Obedience. In 2020 I felt a wave or move of God and clearly heard the directive to relaunch this organization. Even then I didn’t move because I thought I knew better than the one who called me to this work. I also thought nobody would care or even be interested in it any longer because so much time had passed since we dissolved the first iteration of KBA. I’d rather be a ridiculed Noah than a fallen Saul.

I remembered the struggle to get folks to be active and not just a member on the books, who didn’t give, didn’t attend, who just didn’t do anything other than join. I was tired in 2014 and I was just over it all, we even tried to reincorporate briefly as the Association of Christian Leaders to no avail. We looked great on paper but in action we were defunct. When I look back there were people like Dwalunda Ray, Gaylon Pierce, Matthew Ray, Tremaine Combs, David Henderson, III, Christopher Woods, Laramie Jackson, Kourtney Horton and 20 or so others who showed up and supported. I’m sure I’m missing some people, charge it to my head not my heart.

The operation of an organization cost money, we pray, we shout, we praise but at the end of the day, website costs, renting space for meetings/services cost, software cost, musicians cost, other operating needs cost. Companies don’t care how saved you are, they want to be paid their due. For most of the association’s initial existence, I contributed 90% of the budget and after a while that gets worn out and old. Ultimately, I got tired and grew pissed off with trying to get folks to be what they claimed to be. In the bigger picture I grew tired of church in general as it was and in view somewhat still is.

In the moments after the official dissolution, I was happy to move on with my life, it felt like freedom from a confined place. After a few years I felt a sense of disappointment in letting down the people who showed up. In my mind everybody had moved on and went on with their own life. Little did I know there were people who came in the end stage of the first iteration who looked forward to what was supposed to come.

There were also other signs that this was a God thing. My original Facebook page I setup during the early stages of Facebook when it was only allowed for college students to sign up with an edu email account was still active. In 2016 I deleted it and received the confirmation that this account was indeed gone never to be recovered. Last year I happened to stumble back into it and even Meta/Facebook is stumped as to how it was still on its servers. I have reconnected with so many people that are excited about KBA coming back, new and renewed interest in KBA.

This 2.0 version as I call it, will be drastically different, we will be deliberate and intentional in who we have serve and every aspect of the operation of this ministry work. The quantity of members will be important as it is with any membership organization but won’t be a primary focus. We are excited about what will come forth and ready to get started. We have matured and the mistakes of the past will help us build in the present and grow.

I learned a valuable lesson in this season of life. Don’t give up too quick when it looks like residue is all you have left to build with. You would be amazed what God can do with residue. I can’t help but be reminded in Haggai’s experience when it came time to rebuild the Temple, the resistance, the hesitation, and drawback from the people. It was Haggai’s response to not rely on his own strength but relied solely on the name and power of the Lord by giving them Godly reassurance, “For I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.” Throughout this season of life, I have learned too that strength is a duty, not an option. But there has to be a source for the strength, it lies in the power of the Name of the Lord.

Haggai with clarity iterates that the duty of strength is obedience, the foundation of strength is the LORD, and the purpose of strength is work. We have nothing to do with the magnitude of what we may be able to build. In our finite views it may not hold candle to other likeminded organizations that bigger named leaders have amassed. But whether it’s a temple filled with gold and cedar, or a hand full of folks gathering in the name of the Kingdom Builders Association, Inc., it is our job to put all our strength into the task of building this portion of work that benefits God’s kingdom, and to draw that strength from the assurance that the LORD is with us.