Serving Christians Seeking to Live a Holy Life

Spiritual Resume

Leon L. Combs, Ph.D., M.A., M.Div.

Salvation

I remember clearly the night that an evangelist preached in my hometown church when I was about ten-years old. When he started talking about sinners and their need for the Lord, I knew that he was talking about me. He asked for people to come forward to profess their sins and accept Jesus and I got up to go down front. However, my mother stopped me and told me that we would talk about it later. She then told me that such was for "bad people". My mother did not understand, at that time in her life, that we were all "bad people". Much later I was privileged to explain to her and my dad the need for the cross for everyone. But from that moment on I was a person who knew his sin nature and my absolute need for God's purification. I tithed my allowance every week. I went to church every time it opened. I sang in the choir. I read the Bible almost every night. I went to "Youth for Christ" at my high school. I even gave a sermon one time during youth night and people commented that I ought to be a preacher. However I did not receive good scriptural teaching, and I was trying to be the "good person" that I knew that I was not. I alternated in my conviction as to whether or not I would go to Heaven if I died, but I had no power for living the Christian life in the world. I strayed and came back and strayed and came back, etc. for many years. Yet every time I did wrong, I knew that it was sin against Holy God.

I had a life-changing experience when I was 32 years old. I had finished my Ph.D. and had been teaching at Mississippi State University for three years. My wife dragged me to begin a 12-week program at the First United Methodist Church called "An Experiment in Practical Christianity". I was reading in John 16 where Jesus said that He would not leave the disciples alone but that He would send a Comforter. As I read about this, I fell on my knees and prayed "God, that is what I need. I need your Spirit to help me be the "good person" that I can not be". From that moment on I was a different person. God opened my heart so that I could respond to Him. I could now read and clearly understand Scripture that had puzzled me in my youth. God had awakened my spirit so that I could communicate with Him. Before being born again, whatever I tried to do spiritually was useless because I had no communication with God. I had to learn that God has to work first before we can respond. All of my years of going to church were useless without the direct intervention of God first. He showed me how helpless I was so that I could not please Him in any way unless He worked first.

My wife and I completed the 12-week program and then we led it for three more sessions. It was an excellent program, but more importantly now I had the power that I needed to live the life here that Christ wanted me to live. I still failed after that night and I still fail now, but I have continued to make progress toward God's goal for my life. During the years since that wonderful night God has blessed me and my family with His grace and joy many times. I continue to be amazed at His mercy, grace, patience, love, and kindness. He is my Lord and I am His adopted son.

Gifts

I have been tested several times for my Spiritual Gifts and they always come out the same. Although the relative ranking of the gifts may vary somewhat in each test, the gifts themselves are always the same. The Holy Spirit has blessed me with the gifts of teaching, knowledge, faith, leadership, and wisdom. My DISC relationship survey showed that I predominantly have a conscientious style, and the total scoring is very similar to that of Moses as published in "Understanding How Others Misunderstand You" by Ken Voges and Ron Braund (page 71, Moody Press, 1990 and 1995). My Myers-Briggs personality test shows that I am an INTJ.

Goals

God is still revealing His goals for me for the rest of my life - however long that may be. I was convinced that He wanted me to stay in my university job for more service and learning until I retired. At that time I was sure that He wanted me to go into full time ministry. I was not clear as to the exact type of ministry but believed that it wiould involve teaching which is my primary gift. There are times when I believe that He wants me to be a teaching pastor to a local congregation, and there are times when I believe that He wants me to write more about what He has taught me - perhaps it will be a combination of those duties. I believe that He wants me to continue preparing for those duties by whatever means He provides.

I retired July 1, 2006 at 68 years old so I stayed working longer than I thought I would. I might have worked a bit longer except for the spine pain and dealing with the medications associated with that pain. To this point I have been spending my time writing, putting out a weekly newsletter to about 400 people, and updating my web page. I self-published a book that I spent about 20 years working on whenever I had time. After retiring I finished it ("A Search for Reality") and am working on a sequel. I am just trying to be available and open.

Courses and Seminars Taken:

I have an extensive library of Christian books. Many are reference books, many are academic books, and many are topical discussions. My favorite author is James Montgomery Boice and I have all of his books. I have most of Lloyd-Jones's books, several of Francis Shaffer's books, several of G. Campbell Morgan's books, several books by Spurgeon, Wuest's Word Studies of the New Testament, John Wesley's commentaries, Calvin's Commentaries, An Expositor's Bible Commentary, Hodges's Systematic Theology, several books on the history of the church, and many more books. I love to study the Bible using both the Bible and books written by great Christians of the past and present. As a scientist, I believe on building upon other people's discoveries as well as my own discoveries. Although the Bible is the only inspired word, God has revealed much insight concerning the Bible to His saints over the ages that is edifying to the Church.

Courses and Seminars Taught:

Leadership Functions:

Articles Written Include the Following:


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