Heroes

This past Sunday we talked about passing the baton, as Paul handed his baton to the Ephesian Elders before heading toward Jerusalem and ultimately Rome. Thought it would be appropriate to mention a few of the pastors who handed their ministry baton to me.

JB Bond - JB was the one who identified me as someone with potential in ministry. He was my pastor during college, and took an interest in me. I made copies for him, and he poured his life into me (a pretty good trade, if you ask me). JB gave me a desire to teach the Bible, and a passion for proclaiming the gospel clearly.

Rodney Cripps - Rodney was the youth pastor at the church I attended during college. He became a close friend, and was a great resource for bouncing ideas off of. He's a top-notch administrator, and has an ability to bring quick clarity to every issue. Rodney taught me to pay attention to the little things.

Drew Leaver - Drew was my boss at Fellowship North for the majority of the time I was there. He loves to think through issues and problems, and gave me a glimpse of what humble, servant leadership of another staff person could look like. Aside from the fact that his family and ours were extremely close, Drew was a great boss.

Glen Brechner - Glen hired a burned out, desperate, and disillusioned pastor to serve under him, and worked hard to make sure I was serving in an area that fit my gifts and talents. His leadership is one of the primary reasons I'm still in ministry today. Beyond that, Glen has an ability to think through processes and systems about as well as anyone I know.

These are guys who reached out to me, ran together with me, and released me for a lifetime of ministry. I'm adding to the heroes list these days, but it's only because of the investment these men made in my life.

I'm wondering who is involved in your life, and will call you a hero someday? Have you identified someone to begin passing your baton to?