I was recently reading a book written by one who fathered me spiritually early on at the beginning of my ministry days, Dr. Don Lynch. The Lord used this mighty man of God to pour into my life, important and strategic strategies pertaining to authentic Kingdom ministry.
In his book “Fathering -Transforming Individuals and Nations”, he writes the following:
“What is riotous living to a spiritual prodigal? It is wasting inheritance and spending money on substitutes instead of building a proper family: prodigals can’t produce heirs with a prostitute. The prodigal lost it all and respect for himself.
Abandoning their covenant with father, fleeing real intimacy, and joining themselves to strangers, prodigal children cut off spiritual generations. Starving and living with pigs, fighting for the last rotten husks, he lost his identity as a son and inheritor.”
As I read this, Holy Spirit began to show me how important spiritual fathers are, and how Dr.Don had really laid important Kingdom foundational stones in my life.
To be honest, I had walked away from his leadership for a couple of years, not necessarily in rebellion as much as taking a journey on a road that angled me into a wilderness season. Which we both saw in this spirit and talked about several years ago.
In fact, in 2021 the Lord began reconnecting us as I was a director at a local homeless discipleship ministry, which challenged me in many ways.
Due to those challenges, the Lord opened the door for me to seek counsel from Dr. Don (I needed a strong Apostolic voice to speak direction as well as correction into my life) and we were looking at opportunities that would allow me to bring some of these disciples to attend prayer meetings, and one of the ministries with Ministry Matrix, that really impacted my life, David’s Mighty Army.
We had planned on meeting after he went through and recovered from heart surgery, however, due to unforeseen complications, he graduated to be with the Lord.
One of the things we had been discussing was the importance of Integrity and Honor and the need for the Body in this region to become unified in advancing the Kingdom. As many of the ministries in this city and region were started not out of calling but rather out of rebellion, rejection, bitterness, and offense.
One of the last conversations we had was about whether I should accept the role of senior pastor at Highway to Heaven Church. I can remember the sound of his voice when he said;
“Son, I believe this is of the Lord, all these years have prepared you for this opportunity, and I know that you are ready”. And he followed up with “You know I am here rooting for you and you can depend on my helping you in any way I can”.
We also discussed the need for our ministries to be united in advancing the Kingdom in the city and region rather than one being “Greater” than the other, even though different in certain aspects of our assignments, that we were united in Spirit.
Although he is with the Lord now, he is still helping me through the collection of messages I have gathered over the years, including the recording of a number of prophetic words he spoke over my wife, my life, and our marriage. The one I truly value is the recording of our ordination under Ministry Matrix in 2007.
I will always honor Dr. Don, his wife Ruthanne, and Freedom House and the role that they have played in my life. With that honor, I stand with that House of the Lord and will continue to pray that everyone there is blessed with revelation, Holy Spirit strategies, and continued growth.
It was because of Dr. Don that I became acquainted with the Ministry of Dutch Sheets, which ultimately led me to the ministry of Damon Thompson and the Kingdom families connected to his ministry, as well as Chuck Peirce, whose ministry I was commissioned under as an Apostolic teacher, and Apostle Tim Sheets.
These powerful men are the current apostolic voice that Holy Spirit has me listening to in this current hour. Several years ago, under the urgent directives of the Father, I surrendered to the governing authority of Holy Spirit with regard to choosing the voices that I listen to.
The list is short but I will share it here: Dutch and Tim Sheets, Chuck Peirce, Ken Malone, and Damon Thompson. These along with a few others that I have found through Dutch Sheets to be authentic Kingdom voices which are Greg Hood and Gina Gholston.
Let me be totally honest here friends, there is only one FreedomHouse here in Jacksonville and although some may try and mimic it in ministry style and assignment, like those who adhere to the replacement theology regarding the Church and Israel, I see them as being outside the authentic Kingdom.
As to trying to mimic Freedhouse or any other ministry for that matter, well that is a line I will never cross. In fact, I believe it is of utmost importance that if we want to be pleasing to the Father, we MUST each seek our own assignment and calling and stay focused on advancing the Kingdom as Holy Spirit leads.
I give Glory to the Father for allowing such a mighty man of God, as Dr. Don Lynch, to have been a vital part of my ministry training and life in general.
I am under Holy Spirit conviction, that had it not been for men such as Dr. Don Lynch I would still be wandering about as a drifter in the Kingdom trying to imitate someone elses ministry and calling rather than having found who I am in Christ and what His calling for my life’s destiny truly is.
Many of his books if not all are on Amazon, including “Fathering”, and I recommend them all.
Russ G. Welch
A.K.A “WindWalker“
Radical Disciples - A Remnant Revolution 