I loved to party . I routinely sought affirmation in shallow relationships and one-night stands . Jesus had saved me and changed my heart , and now it seemed he wanted to change my profession . I hastily decided to hire an attorney so I could start a nonprofit . I thought I would raise money and give it away for Jesus . Bo stopped me and wisely encouraged me to pray before doing anything . “ If God is calling you to something , he will show you what in his timing ,” he said .
So I prayed . I prayed every day . I prayed multiple times a day . “ God , put me where you want me and help me find contentment there .” On the fifth day of praying that prayer , I was walking through the office foyer in Dallas when my phone rang . It was Rick , a pastor from my church . Rick said , “ I have a job I want you to consider .” I thought he was talking about volunteering somewhere within the church .
“ Sure ,” I said . “ Tell me where to be and when .”
Rick replied , “ No , I mean a job . Here at the church .”
I sat quietly on the other end of the phone . Then it hit me . “ Oh ! I get it . You talked to Bo .” Rick , now confused himself , responded , “ Who is Bo ?”
I said , “ Did you know that five days ago I told my friend Bo I thought God was calling me to ministry ?” Rick had no idea . As it turns out , Rick was simply praying over a job description , and he said God had brought me to mind .
At the time , almost twenty years ago , my wife and I were dinks ( dual income , no kids ).
She was an elementary PE teacher , and I was in business development for a Fortune 15 company . We were bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and ( sadly ) managing to spend it all on whatever we wanted to have and experience . Also , she planned to stay at home when we started our family . This “ calling into ministry ” was really inconvenient for our plans . We would be transitioning to a single income — a pastor ’ s salary of $ 40,000 . We had a mortgage and would soon have our first child on the way . But you know what ? I had no question there was a God . I didn ’ t wonder if I believed in him . He was more real than he had ever been . If he were asking me to do something , why would I not do that ?
He called me to something , and he made a way .
I went to work at that church as a small group pastor . Two years in , I started preaching . Over the next few years , a 150-person ministry grew into thousands of participants , with tens of thousands streaming online . Speaking engagement requests came in by the dozens . A publisher called and wanted me to write a book . I had an agent ! Who knew pastors had agents ?! I was being asked to speak on some of the largest stages in the world and was making close to as much money as I had in the corporate world , which I didn ’ t even know was possible .
One Friday morning I was meeting with the other men in my small group . It was common for us to confess sin to each other and offer prayer for one another . I told them , “ I feel as though I ’ m becoming spiritually arrogant .”
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