Joyce Meyer began her own ministry 30 years ago at the age of 42. She now has one of the largest ministries in history. A divorced, abused, uneducated woman with a call, a tremendous work ethic, a truckload of faith and a connection to everyday people...wow. She's 72.
Joel Osteen wasn't the obvious choice of John and Dodie to take the reins of the great Lakewood Church and its international television ministry. Joel was the shy, ORU dropout who did the editing for the television ministry. He wore his dad's shoes for his first sermon. The church has grown 500% in membership and added millions to its international ministry becoming a voice of hope to the unchurched and believers around the world. Joel is 52 years old and Victoria his wife is 54. Joel has sold millions of inspirational books and has the world's most watched television ministry.
Beth Moore, at 58 years old, has built a teaching empire climbing the forbidden ladder of the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination who will not ordain women into the 5-fold-ministry. She has crossed denominational boundaries and won the church world with her scriptural unfolding of powerful truths that address ordinary lives.
T.D. Jakes is 58 years old. He answered the call to ministry in the coal mining Appalachian mountains of West Virginia where black people represented only 2% of the state's population. He pastored his storefront church with a coal stove in the sanctuary, a lisp and without a college degree. He took his Sunday School lesson he developed, "Woman Thou Art Loosed", and brought a delivering word to millions of broken women and is now possibly the greatest preacher of our generation with great success in the movie business, the publishing world as a best selling author, the music world and pastors the great Potter's House in Dallas with several satellite churches.
Billy Graham is 97 years old and has a wonderful reputation and has been able to bring diplomacy to divided people and surpass political parties, denominations and modern limits reaching millions around the world with the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. He is one of history's greatest evangelists.
Whether you are called into the ministry to pastor 40 people or to lead worship at a retirement center or to minister to millions, you are not too old or too unqualified for God to use you. Obey the call of God on your life. Step out and minister to God's precious people. God's not through using you. Someone needs you to survive. You can do this.
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