Excerpts from the former-pastor-now-Y-director’s recent prayer update. He loves his Y job, hanging out with so many pre-believers.
“The convert from last year I wrote about has become a sorta tag-team Gospel buddy with me. He befriends people and starts the conversations toward God things, then directs them to me to answer harder questions about life, relationships, and theology. Here’s part of his conversion story:”
‘As I grew into my thirties, I attempted to fill an empty void in my life with self-glorification, greed and vanity. At one point I thought I was God. I was making a lot of money, I had ever material possession I could ever want or need, and was living a self-absorbed-but-self-destructive lifestyle. I was becoming like my dad, who has been filled with anger and rage for as long as I can remember. I did not want to be him and knew I desperately needed help.
‘In early 2010 after realizing that I was failing miserably in every aspect of my life, having nowhere else to turn, I prayed to God for guidance and help. He delivered that to me in the form of a spiritual mentor and someone I now have the distinct privilege to call a friend. I walked into this person’s office at our local YMCA in March 2010, loaded with questions about Christianity. Over the months that followed I gradually learned who Jesus is and in the summer of 2010, accepted Him as my Savior, and my life is so much better. I’m no longer alone in this world! I don’t have to bear the burdens of life on my shoulders alone. My wife has since joined me on this journey, and we are now raising our children ages seven and five, in a Jesus-centered home.’
The Y director also added, “I started another outreach class at our Y. It is called ‘The Silver Screen & Pearly Gates.’ I’m showing movie clips and trying to draw out discussions regarding religious themes in the movies. I happen to think there are a number of movies that scream for the real Gospel. I’m following a course of thought that Lewis and Tolkein shared when they purposed to create myths to stir people’s hearts toward the ‘true myth.’ I think Hollywood does that without being conscious of it.”
–ShepherdDave, thanking Jesus for the many who pray for him to return to being DumbSheepDave, and who pray for the ministry of GospelFriendships (please pray now)
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