"A letter of appreciation to my pastor, minister, and spiritual guide."

Greetings:
With all due respect, I hope that this letter finds you in the best of spirit and health. I write to you, in the same form that Paul wrote to the Ephesians when he wanted to express his advice and counsel to the followers of Jesus, the Christ. First of all, and foremost of all, I want to thank you for your intervention in my affairs in life. If I had 1,000 tongues, I could not thank God enough for your role in making me strive to be a baptized Christian. I thank God for allowing you to give me an example of the Divine plan of Jesus, the Christ. Through you, God showed me Jesus in person. He allowed you to take me into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a servant. The seeds that you planted in my teenage life have been allowed to take root and grow. Your spiritual guidance and leadership in my youth, has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of that man Jesus. Through you, God allowed me to confirm what Jesus said in the scriptures: “When you see me, you see the Father. Jesus also said: “You will do even greater works than I do”. Suffice it to say, thank you for being a “perfect” example of what it means to be a Christian.

You see, Mr. Brown (Minister), I grew up a Jehovah’s Witness. We were not allowed to even walk in the doors of a church. We were told that, we would not find a true disciple of Jesus, the Christ in “those” places. We were told that “church-goers” only had some of The Divine truth and revelation of God. We were told that church was not a positive place to worship. But, God is the best knower. Fortunately, he put me in your Christian classroom. You see, growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, I started ministering as early as age 6. Going door to door, preaching the wonderful news of the Kingdom of God. My biological father taught me how to “read” the bible from cover to cover as soon as I developed the ability to read and write. He would help me prepare sermons for the congregation. Being that I loved to speak in front of audiences at that age, I was glad to tell people about Jesus. Unfortunately, I had no understanding of what I was telling the people, but God was merciful enough to pierce his word in my heart, mind, body, soul. The scripture says: "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word was made flesh." So, my biological father planted the seed of submission to God and his establishment, or bringing in of the Kingdom of Righteousness. But no seed can take root, grow, multiply, and replenish the Earth, except for the awesome nurture and protection of God Himself.

Then I met you Mr. Brown. God put you in my life to develop a deeper understanding of Christianity outside of what I thought I knew. God allowed you to further confirm Truth in my life. I have always known to pray, but I did not know how to pray, and what to pray for. Then, you came along and taught me the way and format of prayer, which I use to this very day. You taught me to honor and glorify God in the first phase of prayer. Then you taught me to thank him for his mercy and forgiveness. Then you taught me to ask forgiveness for our sins that we knowingly and unknowingly committed against Him, our fellow brothers and Sisters, and ultimately, our very own self. You then taught me to ask God for an extension of his mercy, so he would allow me to actually “atone” for my transgression of the law(s). Then you taught me how to accept that God would answer the first question of the prayer. You then taught me to start praying for the Children of God. In the same phase, you taught me to pray for my or our immediate families. You then taught me how to pray and ask God for “eternal” life and all of the treasures that come with it. You then taught me to ask for anything, but most important, you taught me prior to the close of my “sincere” prayer; how to ask it for it all in the name of Jesus, the Christ and the Son of the living God. So I thank God for giving me the gift of prayer that I learned through you, my second spiritual, leader, teacher, and guide.

