The cry of my heart echoes the words of the Psalmist: “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psalm 12:1) Do you have what it takes to give God your all?

Where are the MEN? There is no lack of athletes, muscle-builders, video gamers, and womanizers, but where are the Godly men who have a backbone for that which is right? It seems that men have become an “endangered species” rarely found even in our churches! One hope we still have is that a few good men, or boys, will get a healthy view of God. That they learn to dream big, and believe that God has a purpose for them to make a difference. Do you have what it takes to give God your all?

I want to say right here that this is in no way an intentional oversight of girls and ladies who also have a passion to serve God. I have a wonderful wife and two daughters who are dedicated servants of God. But the Bible emphasizes men to be the leaders and ladies have their important role to follow that leadership. 

Do you have what it takes?

Where would we men be without the aid and encouragement of Godly ladies! We all have our various responsibilities, and it seems that men have relinquished their God-given calling to be the leaders, protectors, and providers in the home and church. So if you are a lady who has a big heart for God, enjoy the read and feel welcome to say “Amen” as I try to rouse the men to take a stand for God without apology.

Take the challenge

I owe so much to the Godly men who have mentored, matured, and molded me into who I am today. My wish is to simply honor them by recording on paper some of the specific things God has taught me and used to lead me to becoming a servant and missionary. I want my three sons to have their dad live by faith, lead by example, and love God no matter the cost.

This blog and video series is a call to each young man who really wants to get in the fight of faith. To those who wish to make a difference with his life, even if he must die trying! I wish to encourage, challenge, and aid YOU in your quest for doing the unthinkable, obtaining the impossible, and overcoming the improbable for the Name of Jesus Christ. See if you have what it takes to be a Servant of God and give Him your all. 

Jeremiah 10:23 – O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Since I was a teenager, I knew deep in my heart that God had something great for my life. Over the years, I have seen how God has been preparing me to serve Him in various roles. These would include being a Christian school teacher, an American pastor, and a foreign missionary. So many people have encouraged and taught me how to know and serve the Lord. Through many experiences with other visionaries, I have been challenged to read, think, and prepare for my life’s calling. Regardless where I have been and what positions I have held, I have had to come back and answer this question: For what purpose did God create me? I know that it is to know Christ and to make him known to people who have no Bible, no church, and no preacher. 

Do you have what it takes to give God your all?

Catch the vision

The journey of how God led my family and I to work with Tibetans in Nepal is both interesting and inspiring. Though there have been great challenges, I would not trade this walk of faith for anything else. I continually feel that I am just at the entry level and have so much more to learn. I cannot overlook the role that my family has had as we prepared for foreign service and even now as we serve stateside in our local church and Christian school.

In the following stories, I invite you to review with me the accounts of what the good hand of God has done in my life. You will read about some of the things God has taught me through His Word, Godly people, and life’s experiences. 

God’s work is always accomplished according to His perfect time. May this be a challenge to you to follow our Lord as He unveils His will for your life. My hope is that this will help accelerate the learning process for you. 

I do want to make clear that I have not yet attained, and consider myself simply as a servant who wishes only to please my Master from day to day. Perhaps, I am a visionary and only an aspiring pioneer; yet the mission remains the same. Christ’s mandate to go preach the Gospel and teach all nations has not changed, and the task still remains unfinished. 

Prepare with purpose

Whether I live to see the job completed or die trying to do my part, I go because Christ is worthy. I submit therefore, that He is worthy of your life as well. This means you must dedicate and prepare yourself to do whatever the Lord asks in order that all the earth might know Him. However the Lord leads and uses you, I trust that this series of articles and messages will be a part of the stretching and envisioning in your life. May it help you realize that dreams must be God-sized and your future is worth the preparation. My desire is that you understand the importance of being fully equipped for service. May you never be accused of having zeal without knowledge.

Each of the blog posts in this series Fully Equipped is accompanied by a short video with a Bible devotional. Enjoy the following video “Prepared unto Every Good Work” as I share Paul’s challenge to Timothy. You will appreciate the illustration of how a servant of the Lord should be like a crescent wrench!

Do you have what it takes to give God your all?

Growing up can be a hard thing

Believe it or not, the hardest thing I have ever done was not hiking the Himalayas or driving in the chaos of Kathmandu roads. The hardest thing in my life was not even growing up in a pastor’s home! Like any other pastor’s kid, I grew up around the church, interacting with many different people. I always counted it a privilege – even if I was in a fish bowl. For some, it seems like a hard thing to be in the limelight and have higher expectations, but my parents definitely made life in the ministry fun. Yes, there were some sacrifices to make. My close friends were always few, especially as I became a teenager. But my dad was always involved in my life and helped me enjoy the journey.

I was religious, but lost

Let me back up to my earlier years. As a four year-old, I made a profession of faith for salvation. I knew I didn’t want to go to hell, but I didn’t really comprehend what salvation meant. As I attended Christian school, I began to learn more about sin and my accountability before a holy God. I remember a question a preacher made that I would never forget: “Will you let your pride send you to hell?” 

Fighting the Holy Spirit’s conviction is a hard thing

As I grew older, I would go to bed in constant fear of dying. I would think of what would happen if the rapture happened, knowing I would be left behind. I finally could not resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit any longer. On March 6, 1996, following a Wednesday night service, I went into my dad’s room. 

I had been carrying a load of guilt and now was ready to come clean. I told my dad that I wanted to be sure of my salvation and knelt at his bed calling out for the Lord to forgive me and save me. That night, I turned from depending on my own works to looking unto Jesus Christ and his finished work at Calvary. It is by his grace alone that He saved me, and I rested assured by His Word that my Soul is secured in His hands. 

I could not do enough good to be right with God

The bottom line is this – each of us must realize that we cannot do one thing to please God. This is a very hard thing to admit. The arm of the flesh will always fail you, be sure of that. You must not have any confidence in the flesh. Our hope is in the Lord, and no other. In order for Christ to build you and use you, you must first be broken. 

You must come to the place where you recognize there is no good in you. There is absolutely nothing you can do to make yourself acceptable to a holy God. You can never do enough good to be made right with God: this is why we need Jesus. He lived the perfect life, and in doing so, fulfilled the law. He offers us the gift of eternal life, if we receive His righteousness by faith. But it is often hard for a person to accept the kindness and help of another person!

Pride is a stumbling block to salvation 

But who can receive this gift? God says He gives “grace to the humble.” Allow me to let you in on a little secret – so many “men” stop here and reject the Way of Salvation because they think they are good enough without Christ. Their stubborn pride refuses to allow them to admit they have a need. This was the Pharisees problem, as they were self-righteous. 

No wonder Christ said, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice.” Do you realize some of the hardest words to say are “I have a problem that I can’t fix.” “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.” Or how about this one: “I am hopelessly lost and I need help”. This is the type of person God can help, and only this kind of person will He save! God longs to show mercy on the penitent sinner, but the proud in heart – God will not tolerate, but rather judge.

Jesus must be enough: a hard thing to admit

Are you willing to let the true living God be your God? That means you will abandon and destroy anything else that would come between you and God. No more games. No more idols. Just Jesus…is that enough for you? Christ Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin. He shed his blood to purchase your pardon. If this is enough to satisfy God the Father, why should it not be enough for you? 

In John 14:6, Jesus declared, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” If you are not willing to let Jesus be your Saviour and Lord, then it is simply impossible to become a man of God that He will use. Without Christ you will never have what it takes to be a servant of God. But with Christ all things are possible. It may be seem like a hard thing to submit to Christ, but it is much harder to live life without him!

My life verse

Philippians 3:8 – Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

This is my life verse. Having a background somewhat similar to the Apostle Paul, I can definitely understand the pitfalls of growing up in a religious home. Paul trusted in his heritage and ability to do enough good to impress others and himself. Sadly, he missed the mark. When he realized that he was actually acting in opposition to God, he had to repent and turn to Christ alone. Finding his rest in the finished work of Jesus at Calvary was enough! He came to understand that he had a righteous standing in Christ alone! 

Without faith, it is impossible to please God

I also realize that Christian instruction, Bible knowledge, and the ability to talk about God is insufficient to please God. Only faith in what Jesus has done will satisfy Him and make me in a right relationship with God. Now that Christ has saved me, I want to live every day for Him. May He be glorified in everything I do, each conversation I hold, all activities I participate in, and every goal I set. 

One of the immediate changes in my life after I received Christ as my Saviour, was the desire I had to share Christ with others. As I followed the example of my dad and Granddad, I would enthusiastically give Gospel tracts wherever I went. I particularly was burdened for the youth and would consider it a personal challenge to engage a group of older teens and give them tracts. 

I always enjoyed playing sports and would play basketball with the neighborhood guys. If they wanted to play rock music, I would leave if they refused to turn it off. I was learning to stand for what was right. Naturally, it is a hard thing to speak up about Christ in front of our peers. But when you stop and think about the fact that a person will spend eternity either in heaven or hell, it makes it worth it!

