For years I never fully understood why God had led me to join the New Directions for that brief season.  Oh, there were the obvious reasons.  As a college freshman I was just starting to truly grow in my faith in Jesus.  David Morrow, John Frazier, and Sammy Burnette took me under their wings and served as mentors, role models, and brothers during this crucial time of spiritual growth.  David continued to love me even after I nearly drowned him by accidently directing him into a pond while sledding.  And, of course, there was the unbelievable privilege of sitting under the teaching and guidance of J.L.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises that He has plans for His children.  I’ve learned that God weaves together the experiences of our lives in ways that are far beyond our comprehension.  I discovered the real reason I had been a member of the New Directions in the summer of 2003.

By the summer of 2003 I had been in pastoral ministry for 16 years.  At that time I was serving a church in Clayton, NC that I had planted in 1997.  We had been in our first building for about six months when I heard a strange word from God.  God spoke to my heart and said, “Go take care of AIDS orphans in Africa.”  It was that clear.  I had never been to Africa, but I knew I was going.

Although God had told me to go take care of orphans in Africa, He didn’t tell me how to do it.  That launched me into a season of discernment, struggle, and faith choices unlike any I had ever experienced.

It was in this restless season that I turned to J.L.  J.L. repeatedly made time to visit with me and counsel me as I sought to respond to God’s call.  I hung on every word of advice J.L. offered.  I followed every word of advice.  Every word of advice turned out to be correct.  I realized that the real reason I had joined the New Directions in 1980 was so that I would have J.L. to help guide me during this crucial time in 2003.

In June of 2004, the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist appointed me to launch ZOE Ministry.  This ministry is now offering care to over 25,000 orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda, and Kenya.  Particularly exciting is our empowerment work which is currently training over 4,000 orphans to become self-sufficient.  Grounded in the Gospel, orphans are coming to faith in Jesus as they learn to provide for their physical needs. 

It was only after a quarter of a century that I was able to fully appreciate my odd experience with the New Directions.  I don’t sing any better now than I did in 1980.  Yet when I hear African orphans sing who have come to faith in Christ under ZOE Ministry I understand.  I didn’t join the New Directions so that people would me sing.  God led me to J.L. and the New Directions so that one day I would hear these children sing.