Not only did God allow you to show me the magnificent power of prayer, and an appropriate way to pray, you pointed me in the direction to end all prayer with the only prayer that Jesus, the Christ left us. “Our father, which art in heaven, wholly is Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not, into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. For Thine is The Kingdom, for ever and ever…Amen! So, if I missed anything in the previous format, Jesus’ Our Father prayer, covered it all in a nutshell. Then you taught me another version of the life and teaching of Jesus, the Christ. I say another version, because your sunnai or example was so in line with the teachings of Jesus, I begin to admire and dedicate my existence to fulfilling my “Ordained” duty in being a part or portion in the establishment of God’s Kingdom on Earth. You went into the prisons and spread the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. You traveled long distances many times late at night at the call and instruction of God Himself, to deliver the teachings of Jesus, the Christ. You woke me up on many mornings and asked me to help you put up a revival tent. You refused to acknowledge the honor and praise that the people were giving you as this man of God. You always put honor and praise right back where it rightfully belonged. You delayed taking complete leadership of First Baptist Church of College Hill, because you only wanted to be a servant and not a pastor. You told me one day, that God started your mission in the streets, the highways and byways, and basically outside the church. So you never wanted to go outside of those guidelines that God set up for you. It “appeared” to me, that you felt you would be more effective “saving” souls outside of the church. You showed me the true meaning of the words that Jesus echoed, “Inasmuch, as you have done to the least of these, so have you done it unto me.” So you went out and searched for the lost sheep and I bear witness that you were transforming the lives of men and women in the prison system and out. You cleaned up the drug addict, adulterer, murderer, liar, fornicator, prostitute, and non-believer. You opened the eyes of the blind, which could not see the light of God and His Christ. You made the deaf hear by always teaching an uplifting version of the Gospel. Very rarely, if not at all, you scolded the transgressors of the law. You showed me the awesome characteristics that a “servant” of God must uphold at all times. I could go on and on, in regards of how valuable you were and still continue to be in my spiritual journey.

Suffice all that to say, thank you Mr. Brown (Minister). Even in my darkest hours, when most congregations would not let me in their presence, and my friends and even family though I was a man of abnormality, you visited me and anointed my crown with oil. You prayed for me, and welcomed me in your home when I was hungry and thirsty. You put clothes on my back, you healed my wounded heart. You helped me see the true light of Jesus, the Christ. You opened my ears to a new reality of God and His Christ, and you help me to walk in the light of faith. You loaded my luggage in your car and made sure I continued my education beyond high school. You are the first black head coach to lead a local team to the state playoffs in football and win. Even if it was a segregated school, your men upheld the highest of standards, morals, and dedication to the overall cause of student-athletes. You taught me so many aspects of the game. I experimented on the football field with some of the things you would advise to the teams that we watched play football after church on Sunday. You taught me how to excel in my endeavors and avoid the pitfalls of shortcuts. If I needed a financial boost, you would not hesitate to lend your helping hand to the situation; free of charge. There is so much more, that my cup runneth over with how much I thank The Creator for your intervention in my affairs as a teenager.

I just wanted you to know, that you did create a disciple. In my humble opinion, you continue to be a direct reflection of Jesus and his ministry. You are a perfect usher, for the bringing in of God’s Kingdom on Earth. It is with this letter, that I want to officially thank you for being my God-Dad. I could never repay God or you for all that you have enabled me to see in the spiritual world of righteousness. That is why; I am trying to be a reflection of your mission. You told me how God came into your life of transgression and gave you specific instructions on your Divine mission in turning the hearts of the men back to their Creator. So thanks again for giving me a blueprint to the path of servitude for the people of God. Most of all, thank you for the “water baptism” that you gave me when God called you into the confines of a building to teach his word. God is not a mystery or a spook; you have given me a perfect example of God and His Christ in “person”. Thank you for keeping me, even when the other churches and spiritual organizations through me out to the wolves, by God’s permission. Thanks “Coach”! I have begun my lecture series that I started a long time ago in the church, before God sent me into the world on a wider mission. I have volumes of lectures that God has inspired me to share with the “unwise and imprudent”. In fact, because the piercing words of Jesus when he said: “Suffer the little children unto me, and you must become a child again to enter into the Kingdom of God”, I have dedicated my mission to help in the resurrection of our youth (children) and anyone else who will believe in the power of God in man, and the establishment and rule of His Righteous Kingdom on earth. So, if this can be of any comfort to you and my family at First Baptist Church of College Hill, your efforts in helping me be a servant to the God’s “lost and found sheep”, has not been in vain. God is the best knower, they plan a plan, and He plans a plan, but God is The Best of Planners. I am almost back home in my search of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and you Mr. Brown (Minister/Coach/God-Dad) have faithfully aided in my stages of continual development. Thank God for you and all of His servants that have had the same or similar effect on the flock. There is a garden that encompasses the true meaning of a “Good Shepard”. We know him as "Good Abe". (Reverend Abraham Brown, Minister/CEO of the Prison Crusade Ministry Inc.)
Selah……..