A transformed life is not a hard thing when Christ does the work

I began to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit who now indwelt me. If I knew I had wronged someone, I would be sure to make things right and ask their forgiveness. At times, it would be annoying to my sisters, as it appeared frivolous. If I said a hurtful word, it would bother me until I made it right with them. Indeed it is a very hard thing to confess wrongdoing and seek forgiveness from someone we have offended!

I longed to have God’s power and knew that if I was not right with my sister or “brother”, I wasn’t going to have the blessing of God upon my service. Truly, my life had transformed – from my heart and mind to my actions. Now I wanted to only please God and serve Him with all my life.

I had many opportunities for ministry. Our family sang, and made visits. I would ride on the church van, usher, preach in Junior Church and Outward Bound. Whenever there was an occasion to preach or teach, I was all in! Even if serving the Lord appears to be a hard thing and makes us uncomfortable, it is always exciting and joyous.

Making some personal standards 

In my personal life, God dealt with me in some specific ways, especially in the area of separation. In tenth grade, I had a good friend named Zach Peterson who taught me some things about Godly music. I became convinced that some of my music, although Christian in name, appealed to the flesh rather than the Spirit. So I went through my cassette tapes and CD’s and threw out about $200 worth! That’s a lot of money for a fifteen year-old! I’ll never forget throwing that box into the dumpster near our house. Though it seemed like a hard thing at the time, it also brought me great joy because I was honoring the Lord.

Also, I listened to some good preaching by Jim Van Gelderon about holiness and the waste of time spent watching the television. Now I must confess that I do enjoy watching a good ball game. But for a period of time, I refused to watch television and movies because of the corrupt influences and worldly agendas taught. It was a weight that could easily beset me from the race. Perhaps, I was swinging like a pendulum from one extreme to the other, but at the time, it was definitely the right thing for me. Though it is a hard thing to turn off the television, it’s worth having a clean conscience.

Turning off distractions is a hard thing to do

Truly, much time is wasted and energy lost on something that may not be entirely wrong, but keeps from using our time doing better things. I have learned that my flesh is not strong enough to refuse temptation of the lust of the flesh. So for much of my life, I have refused to own a television myself. I have observed that when in a motel room alone, it seems that when I turn the remote on, I am turning off the Spiritual power in my life. It is a hard thing to control the temptation of looking at something I know I should not. 

Oh, that we may not grieve the Holy Spirit! It is imperative that we heed the following words from the Apostle Paul: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. – Romans 12:1, 2

A daily walk with God

Though I had strong Godly parents and grandparents, I needed to learn to walk with God myself. As a teenager, I would wake up at 5:30 am and listen to the Back to the Biblebroadcast on the radio with Dr. Woodrow Kroll. He would always finish his broadcast with the statement: “Have a good and Godly day: for of what lasting value is a good day, if it’s not also a Godly day?” I would then eat a bowl of cereal and read a portion of God’s Word. 

Getting up early is a hard thing for our flesh to do. But discipline is necessary if the Holy Spirit is going to be given the advantage to rule our life. This is the time when I really grew stronger in my personal walk with the Lord.

Personal devotions is the area in which you will have your greatest challenge. If there is any battlefield on which Satan will engage you the most, it is in this area of quiet time with Christ. For it is here that we receive our nurturing from the Lord. We must get in the Word of God and let God’s Word help us, change us, and build us. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, we will be in position to bear spiritual fruit. 

Don’t be afraid of hard things

As we are filled with the Spirit of God by allowing the Word of Christ to dwell in us richly, we will manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Only when this fruit is born, may we multiply ourselves and reproduce more disciples. Remember, everything reproduces after its kind. Our public ministry of the Word should be a result of our private ministry in the Word. Let God’s Word daily renew your mind. Doing hard things is worth it as long as it is what honors God!

Watch the video “The Servant God Uses” that accompanies this chapter. You will enjoy the illustration of the pitcher of water and glass to illustrate how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

I am so grateful for my parents who trained me in the way that I should go. My dad has been a preacher all of my life. He not only has taught me God’s Word, but has exemplified it in his daily life. My mother consistently reads God’s Word and prays for me. The most valuable lessons I have learned in life have been taught to me from the Bible. The following verses that Paul wrote to Timothy describe my personal testimony.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (II Timothy 3:14-17) 

Notice the progression “from a child” in verse 14 to becoming “the man of God” in verse 17. The necessary ingredient to coming to maturity and becoming equipped for the ministry is the Word of God. The Holy Bible must be the cistern from which we drink on a daily basis, if we are to grow spiritually. If we want to be obedient to the will of God, we first must hear and know His Word.

13 Valuable lessons every young man should learn

My dad and I are cut out of the same mold, and share many of the same interests. So it was natural for me to want to follow my dad’s footsteps as he has followed Christ. I have learned how to teach enthusiastically, listen compassionately, and witness boldly from mere observation of his life. I got my love for writing and music from him (he is an accomplished author, musician, and song writer). He taught me to play the guitar when I was twelve years old, and he helped me buy a banjo at age fourteen. This has been an invaluable asset in ministry. But it was my dad who allowed me to prove myself and “get my feet wet” giving me opportunities to publicly serve in the church. Below is a list of lessons that every young man should learn.

Learning Hard Work

The 1st Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

An early lesson that I learned was the discipline of work. When I was ten years old, we moved from Vermont to Florida to help my Grandfather at the church he pastored. The church and school property had five acres, so there was a lot of mowing to be done. As a teenager, I had plenty of opportunities to “serve the Lord” out in the hot sun. At age thirteen, my dad encouraged me to start going around the neighborhood and offering my services to mow grass and do other yard work. 

An elderly widow next door agreed to pay me $4.25 an hour to mow her yard. Since I moved so fast, I would finish the big yard in less than two hours. I soon realized that it might be a little wiser to get paid by the job instead of by the hour. I talked it over with my dad who told me I needed to let her know how I felt and ask her to raise the price. Talking about money has never been my thing, and this was extremely hard. But it had to be done, so I went and shared my concerns. Thankfully, she understood, and we worked out a fair price for the job. I pulled weeds and spent hours working in her yard. 

It wasn’t long until I had several yards to mow and many other people paid me to rake leaves or any other odd jobs needing to be done. I learned many skills – especially a good work ethic – and developed character traits of honesty and integrity. Of course, I would witness to the people who employed me. One lady eventually got saved after I had gone to college. She told me that she even became quite involved in her local church! 

Learning to Listen

The 2nd Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

There were some successful businessmen that hired me for odd jobs. They had been around the block a time or two and had many things to teach me. Probably the hardest thing to do as a young person is to listen to instructions. It’s not always easy to have someone tell you how to do a task – especially when you think that you already know how to do it! But it is so important to have a submissive spirit and learn to listen to authority.

I’ll never forget the statement of Mr. Tison who was showing me a tip on efficient gardening. He showed me that after I dug the hole, I should fill it with water before planting the pot. I previously would have planted a flower, filled in the dirt, then stood with a water hose over the dirt. Most of the water would go in any other direction except downward! He told me “to work smarter, not harder”. I never forgot that, as sometimes there is a better way than what seems to be the quickest way. 

Learning to Budget

The 3rd Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

As I started to have an income, my dad was sure to teach me to budget my money. The first 10% obviously would be the tithe. 20% had to be saved for college. I began giving 10% to missions and would increase it thereafter. I was also saving up for a new guitar, so that didn’t leave a whole lot to be wasted. A vehicle was never on my priority list. In fact, I wouldn’t even get my first car until I was out of Bible College! I guess you could chalk it up to priorities. 

Eventually, the family mower would not suffice for my jobs, so I bought my own mower. Learning to budget and save is a lost art, but important if you want to serve God. Don’t fall in the trap of getting into debt! So many people are limited and restricted to their usefulness because they are in bondage to their creditors.

Learning to Lose

The 4th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

I learned a hard lesson about loss, as my mower was stolen, then another time when my bike was stolen. It’s good to learn to earn things, but as a servant of God, I need to be prepared to have things taken away. Loss of money is not a fun lesson, but a good one. Be able to let go of things; after all, they are temporary!

Growing up, I always enjoyed playing sports. I was a little too competitive and remember crying after losing games in the Little League. As time went on, I learned that keeping a good testimony was more important than the outcome of a game. Be a good sport and learn to congratulate others when they win! Learn to lose graciously.

Learning to obey

The 5th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

My dad always helped me keep the right priorities in life. We would always be in church Sunday mornings, evenings, and Wednesday night services. During the Little League season, I would have to leave after the 3rd inning on Wednesday nights. I would quickly bike home, change out of my uniform, and head to our mid-week service with our church. Although I would have loved to play the whole game, I was just happy that I could play for half the game on Wednesdays. I always knew that church was more important than sports!

As a teenager, I had to forfeit some privileges for the sake of attending our Christian school and honoring my dad. You see, I really longed to play for our local county high school football team. In fact, another pastor’s son in our town who home-schooled was allowed to play. But my dad emphatically refused to let me pursue any possibilities of trying out for the team. 

