The Banqueting Table – A Testimony – The WoW Factor
Posted onJune 18, 2015 by angiesonline
I was recently talking to an old friend whom I haven’t been in contact with for a number of years. His story is a rocky one and at the same time it glorifies God’s power and presence in his life in such a mighty way. It begins from a relatively rough secular upbringing of substance abuses and family violence. Although he did not come out of it unscathed, he had a loving Christian relative who was always there for him when he needed a listening ear or just some time away from the chaos.
He married a lovely Christian girl a few years ago and settled in a small city along with his young son from a previous relationship. God is good and he soon found himself owning a very successful restaurant. This lasted for a number of years until his top chef was offered another position and he felt the call to ministry at the same time. Suddenly he found himself without a business or any plans for the future.
God began to place a burden on his heart about the homeless, the destitute and the unloved in his community. Those who lived in the highways and byways and those who did not know the love of a family. He tested the waters of this possible ministry by approaching the owner of an unused hotel and inquired about the cost of leasing the property. After much consultation, he needed to come up with $25,000 within 24hours. Something he did not actually have and as much as he tried, he could not put this amount of money together within the time frame allocated.
This made him wonder whether God had actually prompted him in this direction or not but he left it up to God to open or shut that door as time was running out…
An hour or so later a women called him who heard that he was thinking of leasing the hotel and without him getting the chance to explain his predicament, she offered to pay him $25,000 for the bar and other parts of the hotel which he was not interested in using anyway.
Thus the ministry begins…He started with one family living in the hotel which eventually grew into 15 families and it is still growing. These folks all have stories. Some are from family violence and substance abuse. Others have left home because their parents no-longer cared about them, This environment also reflects what most of these folks have never experienced before in their lives and that is a loving family unit which this ministry has become…
It has not been a bed of roses for my friend and he is still a rough diamond in God’s hands but he has met all the challenges including public concerns and everything else that comes with those coming out of a disfunctional family background. Many are now saved, not because he has preached to them but because he has lived in such a way that God’s name is glorified through him and they want what he has….
My friend now has community and govt/local body backing and hopes to see this ministry branch out to include practical living and hope for the future of his overly extended family.
I could add other amazing stories of how they managed to pay for all the amenities, food and electricity but it would truly fill a book. To make make a long story short…they sit down together as a family and pray! Blessings!
Matthew 22:8-10
written by Angie – 05 June 2015
Posted onJune 18, 2015 by angiesonline
I was recently talking to an old friend whom I haven’t been in contact with for a number of years. His story is a rocky one and at the same time it glorifies God’s power and presence in his life in such a mighty way. It begins from a relatively rough secular upbringing of substance abuses and family violence. Although he did not come out of it unscathed, he had a loving Christian relative who was always there for him when he needed a listening ear or just some time away from the chaos.
He married a lovely Christian girl a few years ago and settled in a small city along with his young son from a previous relationship. God is good and he soon found himself owning a very successful restaurant. This lasted for a number of years until his top chef was offered another position and he felt the call to ministry at the same time. Suddenly he found himself without a business or any plans for the future.
God began to place a burden on his heart about the homeless, the destitute and the unloved in his community. Those who lived in the highways and byways and those who did not know the love of a family. He tested the waters of this possible ministry by approaching the owner of an unused hotel and inquired about the cost of leasing the property. After much consultation, he needed to come up with $25,000 within 24hours. Something he did not actually have and as much as he tried, he could not put this amount of money together within the time frame allocated.
This made him wonder whether God had actually prompted him in this direction or not but he left it up to God to open or shut that door as time was running out…
An hour or so later a women called him who heard that he was thinking of leasing the hotel and without him getting the chance to explain his predicament, she offered to pay him $25,000 for the bar and other parts of the hotel which he was not interested in using anyway.
Thus the ministry begins…He started with one family living in the hotel which eventually grew into 15 families and it is still growing. These folks all have stories. Some are from family violence and substance abuse. Others have left home because their parents no-longer cared about them, This environment also reflects what most of these folks have never experienced before in their lives and that is a loving family unit which this ministry has become…
It has not been a bed of roses for my friend and he is still a rough diamond in God’s hands but he has met all the challenges including public concerns and everything else that comes with those coming out of a disfunctional family background. Many are now saved, not because he has preached to them but because he has lived in such a way that God’s name is glorified through him and they want what he has….
My friend now has community and govt/local body backing and hopes to see this ministry branch out to include practical living and hope for the future of his overly extended family.
I could add other amazing stories of how they managed to pay for all the amenities, food and electricity but it would truly fill a book. To make make a long story short…they sit down together as a family and pray! Blessings!
Matthew 22:8-10
written by Angie – 05 June 2015
