New Man

The old man is dead.
When my wife and I began in ministry we wanted to have a ministry that touched those who were and had been addicts of one form or another, rather is was alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. We wanted to have a ministry that made a difference in the lives of these people.

I have been teaching bible study and substance abuse class in the county adult detention center for 10 years now, around 2004 I encountered a man whose first name was Steve. When I met Steve his life was in a mess he had lost everything a man could lose including his marriage and family, no one trusted him any more he had burnt every bridge there was to burn he was hopeless and helpless to turn it around. One day he prayed with the chaplain and asked Jesus into his life, the change in his heart was immediate. Steve began coming to bible study every Thursday he would sit on the front row and weep over what God had done for him I would tell him "Steve your gonna have to sit in the back, you are tearing me up" with every class he grew became stronger.

The time came for Steve to leave county and serve a stretch in state prison, before he left he told me as soon as he was released the first place he was coming was to faithbuilders, I smiled and said "I will see you then" thinking inwardly I probably would never see him again, you see I hear this all the time and maybe 5 percent of the guys who say this follow up. Well a few months later I was sitting in my office when there was a knock on my door I got up and there stood Steve I hardly recognized him, but after a moment I knew who he was, he said "I told you I would come here first" that was over five years ago today Steve is our assistant head usher, runs our overcomers group, travels and ministers in our prison outreach, has graduated the first year of bible collegeand is as faithful as they come, everytime we see each other the question we ask is this "Aren't you glad we didn't get what we deserve?" Steve is truly a new man!