His biggest concerns were my health and purity. Although, it was a tough thing to accept at the time, I believe God spared me from some things that I would either regret morally or physical injuries that may have hindered my ministry – especially in the mountains. 

Interestingly enough, I learned that my Christian friend who played football on the high school team also became a foreign missionary. Sadly, he has had bad headaches which have affected him ever since his football playing days. I am glad I learned to listen and now I appreciate my father’s decision not to let me play tackle football.

Learning to lead

The 6th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

During my high school years, I had the opportunity to attend a small Christian school at Maranatha Baptist Church where my grandfather pastored.  For a while, some of us would meet on Wednesdays at lunch time where I would lead a short devotional and prayer. This was a good experience learning to lead a small group. 

Living near my Grandparents came with the privilege of spending nights at their house. They didn’t have much in a worldly sense, but they had God! My Grandpa Knickerbocker would sit and read Scripture with me before getting on our knees to pray. He would always ask me to list ten things I was thankful for. (This didn’t always make me thankful!) But wherever we went, he faithfully witnessed to the banker, the neighbor, the waitress – everyone! He always had a song on his heart and a Gospel tract in his pocket! 

Leading a church service

I’ll never forget the opportunities my Grandfather gave me. I especially enjoyed leading the singing for our teen activities that he hosted at the church he pastored. When I was age fourteen, my Grandfather was sick one Wednesday, and asked me to lead the whole service! This included leading music and preaching the Bible message. 

My grandmother died in a car accident when I was fifteen, and my grandfather had sustained some severe injuries including broken ribs. I got to spend a lot of time helping him and bonding with him. I remember counseling with him as he was quite bitter about the judge who had blamed him for the auto accident and made him take classes to restore his license. We read Matthew 5:44 which tells us to love our enemies and pray for them which despitefully use us. I think it helped. 

Learning from Godly Heroes

The 7th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

My grandfather had made his five sons learn a large portion of the famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards. So in 10th grade, I too had the job of memorizing it for our closing program. I also got to be familiar with sermons by Charles Spurgeon and books by R.A. Torrey and D.L. Moody on the topic of being filled with the Spirit. My grandfather always raved about the book Power of Pentecost by John R. Rice. Someone said, “You are what you eat”. This is true about books, “You become what you read”. 

Learning to give Gospel tracts 

The 8th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

I enjoyed speaking to others of Christ. I remember going with our Assistant Pastor, Dr. David Bedell to our local high school when they let out one day. We walked on the property and started giving out gospel tracts (no doubt illegally). We left before getting kicked out. Certainly I had more zeal than knowledge! We had many wonderful times visiting the bus route and sharing the Gospel with people through Gospel tracts.

The Power of a Personal Testimony

One time while I was in sixth grade, our church was out soul winning on Saturday. This was normal as we would make bus visits and knock doors. I’ll never forget meeting a Jehovah Witness family and debating a girl who was a senior in high school. I felt like I held my ground, but wasn’t being very convincing. When her dad came out, I had no chance. He was saying things I had no answer for and even denied that the Book of Hebrews belonged in the Bible! Finally my mom came to my rescue when she drove up. She calmly shared how God had saved her and changed her life. After my mom finished we left without dispute. I learned a very valuable lesson that day. The power of a personal testimony cannot be discredited! At least my mom planted a seed that day of the power of the Gospel. 

There were some good things that happened. I remember handing a Gospel tract to a young man named Frank. He took it home to his dad. Frank’s dad and mom visited our church and joined, soon becoming the church treasurer. Then Frank’s Brother in law got saved and eventually drove our church van picking up children for Sunday School! Recently I heard from Frank that he now has a camp ministry for the vulnerable in need of restoration. You just never know who you may impact as you faithfully serve God and give out Gospel tracts! 

Learning to serve

The 9th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

Now I believe in having fun and enjoying life. We must follow the Bible principle of service if we would like to be happy. Christ gave us the example of a servant’s heart when he washed the disciple’s feet. He then said, “Happy are ye if ye know these things and do them.” The key to happiness for any believer is service. I have learned the joy that comes with serving others. Anyone wanting to be used by God must realize that every job is important in God’s eyes. We must not think ourselves too important to perform the most menial tasks. 

Learning a foreign language

The 10th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

God blessed me with the opportunity to be around missionaries a lot. Specifically, Joe and Michelle Parrock, former missionaries to Costa Rica came and taught at our Christian school. I got to learn a lot of Spanish during my sixth grade year, where we learned many Bible verses! Our final test was to give our personal testimony in Spanish, quoting verses from the Romans Road from memory! Our classes were similar to the old “one room schoolhouse”, Joe Parrock taught most of our classes when I was in seventh grade. He would tell us many stories of the mission field, creating a hunger that I would never be able to abandon. What an influence his family had on my life!

Many years after high school, I was on furlough visiting a supporting church in Georgia. I did not realize another missionary family was there the same day reporting on their work in Costa Rica. What a surprise when I found out that my former teachers were once again serving on the foreign field! That day we got to both minister to a church as fellow visiting missionaries!

Learning other cultures 

The 11th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

At age fifteen, I was visiting the Spanish community with Brother Gibby Trevino, who currently was leading a Spanish ministry at my Grandfather’s church. He was starting services on Thursday evenings where my dad pastored nearby, and I played the guitar for the meetings. Shortly after he began these services, he was fatally shot in his home. At his funeral, I was given the honor to share a testimony about his life. I’ll never forget the excitement of visiting the homes of many migrant workers. I would hear them converse in a different language, and smell the tortillas cooking. I just grew to love the  people and thought, “Maybe I’ll be a missionary to these people.” 

After Brother Trevino passed away, Brother Abel Ramos began to hold services. What a wonderful friendship we formed. Years later, when I pastored in a nearby town, Brother Ramos would attend our church and again we were able make visits to the Spanish speaking community!

Learning to speak out

The 12th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

When I was 16, our town had a big clash over the selling of alcohol on Sundays. My dad and several other pastors in town, along with some folks from our church went to make our stand against the evils and effects of alcohol on our community. I was given a few minutes to share from a teenager’s perspective of why I thought it was a wrong example to my generation. The local newspaper even included a quote from my remarks! It is a very healthy exercise to learn to defend your beliefs and articulate them to others.

Learning to Write

The 13th Lesson Every Young Man Should Know

Ever since I was in grade school, I found that Spelling was a subject that I enjoyed. In high school, I had Anna Irwin as my literature teacher who was proficient in grammar. She challenged us students to be good writers. We would take articles from the newspaper and have to write opposing viewpoints. 

I remember writing about what was wrong with the sensuality in WWF wrestling, why the local high school boys shouldn’t have a fashion show modeling in women’s attire, and what was wrong with the sodomite groups having their own clubs in school.  I doubt the newspaper ever printed those, but I sure enjoyed the assignment! A good lesson here is to realize what you are good at and enjoy…for therein you may be discovering your spiritual gift!

As I reminisce on many of these experiences in my teen years, I see how God has used these to make me and prepare me as His servant in later ministry. I have written articles for the local newspaper, Gospel tracts for unbelievers, and books to help strengthen the faith of believers. Go here to see some of these projects.

Concluding thoughts

A final lesson for every young man to chew on

If you are going to be fully equipped, you simply must have a teachable spirit. There are some things you must learn that the Lord will use to qualify you for whatever tasks he calls you to do. As it is necessary that the Bible be your instruction manual, it is just as significant that those who teach and mentor you be Godly and Biblically sound. Don’t underestimate the opportunities to learn skills, whether it’s a musical instrument, speaking, writing, or budgeting. 

Be sure to watch the video that accompanies this chapter titled “A Vessel Unto Honor”.

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” – John 4:35

My first mission trip

Few events mark and mold a person for a life time. One of those experiences in my life was the opportunity to visit the foreign mission field on a mission trip. At age twelve, my family drove from Florida to Texas where we visited with a missionary couple who worked on the border of Mexico. I don’t remember much about that trip, but I do remember the phrase in Spanish we learned when giving out Gospel tracts during their church-wide outreach. We would say “Esto es para used” meaning “This is for you.” I would use this phrase often back home when meeting Hispanics and offering a tract. While on that first mission trip, I began to learn about Indians who lived in the mountains who still remained unreached. A seed was born in my heart during that trip.

At age sixteen, my older sister Lori and I went to Ecuador for almost three weeks. We went to visit the Leroy Pifer family. When our plane approached the capital city of Quito during the night, I noticed the lights throughout the mountainside. How excited I was for the adventure that lay ahead. I was not disappointed. 

After breakfast the next morning, we headed out over the Andes Mountains. There were four of us packed in the truck. As we rounded the twists and turns, we beheld the breathtaking beauty. Then it happened – we had blown a tire. The Lord was gracious, as the hair pin turns were many and sharp. Most of the roads had no shoulder, but we were able to stop before the next bend in the road and had enough room on the right side of the road to park. We were high into the mountains and realized we had another problem…we had no spare tire! An 8 hour trip would turn into a 12 hour trip, as we had to wait for Brother Pifer to get a ride down the mountain, get a tire, and come back up. 

