INFLUENCERS

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” - 2 Timothy 1:5

Many people have influenced my life through the years. Most of these individuals never knew the profound difference that they made in my life. I am blessed to have some of these people with me today. Others have passed on to glory. Many have influenced my life from afar … and some I've never met personally.

I think it is important to recognize and appreciate those who've positively influenced our lives. Often when I pray, I thank the Lord for those He's sent into my life to bless, help, encourage and challenge me.

Timothy had such influential people in his life. When Paul began his second epistle to the young preacher, he reminded Timothy of his mother and grandmother, both of whom had influenced Timothy in the faith.

As I think about those who've influenced me, I can name several people who've greatly impacted my life. In no particular order, here's a list of a few people who've greatly influenced my life.

1. MELVIN LANE (My Dad)

My father, Melvin Lane, has greatly influenced my life. He has sacrificed greatly for his family. Most of his life, he worked hard for a meager income. While doing so, he preached hard on Sundays, doing the work God called him to do. I have learned about sacrifice from him. Additionally, I've learned to remain faithful in ministry. He has been, and continues to be, a great influence in my life.

2. PEARL LANE (My Mom)

My Mom, Pearl Lane, has been a solid person of faith. At the bleakest of times, she has proven herself to be deeply grounded in her faith. She has always believed that God would work everything out just right. Furthermore, she is the greatest example of a servant. She deliberately puts others before herself. She gives of herself tirelessly. I've learned about service and faith from her. She loves her Lord and her family.

3. JAMES LANE (My Grandfather)

My grandfather, James Lane, was a rather quiet, unassuming man. He worked hard all his life. I don't know of anyone who loved his neighbor like my grandfather. Most of the food from his garden was given away to those in the community and at church. My grandfather would often provide manual labor for projects in the community, like building an outdoor eating shed for the church or helping a widow who needed carpentry work. What I remember most is the love he showed to his family. He had the unique ability to make each grandchild feel like he or she was his favorite. When he died, the world lost a truly great man.

4. CHARLES SPURGEON

Obviously, I have never met Charles Spurgeon. He lived and died long before I was born. Charles Spurgeon was a Baptist preacher, best known as “the Prince of Preachers.” His church was among the first mega-churches. In the 1800's, people in the London area would eagerly come to hear Spurgeon preach. In addition to pastoring a huge church, Spurgeon ran a school for young preachers, ran an orphanage and invested in missions. His sermons were written down as he preached and were later put into print. I was impacted by reading Spurgeon's sermons. His little book, All of Grace, was especially instrumental when the Lord was drawing me to Himself. From Spurgeon, I learned about grace. Spurgeon also taught me to dig deeper into a verse of Scripture. When he preached, Spurgeon always made it a priority to exalt Christ and call sinners to repent. I never met Mr. Spurgeon, but I am greatly indebted to this great man of God.

5. RAY COMFORT

I must confess that when I was first exposed to the ministry of Ray Comfort, I didn't agree with him. Ray Comfort's style of evangelism seemed so … so … unAmerican. Yet ultimately I began to see that he was right and I was wrong. His methods seem unusual, but they are Biblical. Ray Comfort's ministry, Living Waters, focuses primarily on equipping believers to share their faith. They believe in preaching the law to the proud and grace to the humble. I once considered things like Gospel tracts and open-air preaching to be unproductive. Not so anymore. Ray and his ministry have taught me the need to be evangelistic at all times. Most people need to be brought under the influence of the law before they can properly appreciate God's goodness and grace. I am still a student when it comes to evangelism, but I have Ray (among others) to thank for this.

These are just five of the people who've greatly influenced my life. Lord willing, in next week's blog I will share five more people who've greatly influenced my life.

Who has influenced your life the most?