Pastor Wayne Lucas at Alliston Pentecostal Church, where I used to attend. Despite the stupid things I’ve said to people or bad things I’ve thought, when I’m with Wayne, he makes me believe that holiness is possible. It’s nothing deliberate that he says to me. It’s not counselling. Just being with him seems to wash away my junk and excite me about going deeper.
Last night I hung out with a new friend - Bob Cox. He’s the manager of a Christian radio station and he booked my band for a show recently. Just through dinner and conversation I felt renewed. We covered a multitude of non Christian topics and each topic is reasoned through the filter of being a Christian.
I will mention one more. John Bevere - a national evangelist. We’re watching his video series in our staff meetings. His fervour for the Lord is contagious and his teaching is backed up with dozens of Bible verses on the screen. I feel wiser and stronger having watched the video series.
Not all Christians make me feel that way. With some, a discussion of faith doesn’t even come up, even though that’s (supposedly) the core of our lives. They don’t encourage me in my faith and they like to point out "what’s wrong" with something I said, or posted, or did.
Wayne and Bob make me want to chase after God kind of like my dog chases after a tennis ball! With excitement and speed! They don’t talk down to me. They build me up.
I’m grateful to those people who help me return to path I want to be on. That’s how I want to live my life.