Meanwhile, we waited as the sun lowered. While overlooking the layers of mountains, we watched the fog slowly roll its way through the valleys! A wonderful chance for pictures! When Brother Leroy arrived with the tire, we had some extra help appear out of the mountains….which was a delightful surprise for me!

For some reason, since I was young I had an infatuation with Native American Indians. Whether it was watching a Western, or learning about missions, I always had a soft spot in my heart for them. The people who appeared to help us with our flat tire were natives who lived below had seen our plight. A few days later, I was able to see my first Colorado Indian. You can’t miss them, because they take a red berry and use it to dye their hair! As I look back, I realize God was preparing me to have a heart for those in the regions beyond still needing to hear the Gospel. 

Mission trips teach valuable lessons

On that mission trip, I learned some valuable things. One is that missionaries are just normal people who have whole-heartedly devoted themselves to advance the message of the Gospel of Christ. It’s not that they are more talented or qualified, but rather willing and available to let God use them.

Also, I learned that it takes a long time to do ordinary tasks in third-world countries compared to the United States. Just to get the truck fixed could take up an entire day, as life is much slower in the culture of the third world. The schedule was different too. We might not eat breakfast until 10 am, lunch at 2 pm and supper at 10 pm! It’s just a different mindset! This mission trip really opened my eyes to different culture.

Before we left the country on our mission trip, the Pifers took us out to eat at Pizza Hut. There we met an exchange student from America. He asked Brother Pifer why he would bring his wife and children so far away from home to live in third-world conditions. The missionary explained that we believe there is a God who loves all men and gave His Son to die so lost sinners could be saved from eternal punishment in Hell. The young man’s response was, “If I believed what you believe, I wouldn’t have time to sit around here. I would be out warning everybody possible!”

There is no substitute for going and seeing firsthand what missionary life is like on foreign soil. 

In fact, it was around that time in my life when I surrendered to be a missionary during Teen Camp in Haines City, Florida. 

As a teenager, I thought I would be a missionary to the Indians in the mountains of Mexico. I had experienced time in Mexico and Ecuador, learned some Spanish, played the guitar in the Spanish ministry, and loved Mexican food! 

Purposeful Preparation

At my high school graduation, I had my sight on being a missionary and went to further prepare myself at Bible college. I had learned about a few schools, but one college in particular captured my attention because of their focus and heart for missions. In one word, I could summarize the Crown College of the Bible in Powell, Tennessee…”Vision“. (Of course, this just happened to be located in the Smoky Mountains!) 

Dr. Clarence Sexton is a man passionate about getting out the Gospel and evangelizing the world during our generation. “Going a little further with no place to stop” was his directive which he repeated often.

Unconscious Preparation 

Because I had saved enough money to pay for my first semester, I was able to play on the soccer team. I had never played organized soccer before, so I had a lot to learn. But it was a good experience. As an athlete, I knew that the experience could only be an asset in foreign missions, as soccer is a global sport! As Pastor Sexton would say, many of our life’s experiences were God’s “unconscious preparation”.

Many of the guys who played on our soccer team became missionaries in other lands, especially Latin American countries. Being athletic is not a requirement to serve the Lord, but can be a tremendous asset. It is an easy way to meet new people and connect with others. 

Unreached People Groups

The idea of Unreached People Groups was introduced to me during my first mission classes in 1999. A people group has its own ethnic and social identity. They are considered unreached when less than 2% of its population is evangelical Christian. They generally have no local church to preach the Gospel to them. Many of these groups are unengaged, with no one actively trying to evangelize and disciple them! Most of these Unreached People Groups live in the 10×40 Window. This is who Christ referred to when He said go and teach “all nations”.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;  – I Thessalonians 4:3,4

Cultivating Healthy Relationships

The saying is true, “You will become like the people you are around.” Godly influences will aid you as you pursue Christ; ungodly companions will lead you astray. The greatest relationships that will mold your life will be your family and friends. The friends you choose will certainly have consequences. One of the consequences is the life-long decision of a life’s mate. You will marry someone that you are friends with. And if you don’t marry someone who is a Godly friend and influence, you will have many regrets.

Purity is important.

I am thankful to God that I had never done anything inappropriate physically with girls while growing up. But there were times I allowed myself to get emotionally attached. I’ll never forget my dad teasing me when I was 13 years old about a girl that I liked. He said “Puppy love is true to the puppy.” That wasn’t exactly encouraging. Most guys like me are already too shy when it comes to girls. My sisters could say the name of a girl and I would just blush! But that is a good thing. Today, it seems that there is nothing sacred when it comes to guys and gals. It is important to remember Paul’s advice to young Timothy and treat the younger women in the church as sisters. 

We must learn how to have healthy relationships.

Although I had my crushes, I always kept relationships at a distance. Thankfully, I had parents that taught me to respect girls and keep my hands to myself. My dad would say, “Don’t tell a girl you love her unless you have a ring to put on her finger!” 

Probably the best deterrent to immorality was an article I came across as a young teenager. It was a periodical in the magazine Today’s Christian Preacher. An anonymous pastor who had built a successful church wrote his story. He told how he had become successful, but to the neglect of his wife and family. Before he knew it, he became involved in an affair with a lady he was counseling. Finally, he had to come clean and tell his wife, children, and church. 

To imagine the shame and reproach he had brought upon himself made a major impact on my life. This pastor said that his own daughter despised him because of his actions and didn’t want to be around him at all. He had to resign his pulpit and mend his altered marriage. He had lost the trust of his wife and the respect of his friends. I determined that this was not a story I ever wanted to experience myself! 

Godly influences

As a freshman in Bible college, I had a some Godly influences in my dorm that gave me some preaching messages by Dr. S.M. Davis about Victory over the Dating Spirit and God’s Plan for a Life’s Mate. These radically impacted my thinking in learning to wait on God’s timing to bring me a spouse. But I needed to focus on becoming the man of God I needed to be while in college, not trying to figure out which girl I should marry! While a sophomore I wrote a pamphlet about the Overlooked Gift: the Season of Singleness and distributed it to my friends to help create healthy relationships. 

I learned that a strong foundation for marriage begins before the wedding. It is so important that you be faithful to your spouse now even before you are married! Remember that habits are established early, and are not easily broken. If you develop a wandering eye and a flirtatious spirit now, you will no doubt carry these actions into your married life. This is not a healthy recipe for a happy relationship!

Happy healthy and relationships

I realized. early on that not everyone at Bible college is there to serve the Lord. Those of various interests find each other quickly. You will be attracted to others who share similar interests as you. Be sure that you cultivate healthy relationships with those who will encourage you to be Godly and challenge you to do what is right! Those friends in my dorm also influenced me by their testimony to participate in a wonderful summer outreach called Neighborhood Bible Time.

Neighborhood Bible Time

Some of the best practical ministry training I received in college was traveling with Neighborhood Bible Time for two summers. The veteran evangelists taught us many helpful skills like balloon art and juggling. We had much interaction with pastors and working alongside the teachers; most importantly, we were taught how to deal with children and present the Gospel. We saw literally hundreds of professions of faith and made many friends in these churches. Some of those same churches now support our family.

There were about fifty evangelists who had been recruited from seven different colleges. We were trained at Boulder, Colorado for a three-week period before being paired up and sent to churches for week-long rallies. This intensive instruction not only prepared us for the games, lessons, and leadership, but helped us grow in our personal walk with the Lord. We were challenged to examine ourselves that we would be emptied of self-dependence, be clean in our heart, and filled with the Spirit for fruitful service. 

Meet the “Boss”

Charles “Boss” Homsher, founder and director for 50 years, led us in his militaristic style. The training was at an old church building with two floors. Our bunks, restrooms, and kitchen were down in the basement. We would awake at 5 am and go upstairs “top side” for calisthenics. Then we would each get alone to find a quiet place to spend with God. This was such a special time, during which we would sing, pray, and read God’s Word, along with reading a book by Roy Hession entitled Calvary Road. 

Personal Daily Direct Devotion Renewal

This quiet time was called PDDDR (Personal Daily Direct Devotion Renewal). We were challenged to “keep it sweet till Jesus comes, and receive rewards at the Bema Judgment”.) We would be alone for an hour before we would convene for breakfast and cleaning duties. Being close to several other young men and being preached to for that period of time was a maturing time in our lives. We were truly brought to a place of brokenness that we might be truly dedicated to the Lord. We would have opportunities to confess sin and be accountable to one another in the Lord. What a sweet time of nurturing that was and building healthy relationships. 

At the end of the training, we learned who our partner was and our destination. My first summer would include travelling to Michigan, North Dakota, Texas, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The first rally made a lasting impression as we were at a country church in Southern Michigan. I would teach the primary and junior children for three hours in the morning. That was followed by lunch and a brief nap. Then we would go canvass the neighborhoods with the teenagers inviting them to join us in the evening. We finished the evening with our senior high teen rally. 

