Jim Moye Sr.—Honored for a Life of Incredible Influence
|
|
Jim Moye Sr.'s life illustrates
the incredible influence of intentional disciple-making!
|
|
Lawanna and I had the privilege of spending the weekend with Jim at the
Fellowship of Companies for Christ
(FCCI) Leaders’ Summit in Washington, D.C. Picture Jim Moye Sr., 86, receiving a rousing ovation from 450 CEO’s and business owners at the Summit. They recognized Jim’s role in founding FCCI 40+ years ago and bringing the Gospel of Jesus into the marketplace. Many of these leaders were influenced by Jim, including me—for 35+ years.
|
|
Reach Out had recently begun and some friends encouraged me to meet Jim Moye. At the time, I hardly knew any business people, so I was thrilled when Jim agreed to meet with me. Since then, the long arms of Jim Moye’s influence in my life have multiplied exponentially. Jim...
|
|
- Met with me, coached me and supported Reach Out.
- Introduced me to people like Ray Bachman and Gary Bottoms—who served on Reach Out’s Board— and Barry Sutlive, Mike Moye and John Crawford, who became good friends.
- Launched our close friendship with Chad and Robin Merrill. Robin, a Methodist youth pastor, was trained in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry (JFYM), and now 100’s of parents, youth leaders and students lives have been changed. Jim also groomed Chad, an entrepreneur businessman, to become the new FCCI President.
|
|
From Barry to Jim Moye Jr.
|
|
Yet Jim’s influential reach goes much farther in my life! In the remarkable ways God works, Jim Sr. asked me one day if I would meet with his son, Jim Jr.—who had led his parents to Christ while in middle school—a family-changing story. He was enrolled at Georgia Tech and sensed God’s call to ministry, so Jim Jr. became a youth pastor. That meeting with Jim Jr. went from coaching him in JFYM to a deep friendship. Jim Sr. mentored me, and I mentored Jim Jr.!
|
|
At one point I told Jim Sr. about my upcoming trip to train leaders in Egypt. He said, “If you will let Jim Jr. hang out with you, I will pay his way.” So Jim, the fledgling youth pastor, went to Egypt with me. In front of 200+ leaders, I led the JFYM training and Jim offered illustrations of applying it in his church. I threw him in the “deep end”. It must have gone well because a decade later the videos of our messages still circulated around Egypt!
|
|
That trip cemented our friendship, and Jim paved the way for his own
incredible influence of intentional disciple-making.
He became the youth pastor of a large Methodist church in Atlanta. God transformed that static youth group into a dynamic force. Today, hundreds of those students shine the light of Jesus in Atlanta and beyond.
|
|
From Jim Moye Jr. to the World
|
|
Later, Jim Jr. taught youth ministry at Eastern College and Asbury Seminary, and then started
Young Leaders International (YLI)
, launching an intentional disciple-making ministry in Ghana. A few years later doctors discovered a brain tumor that took Jim Jr.s’ life. Yet today, YLI and Jim's
incredible influence
continues on in Ghana and beyond. People like Vincent, one of Jim’s disciples from Ghana, recently became the All-Africa leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
|
|
Measuring how the Lord influences others through us is impossible! Yet...
...Picturing Jim Sr.'s 40 year investment in business leaders through FCCI
...Knowing his dynamic influence on Reach Out and me
...Realizing Jim Sr.'s powerful influence as a father, and I as a mentor for Jim Jr.
...Considering the long reach of Jim Jr. around the world in his short life
cause me to pause and give thanks for the wonderful privilege of participating in what Jesus instructed us to do—
Go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19)
|
|
The outcome:
the incredible influence of intentional disciple-making!
|
|
When you invest in and pray for Reach Out…
you participate with us in the ever-lengthening legacy of
the incredible influence of intentional disciple-making.
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
