Floyd’s Journey from Friendship to Faith

It was a Thursday evening service of camp meeting on the Southwestern Ohio District when Floyd made his way to the altar and surrendered his life to the Lord. What a night of celebration!  Floyd was a man who had battled alcohol for decades, leading to numerous other problems as well; but the prevenient grace of God had already been working in Floyd’s life for many years. That Thursday evening salvation came as the result of a journey of friendship between a pastor and a man, prompted by the Holy Spirit.

Pastor, Floyd is not a Christian…

It all began several years before when I was invited to go for a week’s stay on a houseboat with Floyd and his wife, Carol. Carol had come to me as her pastor and given me the invitation, but prefaced it by saying, “Pastor, Floyd is not a Christian and he will not want you to preach to him all week.” I listened and agreed to her terms. The result was the beginning of what became a strong and loving friendship with Floyd.

For many years, we held to the tradition of spending a week on the houseboat at Cumberland Lake. Over time, as Floyd grew more comfortable with me, we would sit together on the front of the boat at night and talk about fishing or the beauty of the lake, and I would slip in something about a loving God, salvation through Christ, and Floyd’s godly heritage, for he did have one. He never responded to those conversations on the boat; however, on many other occasions, God gave me the opportunity to share with him His love. I never badgered Floyd, but I continued to be a friend to a man who needed Jesus and a friend to his family.

Audio Bible Listening

Unknown to others around him, God continued taking Floyd’s heart through the journey of grace. There came a time when the Nazarene Discipleship International office distributed CDs of the Bible from a partnership with “Faith Comes by Hearing” and the America Bible Society. I gave one to Carol, who took it home and just laid it down, not thinking a lot about it. Carol didn’t realize it, but Floyd picked it up, placed it in his truck, and began to listen to it.

God was working through friendship discipleship and the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit was drilling deep down in Floyd’s heart.

God’s Grace, Step by Step…

All these different steps of grace and discipleship, yes, discipleship even before he was saved, led my friend Floyd to the left side of the altar that Thursday evening where he gave his life to the Lord.

What a privilege it is to see God’s grace fully transform a life! For you see, Floyd, through discipleship, not only got saved but also experienced the wonderful sanctifying grace of God. He became a faithful church member and also a technology operator at the church. Recently, Floyd received the final stage of God’s grace, that of glorification, as he went on to his heavenly reward.

Do not ever underestimate God’s saving power or the tools He can use to accomplish His purpose: a boat on a lake; a Bible CD in a truck; a man fishing with his friend; an altar at a campground; and an eternal home in glory.

Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19). To do that, sometimes you have to start as a friend.