Destination Unknown

The final night we had a “Destination Unknown” meeting at someone’s house. They had a mud pit they actually dug and filled with water for games. After tube pull and tug o’ war, everyone hosed down and went in to change. There were about 60 people that gathered around a campfire where each of us young evangelists got to preach our lungs out while standing on the back of a pick up truck! We counseled with several teenagers who made some wonderful decisions. That was an exciting beginning to an incredible summer of ministry. Many great friendships were formed that week and throughout the summer. In fact, some of those churches would support our family years later when we went to the foreign mission field! 

A week of rest

During the week of July fourth, all the evangelists would convene back in Boulder, CO for a week of Rest and Relaxation. One day, we drove up to a mountain, where we hiked to the top. About a dozen of us made it to the peak where we got to sign a paper guarded in a plastic tube noting our accomplishment. What a view it was seeing snow-topped peaks for 360 degrees! We then proceeded to slide down some of the snow patches…which would abruptly turn into fields of large rocks! In fact, I got carried away and couldn’t stop sliding, until I was jolted headfirst into a boulder! Praise the Lord, I only got some scratches and was able to hike the rest of the way back down.

A Godly testimony

I am so grateful for those who God brought into my life to influence me by their Godly testimony as a freshman in college. I am glad for the opportunities to grow as a minister of the Gospel and be surrounded by good servants of the Lord. You will enjoy my blog ten guidelines for guys and gals that will help you keep your focus on the Lord while you are single! You must start laying the foundation for a strong marriage now by building healthy relationships! No doubt one of the primary reasons I am still serving the Lord all these years later is because of the healthy relationships God has blessed me with to encourage me to keep pure and continue walking in the light! Cultivate healthy relationships with Godly people! 

Please watch the video below about the importance of keeping yourself pure! You may also order my book Keep Thyself Pure here on Amazon!

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. – Matthew 9:37,38

Shortly after Jesus made the aforementioned statement to his followers, we find Jesus at Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was busy with household duties, while Mary enjoyed his company. Jesus commended Mary on choosing the better part as she sat at his feet and listened to him speak. As I consider the prayer and plea for labourers, I must ask, “Why are the labourers few?” Is it possible that the labourers are few because the true worshippers are few?

If we love the Lord with all our heart, the natural result will be that we also love our neighbor as ourselves!

As an upper classman in college, I became involved in the International Ministry. Our mission’s teacher and mentor, James Zenker, took a great interest in many of us young missionary enthusiasts. He planned many special activities for us and we had a lot of fun ministering to foreign exchange students on the campus of the University of Tennessee. 

Encountering God

One particular activity at the beginning of the semester was a retreat in a large cabin at Pigeon Forge. Before the fun and games began, we met in a room at a church building and learned about prayer. We learned that we must worship the Lord for who He is. We went around the room sharing attributes that God possessed. Then we dismissed and got alone with the Lord. You would be surprised at how fast you can run out of things to say when you are just talking about God while talking to Him! Perhaps, my knowledge of the Almighty is quite shallow – how humbling! Then we would meet together after a long five minutes or so and talk about praising God for what He has done. Now this was somewhat easier as there is much to be thankful for! Again, we would come apart for about five minutes. 

Then the hard part – we would deal with the issue of surrender to the Lord: this naturally would include confession of sin. It is amazing how many things I tolerate in my life that ought not to exist. I remember going alone outside and gazing at the stars: I simply stood in awe of the greatness of God. That made it easier to acknowledge that he is worthy of my surrender. Sometimes I just need to stop what I am doing and truly worship and praise my God. We concluded our time with supplication. This was specific petitions on behalf of those we would be ministering to that semester. We had a paper with a target on it. We had a place for three names of whom we would focus our prayers. What a wonderful way to begin a semester of ministry!

Revolution back to the Bible

Brother Zenker would challenge us to study the Bible afresh, considering the mode and method of evangelizing the world. I must confess that we prided ourselves in being great visionaries and called ourselves revolutionaries. We tried to view missions from Jesus’ viewpoint and think on a bigger and broader scale than what was currently happening in the world today. We started to challenge the popular methods of missions and seek a church model that would multiply and rapidly affect continents during our lifetime. Our goal was to establish reproducing indigenous churches that would result in movements evangelizing the world within 10 years!

I remember strategizing with my friend Ryan at IHOP for hours, examining the Book of Acts. We would talk about having a team of Church Planting pioneers who would start in China, travel the megacities and work our way westward throughout Asia. 

Inspiring Ideas

During this time, I read an article in the local newspaper about a local 24 year-old man who had rode his bicycle from Hong Kong to Lhasa, Tibet. He had met Buddhists on their pilgrimages, slept under the stars, and even crossed the Tibetan border in the middle of the night under cover of darkness. If he could live on a daily average of two dollars a day, why couldn’t my friend Ryan and I just go and tough it out with little or no support? Of course, we had no time for marriage, and we would simply be “bachelors to the rapture”. But all those plans came to a halt when my friend eloped with his girlfriend! One by one many other friends of mine began to fall prey to marriage!

A book was given to me that greatly challenged my vision titled Tally Ho the Fox! written by Herb Hodges. This book really emphasized how Jesus took twelve ordinary men and transformed them into disciple-makers, thus impacting this world in their lifetime! I found out that Dr. Hodges held weekend seminars and I had the privilege of attending a Disciple-maker’s retreat in Birmingham, Alabama. There I met men, some quite young, who had discipled other men, who in turn evangelized and discipled others continuing the process. This is exactly what Paul had in mind when he said in II Timothy 2:2, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

The Labourer God is Looking For

I am grateful for those who challenged me to think and to dream big. I had to see my God as the worthy cause of self-sacrifice and live for His pleasure. The Bible teaches that without faith, it is impossible to please God. God works in miraculous ways, because He is supernatural. He desires to get glory from all nations by making His name known. But He has chosen to use His servants as instruments of accomplishing this great task. But we must be clean and set apart should we be meet for the master’s use! What good would be all my ambitious plans, if I were not Spirit-filled and led by the Lord of the harvest in the gathering of His harvest where the labourers are few?

Four years at Bible college went by rapidly. We had a tremendous graduating class in 2003. Two of my closest friends received the most coveted preacher awards, while I was honored to receive the Servant’s Heart award. But my education, as I would learn, was just beginning!

Following graduation, I remained in Tennessee an additional month working at Shoney’s restaurant as a waiter. I was able to finish paying off my school bill, before returning home in Florida. What a blessing it was to not have any debts keeping me from moving forward with what God had for me. My time in college left me with an appetite more than ever to learn about the operations of the local church and existing needs in missions. I was learning to be content with striving to please God above all others. But at the heart of it all, I must have always have the right motivation in ministry – to love God and worship him! For without worship, there will never be surrender of our will and sacrifice to make Christ known!

The labourers are few–will you go?

Below you will learn from this video the key characteristic of God that distinguishes him from the false gods of this world. It is interesting to see how many people in the Bible presented this important fact to their audience – including Jonah, Daniel, and Paul!

Chapter 6 from “Fully Equipped: Having What It Takes to Give Your All”

Ever since I had graduated from college, I desired to have a “wilderness experience”. I knew that before the Lord used many of his servants in public ministry, they had a time apart with Him. Since I didn’t have specific direction for a place of ministry, I knew this was an important time to draw near the Lord and get his mind for what I should do next. Then comes 30 days of Amtrak.

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. – Mark 6:31                                                                                 

For Moses, it was 40 years with the sheep; David hid from Saul in caves; Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness; and the Apostle Paul was taken for over three years to the Arabian Desert. What is interesting to note is that with Moses, David, and Paul, they each were murderers, but all found God’s forgiveness. God brought them unto himself and used them as the greatest leaders of his people throughout history. Most notable however, is that they were each used by God to pen the words of the majority of Scripture. 

As I considered where I could go to be alone with God, I learned about the Bass River State Forest in New Jersey. I stayed there for about eight of the loneliest days in my life. The days were spent mostly reading my Bible, praying while taking walks, and writing in my journal. I cooked over an open fire and bundled up in my lean-to. 

Riding the Rails

A couple days after my campout in New Jersey, I boarded the Amtrak train in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004 and I would spend the next month traveling across Canada and the United States on a North American rail pass. This pass cost only $500 (about all the money I owned) and gave me access to the Amtrak trains and the VIA Rail in Canada, along with bus rides and ferry boats.

I would not only see the cities and countryside, but would witness firsthand the provision and protection of God. I met people from all backgrounds around the world including world travelers and national personalities such as former Presidential candidate Al Sharpton in the Philadelphia train station and Hall-of-Fame baseball player Ron Santo when I visited Wrigley field in Chicago for a baseball game. 

My adventures included sleeping on a bench at Fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco, losing my wallet on a Los Angeles bound train, and viewing the spectacular sights of the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Park. 

