Ben Kinchlow is someone you may be familiar with from Pat Robertson's 700 Club.  Connection Magazine had the opportunity to know a little more about the man and his mission.

CM:   What is your testimony as to how you came to Christ?
BK: "In the late 60's and early 70's, I was into Malcolm X/Black Muslim movement.  I  worked with a white guy who had a relationship with Jesus Christ and not a  'church relationship'.  The white brother challenged me to accept Jesus Christ as  Lord.  I accepted the challenge."

CM: Do you have any formal theological training?
BK: "No.  A group of men in my hometown formed a scholarship program to send me  to the seminary.  I didn't go.  The pastor of First Methodist Group asked me this  question, "If you had a patch of weeds to hoe, would you go right out to hoe or  would you sharpen your instruments and then go"?  So, I prayed to seek God's  direction.  Then I asked the same pastor this question, 'If you had a patch of  weeds  to hoe, you had a hoe and your father had a power mower, which would  you choose to do the work?'  Of course the power mower.  I don't have anything  against the seminary.  I am a firm believer that people should not attend seminary  looking for God.  You should already have a relationship with him before you  attend.

CM: Are there any ministers in your family?
BK: "My dad was a Methodist minister an there are a lot of Christians in my family."

CM: How did you become involved with the 700 Club?
BK: "Shortly after I received Christ, I went to the streets telling people about the one I  received.  I was the executive director of a drug and rehabilitation center.  This is  the place where I saw bonafide miracles take place in the lives of people.  Pat  Robertson heard of the mighty things God was doing and asked if I would come  and be apart of the program as a guest giving my testimony."

 "When I was invited the second time, I thought it would be as before.  I went in  the studio and sat in the counseling section.  As it got closer to air time, I moved  into a guest chair.  Then someone told me that Pat and Henry were in Israel and I  was the host of the show.  During that time the 700 Club was a three-hour show.   When I heard the opening song, "Heaven came down and glory filled my soul," I  thought yes Lord!"

CM: How did you know it was time to leave the 700 Club?
BK: "I believe in divine discontentment.  It's not that everything wasn't going well.   When you pray God opens doors and there will be a witness in your spirit.  If you  look back, you probably left on your own."

CM: If I didn't know anything about the Holy Spirit, what would you tell me?
BK: "The Holy Spirit is the person that Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to meet.   The Holy Spirit activates the power of the gospel in the life of the believer."

CM: If I didn't know anything about prayer, what would you tell me?
BK: "Prayer is communicating the deepest desire of your heart to the one who  understands the deepest desire, praying with words, groans or moans that cannot  be uttered."

CM: What do you believe the word of the Lord is for the Body of Christ in this hour?
BK: "It's the same word that is in the Word of God, our redemption is closer now than  when we first believed."
 
 

Ben Kinchlow is currently a motivational speaker traveling around the country doing various seminars; namely, For Men Only, Unlimited Living as well as a marriage seminar.

He recently visited Church on the Rise in Westlake, Ohio.