My Life: #1 The Boy Who Cried, Wolf!

Before my primary mentor passed from this life, he encouraged me to do what I asked of him – record his legacy. Before his earth suit grew cold in the grave, I began tackling this enormous feat.

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RECORDING A LEGACY OF WEAKNESS

We can’t always control the storyline of our lives—what happens to us, how we’re perceived, how we manage our affairs, and other not-so-public disclosures. It is wise for an elder to do everything possible so those close to us understand our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Most importantly, why we do certain things communicates how much we love them. But most of the time, vulnerability is difficult. A legacy journal is a great way to address a family & ministry legacy from the life that lived it. It’s also important not to blow off an opportunity that could provide direction for future generations. 

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 DON’T LEAVE’M GUESSING

Most serious-minded Bible readers enjoy conducting a back study on the characters they are studying. In fact, most believe it is the responsible thing to do. It helps the reader understand why God picked them to be noted in the Word of God. Just as important, it gives us a more compassionate response to the words God penned through these individuals. So – why shouldn’t we do that with our family legacy?

I first had to embrace the reality that I would most likely stumble onto storylines within my family that are not honorable to the Lord. Secondly, I had to answer the question – Why am I doing this? Understanding what drives me to sit down and do the research needed to write a legacy became paramount. In my case, the project ended in a 400-page autobiography that was halted. When one of my relatives threatened me with a lawsuit, and through much prayer, I decided NOT to publish it. However, I still had the drive and inspiration to write the legacy story – for the sake of my grandchildren. After one of my closest friends and fellow authors suggested a rewrite without using pronouns, it all came together for me. He wrote the following, which inspired me to “getter done.”

Believers are to be “children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). This reminds me of the function of a prism. The white light that passes through a dispersive prism separates into its constituent spectrum of colors. But the refraction of light is affected by the composition and angles of the specific prism. Similarly, Jesus Christ is “the Light of the world" (John 8:12), and believers are to function as His individual lights in the world (Matt. 5:14). Dr. Phinney’s legacy project gives readers an understanding of how he was shaped into a unique vessel of God's light. And the spectrum of his ministry activities is very colorful!

I met Steve in person when he first visited Grace Fellowship International in 2011. As he spent a year as a consultant and leadership role with G.F.I., I was inspired by his vision, zeal, and testimony. Almost in passing, the remarkable events of his childhood, adolescence, and career path came up in conversations and training sessions. It wasn't long before it became obvious that Steve's unique life story needed to be told more completely and publicly.

As I consider Steve's life, I am intrigued by the formative events of his childhood and adolescence; these could be a volume in themselves. But when Steve became a Holy Spirit-indwelt child of God, he became a new creation with a new identity, purpose, and potential.

As Steve recounts his various ministry experiences we see a variety of ways the True Light shines through him in ministry contexts such as social work, care and guidance for the handicapped, family/child specialist, mentor, small group leadership, in-patient care, leadership development, politics, on-line commentating, author and pastor.

But these ministries have not diverted Steve from devotion to his wife, Jane, their extended family, and the advocacy of Christian family values.

And just when you think you have this brother categorized, you discover his remarkable gifting and skills in art. (Recently, I was admiring a portrait of the Apostle Paul on display in Dr. Charles Solomon's home; Steve had given it to him as a birthday gift.)

So I commend Steve for his zeal, spiritual devotion, vision, and perseverance. May this autobiography encourage readers to appropriate the indwelling life of Christ so that their lives will fulfill their potential as unique expressions of the Light of the World.

Dr. John Woodward | Grace Fellowship International

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I am aging and am on the last lap of my life’s journey. I also have calculated into the formula the frailty of my body through various ailments. Thus, I am compelled to release my writings regarding my legacy journal. Foremost, I plan to keep my commitment to my deceased mentor.

My first challenge was to consider how much weight and importance to what I believed I needed to say. It was important to clear my head of regret, unforgiveness, and other mental memories that would cause a bias in my writing. Once that was done in and through Christ, I was ready to re-write so that the focus would be on the glorified stories of Christ’s redemption through the legacy. 

Next, it was time to gather documented details on my family’s lineage. This portion of the project is time-consuming and challenging. Thankfully I have a wife & daughter that loves rediscovering family ancestry. While I knew it did not have to be an exhaustive outcome, it was the stories noted about these relatives that developed my storyline. My focus was to extract the family history of the recorded relatives and how they impacted Christianity or advanced the Life of Christ. My method? Write the relatives’ names down with the story title I needed to develop from their investment - capturing photos, quotes, and mementos whenever possible.

While I conducted my research, I wrote down the character traits I saw in the relative that I believed are evident in my life’s legacy. In this, I developed the purpose of the legacy project. I quickly moved on to the events in my life span. I started with the earliest memory and moved forward. Before I knew it, I had an outline for the final product.  For example, my grandfather on my father’s side was a “preacher.” He was known for church reform, returning the church to the authentic Gospel. His mentor was Charles Finney – one of church history’s great reformers. These ministry focuses are found in most of my writings. Another example is a grandfather on my grandmother’s side, Samuel Chase, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson attempted to eradicate his name from the document due to my grandfather’s immovable views of Christianity. This is also found in my political involvement through the years as an influencer. In both cases, the stories provide a punchline for my grandchildren to understand “Opa’s” drive to influence culture and politics. While we tend to forget, the Lord uses the present generation to set up descendants to continue the Lord’s mission. 

All that to say this. I have decided to release the highlights of my renewed autobiography to my online readers. I hope these entries will inspire readers NEVER to give up, keep doing what the Lord leads them, and, most importantly, allow Jesus to use their greatest weaknesses to release His power in and through them.              

Recently, a fellow writer said these words to me. “You and I are so aligned that it is scary - proof that God is on the move. I write to encourage believers to take God seriously. I am not a speck of the writer you are; you are a giant among men. While I have breath, I will praise Jesus for men like you. Bless you, my brother, in Christ. Keep going!”  Well, thanks, Geoffery, but the truth being said, any greatness perceived reflects His indwelling Life through a frail and weak man.

After years of being in ministry, I have learned one significant immovable Truth. A man who is willing to allow the Lord to write a story through his weaknesses is a man who can release the strength of the indwelling Life of Jesus to touch the souls of frail humanity. Of course, this was birth through my “life verses.”

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (Galatians 6:3)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live (writes), but Christ who lives (writes) in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)