From a Pretender to a Contender of the Faith

In the following words, I have tried to express my heart’s road to Salvation. At age 9, I went forward in the church, had a good cry, and thought I was saved though never repenting and putting faith in Christ for salvation. I joined New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church the next day on January 21, 1990. From that day, I sincerely served the LORD with my natural abilities and where opportunities arose - never understanding the POWER of God. The Lord continued to draw me through the gospel; and I searched for Him in church membership, teaching youth, family heritage, baptism, trying to be good enough and athletics. I graduated from Union University in Jackson, TN in May of 2002 with a degree in Economics/Finance. While at Union, I spent the summer of 2001 as a student missionary in Shenyang, China. After graduation, I moved to Nashville, TN and worked in the Health Care industry. While making plenty of money, I found myself still searching for God and lost as could be. I never found peace until I repented of my sins and surrendered my heart to Jesus by faith. On April 7, 2003, His grace rushed into my heart. My search for peace ended around 2:20AM with a complete cleansing in the Blood of Christ, an awakening by the Holy Spirit, and an adoption into the family of God. On August 25, 2003 while in Dallas, Texas, the Lord called me to preach the Gospel. On October 24, I stepped out in faith as Jesus had asked me to leave my secular job and follow him. For the next 15 months, I volunteered at the Nashville Rescue Mission working with homeless and men rehabbing off of drugs and alcohol, mentored a young man through the Men of Valor Prison ministry and preached in various churches. In January 2005, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church elected me as pastor. I was ordained on April 2, 2005 to the full work of the ministry. Knowing Christ and making Him known is my greatest passion at the age of 26.