I would like to introduce you to my three spiritual fathers who have been keeping me accountable, mentoring me, and encouraging me to reach the deepest levels of God. Having a spiritual father is one of the best things you can do for yourself apart from having parents. Best advice has been to find at least two spiritual fathers to keep praying for you, teaching you, and imparting their wisdom into your life. I was blessed to find three.
Apostle Paul was a prime example of finding spiritual sons and investing his time, energy, and resources to empower them for the kingdom of God. One of the closest relationships that he bonded was young Timothy and himself. In fact it was so close that the last New Testament letter written by Apostle Paul was not addressed to a church but to Timothy. His final letter was the second letter of Timothy. It was his wisdom and love being poured out to pass the torch of living faith into the next leader. This should be our example also.
Pastor Len Showalter, President of Len Ministries, Inc.| Jacksonville, FL
Pastor Len and I met in June 2005 in Jacksonville, FL when I just moved down with my two brothers to serve in a local Slavic church called Living Stream Church. Pastor Len has been pouring encouragement, prayers, training, wisdom, and ministry advice from that time until present day. I am very thankful for his generous heart and loving spirit that has helped me pass through some difficult days personally. He has been a great source of inspiration in my years growing in the ministry. Despite his schedule and ministry obligations he always finds time to talk with me when I need it most. He is a true spiritual father. His heart is to win souls for Jesus Christ and to train and equip members in the body of Christ to effectively present the gospel to unbelievers. My wife, Maria, and I have completed 13 week training that completely equips us to share our faith. One nugget of wisdom I have learned from Pastor Len: be accessible to ALL people. Believers or unbelievers they need personal time with you. Spend it on people not yourself.
Pastor Mark Peters, Founder of Siloah House Ministries|Wilmington, OH
Pastor Mark and I met in a pure God-sent way. During the July 4th weekend in 2010 he flew down to Jacksonville with my sister Anna and having never met anyone one of our family members prior to this, brought us a word the Lord had spoken to him about specific needs in our family. The Lord used him in healing areas in the family. It sparked a wonderful and fruitful relationship that has been growing to this day. As a spiritual father, he has been a great influence in uncovering my skills and talents that I had never noticed. He helps navigate me into areas of past pain, hurt, and wounds and with the ministry of the Holy Spirit restores those areas. At any moment and time he will be ready to pray for me upon request. At times, he just calls and prays over me to encourage me throughout the day. His heart is set on teaching God's Word on the Father's heart for His people. His message on how the Father heart of God is so evident and needed in our days is visible with the first sentence you speak with him. I thank God for sending this spiritual father into my life. One nugget of wisdom Pastor Mark has taught me: Be authentic and transparent. This world has too many wanna be's and imitators but God has created you and I original and unique. Be what God made you.
Rev. Lee J. Grady, Director of The Mordecai Project| Lake Mary, FL
Lee and I met at a leadership conference in Orlando, FL in April of 2012. He was the keynote speaker and when he talked about discipleship he showed a picture of a Russian friend of mine from Philadelphia, PA on the PowerPoint. As soon as I came up and we began to talk we had an immediate Holy Spirit connection of hearts. Since that time to present day he has been deeply pouring his heart, life, and wisdom into my life. We spent time together in Columbia on missions and bonded so deeply that he invited me to work with him at The Mordecai Project and Bold Venture Discipleship Conferences as the international field director. His passion for investing into young men is unprecedented. His spiritual father heart is burning to empower young spiritual sons with spiritual fathers and for the hearts of the younger and older generations to unite. Lee's humility and reverence for God continues to teach me how important it is to leave the hoopla of a name and draw from Jesus alone. One nugget of wisdom I have learned from Lee is: advocate for the poor, oppressed, and abused; character is worth more than anointing; invest in other people younger than yourself. (Lee ministers around the world with a message of confronting the global abuse of woman, empowering them, and transforming nations.)
Spiritual fathers are gifts from God. I thank God for these three men who daily influence my life for Jesus Christ.
If you do not have a spiritual father or mother in your life, simply pray and ask for one. That's what I did and the Lord brought more than I requested into my life. He will fill your life with men and women of God who can help shape you to be bold for Jesus Christ.
In the words of Apostle Paul to his spiritual son Timothy: "You therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
Apostle Paul was a prime example of finding spiritual sons and investing his time, energy, and resources to empower them for the kingdom of God. One of the closest relationships that he bonded was young Timothy and himself. In fact it was so close that the last New Testament letter written by Apostle Paul was not addressed to a church but to Timothy. His final letter was the second letter of Timothy. It was his wisdom and love being poured out to pass the torch of living faith into the next leader. This should be our example also.
Pastor Len and I met in June 2005 in Jacksonville, FL when I just moved down with my two brothers to serve in a local Slavic church called Living Stream Church. Pastor Len has been pouring encouragement, prayers, training, wisdom, and ministry advice from that time until present day. I am very thankful for his generous heart and loving spirit that has helped me pass through some difficult days personally. He has been a great source of inspiration in my years growing in the ministry. Despite his schedule and ministry obligations he always finds time to talk with me when I need it most. He is a true spiritual father. His heart is to win souls for Jesus Christ and to train and equip members in the body of Christ to effectively present the gospel to unbelievers. My wife, Maria, and I have completed 13 week training that completely equips us to share our faith. One nugget of wisdom I have learned from Pastor Len: be accessible to ALL people. Believers or unbelievers they need personal time with you. Spend it on people not yourself.
Pastor Mark Peters, Founder of Siloah House Ministries|Wilmington, OH
Pastor Mark and I met in a pure God-sent way. During the July 4th weekend in 2010 he flew down to Jacksonville with my sister Anna and having never met anyone one of our family members prior to this, brought us a word the Lord had spoken to him about specific needs in our family. The Lord used him in healing areas in the family. It sparked a wonderful and fruitful relationship that has been growing to this day. As a spiritual father, he has been a great influence in uncovering my skills and talents that I had never noticed. He helps navigate me into areas of past pain, hurt, and wounds and with the ministry of the Holy Spirit restores those areas. At any moment and time he will be ready to pray for me upon request. At times, he just calls and prays over me to encourage me throughout the day. His heart is set on teaching God's Word on the Father's heart for His people. His message on how the Father heart of God is so evident and needed in our days is visible with the first sentence you speak with him. I thank God for sending this spiritual father into my life. One nugget of wisdom Pastor Mark has taught me: Be authentic and transparent. This world has too many wanna be's and imitators but God has created you and I original and unique. Be what God made you.
Rev. Lee J. Grady, Director of The Mordecai Project| Lake Mary, FL
Spiritual fathers are gifts from God. I thank God for these three men who daily influence my life for Jesus Christ.
If you do not have a spiritual father or mother in your life, simply pray and ask for one. That's what I did and the Lord brought more than I requested into my life. He will fill your life with men and women of God who can help shape you to be bold for Jesus Christ.
In the words of Apostle Paul to his spiritual son Timothy: "You therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
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