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Florida minister to preach at local church
By James R.
Campbell
Special to the Tribune
You can't please God just by going to church. You must become a full-time disciple of Jesus Christ and live each day by his teachings.
That's according to Ken Weliever, the Tampa, Fla., minister who will review various aspects of "What Matters Most" April 8-13 at Margrave Street Church of Christ.
The 64-year-old Clayton, Ind., native has written two books on the subject and is working on a third to be published this year by Spiritbuilding Publishing. "It's all about becoming a follower or pupil of Jesus by studying the Bible books that talk about that," he said.
"Jesus said he came to do the will of his father, not his own will but that of the father who sent him. He added John 14:6: "'I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through me.'"
As guest speaker in the 1900 S. Margrave St. church's annual spring lesson series, Weliever will teach a Sunday school class at 9 a.m. April 8, Easter Sunday, and preach at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day. Accompanied by his wife Norma, he will speak at 7 p.m. each weeknight through Friday April 13.
The church will have a free community-wide luncheon April 8 at Buck Run Community Center.
Having completed nine years as minister of North Boulevard Church of Christ last fall in Tampa, Weliever was preaching in Dayton, Ohio, when interviewed by the Tribune March 5 and will be at Hickman Mills Church of Christ in Kansas City the week before Fort Scott.
He graduated from Florida College in Tampa, playing varsity basketball, and the University of South Florida. He has also worked at churches in Hillsboro and Kettering, Ohio, Palmetto and St. Petersburg, Fla., Louisville, Ky., and Columbia, Tenn.
The Welievers have two children, Kenny of Dominica, West Indies, and Rachel of Tampa, but as yet no grandchildren. "It's exciting to share the word with people I don't have the opportunity to be with on a regular basis," said Weliever (pronounced Wellaver).
"It is invigorating to see their vision and fire for the Lord. God's purpose is not for someone to be a Lone Ranger Christian. It takes other Christians along the way if we're going to be faithful. Just going to church can become an end in itself. A church service, Bible class or baptism are events that happen, but discipleship is a daily process.
"People can fall away when they don't work at being disciples. God wants us to be disciples and become like Christ."
One of his best friends is Florida College Communications Director Ralph Walker, who says the 6-foot-7 inch preacher is a fan of the Indiana Hoosiers who played against the FC Varsity Falcons on the alumni team a few years ago. "The Bible class curriculum Ken wrote in Louisville is great for getting the Bible into the hearts of all ages," Walker said.
"He is a self-motivated guy who keeps a journal of all the things he's trying to accomplish. He has a strong belief in having concrete goals and he motivates others by those actions. He practices Ecclesiastes 9:10: 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.'
"Ken loves to go on brisk walks with those long legs of his."
Weliever is a member of Toastmasters International and past president of the Tampa Rotary Club. His books are "The Family Bible Study Series" and "Trusting God through the Twenty-Somethings." The new one will be called "The Purpose of Parenting."
"I have aligned myself with churches that really try to follow the New Testament pattern," he said. "Do you know how some judges look at the Constitution very loosely while others are strict constructionists? I'm a strict constructionist of the Bible."