We were excited! A major Christian publisher was publishing my first book. A Christian author had asked to write my story after hearing me speak at a conference. I had no idea at the time that I was going to be leaving my very comfortable corporate job. The publisher invited my wife and I to come to the Christian Bookseller’s Convention being held in Dallas, Texas, that year.

We drove to Dallas and checked into the hotel, which was buzzing with activity. I was scheduled to do a book signing the next day. My writer, an older man from New Zealand, wanted a title that grabbed you. He suggested Bullets in My Belly, but I said, “That’s not going to work.” “Why?” he asked. “Bullets in My Belly — The Story of Roger Helle,” I replied. I won that argument.

We had lanyards with our names and the publisher. That’s when I discovered there were two kinds of people there: buyers and sellers. We were sellers. As we walked through the huge convention hall seeing every kind of book, tape, artwork, and trinket with Scriptures on them, we met the friendliest people … until they came close enough to see our lanyards!

They were sellers, not buyers. A man or woman would approach us with big smiles and say, “Hi, I’m…” and as soon as they saw our seller badge, they’d take a sharp turn and walk toward someone else. As we were fairly young in our Christian walk at the time, it was a little disappointing. Actually, it was very disappointing! The story of Jesus chasing the money changers out of the temple came to mind. Selling all sorts of paraphernalia for Jesus sort of let the air out of our excitement.

Now, it wasn’t all bad. There were some prominent Christian authors there with new books, adding to their lists of already published books. We added to our own small library of books and music to help us in our growing faith.

While I was signing books, my wife decided to walk around and see what we may have missed. She was stopped by an older man with a big smile who was there promoting a new book for men. He asked her what brought us there and she told him about me. He went to his book table, picked up a copy, and autographed it for me.

The book was titled Maximized Manhood, emphasizing that Christlikeness and manhood were synonymous. The author was Dr. Edwin Louis Cole, who, after pastoring for decades, began ministering to men, calling them to sexual purity in an immoral society. Several years later, Dr. Cole became my spiritual father and mentor. His life greatly impacted my life and my ministry. Ed was a giver, not a taker.

I’ve never been to another Christian Bookseller’s Convention. Maybe they’re better now. Maybe they’re more concerned with helping believers grow in Christ … and maybe one day I’ll win the lottery. Love expects the best, doesn’t it? But if I learned anything from my mentor and friend, Ed, it was simply, “It’s better to give than to receive!”

When we would get together, he would press $100 into my hand and say, “Take your wife out to a nice dinner.” He would sometimes call and ask how he could pray for me. This man was now traveling around the world to call men to faith and sexual purity. I wanted to be like this man.

Ed Cole and David Wilkerson, who wrote The Cross & Switchblade decades ago, are both in Heaven now. I can’t begin to tell you how much my life changed because of their influence. I’m now investing my life in other young leaders.

Can I ask you: Who are you listening to, and whose life are you influencing?

Something to pray about!
Semper Fidelis