Ministering in My Home Town

Ministering in My Home Town

What an amazing chain of events. Let me walk you through the history and show you something of God's majesty even as He works in mystery.

1. Forty-eight years ago I was born at Methodist Hospital in downtown Gary, IN, and raised on 11th and Hovey in the Heart of Gary. At the time, Gary was one of the most integrated cities in America.

2. Fast forward thirty-some years and God leads me to chair the counseling and discipleship program at Capital Bible Seminary in DC--one of the most integrated Evangelical seminaries in the world.

3. Move back in time two years ago and see God orchestrate my co-authoring, with Karole Edwards, an African American graduate of our MA in counseling/discipleship, Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction.

4. Moving closer to present-day, I move "back home" to Crown Point, IN, just 15 minutes from my birthplace. I continue to work full-time in DC (that's another story for another day!).

5. Soon after moving back, I read a fascinating article about Pastor Charles Floyd, III, Senior Pastor of New Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church on 23rd Avenue in Gary. Seems he teaches a Moody Bible Institute distance education course. Having many connections myself with Moody Bible, I contact Pastor Floyd.

6. Pastor Floyd invites me to attend one of his evening classes. I go, thinking it will consist mostly of members of his congregation. Little do I know that most of the 20 men and women in attendance are leaders at 20 different African American Churches in downtown Gary.

7. By the end of the night, so wonderfully orchestrated by God over the course of forty-eight years, doors open for ministering at a score of churches in Gary, IN: my hometown. God does indeed work in mysterious ways!