trey Morgan. His passion and heart for people has forced me to evaluate the quality of my own ministry. By being the light of Jesus, he has caused others, in particular myself, to glorify God in their own lives (Matt. 5:14-16). I wouldn’t be who I am today, in part, had I not come to find friendship with Trey. My friend and fellow minister, Clay Martin, whom I’ve known since 3rd grade has been a strong presence in my life. He’s been there for me through think and thin. There are numerous others for whom I frequently give thanks. But there is someone to whom I am incredibly indebted who flies under the radar. This person wouldn’t be considered a “minister” in the professional sense. This person doesn’t stand behind a pulpit. This person doesn’t get paid by a church. But this person is a minister to be sure. Every Christian should minister in whatever capacity possible because this was the life of their Savior.

My wife, Tisha, has been an amazing ministry presence in my life. Unfortunately, I haven’t always been one who was willing to value her thoughts about things. When I began to, though, I found her insights intriguing and informative.

Most of all, though, she has been an incredibly stable source of support to me in my ministry. She has sought to keep me grounded. She has reminded me that I cannot please everyone, nor do I have to. When I get down she is there. In my darkest moments she has been there. Even though we both know that the life I’ve given her wasn’t what she really signed up for (the minister’s wife thing), she has been a trooper through it all.

Tisha has not confined her ministry to me either. She has served women who were contemplating leaving their husbands. She even gave up a kidney to save the life of a child not her own. Her rationale? Jesus died for her, so giving up a kidney to help a five year-old boy parents not lose their son was her faith in action. That single act has affected me, maybe, more than anything. Her faith is amazing. She believes in agape. She shows it to me, our kids, as well as to others. People have learned that she will speak her mind, so beware what you ask of her. She is, truly, a gift from God!

This is my tribute and I am thankful that someone like Tisha has walked with me the way she has for my 1o years of ministry. I’ve made many mistakes. We both have. She has seen me through them all, and that has made all the difference!

It’s time to move forward. As God told Moses and the Israelites at Horeb, “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. Resume your journey…” (Deuteronomy 1:6-7, HCSB), so also is it time to move on and away from what’s gone on here for the last several days.

This morning I was reading through Acts 6 and I was struck by the life of Stephen. He was one of the “seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom” selected to tend to the Grecian widows who’d been neglected in the daily distribution. He was also described as “full of faith” (v. 5). Still later, we read of Stephen as “full of grace and power…performing great wonders and signs among the people” (v. 8). He met formidable opposition from those of the Freedman’s Synagogue, but “they were not able to stand up against the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (v. 10). Ultimately, his history lesson of Israel’s rejections of God’s prophets over the years, which culminated in the rejection of the Messiah, got him killed. But what a compelling argument he was for the faith of Christ!

The guy chosen to “wait on tables” (v. 2) apparently had much more to offer. And he did. Inside of him was a heart for souls. His ministry was about meeting the needs of others. If by food distribution, so be it. He offered food that met physical needs, but he was also willing to serve food “that lasts for eternal life” (John 6:27).

Service, in whatever form, is mighty ministry. Jesus boldly proclaimed the “living word” with passion and urgency; yet, washing his disciples’s feet was no less ministry, and no less significant.

Like Jesus, Stephen wasn’t a one talent man. His selection for a specific work didn’t mean he wasn’t fit for anything else. In a sense, I think it helped groom him for more. Unfortunately, it seems to have been a life cut short, but like others who have gone on before, “though he is dead, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).