My Testimony

The Worst of Sinners ~ 

The Best of Grace and Mercy

“And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:14-16 NASB).

At seven years of age my grandmother took me to see The Ten Commandments movie by Cecile B DeMille. I was spellbound by Moses standing on a cliff, ready to open the Red Sea, declaring “Be still and see the salvation of the Lord!” “God will fight for you this day!” My continued prayer each night for many years was God use my life like you did Moses.

My grandmother was an ordained Four Square Preacher. However, Grandma had a drinking problem that overtook her life and ministry. She fell from ministry and left our lives at the request of my mother. Grandma came to see me late one night at my bedroom window. I believe I was age ten at that time. She gave me a Bible and said this book would be my life. She talked about the dedication to the Lord of the first born male child. I was the first born. She prayed for me with power and conviction that I would serve the Lord. I never saw my grandmother again.

My grandmother, mother, father and stepfather all drank heavily and had morality issues. As I grew with no guidance in faith, I was lost to the world of drinking, drugs, and immorality.

The Lord had heard my prayer as a young child to serve Him, and I believe the dedication prayer of my grandmother. At age 27, I found the Lord and immediately entered Bible College. In college I learned the Bible well but had not learned the power of God to transform my life. I was able to keep the drinking, drugs and immorality at bay during college. Soon after graduation while in my first preaching ministry the strongholds of these sins overtook my life once again. I had learned the theology of God’s Word but missed its life. I was still dead in my trespasses and sin. Like my grandmother, I fell from the ministry. I lost everything including family, ministry, reputation, and church.

In my fallen state, I embraced the darkness. The lustful desires of my heart were on fire and could not be quenched. Indeed I became one of the worst of all sinners. There was not much that I did not experience.

After thirteen years of wondering in darkness, sin had destroyed me. All that was left of my life was ruined. There was only heartache, and the pain of an empty, unfulfilled life. Finally, in desperation I fell to my knees and asked God if he could forgive me. I asked if possible I could have a little happiness in this life.

My hope was forgiveness. My continued pain was the unfulfilled life of serving my Lord. A strong desire to serve God had never left me. I concluded that my sins were too great for Him to restore my life into His service.

But to my amazement, God was to take the broken pieces of my life and not only forgive me, but restore me into a powerful ministry that I could never have imagined.

My heart was broken, and God would use my broken heart to save me from the ravages of sin. I was to learn the depths of not only His forgiveness, but also His grace and mercy. Like the Apostle Paul I was to declare that if God could forgive and use the worst of sinners, me, he can forgive and restore you as well.

One night I went to a church service. It was a church that did not know me from the past. I sat in the back ready to make a quick exit after the service. I did not want to answer the probing questions that would embarrass me to say I was once a pastor, but I had fallen from the ministry. My life is now in ruin.

At the end of the service, the pastor started talking about communion. He talked about our Lord’s sacrifice of his blood and life for my sins. He told of the resurrection and the hope of eternal life. I wanted to run out the door, but I was glued to the chair. Tears were shooting from eyes as the emblems came to me. Never did our Lord’s Supper mean so much to me as then. When I arrived home, I said to the Lord you arrange that just for me, thank you!

I wanted to go to church regularly now. My new Christian wife from our Lord and I found a church. I took the pastor to coffee. I wanted to tell him who I was, a fallen pastor. Part way through my story he stopped me and said he also fell, and God had restored his life and ministry. Then he said life changing words to me. He said, “God loves you Steve!” Oh, these words were like cool water to a man dying of thirst.

For several years this pastor and other mentors taught me how to live with God. They helped me back onto the path of life in our Lord! My restoration into service was slowly. First I led a Bible study, then a life group, then I became a board member, and finally an elder. Just a few years ago I was ordained as a Pastor.

In 2005, I was given a $100 and asked to invest it in the Kingdom of God as an illustration of the Parable of the Talents. I prayed that God would show me how to use the $100. I asked God if I could be a part of whatever blessing it became. At that same time my wife’s sister in the Philippines was praying for a church in her remote community. I enlisted the help of others and that $100 became Grace Chapel. We attended its dedication in 2006.

For the next several years, my Lord continued to grow my relationship with Him. In 2011, my family and I moved to the Philippines as missionaries. Now in 2014 we were 22 new churches in remote areas of the Philippines. We have many care programs in the name of our Lord Jesus. These ministries of love are regular feedings for malnourished children, school scholarships the less fortunate children, health programs, and support for pastors, clothing programs, and most of all the hope of our Lord Jesus and His saving mercy and grace. Many lives and communities are being transformed with the loving care of our Lord.

My life is fulfilled and overflowing. The prayer of that seven-year-old boy, me, is being answered.

 “God is fighting for you this day!” “See the salvation of our LORD!”