Across the Bridge
  • Mission
  • Blog
  • DONATE
  • NEWS
  • Ministry Plans
  • Partners
  • Current Meetings
  • About
  • Mission
  • Blog
  • DONATE
  • NEWS
  • Ministry Plans
  • Partners
  • Current Meetings
  • About

ATB blog

Jesse (and Bill)

5/20/2014

1 Comment

 
It was 1984, the year of major transition for my life. I bought a ring from a guy who asked me if I had found a preacher to marry Paula (Paul and Briana's Mom) and me. We were both still drug addict and alcoholic respectively and had been married a couple of times, but we were seeking to find another way. He mentioned that we should try his preacher, Bill Long at the Sandy Springs Church of Christ.

We interviewed with him for several hours before he said, "Well I know the Lord will forgive your past, and so will I". At the same time he took us to witness a baptism and, being raised a Catholic, I wanted to know where all the statues and crucifixes were in the sanctuary. He said we would talk later and explain it all.

It was his grace filled acceptance of us that day that led to both our conversions to Christ, and my own personal desire to extend that same grace to others. A few years later, I heard the story of he and his brother Jesse and began to realize what pioneers of faith these brothers were. If not for Bill, my life would be in the tank, but it was not until I came to Campus Church that I realized both these men had the same accepting and encouraging mentality.

Jesse would often stop me in church to say how pleased he was with ATB. Then he would speak to those in our group as if they were members of his own family. One time I got to speak with him alone in his office as he waited for Marilyn to deliver his dinner and he spoke of his love for the lost and how Campus should be a place of comfort for all types of people who want to follow the Lord. 

These are just words, but when you look around at how many churches reject the "sinners and tax collectors" of this modern day, you see how the heart of both these men has contributed to bringing many, many folks to the Lord.  They embody forgiveness, love, and acceptance.

As we mourn Jesse's passing, we pick up his torch to carry it forward with the same spirit he carried it with. It is our charge, as Dusty likes to say, to take the work Jesse has founded and build upon it with his same charisma and vision. It is an understatement to say that his vision was empowered by the Lord himself.

We will miss you brother, but as someone said, you are now dancing up there with the Lord. For your legacy, your spirit and your example of how a man should live his life, we thank God for you and hope you will be proud of how we run with that torch you lit.

You have run the race, and you have won! 


1 Comment
Willie Robinson
5/21/2014 03:28:19 am

Glenn that is a real good massage i really didn't have the pleasure of knowing him as long as you guys but one thing i can say and that is when ever he spoke to my wife and i he had something to say that were very powerful, In my opinion he was a man that we all can take note to he always remember my wife and my name and that really meant something to us he will really be missed.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Glenn Yankowski

    Glenn is an ex-Marine Viet Nam vet who is also a recovering alcoholic, clean and sober for 30 years. He has been involved in start up and ongoing recovery ministry at North Atlanta Church and Campus for the last two decades. He has a passion for outreach and to spread the message that the answer to lasting and fulfilling recovery from addiction is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He and the ATB team are available to assist in your questions or needs on an individual basis and will do so maintaining complete confidentiality. You may e-mail him at sgtski@bellsouth.net.

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly