I’m making a list of some of my favorite stories of Christians who are heroes to me. I hope some of these stories are encouraging to you. More importantly, I hope you have examples that connect with you and raise your vision higher for what the Lord can do in and through your life.

Favorite Story # 13: Keith Phillips [1944 - ]

1944       Born

1965       As a UCLA student began outreach in Watts Housing Project in Los Angeles

1971       World Impact Founded in Los Angeles

1972       San Diego & Wichita branches of World Impact begun

1975       Wrote They Dare to Love the Ghetto

1976       St. Louis & Newark branches opened

1977       Fresno branch started

1981       Wrote The Making of a Disciple

1982       Los Angeles Christian School opened; Morning Star Ranch acquired and used for discipleship

1984       Inner City Enterprises started for job training

1990       World Impact focuses on Church Planting

2000       School for Urban Cross Cultural Church Planting begins

2004       A total of 20 churches planted in 8 World Impact Cities

Highlights

• Love & Commitment to Poor Urban America. Their live up to their mission statement “Ministering God’s Love in America’s Inner Cities”.
• Racial Reconciliation. Philips has led World Impact to have a strong emphasis on breaking down walls of prejudice & discrimination.
• Holistic Ministry. Most churches are designed to minister to middle class people. Many people need a different type of church. World Impact has pioneered a successful way of making disciples in areas like Public Housing Projects. They have not only brought the gospel and Bible teaching but have enabled people to escape destructive patterns.
• Endurance. Inner City ministry can be discouraging and overwhelming at times. Keith Phillips has been working in high crime, high poverty, chaotic areas for over 40 years.

 

Favorite Story # 14: Franklin Graham [1952 -  ]

1952       Born in North Carolina (4th child of Billy & Ruth Graham)

1974       Born-again while in Jerusalem; married wife Jane

1975       Influenced deeply by 6-week trip to Asia with World Vision President Bob Pierce

1979       Became President of Samaritans’ Purse ministry after death of Bob Pierce

1989       Began preaching at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) events

1993       Samaritan’s Purse took over “Operation Christmas Child”

2002       Became President of BGEA

2008       Visited, met with Government Leaders, and Preached in North Korea

Highlights

• A Prodigal Son who came home. Despite being raised by one of the most famous evangelists in history Franklin chose to live apart from God for many years. His autobiography Rebel With A Cause (1997) documents his life story.
• Compassion. Since his early 20’s Franklin has had a heart for the poorest and most oppressed people in the world. Samaritan’s Purse has strong, established ministry in areas like Sudan, Mongolia, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Kosovo, & Iraq.
• Mobilization & Administration. Operation Christmas Child delivers millions of shoebox gifts around the world each year. Over 63 million shoeboxes have been delivered to a total of 135 countries since 1993.
• Bold Witness. Despite leading a compassion based ministry and having regular contact with Government Leaders around the world he has not compromised his clear message of the gospel. He has repeatedly experienced criticism for explaining that Jesus is the only way for salvation, including controversy after his remarks against Islam after the 9/11 attacks.

Visit www.samaritanspurse.org to learn more about the ministry

                                               

Favorite Story # 15: David Wilkerson [1931 -  ]

1931       Born in Hammond, IN

1952       Married wife Gwen

1958       Moved to New York City & started Teen Challenge

1963       Publication of The Cross & The Switchblade

1971       Moved to Texas and started World Challenge Ministry

1986       Felt Called by God to come back to New York City

1987       Began Times Square Church in New York City

Highlights

• Urban Ministry. He has been serving and seeing great results in the hardcore inner city of New York for years. He is not just reaching ‘transfer believers’ from the church down the street.
• Rehab Ministry. Anyone familiar with Teen Challenge knows the great work they do. We have sent many people to the Chicago branch of Teen Challenge. They are the real deal. Wilkerson doesn’t oversee it anymore but he started it and gave it the initial direction.
• Perseverance. Here’s a guy who has been on fire for the Lord for over 50 years. He hasn’t given up or taken the easy road. I love the fact that he went back to New York to plant a church at age 56! He is still going strong now at age 77.
• Family. He has been married for over 50 years and all 4 kids are serving in the Lord and involved with ministries.
• Holiness. He has not changed his basic message about holiness throughout the years. At times Wilkerson has been criticized for being too strict but he has reached many people without watering down the gospel.

Check out www.tsnyc.org and www.worldchallenge.org to get an update on Times Square Church and World Challenge.

Things are changing fast.  I looked at my family as we spent lots of time together during the holiday’s and I saw lots of change. My wife is changing. She is in a new season of life now. She no longer is needed as a mom like she once was. It’s a big change for her. My oldest son Aaron, is changing, He is finished with college now and is planning his big move out of my nest and starting his own. My other son Gabe has been out of the house for a couple of years but is seeing the importance of career, marriage, fathering, and future planning. My Daughter is quickly changing. She is now in college and growing up fast. She has moved from a book bag to a purse. It might not be a big deal to some but for me I saw it as a big step into adulthood. My perspective of her from child to young adult is important. I remember sitting on my couch looking at my family and feeling a small sense of sadness thinking that our Christmas’s are different now. We have to make new traditions, new adjustments to our plans because of new faces being added to the family. But then it quickly changed as  saw how wonderful  it was seeing how much fun they are as young adults.   You know the more I think about it, I think I am the one really changing. It is not only a new year but a new season of life. More adjustments need to be made to accommodate the change.  Growth involves change and that is very good. I once heard a preacher say, “ whatever doe’s not grow dies”.  So I better  make I keep on growing so I don’t die out.