Evan Ulery's Act Like Men 2025 Testimony

Well, I hope you all like my laptop case. I thought it was fitting for the Act Like Men weekend. Good morning everyone. I would like to say first that I am terrified of public speaking and would argue that I would rather fight a lion in a snowy pit like Benai than do this. However, giving glory to the Lord and what He has done is worth it. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Evan O'Leary. I have been a member of Grace Life Church for about three and a half years.

My wife's name is Devin O'Leary and we have a two year old daughter named Allison and another daughter due in January who currently does not have a name so we will take any suggestions. Anything besides Jezebel, Sapphira or Martha will be considered. Brother Chris has asked me to share a testimony about what the Lord has been teaching me as a husband, father and member of Grace Life Church. A subject that has been laid on my heart is the importance of being faithful to the local church.

Since I am known as a Spurgeon guy around here because I have the Spurgeon Bible and I like a few of his quotes, I figured that I would just kind of lean into that and share one of his quotes right now. Spurgeon says, "I believe that every Christian ought to be joined to some visible church. That is his plain duty according to the Scriptures." So a brief definition of the local church. The local church is a specific group of born again believers who gather regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship and the ordinances. They are led by biblically qualified leaders.

They are committed to one another in love, discipline and service to Christ and they participate in God's mission to preach the gospel and make disciples. So a few verses and commandments for the local church. First we have Hebrews 10, 24-25. This is one we should all know. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on for love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near." The New Testament is filled with a plethora of one another passages.

Romans 12-10, 1 Corinthians 1-10, Galatians 5-13, Ephesians 5-21, Colossians 3-16 and James 5-16 and many others. One another commands in the New Testament assume and require participation in a visible local body of believers. These are not abstract ideals. They demand real relationships and real community. How else can you practically build up the body of Christ? How can you possibly love Christ and not love his body, those for whom he died? You cannot serve someone in love without knowing their needs and being involved in their life. Spiritual gifts are meant to be used within the body, not in isolation.

The body builds itself through mutual edification which requires presence and participation. Much of that body life is really seen on Wednesday nights and in small groups. This only makes sense in close proximity. You don't bear with or forgive people you barely interact with. 1 Peter 4-8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins." Deep love implies emotional connection and repeated interaction, not superficial contact.

Some of the blessings that are found in the local church, we have spiritual growth through teaching, discipleship and great examples to follow, mutual support during trials, grief, celebration and need, accountability through encouragement, warning and correction in love, biblical shepherding pastors who feed, guide and protect the flock, we have meaningful relationships, ministry opportunities, we participate in the ordinances of grace, corporate worship, discipline and restoration and missional partnership through anchored in truth that's advancing the gospel locally and globally.

All of these blessings are offered at Grace 5 Church of Brookhaven. We are not by any means a perfect church, but we are a biblically healthy church. So how the church has impacted me, our daughter Allison was born with a rare genetic condition called tar syndrome and other medical conditions that come with a whole host of lifelong complications. Our church has come alongside of us and carried our burdens with us from the beginning. They encourage us, pray for us, share God's word with us, meet our physical needs and just love on us. There are two moments that will stick with me forever.

One time after Wednesday night service I was feeling very scared and anxious while Devin and Allie were in the hospital. Brother Tommy came to my car and prayed for me and told me that he loved me. I remember crying on the way home but feeling oddly joyful and strengthened at the same time. Another time Devin and I were in the waiting room while Allison was getting surgery done on her spine. Brother Chris, Keith and Jared came to and ministered to us for a few hours. What could have felt like a lifetime of dread transformed into comfort and fellowship.

Our church has shown me and continues to show me what it means to sacrificially love and care for the body of Christ. I was typically faithful to the church before but it was not until these trials with our daughter that I began to cling to the church and see more of its beauty. I can truly agree with the psalmist, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a son and shield. The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who boasts in you." Psalm 84, 10 through 12. Our trials are for the church. Our perseverance encourages others and prepares us to equip others when they go through similar situations. I can count on all joy when facing these trials because they drive me closer to God and closer to his people. We persevere by God's grace through the work of his spirit in us, through his word, and through brothers in Christ. Like Matt said, we are just ordinary, plain, weak, sinful men that are instruments used by a gracious and powerful God.

One thing that Matt also said that really resonated with me is that it is a mercy to have the privilege to serve our Lord. If you are not faithful to a local church, you will not mature in the faith, and in many ways you are in sin. If you are not faithful to a local church, you will be unequally yoked with the world in some capacity. If you are not faithful to a local church, not only will you suffer spiritually, but so will your family. And who does God call to lead in this faithfulness? Men, husbands, and fathers. If I could use an analogy, the world is like the Sahara Desert.

There is no life, and you are constantly being beat down by the heat. We are to love the world, but the world outside of Christ is dead in sin, and there is no life in them. We are beat down by the heat of the flesh, the world, and Satan constantly. But the biblically healthy church is like an oasis. You come, and your thirst is quenched by the Word of God, and you are strengthened by your brothers and sisters in Christ to go out into the world and bring refreshment to the lost. This is a loose quote from Jeff Nobler to myself. The church is a sanctuary of sanity in an insane world. In it we are fed the truth and built up to live the truth.

Thank y'all.