the story of ron... a new day has dawned (last of a 4 part series)

upon leaving new orleans for the final time, ron embarked on what I like to call his “victory tour”, for God had indeed given ron the victory in his struggle with addiction. he first stopped and visited a former church family now living in jackson, ms., and called to say he’d be coming my way after leaving jackson. from our place, ron would head up to eureka springs, which just happens to be where he and cheryl were vacationing the sunday my wife and i joined williams boulevard church all those years ago. i was excited at the prospect of seeing ron again after all this time and all that had happened. we had a great time catching up, and he told me in more detailed fashion of how his life started to spin so out of control. he asked my forgiveness, but all I could think was that i’m the one who needed forgiving… ron and i were close… i should have been able to tell something was wrong… i should have been a better friend. and yet, a very select few ever knew the secret… one lived with it daily, and the other knew only because ron confessed it to him. in any event, God had forgiven him… how could I not??

during the course of our time together, ron told me of his plan to build an ebenezer (literally, “stone of help”)… a spiritual marker of sorts. in 1 samuel 7, God has given israel victory over the philistines after they had previously defeated the israelites and taken the ark of the covenant. after the battle, samuel set up a stone, named it ebenezer, and said “this marks the place where God helped us.” (the message). ron’s plan was to get a stone from each significant place along the way of his life's journey, and at some point use the stones to erect his ebenezer… as a remembrance that God has delivered him from his addiction. my wife is a great collector of rocks and stones. everywhere she travels, and everywhere anyone she knows travels, she has a rock from that place. so from her collection... i guess it would be her own so-far unbuilt ebenezer… she gave ron two stones.

he left us and went on to eureka springs, and then worked his way east to where cheryl was now living. unfortunately, that visit, to this day, has yet to produce fruit, but we never stop praying for reconciliation. ron decided to return to north georgia to start over. an incredible couple that had befriended him during his recovery at victory home, andy and terry pilgrim, took ron in while he got back on his feet. andy is himself a former addict and an alumni of victory home. we had the incredible experience of meeting the pilgrims last month when we went to visit ron in georgia. andy and terry live in a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home, but the ministry that God has called them to is to be a halfway house of sorts for guys coming out of victory home. in this modest abode, they currently host ron, another single guy, and another graduate AND his wife! needless to say, we’re praying that God would provide a larger home for them to more effectively carry out their ministry to these men and their families.

another couple we met was perry and michelle bourlet. they, too have an awesome ministry to the residents at victory home, and have been a huge blessing to ron during his time there, and even to this day. both of these couples are members of a little country church just out of tallulah falls… hollywood baptist church… the church family that ron became a part of. he found a home there and placed himself under the watchcare and discipline of the church. ron ministered wherever and whenever needed… as he recently related to me, he became a servant. one of ron’s great strengths in ministry, besides his ability to relate with teenagers and stay on top of the ever-changing youth culture, is hospital visitation. sounds like no big deal, but i’ve had occasion to accompany him on hospital rounds when we were in new orleans, and there is no greater comfort when you’re flat on your back in a hospital bed than to have someone as caring and compassionate as ron come to see about you and pray with and for you. this, along with ministering to and leading bible studies for the guys at victory home became some of ron’s avenues of ministry at and through the church.

in conversation with ron one day, his pastor reminded him that the apostle paul wrote that the call of God is “without repentance”… king james-ese for “irrevocable.” For a man who was convinced his days as a minister were over, this was quite a revelation… God was far from through with ron!

now then.........

remember this picture from part one of ron's story? you cant see him, but amongst that crowd of men is ron, down on his knees. at first glance, you would say this is an ordination service... but you would be wrong. this is something you dont hear very much about in many churches. you see, tragically, Christians have come to be known as a people who "shoot their wounded." we have high expectations, and little tolerance for mistakes. thankfully, its not like that everywhere... and certainly not at hollywood baptist church outside of tallulah falls, georgia. for what you see taking place here is a restoration service. never heard of one? sadly, neither had i. in my years as a Christian, i've become all too familiar with churches that shun and even drive out those who have made mistakes. while it is a biblical mandate to practice church discipline, it is always to achieve restoration. we may be quick to cast aside a fallen brother, but as long as God can still use a person, who are we to say he is not worthy?

today, ron serves as associate pastor of hollywood baptist. he visits sick folks in the hospital... he leads bible studies at victory home... he ministers wherever and whenever he is needed. he is a servant of God and a minister of the Gospel. he is also a caseworker for the state of georgia, helping marginalized individuals find gainful employment and, just maybe, some shred of self-worth... a little restoration if you will. i'm honored to call ron dingus friend... and i'm proud to call him brother in Christ. meet my friend and brother... pastor ron dingus.