Charles Knuckles
13 min read ⭑
“The things I learned from Jesus were the opposite of what I believed throughout my life, the things that weren’t at all life-giving. He gave me faith. He gave me love—real love. He gave me strength, and He gave me compassion.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There's much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
I am a man of color who ate food like meat, potatoes, and collard greens most of my life. I got married late in life to a wonderful woman of color who ate the same heavy foods. The day I asked Saundra to marry me, I also asked her if she would come to California to work in ministry with me. (My job required me to move into the San Jose, California, area.) She said yes to both questions.
When we got to California, a vast world of food suddenly opened up to us, and I found out that I was a food adventurer. I discovered that I love Mexican food, Indian, Chinese—just about all the foods I could find. Saundra, though, did not join me in most of my food adventures. (Except for Mexican food—she likes that!) While grilled octopus tentacles were one of my favorite dishes, Saundra wouldn’t even touch sushi let alone octopus. Whenever I would order those kinds of dishes, I had to order fish and chips for Saundra, who couldn’t even bear to watch me devour my food! Every now and then, though, I would spot her peeking over at my sushi and octopus feast, so I would mount some on my chopsticks and offer it to her. I think I just did that to see her expression—both of us would always laugh.
What I ate was always the topic of her conversation with her friends back east. She would describe in great detail what I ate and, in unison, I always heard a loud, "Ew! That's nasty!”
Charles Knuckles
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called "nonspiritual" activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
I love to ride my mountain bike on trails where I feel almost as though I’m lost. I wear a backpack with my camera so if I see beautiful wildlife I can capture them in photos.
Sometimes I like to ride with other men, too, which is a great way to challenge myself. I love the adventure with a band of brothers on the trails, but I get way more time when it's just me and God. I sometimes picture Jesus wearing a helmet and gloves on a bike right next to me.
When I hit gnarly challenges like jumping tree roots or riding up hills on difficult grades, I talk to Jesus. I ask him questions like, "Do you think I can make it, Jesus?" I think he just smiles. When I get to a particularly beautiful area, I stop. Sometimes I take out the camera and get some shots so I can remember that moment later.
Sometimes I’m just overwhelmed and feel like I can hardly take in how privileged I am to be in such a beautiful place with Jesus. I don't deserve any of it, but he wants me to just let the joy wash all over me. Sometimes I park the bike, sit, and look out over a precipice. And sometimes I stop by the water and just listen to its movements. I know, at those moments, that it’s so good to be in that place.
One time, I fell. I jumped a stump and before I had time to recover my balance, I had to pivot quickly to avoid hitting a tree. In all that chaos, I fell. I couldn't get up right away. All I could do was talk to Jesus. After a really good conversation, I regained my strength, got up, and continued my ride. I asked Jesus if he just wanted to get my attention. I couldn’t help but wonder!
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We're just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
I came out of abject poverty. As a child, I was so hungry I would eat food off the ground and out of the garbage. In the ghetto where I lived, people killed each other over the stupidest things. Coming from that kind of background, I know that Jesus saved me for a reason and I know that he saw something in me, but most of the time, I can't see it.
Most people probably wouldn’t imagine I struggle with that mindset. After all, I've spoken in places across the nation. I'm a licensed addictions counselor and I've helped thousands in their recovery. In the process, I've baptized over 200 men. I can help people with problems, but my problem is that I don't think I’m worthy. It's so hard for me to believe that people actually like me let alone love me.
Some of this mindset is rooted in experiences I’ve had. People have told me they loved me, but I still struggle to reach out when I’m hurting. I was once invited to a men's group in Los Altos, California.
Immediately, the enemy went to work on my mind: "What do you think you're doing? You can't hang out with those men, they're way too successful to be bothered with the likes of you." I wanted to go to the men’s meeting. I knew I needed to go. I needed fellowship with men. But can I? I wondered.
I drove to the meeting, but I just couldn't turn into the driveway. I parked in the Walgreen's parking lot across the street. I looked at men gathering outside of the office space they were going to use. They were so happy to see each other. Hugs and handshakes.
"You can't get in, so don't even try,” the enemy whispered. I was just a few yards away. Could I make it that few extra yards? I decided I was going to do it. I drove into the parking lot, got out of my car, and walked right into a hug. I made it, and the meeting was incredible. We’re all still brothers today.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
Soon after Jesus saved my life, he gave me my marching orders: "Feed my sheep."
