by: Tara Burgess - Freelance Christian writer

"Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His courts with singing" (Psalm 100:2)

In the province of Ontario, in the city known as Toronto, there lives a man known by few. His name is Jeff Moore and he is truly a man after God's own heart. Jeff has been through heartache and emerged with ultimate joy. His dedication to the Lord and His work has created problems with business partners, family, and even his home church. However, Jeff uses the promises of God as his strength in hard times. From this man and his life, valuable lessons can be learned.

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (John 12:26)

Jeff was born in 1958. He grew up in church but didn't truly know the Lord. He says that he recognized the basic fundamentals of who Christ is, but he didn't know the Lord personally. His spiritual life consisted of repeating words and learning facts. Throughout his teenage years, he was a pleasant person in an unpleasant situation. Despite the presence of two older brothers and an older sister, Jeff was not very close with his family. He describes his family as "emotionally barren". Over the last part of his teens, Jeff experimented with marijuana and was involved in a destructive relationship. He had one friend named Gerry, with whom he played chess regularly. Gerry was saved at a meeting held by Benny Hinn and used the times he and Jeff played chess as witnessing opportunities. Two months after Gerry was saved, he invited Jeff to come along to a meeting. On April 19, 1979, Jeff attended a meeting held by Benny Hinn. This type of service was foreign to him and many things caught him off guard. He recalls, "three little old ladies with a clearly supernatural glow about them. I had seen lots of blue-haired old ladies with the youth group but I had never seen this glow before!" To be honest, he was jealous and outraged. He had been looking all his life for this type of worshipping and feeling to the Christian faith and yet, he had been unable to find it. But by worshipping Christ as if He were in the room, Jeff encountered God in an enormous way. He says, "I could see Him standing right in front of me and I was so overwhelmed". Through this meeting, he gave his life truly over to the Lord and began to learn exactly what true love was. This began a series of events that would lead Jeff throughout North America. He was 21 years old.

"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

In the summer of 1979, Jeff met a lovely young lady. She was a denominational Christian new to the concept of being "born again". After a short courtship, they were married on November 2, 1979. Jeff played guitar and used that gift to lead praise and worship at several churches and helped in bible studies. After an intense year of self-exploration of who he was in Christ, Jeff's music and teaching ministry flourished. He also was working full-time in the sales and computer field. Jeff estimates he was making $53,000 plus commission. Probably worth about $75,000 a year. However, he felt God leading him into full time ministry. During this time, his wife was less than happy. She wanted him to be a normal minister and lead a regular life. To Jeff, this seemed like a boring and a false type of life for a Christian who was on fire for God. Because of differences in opinions about the role of a minister/teacher of the gospel, they separated four times in their six years of marriage. Through this union, they had two lovely children. The fourth time, Jeff let Carolyn go. This devastated him because he was under the impression that God could not use him now that he was divorced. He refers to people who have been divorced as "widows - ones left behind by another". In the Bible, widows had a crucial role in many factors of building the kingdom of God. Throughout Jeff's 15 years of regained singleness, he relies heavily upon the scripture, "When a mans ways please the Lord, He will cause even His enemies to bless him". Neither marriage nor singleness is an advantage over the other to God. If a person is willing and open, God will use him in spreading the gospel and helping the hurting. As Jeff is fond of saying, "There is life after divorce!"

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. There things we also speak, not in words which mans wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.: (I Corinthians 2:12,13)

In 1984, Jeff was called into full time ministry. There was no true hesitation on his part as he moved into God's plan for his life. Problems with business partners made leaving that job easier. A home-based bible study held the foundation for an international ministry. At first, Jeff used these meetings to reach people on a real life basis. Although he obtained a church seven years after the bible studies began, Jeff began to feel God calling him to others things namely into travel. Many people from his home church began to wonder if he cared about them. Jeff was in great agony of spirit until one night during his prayer time, Jeff heard God tell him, "I'm not dealing with you. I'm dealing with them." He came to realize that "ministry is not about buildings and meetings. It's about people." In 1993, after Jeff reconciled himself to what God was, he began a ministry called Lightspeed Ministries International. This ministry reaches out to the hurting and hungry. When asked why, Jeff replies, "those hearts are open to growth." This ministry has expanded to the Internet which reaches countries such as Brazil, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Jeff travels all over North America to share God's love and to teach people about God's plan. He loves going out and ministering to people one-on-one. Jeff is now working in media, homes, and conferences all around North America.

"And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:27,28) Jeff holds some very interesting views on ministry. He believes that the way he serves his fellow Christians is by being real toward them. He tries to make each moment count with every interaction. He says, "I feel if they get the idea that they see a minister who is willing to wash floors with them, then perhaps they will embrace that we are all equal in God's kingdom." Jeff believes there is a misleading concept of pyramid thinking in the body of Christ. This involves the notion that the body holds up the pastor so that blessings can come down through him to the congregation. He wants to promote an equality mindset so people will see that all God's children are important members in the body of Christ. He states, referring to the body of Christ, "It is not a pyramid. It is a living temple." When asked to what advice he gives to lifetime Christians who are struggling in their faith, he easily replies, "return to your first love and start again. He will never fail you." Jeff believes that "the more you know God the more you know that He doesn't need your help." Once children of God let go of the burdens they are not called to bear, their walk will be easier and more enjoyable. Jeff believes that the power to forgive is the most important and least taught concept in the Bible. Christians must first receive a higher understanding of their own forgiveness, as well as God's heart on the matter, before they can walk in a forgiving mind set. According to Jeff, "this is the key to life and health and happiness."

"... not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11).

These instructions given by Paul are required of everyone who wears the name "Christian". Jeff Moore has shown by example how to be a servant of God and man. He does both in direct submission to what God has called him to do. God asks nothing less from the rest of His children. While He does not have the exact same plan of life for each of His children, He expects all to be willing and ready to move when He says go. By living a life maintaining godly principles and serving all of mankind, Christians are guaranteed to hear the sweetest words of all from their Savior, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."