Faith in Action

As I learned on this trip alone on the rails, Christ is very personal and present. One instance of seeing God provide was while I was in Bangor, Maine. I was walking up a street with my backpack and it started to rain. I didn’t have an umbrella and was hurrying back to the bus station. There were still a couple miles to go, and I asked God to keep me dry. Just then a piece of cardboard was blowing across the road. I picked it up and used it to cover myself. My clothes in my bag stayed dry!

Since I left with only a small amount of cash, and no credit cards, I had to be quite frugal. But God has ways of providing. One account was while I was on a ferry boat going to Vancouver Island. I started a conversation with a Brazilian couple, speaking in Spanish the best we could. They were so delighted to be able to talk with someone and before we parted ways, they gave me a Canadian $50 bill!

I left my wallet on the train!

Another unexpected source of income came after I had left my wallet on a Los Angeles bound train. I had been explaining the Gospel to a lady and used my wallet in an illustration. I had gotten off the train while it was still dark around 5am. It was a small little depot, and when the sun arose, and I realized my wallet was missing! I realized that it was still on the seat, and now the train was long gone. There was some change in my bag that I used to call the Amtrak office. I did get my wallet back a week later, but without the cash, of course. I should mention that I did not have any credit cards – both a good and a bad thing! Now I had to live off of almost no money! 

Since I had a very low budget when I started the trip, I knew there were some ways I could exist on a low budget. Knowing that I could get hot water on the train, I brought Ramen noodles and instant oatmeal packets. I also had packed some peanuts and beef jerky to supplement my protein intake. I figured my little cash would be enough to hold me over! But now I only had less than two dollars in change left!

A miracle from a waitress

I had an overnight stop in Bakersfield, California. As was  my custom, I stopped in a Denny’s Diner for the late hours of the night so I would at least be off the street. I ordered some hot water (for the oatmeal packet) and cold water to drink. Then one of the waitresses came and offered me coffee, without charge! Having only a little over two dollars in change, I left it all for a tip, asking the Lord to multiply it! I left the restaurant about five in the morning to head back to the train station. As I went outside, the waitress got my attention and handed me a five dollar bill! She said that I needed it more than her and asked that I pray for her, as she was going through a difficult time. That five dollars made me feel like a rich man!

Fine dining with Family

Five dollars never was more valuable to me than at that time. Shortly after this incident, I met up with some relatives from my mom’s side in San Diego, who gave me $40! Then my Great Uncle Henry near San Francisco gave me and my cousin Jenny $100 to go eat with at a fancy restaurant. Talk about going from a pauper to a prince!

My travels did have some unsettling moments though. When I had arrived in San Francisco by bus, it was ten o’clock at night and the station was closed for remodeling. So there I wandered on the street and ended up sleeping on a park bench at Fisherman’s Wharf! The next day I walked down Market Street to the library past all the homeless people. Though I was warned against it, I put my trust in God as my Protector!

Hiking the Grand Canyon

Another exciting adventure was going to the Grand Canyon. While on a shuttle van entering the Park, I met another young man who was also a Christian! Emil and I hit it off and he offered for me to stay at his rented room and hike the canyon with him the next day. Now I must inform you that it had been thirteen days since I had slept in a bed or taken a shower. I had done my sleeping while on the train and kept myself clean by using a trick shared by a friend who had been in the military. Yep, I used baby wipes to keep from getting stinky, and would wash my hair in bathroom faucets – either on the train or in restaurants. After a good night’s rest, we had a memorable hike down and up the Grand Canyon…in about seven hours!

Surprises in Denver

One last story here was my adventure in Denver, Colorado. It just happened to work out that I arrived in the Mile High city in the early evening, and the train depot was across the street from the Rockies baseball stadium. So I ventured over to the line of people outside the gates. A young couple behind me asked if I wanted a ticket, because a couple of their friends didn’t show up. So I ended up with two free tickets and enjoyed a relaxing ballgame! 

After the game, I went back to spend the night at the train depot. There I met a Christian man from England and we began to get acquainted. We were soon informed that the station was closing for the night and we must leave until the next morning. The workers told us that we could take a free transit bus across town to an all-night diner. My new friend and I had such a good time of fellowship before walking back to the station early the next morning to catch the next train.

God provided again when I met up with my mom’s sister in Pittsburgh and they gave me $20. I was able to finish my journey in Knoxville, Tennessee without starving! A friend picked me up from the train station and I enjoyed attending my cousin Rebekah’s graduation at my alma mater Crown College!

Adventures in Alaska

After my trip riding the rails around North America, I spent some time working back home in Florida. In the fall of 2004, I flew up to visit my oldest sister and her family who were living in Seward, Alaska. While on a layover in Minneapolis, an announcement was made that the flight was overbooked. I jumped up to volunteer to take a later flight and was promised to receive a voucher for a free plane ticket! As I was at the desk confirming the details, someone came up and offered me a hundred dollar bill because they didn’t want to be separated from their friend. Since I had almost no money, I gladly took the hundred dollars and sat back down in my seat! When I arrived in Alaska, I found out motels ran for at least $90. God had already met that need!

More unexpected blessings

But the story gets better! The next morning, I went to the train station in Anchorage and sat in the lobby, reading my Bible as I waited for the train departure. While minding my own business, a couple middle aged ladies with their mother walked by and commented on the “Good Book” I was reading. We got talking and I shared how God had provided the hundred dollars the day before. One of the ladies, happened to work for Continental Airlines. She said she wanted to bless me and gave me one of her free round-trip vouchers which I used a few months later! 

During my stay in Seward, we took a hike up Marathon Mountain where there is an annual race up down the face of this steep mountain. The view of the glaciers and Resurrection Bay was breathtaking! We purified icy water from the melting glaciers streaming downward. 

At the conclusion of this particular trip, I took the train back up to Anchorage and arrived around nine o’clock at night. My plane would fly out only a couple hours later. I was on foot and had to find a bus to take me to the airport: I only had a couple hours. Someone told me where to find a bus stop, and I had to run through the streets with my suitcase to make the last bus of the night. I made it just in time and boarded out of breath. Then I had to pay…but I had hardly any money left! The fare was only two dollars…the last of what I had! Wow – God had come through again!

Prove your faith in God

A life of service that God will honor must be a life of faith. Having a healthy appetite for adventure is a bonus! Faith will require risks and oftentimes great sacrifice! But there is nothing to compare with the way God supernaturally provides and protects as we serve Him! God indeed is worthy to be trusted!

Faith must be tested and proven. Before I could be in a position to travel and live in Asia, God needed to prepare me through many trips as I have recorded above. In the video below, I explain why I have my evangelistic website www.PilgrimofTruth.com. It is primarily for all the people God brings across my path whom I long to see come to an understanding of how great my God is. It is my desire that they too come into a personal relationship with Him!

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. – Acts 16:9

It was March of 2012, and we were on Spring break at Baptist Bible Translator’s Institute in Bowie, Texas. The Lord had been working in my heart to reach the Tibetan people in Nepal. Now I would finally get to go see this unreached people group for myself! I was excited to be able to visit the land where I believed God was leading our family. The flight to get there would consist of three different plane rides. My first plane departed from Dallas, Texas and took me to Germany. From there I went to the United Arab Emirates, and finally to Kathmandu, Nepal. But let this be a lesson – life is not about the destination, but rather the journey getting there. On this nearly 30 hour journey, I met people from over twenty different countries, many of those in international airports! 

I must confess that when I got off the plane for my layover in the Middle East, I felt quite intimidated. Seeing the Muslims in their full dress, including men in long robes, reminded me I was not in America anymore. In fact, there were prayer rooms with sandals lining the doorways. People were from all over the Middle East. Soon I found myself sitting and chatting to a man from Pakistan. He said I should come visit his home sometime… “a very beautiful place” he said. That was in spite of the fact he had moved his family to a different location because of recent bombings. I witnessed to a Muslim cleric who had attended college in California. I could sense some conviction as we spoke about spiritual things and he abruptly left, leaving behind his cup of coffee and a gift bag! I chased him down and was able to return it to him. Thankfully, I had some Arabic tracts with me to leave with these men I met.

Although the power of Satan is real, the power of God is greater!

I then went into a large room where long lines of souls awaited to board the planes. Several were actually bowing toward Mecca to say their prayers. There was a group of about 100 Indonesians taking their annual pilgrimage. How this tore my heart out. As I made my way around to witness to men and ladies from all over, I felt a sense of peace and confidence overtake me. I realized that though the power of Satan is real, the power of God is greater! It felt like I was conquering this territory for the glory of God! What an awesome experience it was during that six-hour layover!

