Wilderness training

[Barry Kimbrough]

As a teen I dreamed of doing great exploits for Christ. Inspired by reading the stories of pioneer missionaries and powerful evangelists, I felt the call.

I soon learned that ministry is not all excitement and miracles. The first few bumps really shook me up. When I tried teaching church school in Micronesia, I found that it required a wider variety of skills than I had. When my first church didn't double in size in a year, I wondered if God had dialed a wrong number in calling me.

I went through a dark time. Distracted by my weaknesses, I seriously doubted that I could enjoy ministry or ever be successful in it.

Fortunately, God sent a series of Barnabas's at that point. They helped me to see that my problems were a mixture of overwork, lack of nutrition (my bachelor cooking skills needed improvement) and unrealistic expectations. I got a new start when my thinking changed. It was a wonderful re-discovery of the joy of working for Jesus. Learning more balanced ways of living and serving did not suddenly make soul-winning easy, but it did strengthen me for the task.

Now I've pastored for nearly 23 years. I've seen lives change, souls won and churches grow. I thank God for the mountains and valleys because He walks with us every step of the way.