"Well, what do I feed them?" I asked the Lord.
"Everything that I have fed you."
I had to look at what Jesus had done for me. He gave me revelation, not just information. The things I learned from Jesus were the opposite of what I believed throughout my life, the things that weren’t at all life-giving. He gave me faith. He gave me love—real love. He gave me strength, and He gave me compassion. These were just some of the things God was calling me to feed his sheep.
But how was I going to do that? First, I started a nonprofit called The Alumni Group. I taught classes on everything—how to give back to the community, how to overcome addictions, how to wisely manage money, and how to give your resources to God's purposes. I taught men the value of mentoring. I took men on adventures. The group became so successful that an organization in California asked me to be their director of rescue and recovery. Soon, I doubled their capacity to serve, brought in mentors from churches, and taught my clients to mentor others. I took men on amazing adventures. The success rate was high as the men started to know love.
Recently, with the help of amazing friends, I wrote a book called Made Clean. Not only is it the story of my journey, but it’s also loaded with the very same revelations Jesus gave to me when he called me to “feed his sheep.”
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it's God when it happens?
Almost 25 years ago, soon after Jesus saved me from homelessness and addiction, I went to work for him rescuing men. One of the first men I worked with was someone I met in an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting. He asked me to sponsor him, so we went to AA meetings and I got him to start serving by setting up the chairs and making coffee. After the meetings, we would go to our favorite diner for a cup of coffee and a slice of their famous pies. We would sit for a couple of hours talking and working on AA stuff.
The AA textbook refers to God over 300 times, so the conversation would inevitably come to be about God. I could see it in my young friend's eyes that he was experiencing the light of Christ. When I saw that, I was filled with a joy I can hardly describe. I wanted more of that joy. But I couldn't focus on the joy. I had to focus on the man in front of me. I focused on giving my best, and that's when I experienced a profound joy—a recharge, if you will.
AA is not a Christian program, but I have led so many men to Christ through the same kind of talks I had with the first guy I sponsored. I now volunteer for a homeless shelter in their recovery program. It's secular, and as a clinician, I can do the secular work. But I seek to be a light for Jesus in every way I can. When I walk into the room, I say "Peace to this house" (see Luke 10:5). My peace rests upon the room and the subject of God always comes up—even though I’m not the one bringing him up in conversation! After class, I meet with those who express a desire to know God.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So spill it, which spiritual practice is workin' best for you right now?
One of the things I love to do is to listen for God’s voice. Conversations go two ways. God speaks to me, and I place a high value on hearing from him.
The difficulty lies in the fact that God does not speak to me in traditional ways. I can read a Scripture and ask God something about it, but he might not give me an answer. Instead, the Scripture will keep coming around in my thoughts, and I soon realize that my answer from God is actually what the Scripture itself reveals.
Sometimes God will speak to me clearly, especially about things I could never work out on my own. He also speaks to me through the majesty of his creation. One night, I laid down in the middle of a football field. I saw nothing in my peripheral vision—just the vast sky above me. The stars were magnificent in their uninterrupted glory. I felt God lift me off the earth into space. It was scary and wonderful but soon became too much for me to take in. I had to sit up because I was on “God overload.”
It's so important to me to listen to God, but it’s hard to convey this to some of the people I work with. I'm getting older, so my mind is not as sharp as it once was. Once while driving to work, I was so focused on God that when I looked to see if I had passed my turn, I honestly had no idea where I was. I drive that route four times a week, so I should know, but I didn't. I kept driving until I recognized something. But when I got into the room to teach, the lesson was flawless. God teaches through me. The value of listening to God is immeasurable.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free e-books featuring our favorite resources—lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are three resources that have impacted you?
I like books that inspire me in mentoring and helping men. First on my list is Dallas Willard's Renovation of the Heart. I've read this book three times so far, and I’ll probably read it again. My original copy is highlighted and underlined in so many passages that it almost looks like I used highlighter paint.
One quote I love is "In the spiritual life, one never rests on one's laurels." A couple of pages later, he says, "Everyone must be active in the process of their salvation and transformation to Christlikeness. This is an inescapable fact." I use this book for inspiration.
Another resource I absolutely love is Biblical EQ: A Christian Handbook for Emotional Transformation by John Edmiston. One of my biggest teaching resources is emotional intelligence (EQ). Although I have studied much on EQ, I am profoundly drawn to biblical EQ. It reaches deeper meaning.
