Tony's Spiritual Autobiography Pt 3

Tony's Spiritual Autobiography Part III

Article by Bro. Tony Bell

When I was twenty two years old I married my college sweetheart, my Ishah, Shonté Patterson-Bell. Soon after we moved to Chicago to pursue the job opportunity of a lifetime. We visited a few churches, but we had no church home during the five years we lived there. It was hard to find a Bible preaching and practicing church. We visited one church in particular several times and were tempted to join. The people we met were friendly and the church had many thriving ministries for us to serve in. However, it was at that church that I came to understand the problem of the Cult of Personality. Shonté noted that during one service the pastor spoke at length about how great he was and how the church didn’t appreciate all the things he does. All the while he never said anything, that we could recall, about God. Shonté and I continued to grow through radio ministries and studying the Bible together. I became a particular fan of Ravi Zachrias, Chuck Swindoll and Charles Stanley. Through Ravi Zacharias I also became an avid reader of C. S. Lewis. I find his wit, intellect and heart helps some of the harsh truths of Christianity steal past the "watchful dragons" of my heart.

Five years after moving to Chicago, my career was progressing rapidly. However, it was obvious that our parents were in decline back home and were in need of present care. We prayed and God led us to leave Chicago and come back to St. Louis. Within a year after moving back Shonté and I both lost our fathers. A few months later my Grandpa passed. Everything that I know about leadership and self discipline I learned from him. Four years later my Grandma passed. All my passion for studying God’s Word and conviction for accurately expressing His Truths were her gifts to me throughout the years that she raised me.

1 Timothy 1:8:
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

When we came back to St. Louis we naturally began attending West Side again. There we saw the baptism of our oldest daughter, Tekoa, and our two sons Trenton and Troy. Shonté  and I soon became an active part of the Marriage Ministry and Children’s Church. Both were pressed for volunteers. Though West Side is a large church it was not immune to the truism that 10% of the people do 90% of the work. The workload was exhausting and there was no end or hope of relief in sight. Pastor Bobo continued to preach power packed sermons, but we were spending every service in Children’s Church. I’ve always marveled that West Side’s robust team of ministers, who are chomping at the bit for a chance to take the pulpit, were not interested in preaching to the kids in Children’s Church.

Mark 9:36-37
And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

I felt God’s Call continue to pull me while attending West Side. I had several ministers express their belief that I was anointed to preach God’s Word. But running away from the call had become a habit for me.

One gray Sunday morning as we were about to pull into the church parking lot we blew a tire. I ushered Shonté and the kids into service. Shonté, my partner in all things, came out to help me after settling the kids. She saw two deacons and a few regular parishioners sidle by the car with their eyes averted. Coincidentally, the past several sermons had centered around the Good Samaritan. After all of our years and sacrifice at West  Side it just didn't feel like home anymore. The message resounded with crystal clarity, it was time to move on.

Bro. Tony continues his story in Part IV.

Author: Bro. Tony Bell

Date: 01/15/2019

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