Timely Lessons for Continuous Relevance (1)
I remember sometime in 1996/7 a lot of the folks I hanged out with passionate about taking the world in a swipe, are really not in my inner circle yet today. We spoke of lofty dreams, gave timelines to track our progress. We met and long for meetings with senior friends available then to be mentored more (by the way I hope we still have these great forerunners that are still available to starters like us, and I hope we still have hungry learners who leverage on such privileges).
Two encounters I had got me more passionate about staying relevant. We had a hood of great minds that met for sharpening and adding value weekly, I identified to be part and was denied, screened out on the basis of being too small, maybe not good enough, well it was politely and diplomatically said as I saw folks I felt I could match with (knowledge/expereince wise) in that hood. Again, with the boosting of a beloved (Gabriel Ajos) I took a giant step, started an association of friends, was publishing a quarterly magazine on a highly evaded subject then. Men, then came the critical analysis of dearly beloved on not knowing enough, will soon run out of what to write or say, was pretty demoralized. Well, the lesson for me from that "authority - figure" then was you will soon burn out or run out of what to say next, I believe he meant well, since those two events, one in 1997/8 and the other in 2002, I decided to engage "the advantage", stay at the vantage point, be like my "Father" too inspired to be expired. I'm sure my folks will remember that catch out phrase although, not knowing why I repeated it.
For me the journey is still on, and the world is ours for a taking!
The greatest are not yet seen, cos we are to birth them...!
There's enough space for us all!
Nobody was designed to be a nobody!
We all can add value!
Now, there's a need to learn endlessly from those who had gone ahead of us, those with us, honor them and keep growing/learning!
I stumbled on this piece via Brighten Idaminabo, its been adapted and edited from Sam Tukura's ...
Its a pretty long one but read in full! Let it sink deep and yeah, share your thoughts or learning points. Let's go:
"Just about everybody has heard of Billy Graham, but what about Chuck Templeton? What about Bron Clifford? Have you ever heard of them?
Did you know that they were also packing our auditoriums in 1945 when Billy Graham first preached to large crowds?
I want to share with you some thoughts prompted by Pastor Tommy Barnett of Phoenix. All three of these young men rose to prominence in their middle twenties.
One seminary president, after hearing Chuck Templeton – a brilliant, dynamic preacher – called him the most gifted, talented young preacher in America.
Templeton and Graham became very close friends. They started preaching together with the Youth For Christ organization.
Most observers thought that Templeton would be the one who would go to the top. One magazine wrote a feature article calling Templeton the “Babe Ruth of evangelism”.
Bron Clifford was another gifted, young fireball evangelist. Many believed that Clifford was the most gifted powerful preacher to come up in the church for many centuries.
People lined up for hours to hear him preach. When he went to Baylor University to give a discourse, they actually cut the ropes off the bells of the tower. They wanted nothing to interfere with his preaching.
For two and one half-hours the students of Baylor sat on the edges of their seats as he gave a dissertation on “Christ and the Philosopher’s Stone.”
At age 25, Clifford touched more lives, influenced more leaders and set more attendance records that any other clergyman in American history. National leaders vied for his attention.
He was tall, handsome, dashing, sophisticated and intelligent. Hollywood actually tried to cast him in the lead role for the famous movie, “The Robe”. He seemed to have everything.
Graham, Templeton, and Clifford launched out of the starting blocks like Olympic gold medallists in 1945. Why haven’t you heard of Chuck Templeton or Bron Clifford?
The answer might surprise you.
By 1950 Templeton had left the ministry. He pursued a radio career.
He became an announcer and a newscaster, telling the world that he no longer believed Jesus Christ was the Son of God. He became an atheist.
By 1950, this future Babe Ruth of preaching was not even in the ball game!
By 1954 Clifford had lost his family, ministry and health. Eventually he lost his life because of addiction to alcohol.
Financial irresponsibility left his wife and their two Downs syndrome children penniless. This once famous preacher dies of cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 35 in a rundown hotel on the edge of Amarillo, Texas.
He died a pitiful, dishonorable and unsung death. Some pastors from Amarillo, Texas got together and collected enough money to buy a cheap casket. They shipped his body back to the East Coast, where he was buried in a pauper’s cemetery.
In 1945 all three of these men with extraordinary gifts were preaching for the purpose of multiplying the church by thousands of people. But within 10 years only one of them was still on track for Christ.
In Christian life it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish!
A recent survey shocked me; it reported that only one out of ten who start in ministry at the age of 21 serve the Lord to age 65.
...
Credits: Rev Sam Tukura
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Truly, these things were that we may learn not become fearful and quit nor judge and assassinate their person in memory.
We honor everyone that began ahead of us, we glean and learn from them, and we become better.
My take from the survey report: that's a report from sight, its a checkmate/caution with good intentions for us, but it should meet you well in that, its not the report of the Lord!
The Lord said I'll be with you till the end of age, so where else are we going if not forward with Him?
We have the advantage!
We stand at vantage point!
Not boasting in our own deeds, righteousness or efforts, but effortlessly receiving help, responding (grace brings responsibility), changing and making progress, believing and beholding the Lord who did it all, we become like Him (...as he is, so are we now)!
His perfect sacrifice, a product of Love so divine that can't be in vain as we appropriate!
We abide in the Lord, receiving his love, and nothing can separate us from this love of God that made us the ecclesia!
Stay Focused
We Are On An Assignment
Now I say brethren, we are not of they that draw back!
We are eternally sealed with the spirit of promise, we hold fast the confession of our faith firm to the end in the name of Jesus!
