Why the Wrecking Ball?
A number of years ago, I went through a traumatic event that destroyed the dreams I had, and thought I was living. This resulted in stepping down from my position as a church Pastor, led me to moving to a new area, needing to find a new job, and changing denominations.
I church-hopped around until I decided to attend a progressive pentecostal church in Melbourne. I was challenged by the different styles of Praise and Worship to what I grew up with. I found a place where God’s Holy Spirit was welcomed and moved freely. I also found a church family that embraced me despite my failings. I got engaged with the discipleship programs on offer and began the journey of healing.
Often there would be a ‘word’ for someone from the pastor, or visiting preachers. I remember listening to those words to see if there was something I could apply to my own life, privately desiring a pastor/preacher to call me out to receive a word.
I loved the men’s ministry at this church and eagerly registered for each annual mens conference. One conference I was doubting I could ever get out of the rut that my life was in. During the final meeting, I was sitting in the third row as personally I prefer to participate rather than spectate (closer to the action). I was wearing a baseball cap that afternoon, something I would never have dared do in church growing up.
At the end of the message, we were accustomed to ministry time, where the preacher would set out a call for action, or sometimes have a specific word from God for someone in the congregation/audience. I was surprised, nervous, and cautiously excited to hear the preacher call out to “the guy in the third row with his hat on backwards.” “Me?” I asked as I pointed to myself. “Yes you!” the preacher replied. I stood up to receive the word that he had for me. Part of his word for me included “something happened to me about five years earlier, it was like a wrecking ball came out of nowhere and destroyed everything, destroyed your dreams…”
I was totally blown away by the accuracy of the entire word, from a preacher I had never heard of before he was announced as one of the conference preachers. I felt that this couldn’t be anything but from God. It was so accurate in the referred time period, the events, and their impact. Amongst other things, he said the “God was restoring that which was lost and that this was a time of restitution.”
Since then, the image of a wrecking ball destroying everything in its path has remained with me. As I progressed in my healing journey, and continued to be discipled by faith filled Christian men, I began to inquire of the Lord as to how I could again serve Him in ministry. Being reminded of the seed placed in my heart for mens ministry in 2005, I believed that this ministry would revolve around bringing men to a place where there won’t be wrecking balls destroying their dreams and lives. Where damage had been caused by ‘wrecking balls,’ the men were to rise again to fulfil their God given destinies.
This ministry aims to do just that, to Challenge, Encourage and Empower men to breakdown Barriers, Attitudes and Mindsets that are preventing them from living Holy God centred lives.