An unexpected blessing

When our final plane approached Nepal, an announcement was made over the intercom that we would have to detour to Dhaka, Bangladesh to refuel because of poor visibility. I wish I could describe the giddy feeling that swept over me as I thought, “The Lord is interrupting everybody else’s plans so I can see Bangladesh after all… and at no extra charge to me!” Though our stay was brief to refuel the plane, it was a good feeling, knowing that my Father cares for the littlest of details when it comes to our desires. Finally, our plane was flying parallel to the massive Himalaya Mountains as we made our way to the airport in Kathmandu. I got my visa, and since no one was manning customs, I walked directly outside to find my missionary friend *John waiting for me. We embraced and loaded my stuff into a cab. I was immediately introduced to the crazy traffic of Kathmandu and the sight of “stray” monkeys roaming the dirty streets! 

Lodging at a monastery

I was taken to a Buddhist monastery in Boudha where I would lodge in a guest room on the third floor. It was a simple room and had electricity at nighttime only. Since water also was rationed and available during the day, I made sure to shower and keep a pail of water on hand for after hours. I was so exhausted from the 29 hours of travel that I crashed on the twin-sized bed. A few hours later, my friend John came and woke me up and took me to his flat where his family lived. There we enjoyed a delicious lasagna supper his wife had made from scratch. Then they opened a suitcase full of food and candy given by a supporting church I had brought from Texas! They were so excited, as it was like a late Christmas! Afterward, Dawa, a Christian Tibetan friend, and his brother Pema came over. Pema was a monk at the monastery where I stayed, and oversaw the guest housing. We plotted our trip details on a map of the Langtang area. We were set to leave out early the next morning. Pema had another monk pick me up to take me back to my sleeping quarters. He arrived on a scooter and I jumped on the back. We whisked between the alleys and down the dark corridors back to the monastery. My first day in Nepal had been eventful and was coming to a close. But it was just the beginning. 

Most people in Nepal speak two or three languages

The next would began at five o’clock in the morning. Awakened out of sleep by my friend John’s voice once again, we hurriedly grabbed my backpack and ran down the monastic staircase and hopped in the taxi. It was dark outside, and we had to make our way to the northwest part of the city to catch the 7:00 am bus. We navigated traffic successfully, and boarded the packed bus. I got to sit near the front and was right behind a Tibetan lady. I had seen pictures of their freckled sunburnt faces. Now I was actually seeing a Tibetan person in real life! I could hardly contain myself! The reality of the language barrier was settling in, for very few people spoke English. Most people there will speak two or three languages! Though Nepali is the trade language for the country, it is only the first language of half the population of nearly 30 million people! There are over 120 languages spoken in Nepal.

Our bus made its way up the foothills of the Himalayas and soon we were sweeping back and forth along the perilous mountainside. We soon overlooked the capital city of three million people and vanished into the many valleys and peaks northward. We ascended higher and higher, passing farmers, children, and animals. We drove through many small villages and numerous makeshift houses that dotted the landscape. Then we stopped in a town where we took a break. There were actually people riding on top of our bus! We went into a restaurant where you can sit anywhere – even across the table from other diners! Everyone ate the same food which included rice with lentil soup on top (called daal bhat), vegetables in separate metal bowls, and a small portion of meat. Since it was customary to eat with their hands, I dove right in taking in the full experience getting my hands messy with the hot wet rice!

Surviving the bus ride

After traveling by bus for about nine hours, we had come as far as the road would take us. At one stretch on the road, the road was so narrow and twisted so sharply, we were literally at a crawling speed tenuously riding the edge of the cliff! I prayed hard, and one of the Tibetans accompanying us vomited. When we arrived safely I felt like giving the driver a hug! I was both relieved and thrilled to be alive! (Click to see video for footage of the bus ride!)

Now we were to go on foot. The four of us: John, Dawa, Pema, and I, crossed the long suspension walking bridge in Syabrubesi and started the long hike into the mountains. We each had a heavy backpack holding our essentials. It was difficult as the air was getting thinner from the high altitude and I was not in shape and a few pounds overweight! 

The Guest House

After a few hours, we found a Tibetan guest house which was basically a couple extra rooms that was family owned and rented for the night. They asked us if we wanted a hot shower or a cold shower. I told them I wanted a hot shower. Several minutes later I had to smile to myself when a girl handed me a 5 gallon bucket with warm water that had just been heated over the fire! She pointed me to a small room made of concrete blocks which would be my shower room. Scooping water out to bathe was a new challenge that I would learn to master. After cleaning up, our group gathered in the kitchen/dining area where the host family prepared food over an adobe stove. We sat around the fire and sipped our hot tea. Exhausted, we ate our delicious food, had devotions, then hit the hay for much needed sleep. 

To see more pictures from treks in the Himalayas that I have linked with Proverbs in three languages, go here.

“We are unreached too!”

The next day proved more strenuous yet, as we would hike for about twelve hours and only stopping to break for meals. We made it to Qenji about 12,000 ft. above sea level. At night, John and I sat for about two hours witnessing to a couple from Germany. They had many questions about our faith in God and we took turns telling stories how God had answered our prayers. Later, I received an email from one of the German travelers saying, “I know you are missionaries to Tibetans, but we are unreached too!”

On our final day in Langtang, we passed a field of farmers where a man held a wooden plow and trailed his oxen. In the distance behind him was a lady holding a basket, broadcasting the seed. This was a perfect illustration of the Seed and the Sower. Sadly, there are few willing sowers to reach the Tibetan people. But a greater challenge yet is the fact that there is so little Seed available to be sown. Many Tibetan languages are so different and have little or no translation of the Bible in their dialect yet! 

After taking many pictures with the backdrop of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains, we made our way back down the mountain. We gazed at the myriad of colorful prayer flags that the people draped outside their homes. They believe these written prayers blowing in the wind will appease the evil spirits and bring a blessing on their crops. Prayer wheels and prayers inscribed on stones reminded us of the superstitions that dominated the lives of these precious people. 

When we got back to civilization, we arranged to take a Land Rover back down the mountain. This was such a relief, as the large buses hugged the steep sides of the mountain roads. At one turn, there had been wash-outs making the bus rock back and forth. Then there was barely enough room to pass other on-coming vehicles. I had asked the Lord to put his hand on the side of the bus and protect us! Now we were enjoying our ride downward in a much smaller, and more reliable vehicle. I began to think that I might actually survive my survey trip after all! 

Plowing the fields with oxen

The four of us laughed and retold the stories of our expedition as we proceeded downward. At one point, our driver let us get out where a man was plowing his rice field. He waved for me to come join him. So I took off my socks and shoes, rolled up my pant legs and ventured into the mud up to my calves. He gave me the reigns to his plow, and I held on for dear life as the oxen pulled the wooden plow and me along with it! 

Now when you encounter new circumstances, you can either embrace the moment along with the differences and challenges; or you can complain and choose to be miserable. I highly recommend the first option! I fully expected things to be different in Nepal than America and knew it was not all going to be suited to my taste and comforts. But I could and would choose to still enjoy myself! 

When we finally made it back to the city, we four guys celebrated by going to Pizza Hut! After that we got some ice cream. The guys teased me mercilessly about my overuse of the word “Wow!”, for that was my continual response of the endless views of the mountains and rivers and every new experience… “Wow!” 

Indeed, my affection for this land and people was growing. Yet I had only been there for five days! I had the privilege of attending the church service and hearing Brother John teach a Bible class in Nepali. I sang a song with Dawa’s guitar and preached with him interpreting into the Nepali language. I spoke from the Psalms that teach us how God is a Father to the fatherless. It was my desire to encourage this young group, as some of the believers there had grown up in a children’s home and were distant from their biological parents. Most were the only Christian in their entire family!

My true highlight was still yet to occur!

Brother John took me to meet my first Amdo Tibetan. (Amdo is a region in Tibet and is the group that the Dalai Lama is from.) He was a language helper to Brother John, and he welcomed us to sit in his little room. He was quite friendly and told us how he had come to teach Mandarin Chinese in the University. 

After that, we made our way through the tiny shops that lined the narrow streets. I was introduced to Wangchup, a rare Tibetan Dolpo believer. He had been led to the Lord years ago by a Christian he had met in a restaurant. He loves the Lord and even had some Tibetan literature in his small shop. He showed it to me and it looked like a story about the life and Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then he proceeded to tell me that many of the words are unintelligible, coming across as an insult to Tibetans. For instance, the word for God is another word for “Buddha”. The word for sin means “bad karma”. So in the minds of Tibetans, it’s propaganda for another sect of Buddhism. Especially disturbing is the suggestion that this “Buddha God” had a son. Buddha had never been married, so how was that possible? 

“Did I just have my Macedonian vision?”

Wangchup pleaded with us to pray that somebody would come help translate the Christian terms properly so his people could have an intelligible Bible and reach them with the Gospel. As we walked away, I thought, “Did I just have my Macedonian Vision?” For essentially, he was pleading, “Come over and help us.” 

Soon after, I read the verse in Proverbs 3:27, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Indeed, this was the reason God had us preparing to work with unreached peoples at Baptist Bible Translator’s Institute. God had revealed where we might reach Tibetans – in Nepal! Plus, we had Brother John’s family to work alongside.

