My parents started a ministry over 35 years ago that has catapulted our lives onto a platform none of us could have been prepared for. In 2001, Time Magazine named my father“ The Next Billy Graham.” For years our church has been one of the fastest growing churches in the nation. With over 35,000 members and four locations, the church has grown from 50 families to tens of thousands in 16 years.
I spent the first eight years of my life in Charleston, West Virginia. It’ s certainly not New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Dallas, but it was the only version of the“ city” I knew. Driving a few minutes in any direction of West Virginia will certainly land you into neighborhoods where people would greet you like family or offer to assist you with directions.
We hardy ever went anywhere in our town where my parents didn’ t see someone they knew“ way back when.” There are very few strangers in West Virginia. To this day, if my father or mother hears that someone is from West Virginia they begin to ask questions about who they’ re related to. Whether we are in a restaurant or having a business meeting, they will begin to find the two or three degrees of separation that exist between them and their fellow West Virginian.
Everyone in school knew who we were. Our classmates never had too many extensive questions about who our family was or the work they did. Our parents probably knew each other or they knew someone who knew us.
All that changed when I turned eight years old. Our parents sat us down and told us that we would be moving to Dallas, TX. I probably couldn’ t even point out Dallas on a map, but we were excited!
After spending a few days getting settled and adjusting to a Texas summer, our first Sunday rolled around. Even as a child I could sense that this moment would be important. It would be our first time introducing new members to our pre-existing church family. One of our first times attending children’ s service we were swarmed by anxious children wanting to meet us, their new church family. Our move would be an adventure; just not one my young mind could fully comprehend.
My parents have been in ministry longer than I have been alive. I’ ve never known anything other than spending our weekday evenings at church after going to school. Sure, you are able to help reach a lot of people, but ultimately it’ s really not the kind of job that your classmates are enthusiastic about.
Their parents were doctors, firemen, lawyers, policemen, corporate executives, flight attendants, and restaurant owners. My parents are in ministry. This was long before T. D. Jakes was T. D. Jakes or Joel Osteen was Joel Osteen. There was no clear frame of
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