Apostolic Friends Forum - Ken Gurley Elected Sup of STX

He preached a really awesome message at a youth convention in MO years ago... about Solomon's prayer at the temple dedication, God's response, and the call of God. He talked about how we don't start at the top... if a person feels called to do something specific (ie step into leadership) they won't start at the top. He gave the specific detail of a friend of his who started bragging about being "called". He finally went to his pastor with his exalted view of what he should immediately be, and the pastor asked the young man to go with him. He took him through the church, and all the time the young man was thinking, I'll do this or I'll do that, or he'll pray with me now, and so forth. They got to the end of a long hall the young man was unfamiliar with, and the pastor said, son, if you have a call on your life, your ministry starts right here. And opened the broom closet.

Bro Gurley was very offensive to some that day. He actually told people they all (everyone in hearing) were called to serve, not be served, and that the call to serve most probably would at some point include changing the toilet paper, no matter how high a "call" they felt. He went on to say that young people who feel "called" should be willing to do the things no one else wants to do, as part of their training for the ministry.

It was a very good message, IMO.

He also worked with the young people on the purity project. Can't remember the name of it, but taught that to marry pure was a dedication not only to yourself but to the person that you marry. I don't remember that whole message, but he described people marrying pure in a very good light. He was one of the only people I really ever heard say nice (much less encouraging) things about young people who kept themselves for marriage, even into their 20s, except in the wedding ceremony, in Apostolic or Pentecostal ranks.

Thats really all I know about him. I have several of his messages, and they still hold meaning years later. I can't account for his character outside the pulpit, but he had a strong positive influence on my life through his preaching.