Let's keep praying for ourselves like the great Apostle Paul said:
"Brethren, pray for us"
mosesevivie.blogspot.com
™IGNITE ...it only takes a spark!
Two encounters I had got me more passionate about staying relevant. We had a hood of great minds that met for sharpening and adding value weekly, I identified to be part and was denied, screened out on the basis of being too small, maybe not good enough, well it was politely and diplomatically said as I saw folks I felt I could match with (knowledge/expereince wise) in that hood. Again, with the boosting of a beloved (Gabriel Ajos) I took a giant step, started an association of friends, was publishing a quarterly magazine on a highly evaded subject then. Men, then came the critical analysis of dearly beloved on not knowing enough, will soon run out of what to write or say, was pretty demoralized. Well, the lesson for me from that "authority - figure" then was you will soon burn out or run out of what to say next, I believe he meant well, since those two events, one in 1997/8 and the other in 2002, I decided to engage "the advantage", stay at the vantage point, be like my "Father" too inspired to be expired. I'm sure my folks will remember that catch out phrase although, not knowing why I repeated it.
For me the journey is still on, and the world is ours for a taking!
The greatest are not yet seen, cos we are to birth them...!
There's enough space for us all!
Nobody was designed to be a nobody!
We all can add value!
Now, there's a need to learn endlessly from those who had gone ahead of us, those with us, honor them and keep growing/learning!
I stumbled on this piece via Brighten Idaminabo, its been adapted and edited from Sam Tukura's ...
Its a pretty long one but read in full! Let it sink deep and yeah, share your thoughts or learning points. Let's go:
"Just about everybody has heard of Billy Graham, but what about Chuck Templeton? What about Bron Clifford? Have you ever heard of them?
Did you know that they were also packing our auditoriums in 1945 when Billy Graham first preached to large crowds?
I want to share with you some thoughts prompted by Pastor Tommy Barnett of Phoenix. All three of these young men rose to prominence in their middle twenties.
One seminary president, after hearing Chuck Templeton – a brilliant, dynamic preacher – called him the most gifted, talented young preacher in America.
Templeton and Graham became very close friends. They started preaching together with the Youth For Christ organization.
Most observers thought that Templeton would be the one who would go to the top. One magazine wrote a feature article calling Templeton the “Babe Ruth of evangelism”.
Bron Clifford was another gifted, young fireball evangelist. Many believed that Clifford was the most gifted powerful preacher to come up in the church for many centuries.
People lined up for hours to hear him preach. When he went to Baylor University to give a discourse, they actually cut the ropes off the bells of the tower. They wanted nothing to interfere with his preaching.
For two and one half-hours the students of Baylor sat on the edges of their seats as he gave a dissertation on “Christ and the Philosopher’s Stone.”
At age 25, Clifford touched more lives, influenced more leaders and set more attendance records that any other clergyman in American history. National leaders vied for his attention.
He was tall, handsome, dashing, sophisticated and intelligent. Hollywood actually tried to cast him in the lead role for the famous movie, “The Robe”. He seemed to have everything.
Graham, Templeton, and Clifford launched out of the starting blocks like Olympic gold medallists in 1945. Why haven’t you heard of Chuck Templeton or Bron Clifford?
The answer might surprise you.
By 1950 Templeton had left the ministry. He pursued a radio career.
He became an announcer and a newscaster, telling the world that he no longer believed Jesus Christ was the Son of God. He became an atheist.
By 1950, this future Babe Ruth of preaching was not even in the ball game!
By 1954 Clifford had lost his family, ministry and health. Eventually he lost his life because of addiction to alcohol.
Financial irresponsibility left his wife and their two Downs syndrome children penniless. This once famous preacher dies of cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 35 in a rundown hotel on the edge of Amarillo, Texas.
He died a pitiful, dishonorable and unsung death. Some pastors from Amarillo, Texas got together and collected enough money to buy a cheap casket. They shipped his body back to the East Coast, where he was buried in a pauper’s cemetery.
In 1945 all three of these men with extraordinary gifts were preaching for the purpose of multiplying the church by thousands of people. But within 10 years only one of them was still on track for Christ.
In Christian life it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish!
A recent survey shocked me; it reported that only one out of ten who start in ministry at the age of 21 serve the Lord to age 65.
...
Credits: Rev Sam Tukura
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Truly, these things were that we may learn not become fearful and quit nor judge and assassinate their person in memory.
We honor everyone that began ahead of us, we glean and learn from them, and we become better.
My take from the survey report: that's a report from sight, its a checkmate/caution with good intentions for us, but it should meet you well in that, its not the report of the Lord!
The Lord said I'll be with you till the end of age, so where else are we going if not forward with Him?
We have the advantage!
We stand at vantage point!
Not boasting in our own deeds, righteousness or efforts, but effortlessly receiving help, responding (grace brings responsibility), changing and making progress, believing and beholding the Lord who did it all, we become like Him (...as he is, so are we now)!
His perfect sacrifice, a product of Love so divine that can't be in vain as we appropriate!
We abide in the Lord, receiving his love, and nothing can separate us from this love of God that made us the ecclesia!
Stay Focused
We Are On An Assignment
Now I say brethren, we are not of they that draw back!
We are eternally sealed with the spirit of promise, we hold fast the confession of our faith firm to the end in the name of Jesus!
Let's keep praying for ourselves like the great Apostle Paul said:
"Brethren, pray for us"
mosesevivie.blogspot.com
™IGNITE ...it only takes a spark!
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