An open door appeared to me for an area of ministry to disciple men. It’s with a major Christian organization. But after one phone call from their representative his words, not mine, are come back and see us in three years. Folks, I’ll be 69 years old in a month. That’s kind of laughable.

Why the statement to come back and see us in three years such a deal breaker? After hanging up with this younger man, I sat there is disbelief. The dis-qualifier was I’d only been in my present church for less than three years. He did ask me why I’d left my last church. I didn’t want to say why. I didn’t feel it was any of their need to know, since it had to do with ministerial indiscretions by the pastor. You can draw you own conclusions, but that doesn’t qualify as a reason to disqualify me for leaving and having been in my new church home for only a year. Oh, one other thing. I had not been directly in oversight of a men’s discipleship ministry.

Let’s look at the background. I was heavily involved in a ministry for 30 years as a student for ministry, a teacher, a minister of the Word, Care Pastor, Deacon, Worship musician, and now an ordained minister, along with various ancillary ministries that made that church a vital entity with a sizeable yearly budget that was likely well above any other church in our immediate area. Our pastor was a published author. Fifty of his books were printed in-house and it was one of my duties to see they were kept in print. I’m not going to toot my horn big. I was merely an integral part of a larger entity. The body as a whole. I simply filled my part. Just to note, at least eighteen of his other books were published by a major publishing firm in Pennsylvania

I’m simply saying to the lack of understanding of a younger man, that I’m filled with life experiences he has yet to know. In order for me to recognize God in my life I have to say that He and He alone is responsible for me being where I am today. My response to His calling and knowing my worth in Him plays an important role for me. If not for Him, I am nothing, but in Him I am worthy. I have what it takes and not having been directly in a men’s ministry or not having been in my present church for at least three years does no disqualify me. Please, please, please don’t think me haughty. I know better. I tremble at the thought of being that. I fear that God would have something to say to me about that if I were.

By all rights in my family’s eyes I should have already been dead and gone. But by the grace of God go I. So, I can only take this closed door as not the avenue by which I am to travel in this life.