In my volunteer position, I focus a lot on emotional intelligence with men. It’s a great help to people whose emotional maturity has been arrested. Because we don't want to feel certain emotions, we sometimes avoid them or anesthetize them. I'm usually working with men whose lives may depend upon them being able to move into and process uncomfortable feelings. Feelings trigger actions and when actions are harmful, the only way to help is to teach people to move into and properly process those emotions. It's a big part of what I do.
Another recent resource I’ve used is the book Rescue by Justin Camp. I truly think it is a huge part of the masculine purpose to rescue. In my tenure with CityTeam Ministries, my title was Director of Rescue and Recovery. One of the things I discovered as a clinician is that the most helpful techniques were in the Bible long before clinicians claimed to discover them. Read Rescue and you’ll see what I mean.
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season—and tell us what it's done for you.
I often find God odd. He rescued me from the worst conditions this world has to offer and put me in a wonderful church family. I did some motivational speaking and preaching, and I started an amazing nonprofit. I wasn't Superman, but for the first time in my life, I felt pretty super about myself.
He plucked me up and sent me across the country. The job was so huge that I needed huge resources to succeed, so he gave me a band of brothers. It was so hard for me to accept their love, and God certainly watched me struggle. He saw me waiting in the parking lot across from those men’s meetings, afraid to cross the street. But when I finally did it, I began to thrive. Once again, with the aid of my band of brothers, I felt pretty super about myself.
Then God plucked me up and sent me across the country again to a place that some people call one of the loneliest places in the U.S. So far, I haven’t had the same success I had before. The last thing in the world the men here want is to be vulnerable or transparent. As a result, I don't have a band of brothers in this place.
The first church I attended struggled with their differences, and I could not get spiritually fed. The second church I went to had a wonderful pastor and I was getting fed, but then they suffered a split. Now I write, and it has been a blessing. I have to get my masculine affirmations from God, and maybe that's what he wants.
I still love to volunteer, helping homeless and addicted men. Recently, God has reminded me that there's an army in the least of these. Many have forgotten them, but he has not forgotten them. Maybe God is raising up an army among the homeless communities.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
Lately, I’ve been writing sermons even though I haven’t been preaching. It's kind of a mystery to me, but when the Holy Spirit puts a word into my head and heart, I know I have to write it down right away.
I recently was talking to a pastor friend from Philly and I told him about one of my recent sermons. He said, "Charles this is good. Can I use it this Sunday for my congregation?"
I said, "Of course. Maybe that's what God wants." So I'm going to keep writing.
Recently, I was licensed as an IFOC (International Fellowship of Chaplains) chaplain. So far, I have used my chaplaincy in the homeless shelters, but my team also plans to visit folks in isolation in hospitals because of the pandemic.
The IFOC chaplains are doing so much that I have to draw healthy boundaries. Because of my counseling experience, I have become the go-to guy for interventions. Although I have a high level of training in interventions, I hate it. Interventions are exhausting and, more times than not, heartbreaking. So I limit how many I do.
The Bible study I do with another chaplain is exciting, though. And the shelter staff who are Christians working in a secular shelter are as excited as I am. We drew a big crowd the first time, and I believe it’s growing. I'm looking forward to getting other men and women to work with us. It starts at 6 p.m., and even though I've scheduled it for only one hour, we always go way past an hour. Our homeless neighbors want more. Is God building an army out of the least of these?
Charles’ life and ministry are proof that God can pull the mightiest of his soldiers from the worst conditions. The truth is, no matter our background, God can use us—and he wants to use us.
In a society where over 500,000 people are homeless on a given night, the apostle Paul’s words ring fiercely with hope:
“For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men were called. But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And God has chosen the base things of this world and things which are despised.
“Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, so that no flesh should boast in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, MSG).
Charles Lee Knuckles was born poor in a bad neighborhood, where he experienced a heartbreaking childhood. Sadly, he and his sister were abused in ways that defy imagination. He eventually found hope in Martin Luther King Jr., but when the civil rights activist was assassinated, Charles gave up that hope completely. Thankfully, God rescued him from despair, blessed and redeemed his soul, and put him to work in Jesus’ kingdom. Since then, Charles has experienced many miracles, which he wrote about in his book, Made Clean. Learn more at CharlesKnuckles.com.