From the Pulpit to the Fryer: Introduction

It’s been almost ten months since I stepped away from fulltime ministry as a Southern Baptist pastor of more than thirty years. The following articles, beginning with this one as a way of introduction, is intended to encourage and challenge all of us who accepted and pursued that “calling” from God whether it be recent, many years ago, or maybe you are at the very beginning of your journey in ministry.  In any case, my focus is to honor God by sharing how He has stirred in my life a deeper sense of “calling” to ministry that goes beyond and reaches farther than the modern day pulpit. Calm down, and take a deep breath!  I am not saying there is no power or effectiveness in today’s pulpit ministry.  There are many spirit led preachers who faithfully proclaim God’s word from the pulpit every Sunday.  The preaching ministry brings the message of salvation to the masses every week. I, too, still preach from a pulpit every Sunday as a bi-vocational pastor.  Remember, I am writing to share with you how God has moved in my life to transition from where I was to where I am now.

In March, 2014 I began a new career in the food industry. I became a brand new 52 year old employee of Zaxby’s.  When I began there, I was terribly overweight and out of shape.  Needless to say, my first few months there were very painful.  But I just knew in my heart that was where God placed me.  I still remember the day I learned how to cook chicken fingers, and the franchise owner called me the “poultry preacher.”  We still get a few laughs when the title finds its way into conversation today. 

Through the years there have been powerful, life changing testimonies by those in ministry who have come from “the world” to the “pulpit.”  Those wonderful preachers who have had a past of sin that would make a sailor blush and now proclaim the Word of God from the pulpits of great churches.  However, God has moved me from the pulpit to the fryer!  How strange!  Did God fire me?  Absolutely not! I believe He promoted me to a time of renewal and much needed change in me and my family.  His tool for change for this “burned out,” “washed up,” “heart broken,” “out of shape,” “dying preacher”? Zaxby’s! 

Stay tuned for my next articles as I share those nuggets of wisdom in my training as I have moved “FROM THE PULPIT TO THE FRYER!”

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME,

Charlie W.