Back in the Fight!

One of my favorite movies of all time is “Patton”, starring George C. Scott. He gives an Oscar winning performance of the life, times and brilliant military career of one of the United States greatest General’s and tactical leaders. There are many memorable lines from the movie but one in particular comes to mind as I share my heart in this blog post.

Gen. Patton had slapped an American soldier and was in “the dog house” with Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and just about everybody in and out of the Army. He had been relieved of duty we find out temporarily and as a smoke-screen to fool the enemy into moving their forces to a dummy landing site on D-Day. Patton despised being relieved and just sitting around in nice, soft hotel rooms, he called them “cat-houses”, and entertaining wives and mothers of soldiers with speeches. Patton was at heart a soldier, a warrior, a fighter…he craved warfare and winning.
The line that Mr. Scott acting as Patton said when he was relieved was, “you mean to tell me the whole world is at war and I’m not a part of it; God will not allow this to happen, I will allowed to fulfill my destiny..His will be done”. Shortly after this Patton was called back to duty, given the command of Third Army, which to that date crossed more land, captured and/or killed more of the enemy than any US Army division in history. I believe the movie “Patton” ought to be required viewing for all Christians and certainly for ministry leaders. The language is not “church” but the principles Patton believed in, taught and espoused made him a General’s General.

Why am I bringing this up…well yours truly was in Patton’s predicament. When I was called to and answered the call for the ministry I was 17 years old, in 1978. From 1978 to 1993 I served in just about every capacity of ministry there was...as a Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Minister (License), Elder (Ordained), Prison Ministry Volunteer, and Assistant Pastor. My mother died in late 1992, I took her death very hard and back-slid for the remainder of 1992 and for most all of 1993. In 1994 God in His sovereignty reached from Heaven and re-commissioned me for ministry. I regained my footing, began to teach, preach and witness for Christ again and by 1995 was Pastor of my first church and a Prison Chaplain by 1997.

From 1995 to 2009 I was a Pastor, Prison Chaplain, and Founding Pastor and consecrated a Bishop. Like Patton’s love for warfare, I loved the “spiritual” warfare of ministry…ministering to inmates, their families and loved ones...as well as on the streets to the outcast and down-trodden.
In late 2009 my family and I relocated to Georgia. I thought that being in the “Bible-belt” my ministry would get set and take off like a house on fire...I was in for a shock, for it seemed that like Patton, I was suddenly relieved of duty. I hadn’t slapped anybody, felt like it, but hadn’t. For most of 2010, for the first time since 1995 I had or did nothing in the ministry. 2010 was a trying year for me, both in the ministry and in my faith-walk. The economy was very bad, jobs were hard to come by, living to make ends meet was rough…and the ministry dried up! A good friend of mine said to me just a few days ago, “2010 was your Sabbatical year...a time of resting and refreshing”, I must admit during 2010 I didn’t see it that way…but now I not only see it, but can say “Amen” to it.

In late 2010 I met two men who changed my ministry life. One is Bishop from the Anglican Church, and one is a Bishop from the Methodist Church. The Anglican Bishop bestowed upon me an Episcopal grace, along with friendship, brotherhood, and mentorship. The Methodist Bishop “called me back to active duty, and gave me command of an army in battle”, along with friendship, brotherhood, and co-laboring in this Gospel. Another line from the movie Patton comes to mind…as he surveyed a battlefield, he said of the battle and war, “I love it, God help me I love it so”. I know how he felt! I am back doing what I was destiny to do…teach and preach the Word of God, teach the Blood Covenant, train and develop ministers and pastors, do prison ministry, evangelism and outreach, give encouragement and support to leaders, plant churches and assist in beginning and seeing to its end the greatest revival and harvest of souls this planet has ever witnessed. Like General George S. Patton, Jr. “Old Blood and Guts”, I’m back in the fight, back in the war!