I remember standing on the roof of the monastery where I was staying. Early in the morning, I could hear the sounds of deep gargled voices reciting Tibetan Buddhist mantras. As the fog began to lift, the people were starting to move about – some ladies sweeping the pavement below and motorcycles making their way between the buildings on the narrow lanes. Overlooking the Stupa and flats of several old buildings, I pondered what my future held in seeking to make a difference in this religious, but spiritually barren area of the world. Indeed, the incense, prayer flags, prayer beads, and spinning prayer wheels remind me that there is not a need for more religion and rituals. The Buddhist people are kind and hospitable, speaking much about peace and goodness. They want to abandon evil and do good. I thought, “What do I have to offer that they don’t already have?” 

On the other hand, the underlying roots of Tibetan Buddhist practices are demonic which permeate the people’s lives with fear. Festivals are regularly held to appease deities and bring cleansing to the people. They know they have done wrong and seek to atone for it. Politically, the Tibetan people have been oppressed for over sixty years by China. At least twenty-two ethnic Tibetan groups have fled for refuge here in this neighboring country. But the people remain without hope and will continue as long as the majority of the 100 Tibetan groups speaking over sixty different languages have very little Bible translated into their languages.

“To reach Tibetans is like going into a cave and robbing a lioness of her whelps.” – Hudson Taylor, Missionary to China

I wondered if I may be able to come back – and if I do, how can I make a difference? Many missionaries have already given their lives to reach these people and some have been killed. Hudson Taylor stated over a hundred years ago, that “to reach Tibetans is like going into a cave and robbing a lioness of her whelps.” Outsiders are forbidden in most Tibetan areas, but God still wants someone to go. But the Lord had opened a door to reach them in Nepal!

Officially on deputation!

When I arrived back to Texas on Tuesday, March 26th, 2012, I had clear direction ahead of me. The very next evening, I was scheduled to conclude a mission’s conference in the area. That weekend, our family was in another conference. Both churches took us on for support! We were officially on deputation!

Months later, my wife Jamie went with my cousin Janelle to visit Nepal. This was helpful for her to get to know the missionary family and learn a little about the country firsthand. This also allowed her to know how to pack for our family to live in Nepal. 

*For security purposes, I have used the name of John to refer to my missionary friend who assisted me on my survey trip. Watch the video below to see some pictures and video clips from my survey trip to Nepal.

Have you ever visited another country? According to a Pew Research survey, 76% of Americans have travelled internationally. But according to Barna research, only 11% of all churchgoers have been on a short-term mission trip. The good news is that 23% of evangelical Christians have reportedly been on a mission trip. Perhaps, you have never considered going abroad for a week or month to serve alongside a foreign missionary. I want to share some reasons why you should prayerfully get out a map and start dusting off your suitcase.

My first mission trip

When I was twelve years old, my family drove from Florida to El Paso, Texas where we visited missionaries that had a church plant across the border in Juarez, Mexico. It impacted me to see how the missionaries lived and ministered. I found that there were simple things they did in ministry that I could replicate back home. We learned to give out gospel tracts and say in Spanish, “Esto es para usted.” This meant “This is something for you.” 

Soon after this trip, I started learning to play the guitar and got accompanied the music for our Spanish services in our church. I gave out gospel tracts in English and Spanish. I was understanding that when God said that He loves the world, that includes all language groups! I even thought that perhaps the Lord may one day want me to be a missionary in Mexico!

God shaped my life through mission trips 

As I got older, I surrendered to be a missionary at teen camp. At age 17, my older sister Lori and I went to Ecuador to visit a missionary family for almost three weeks! I learned that missionaries are common people but live in a very different setting and must adapt to a new culture. There are extra challenges, but the joy of serving the Lord in a needy place is incomparable!

God used these experiences to shape me and prepare me for missionary life in Asia. When my family served in Nepal, we had a few single adults from America come spend a month to three months with us assisting us with homeschooling, children’s ministry, and wherever else we needed. It was such an encouragement to my wife and I!

When other family or friends would visit us, I felt as though they now shared part of the burden we carried. They had experienced for themselves the strange sights, sounds, and smells that surrounded us. They now could put a face and personality with names we had written about in our prayer letters. They could truly understand somewhat the challenges that we faced linguistically and in ministry among Hindus and Buddhists. They now had an up close and personal glimpse into the spiritual oppression and darkness that we were striving to penetrate with the Gospel light.

Jesus commands us to go 

The greatest motivation for the Christian to follow the commands of Jesus Christ is love. He said to his followers, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” He has commissioned us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. There are now over eight billion people living on earth. It is impossible to preach to someone you never go and meet personally.

“Lift up your eyes and look on the fields,” are the words our Lord Jesus spoke to his disciples. A mission trip is the best way to get your eyes off of the routine of your own life and community and see the fields ready for the harvest. To have a vision from God’s perspective requires that you look up. Other people’s pictures, videos, and stories are no substitute for experiencing other countries and cultures firsthand for yourself. 

A trip for David had an incredible outcome

We all are familiar with the story of David and Goliath. We know that David overcame all odds and defeated the giant “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (I Samuel 17:46) But the events that led to this showdown may be less familiar. David had been watching his father’s sheep in Bethlehem while his three eldest brothers were with the Israeli armies camped in opposition to the Philistines. Jesse, David’s father, called him to take some food to his brothers and check on their welfare. He obediently went to his brethren on the battle front and saw firsthand the giant Goliath mocking his God. He took the insults personally and queried who was going to stand up to him. No one, including King Saul, was up to the task, so David volunteered. 

Because David went to visit his brethren, he saw the battle. Because he loved God, he volunteered to do something about the situation. He declared, “Is there not a cause?” He understood the mission and personally got involved. Our local churches will be greatly helped when people get a global vision for world evangelism. God does a work in hearts of those who go see the needs of the heathen in foreign lands. 

The best reason for going on a mission trip

One of the greatest reasons to go on a short-term mission trip is to encourage your long-term missionary. When you go see your brother, you will also witness the spiritual battle they are in. This will be a challenge to you to know how to better aid them. Whether it is in prayer, or simply in helping to carry their emotional burden, or helping raise financial support: the ways of assisting our foreign workers are many. 

I remember hearing about Pastor Robert Sutton visiting a missionary in South America back in 2014. When he returned to the states, he was so burdened to help a particular financial need, that he visited other churches to raise money on Wednesday nights one summer. He saw a need and his eye affected his heart. He just had to help anyway he could and God used him to raise the money needed to enable the building of the church building pictured below!

Objectives of a mission trip

There are numerous reasons people take mission trips. Some go to preach in evangelistic outreaches, while others provide training for pastors. Numerous groups help with medical needs or clean water projects. Some will do dental work or provide other areas of assistance in poverty stricken countries. Whatever you go to do, I would encourage you to work directly with a missionary and local church if there is one available. Before you go, ask them how you can be of help and when is the best time to visit. It is best to let them set the agenda, as they know what their needs are and what is actually helpful. Sometimes people who mean well can make things harder on the busy missionary.

There are obvious personal benefits for taking a mission trip. Be sure that you go with the motivation to assist rather than to simply make yourself feel good by doing something that makes you fulfilled. Remember you are going to encourage and serve. Some missionaries rarely have someone visit them on the foreign field. Don’t underestimate the power of your presence and the fellowship that they may be starving for.

How to prepare for a mission trip

Where do you start if you are considering a foreign mission trip this summer? A good place to begin is by prayerfully corresponding with some missionaries that your church supports. Perhaps your pastor knows of a need or another church group that is going to assist a missionary. Maybe you are already particularly interested or burdened for a particular group of people or country. 

Get your passport. This will take some time and you will need to do your homework on what requirements there are to enter a country. Many countries require a visa as well, so you need to thoroughly do your research and give yourself ample time before you go.

Start saving your money. Many trips will cost $1,500 to $2,000 a person. Ask the missionary you are visiting how much they recommend you to bring for living costs. Don’t assume that they will have arrangements for your lodging, food, and transportation, although they may readily assist in these areas. It is polite to offer to pay for your own costs and bring some extra money to help lighten the financial burden on those you plan to help. 

Once you have figured out who you are going to visit, when you are going, and what you are going to do, you will need to purchase your plane tickets. Some choose to use travel agencies, which is a wise decision. You will need to decide if insurance is necessary as well. Be sure to plan out how you will get to the airport and who will pick you up at your final destination. 

Lastly, prepare for an adventure of a lifetime! Allow God to speak to you and speak through you. You have no idea what lasting impact you may have on the individuals you minister to. On the lighter side, don’t be afraid to try new things and make some life-long memories! Take lots of pictures. Eat something strange, if you dare! 

Final Thought

I whole heartedly recommend every Christian that is able to travel to go visit the mission field. Your life will be changed, your worldview enlarged, and appreciation for America enhanced. If possible, take your children or teens along with you and let them get an education that cannot be provided in a classroom. You will not only encourage your missionary, but will bring back a fire that can spread in your home church and community!

Enjoy the short video highlights below from a recent Mission trip with my sons and friend from church!