For some reason, today I was thinking about some of the people in my life who have been a tremendous influence to me. I became a Christian in August of 1989 through the efforts of a man who lived out his Christianity in front of me. It was at this time in my life that I started to search for answers to questions that had gripped my thoughts. Questions like, “Why am I here?” “Why is life so disappointing?” “Why is life so empty?” Have you ever asked questions like that before? Philippians 1:3 says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” I do thank God for people that he put in my way. When I started asking these questions -- I started visiting a lot of different types of churches. I had some friends from work who loved to go church hopping and we would go from church to church critiquing the services.

To make a long story short --- I visited a particular church in Stockbridge, GA. This church was different – the people were very friendly, and people welcomed me in immediately. If it wasn’t for this I would have never come back. Anyway, a gentleman by the name of Jeff Meeks showed concern about my soul. He spent time with me, visited my house, he let me know that it was important to him that I was in church. The Lord used the true Christian life of this man to show me my lost condition. I imagine that Jeff will never read this blog. But I am thankful for every remembrance of him.

Discipleship? Yes, it’s important. What is it? How do you do it? Everyone has their opinion on how it should be done. Let me tell you how mine was done . . . most of it was done by riding around in a blue church van with Brother Jeff (the Youth Pastor) while doing errands or on trips with the church. He would tell me what the Bible said about certain things. He helped shape my philosophy of living. I miss those days in that church van! I am thankful for them. It wasn’t a set of discipleship books, an office, or an appointed time – but it was someone who invested time in my life.

Brother Jeff left the ministry while I was in Bible college. I was heart-broken and shattered by his decision. He didn’t leave because of sin, he left because he felt it was God’s will for his life. He is still faithful to God and to church. Maybe God had him in the ministry at that time just for me. God knows just what we need. Eventually, I got over my feelings of my youth pastor leaving the ministry – it was just something else that God used to shape my life. I still love Brother Jeff, and I believe he made the right choice! Thanks Brother Jeff, for being a Christian and living it in front of me!