After nearly losing his life, Art Henderson, a member of Grace Community Church, a Charis Fellowship congregation in Goshen, Ind. (Jim Brown, senior pastor), found something, or more accurately, Someone, worth fighting for.
On December 29, 2017, Art was diagnosed with pneumonia, among other kidney and heart issues.
“I didn’t know how sick I was,” Art says. “My wife said I was hallucinating and doing things that had no explanation. On New Year’s Eve, they called my wife and told her that they had to intubate me – that I wasn’t responding.”
For 19 days, Art was on a life-support system.
“On the 18th day, my doctors told my wife and my family that we don’t have any hope,” Art shares. “They pretty much said that if something’s going to happen, it’s going to be a miracle.”
It was then that Jim Brown and Jon Rauch, both pastors at Grace, prayed with Art’s family.
“We prayed believing that our God could heal him,” Brown shares. “We knew that God was not finished with him.”
The next morning, Art woke up. God had provided him with a second chance, and Art took advantage of that. He began attending Fight Club, a 10-week discipleship journey that challenges men to grow intellectually, physically, relationally and spiritually.
“Fight Club has given me a group of brothers,” says Art. “It is absolutely the most incredible thing I’ve ever been involved in. It’s brought my life closer to Christ.”
The people that Art sees regularly can see a big difference in his life – and all because of the Lord.
“I go to dialysis every two weeks, and they’ve told me that since I’ve started Fight Club they can see a sparkle in my eyes,” Art says. “They ask me about Fight Club every time I go in. It’s given me something to fight for.”
Art’s goal is to live his life as if it’s his last day, knowing that God has given him a chance to keep living and loving well.
“Fight Club has given me the opportunity and the direction to continue to love my family, love my friends, and just love life every day. Because I don’t know if I’m going to wake up tomorrow,” Art says.
Brown says, “He has always been a compassionate, giving man, but Fight Club gave him a chance to link arms with over 400 men and encourage them with his words. He has grown in his love of God, and he is a man on a mission to tell others about Jesus.”
[Connect:] Click here to send a note of encouragement to Art as he continues to fight for Christ and his family.
This story first appeared in GraceConnect eNews. To subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter that includes news and information from congregations in the Charis Fellowship (Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches), click here.