Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives; because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:8, NASB)
From the computer of friend, blog member, today's guest author, and the pastor of CenterPoint Lewis Center, Lewis Center, OH, Josh Boyer:
The sum of who I am is not just my education and personal
experiences in life, but it is also the people who poured themselves into my
life to help me become the person I am today. In many areas of my life, I have
had wonderful mentors who enabled me to be the best I can be. Early in my life,
I worked as a chef, but before I could become a chef, I had to apprentice under
an experienced chef. Before I could become a chef, I had to understand the
fundamentals of cooking and kitchen life.
Chef Tim Zahler and Chef Jimmy Kleusner are two men who
taught me so many wonderful lessons about cooking and kitchen life. Not only
did you need to know how to cook to become a chef. You had to understand the culture
of the places where you would be working. They both took me under their wings
and enabled me to become a successful chef.
In my life in grace, I have been blessed with several
mentors, who like Chef Zahler and Chef Kleusner, poured their lives into me to
enable me to be the man God has called me to be. One of the most influential
Christians in my life is Pastor Dan Kopp. Dan saw me, as one of the lost, and he
brought me to the love and grace of Jesus. It was in Pastor Dan’s church that I
finally truly heard and understood the gospel. God used Dan to bring me into a
life in grace.
Pastor Dan continually encouraged me to grow in faith. He
never gave up on me. He stood with me through everything I faced. He discipled
me, and taught me how to share my faith and grow as a Christian. Dan poured
into me years of his experience as a pastor. I grew leaps and bounds as his
disciple.
When I heard God call me into ministry, Dan encouraged me
every step of the way. He helped as I started seminary, when my funds were low,
the church paid for some of my schooling. Dan was investing in me and the
future of the Kingdom. Not only that, but Dan had become a father figure to me.
Someone who loved me and was proud of who I had become in Christ. Having him
disciple me was like a father teaching his child to ride a bike. He stood by me
as the training wheels were on, cleaned my scrapes and bruises, and encouraged
me to get back on the bike each time I fell. As the training wheels came off,
he watched proudly, joyfully as I rode off into the future.
Who do you think of as the most influential in your life
in grace? Is it a pastor, a parent, a friend, or a grandparent? Take time today
to thank the Lord for those wonderful mentors. But also take time today to
think about the person you can disciple. Let’s build the kingdom together
through intentional discipleship. God bless you all.[i]
[i] Because of the sermon series, Sunday, November 8, 2020, was designated as a community service day. No formal sermon was given at any of the CenterPoint churches.
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