Foremost Ministries is primarily for those carrying wounds inflicted by lives lived in a broken, sinful and fallen world. It is the teaching, preaching and evangelistic ministry of Eddie Williams who encountered the all encompassing mercy, grace and love of Jesus Christ despite his sinful rebellion and the fact that he considered himself to be the “foremost” among sinners. Eddie believes that his calling is to preach the One True Gospel and share his personal testimony to churches filled with those who are broken and wandering apart from God, “so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NASV)
People are hurting. They are broken and suffering from such an immense variety of wounds as to defy calculating. In their desperation to alleviate their pain, these damaged people are often led into even more dangerous and self-destructive behavior. These are the victims of guilt, anger, betrayal, loneliness, abuse, addiction, fear, despair, depression, poverty, violence, grief, disease and a sense of unworthiness. Because of their damaged state, they may have come to believe that either there is no hope for them or that they are undeserving of a better life. It does not matter whether their condition has been caused by circumstance, by other human beings or self-inflicted, for them hope has become a meaningless word. Their purpose for living is either gone or shrouded in such an opaque veil of utter darkness that they can’t see it. The most tragic aspect of the condition I am describing is that any concept of God does not exist or it is so distorted that these suffering ones have either stopped believing in Him or believe that He does not care. If there seems to be a certain familiarity in manner that I describe these conditions of pain and the people experiencing them, it is because I was one of them.
When the new century began, I was a pastor and an ordained minister preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was also a husband and father, well respected, and loved by many whom I was called to serve. To anyone even casually observing my life, everything seemed perfect and blessed beyond any denial. Then, in what seemed like an instant, it was all gone. In one sinful moment of indiscretion and failed moral judgment…in one instance of disobedience…in one singular slip of all that I had ever believed, everything in my life collided with the lie I had been living and collapsed into a smoldering pile of ash.
For the next six years, I lived my life, not only as though I had never been a minister, but as though I had never been a believer in Christ. Shame and guilt evolved into bitterness and anger. The image of the man of God slowly faded into an abstract picture of a fugitive of God. My own image of myself became one of failure, uselessness, disqualification and hopelessness. I turned my back on the God, on His Church and on myself. The man I awoke to look at in the mirror each morning was the man I most detested and that detest spread like a communicable disease to everyone I touched. I fled from Christ like a common criminal. Finally, I ran headlong into the fullness of His mercy, His grace and His unfailing love for even the “foremost” of sinners.
The last four years of my life has been about the miracle of redemption, of restoration, of recovery and of a fresh realization of His purpose and calling on my life. Someone has correctly said that our greatest victory is often born out of our greatest defeat. For me, that is true only because of the grace of God, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, and the love of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been given a new story to tell and it is intended to be told to the ones I described earlier. My renewed calling is to the ones who believe that God doesn’t want or love them…to the ones who feel abandoned and without hope. I am compelled to tell the story of Jesus and His redemption, offered without exception to all who will surrender their hurts to Him and trust in Him for life. This calling is to the broken hearted, to the skeptical, to the embittered, and to “those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.” (1 Timothy 1:16 – The Message)
The Apostle Paul referred to himself as having been the “foremost” among sinners. He acknowledged this so that others might see his transformation as an example of the Lord’s patience with even the very worst and hardest hearted, and understand that Christ’s grace is for all. Just as the Lord gave Paul a testimony as one saved from being a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man,” so too He has given me such a story as to give hope to even the most hopeless.
You have the opportunity to help me to tell that story to those people. Foremost Ministries stands ready to assist churches in reaching the lost and hurting in your community. I am ready to schedule services designed to evangelize and allow the Holy Spirit to awaken, revive and heal the hearts of those most needing it. I hope that you will prayerfully consider inviting me to share my story, which is really the Lord’s story of redemption and deliverance from the guilt and the results of sin.