North of fifty and trying to live better than yesterday, Eric Barfield loves his God, his wife of 30 years and his son. Working in the aviation industry, he navigates the priorities of Walk, work, and family in pursuit of life, liberty and true happiness.
Life Vision: “Eric served God in his time through teaching, writing and traveling, then he went Home.” (2 Chronicles 17:9)
Core Values: Eternity ~ Family ~ Integrity ~ Stewardship ~ Humility
The youngest of seven children raised by Christian parents in eastern North Carolina, I became a Believer as a youth. By age 29 however I had perfected the art of “nominal Christianity” and made life all about me, my job, my house, my car, my…
Then one day my wife told me she was expecting. You know the part near the end of a football game when the winning coach gets that ice-cold cooler of Gatorade dumped on him and he stands there momentarily stunned? Well, that was me. I realized for the first time in my life that I was now going to be responsible for another human soul.
God used that moment to kick start my Faith for real and I’ve been living the surrendered-but-free Life ever since. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty more stories of train wrecks and backfires along the way (thanks to yours truly 99% of the time). But the Grace of God has been poured onto my life with fire-hose intensity. I have truly been – and continue to be – ambushed by His love. Amazing!
I was baptized in February 1997, three months before our son was born, at First Baptist Church Greeneville, TN by a wonderful pastor and mentor, Jim Best. We officially launched Anchor 217 Ministries in February 2017 and are based out of Wilmington, NC.
Off and on through the years, I had thought maybe The Lord was calling me into full-time ministry at some level. Today, I know that’s the case for sure but not in the traditional sense as I’m not presently able to attend seminary. I sometimes however think God doesn’t want more ministers as much as He just wants more Saved people acting like Saved people. For me as I’ve now reached the final third of my life, that means formally establishing a teaching and discipleship ministry (“Anchor 217“), supported by about 60 hours a week of what I affectionately refer to as fund raising (read, “day job”).
Jesus told us to go and make disciples, not just converts. And disciples ultimately go on to become disciple-makers. Anchor 217 Ministries is a lay ministry designed to support the local church and pick up where the evangelist leaves off by forming relationships and providing resources whereby meaningful, intentional discipleship takes place.
There’s so much more than nominal Christian living. I would love to slide alongside your group for a season in an effort to Inform, Impact, and Inspire for the cause of Christ and for His Glory.
Anchor 217 Ministries 