Discipleship: Full Circle

Below is a note I posted on Facebook back in August of 2010. This past Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church in Durant, Oklahoma many gathered to commemorate the life and ministry of Norman Gene Gooding. Norman had quite an influence on my life without being directly apart of it and I believe this is how God intended discipleship to occur among His people.

Monday I had the honor and privilege of attending a service that was held at the church I grew up in, to commemorate the life of Norman Gene Gooding. This service was in fact a celebration service. The sanctuary was filled with about three hundred people and many of which new Norman in a very personal way. The stage was filled with 6 pastors/evangelist and 4 men who were known as the Matthew Boys and at one time traveled and sang together along with Norman and now are servants in the work of the Father. These men hold major roles in universities, church camps, and churches all of which are serving in the Kingdom and work of the Father.

Friday morning at Falls Creek I ran into David Polk who told me about Norman going to be with the Father. As my heart became very heavy with frustration and grief, David assured me that it is a good thing that Norman is home now. I made a quick phone call to David Anderson who's conversation in recent months has been filled with Norman's name and fruitful life. In a short conversation with David I soon realize how much I take life for granted, again David reminded that our Father is in control.

The Father taught me a lot through this celebration service. First of all, I would say that this service was truly a celebration with much laughter and community among brothers and sister in Christ brought together by one obedient life. Norman obviously found it more valuable to actively and intentionally pursue believers and non-believers for the benefit of the Kingdom. In every case whether it be an intentional relationship with a non-believing biker or finding common ground with a younger christian brother, Norman pursued to love and glorify the King at all times in every relationship.

I now realize the privilege and great opportunity I had while I was growing up to have Norman be apart of my home church. I did not realize how big of a deal Norman really was until Monday morning. Norman was obedient to the Father through seeing the world by the eyes of Christ and joining the Father in the work around him.

I believe it wasn't until Monday that everything came full circle. As I sat and listened to preacher after preacher (some of whom I knew personally) talk about the fruitful life of Norman Gooding and listened to four men (two of which have had in impact on my life) sing and lead us in thankful worship to the Father; connection after connection began to occur.

Two years ago at Falls Creek I worked with Randy Anderson at who was apart of "The Matthew Boys". Randy and I had a few significant discussions and taught me a lot about servanthood. David Polk was also apart of that singing crew. David by way of rearing a good family and making a conscious effort to chat it up with me when our paths crossed has taught me much about small seemingly insignificant exchanges truly being big work in the Kingdom. Jacob Toews one of the many pastors who were speaking on Monday has set a great example of how to raise up and lead a good Godly family. And David Anderson who probably has made the greatest investment in my life. David much like Randy and Polk was apart of the youth group that God gave Norman during his time at Calvary Baptist Durant. David actively has pursued me and made little deposits of wisdom, knowledge, and guidance in my life over that last 4 years.

Discipleship is what this is. The first glimpse of discipleship coming full circle that I have personally been apart of. The Father unveiled my eyes on Monday to just a glimpse of the work and active pursuit that He has been making around me over the past 10 years. Randy, David, Jacob, and even Norman himself. Through the obedience of one man the Father has taught me much by many. Norman pouring into four young men many years ago has affecting me personally today and I stand in awe at the beautiful dance the Father makes with us in order to bring us to Him only to give Him the Glory.

It was evident Monday, and even more so today that Norman Gooding did not waste his life chasing the 401(k) retirement package that is so futile when it comes to doing the work of the Father. Norman never retired from doing the work of the Father and I am humbly thankful and very grateful for that.

Norman Gene Gooding went home at the age of 75 on Friday April 23, 2010

Jesus and The Thuglife

So I am youth pastor at a small church in an extremely small town in southern Oklahoma. We have roughly 40 students regularly coming on a Wednesday night, most of our kids are fairly descent and don’t cause much problems. Two weeks ago we had four "thuglife" kids show up. These “thuglife” kids were pretty rough around the edges and after I got to talking with them it was evident they had been in trouble with the law. When I first found out they had came to church I honestly hoped that they wouldn’t stick around long. I approached them and they acted as I expected, making fun of me and acting too cool for school. I continued to pursue a casual conversation and invited them in to eat. They ended up coming in, eating, and attending our Wednesday night worship. Ironically those four “thuglife” kids paid better attention than some of the best of my regular students.

Last week the “thuglife” came back and invited two other friends. I chatted with the second timers and got to know the newbies a little before worship began. After church a couple of the newbies started smoking, (some of my kids started freaking out, like they never seen a cigarette before.) Anyways, I approached them and asked them to not smoke as long as they were on the property. As I allowed them to finish their cigarette (two of them were 18) I asked them what they thought about church. One responded, "its the coolest church I’ve been to", I asked why and he said because we didn't judge him and force anything on him. At that moment I felt both extreme happiness and a punch in the face! I was super stoked that he felt loved and accepted yet I at the same time I was the one who judged him! I proceeded to share with him that Jesus is who we follow and Jesus says that the world will know us by our love for one another. As we began to walk back to the church one of the guys asked me to pray for him and his grandfather who has cancer.

The past few days, I have been sharing this story with a very different point to get across but now, I share it; confessing my sin and realizing that it was not only him that I was sharing the Gospel with but also myself.

I need the Gospel just as much as the thuglife needs the Gospel!