I gave my heart to the Lord at an early age and I began preaching from the pulpit at 10 years of age. I began preaching revivals at 17 and I went into full-time evangelistic ministry as soon as I graduated from high school.

 

I felt the great commission weighing heavy on my heart to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. I didn't feel that I would ever be a pastor, but the Lord had other plans for me and so at age 19, I was pastoring my first church. Eventually, I would pastor churches in seven states for over forty years. I've learned "to be content in the state I was in" as the apostle Paul said.

 

I always felt that I was an evangelistic pastor. I was born in the fires of revival and I can't live in the smoke. I believe that soul-winning is the greatest work in the world. The Bible says "He that winneth souls is wise". It takes wisdom to win souls and it is a wise thing to do. The soul of man will never die; it will live on and on through out all eternity. The Bible says, "what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul". We are all going to live eternally somewhere; either in heaven or in hell. I've never talked to anyone who told me they wanted to go to hell.  I would like to ask you a question. "If you should die right now, would you go to heaven?" If you're not sure, then you need to ask the Lord to come into your heart. The Bible says in Romans 10:13 " For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Also, Romans 10:9  says "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." It's God's will for you to be saved, but He will not save you against your will; God doesn't go around with a machine gun and a baseball bat making people live right if they don't want to live right.

 

When I pastored in Missouri I heard of two young brothers, who were arrested for robbery and attempted murder. One of the young men tried to commit suicide in his jail cell by trying to hang himself. I felt I should go see him. They let me in to see him and I told him that God loved him and had a plan for his life. I also told him that it wasn't God's plan for him to kill his self. I prayed the sinner's prayer with him and he accepted Jesus as his Saviour; tears were running down his face as I left. A few weeks later I recieved a letter from him from the penitiatary where he had been sent to serve his time. He told me that he and his brother really did get saved and that he felt called to preach the gospel and he wanted me to get him a Bible study course so he could prepare. He felt God did have a purpose and plan for his life. I got him the course.

 

Actually God has a purpose and plan for all of us; we all fit into His plan, somewhere. St John 10:10 says " The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly".

 

Rev. Charles R. Bryant is an ordained minister affiliated with the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Mo. He is also a songwriter, singer, and musician. he is available for preaching services and concerts.

 

 

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