Little Tijuana's is the oldest Mexican restaurant in Minneapolis. My dad opened "Little T's" in the 1960s, and our family lived above it on the second floor. Dad was a restaurateur. Mexican. Chinese. Fish and Chips. Fine dining. He opened them all. Restaurant life was demanding but fun. I played pool, washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms, even learned how to cook before I reached my teens.
My dream was to be a restaurateur, like my dad.
Ours was not a faith-based home. We did not attend church. We did not know God. And the all-day, every-day, all-year demand of restaurant life took its toll. I was 10 when my parents divorced. Mom moved all seven children to another state. I longed to be with Dad. That crucible moment would eventually point me to God.
I believe that everyone receives thousands of G.P's (God Promptings) in their lifetime. Before I ever looked for God in my life, he was already looking for me (Ezek. 34:11-13). God's pursuit was unrelenting following my parent's divorce. He used many circumstances to direct my path toward Jesus.
The turning point came at 18. I was dating a girl whose family explained how I could have a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ." Those words were foreign to me. I learned that becoming a Christian meant taking my hands off the steering wheel of my life—sliding over to let Christ take the wheel. So I did. This family persuaded me to attend Bethel College in Minnesota. Finally, I was close to Dad again. I was a business major and managed one of Dad's restaurants for two years. But something happened. I was studying the Bible for the first time in my life, taking classes from Walt Wessel, John Piper, and Wayne Grudem. I switched majors to biblical and theological studies. My mind was stretched, my heart enlarged, and my passion ignited for God's Word.
Soon, my interest in the restaurant waned. I left it behind. I started a custodial business to pay my living expenses. The business grew as I continued my studies. After Bethel, I lived in the basement of a widow's home. Bernice prayed for hours each day. One day, she said, "Joel, I had a vision that you will become a pastor." This was shocking since I was not even attending a church nor did I have any desire to attend one.
Her "vision" hovered over me for weeks. It wouldn't let me go. I asked my room-mate, "How do you get involved in a church." He said, "Come to my church." It was Wooddale Church. I jumped into ministry for the first time. The pastor, Leith Anderson, then opened the door and invited me to join Wooddale's staff and offered to pay for seminary.
It took time for me to embrace a "call" to ministry. In fact, I kept my business for four years while attending seminary and serving full time at Wooddale. I don't know if I ever did get the "call to ministry" personally. But what I did get was great clarity that I am called to know God and make him known, to worship authentically, to serve joyfully, to grow spiritually, and to connect relationally within the Body of Christ wherever I am and with whatever I do.
That "call" I am sure of. What joy!
Joel Johnson, Westwood Community Church Excelsior, Minnesota.
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