The S.H.I.F.T.

I want share with everyone a very brief version of just how I came to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  My story is just about the same is everyone else’s except in fact that it is mine.

Getting to Know Jesus

I was born the sixth of eight children.  When I was three days old I was put up for adoption.  My grandparents adopted me to keep me in the family.  After that, my natural mother went on to have two more children that she kept!  Now, you must understand that to this day, I know and love my natural mother very much.  We have reconciled our feelings and emotions a long time ago; however, the time in the interim was not easy.

My grandparents raised me as their own, and gave me a good ole’ “back in the day” upbringing.  This meant going to church every Sunday, Wednesday and any other time the church doors were open.  We attended a Church of Christ in Indianapolis whose doctrine I had a problem with even as child; however, I learned a great deal about studying the Word of God and living a life in accordance to God’s will.  At the age of 10 I walked down the aisle of that church and professed that I believed in the death burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ and was immediately baptized.

Well, I grew up as other children did.  I went to school and church.  I played with my friends.  I got into fights.  I was occasionally disrepectful and disobedient.  But my grandmother held me so close that I did not really have any exposure to the real world.  This was good and bad.  Good because I was spared being desensitized to the cruel and profane (I still cringe when people’s lives are taken in movies).  Bad because when I went to college I went wild with exploration and hard-knocks education!

I fell into drugs, alcohol and sex – in a major way!  All the time I understood that what I was doing was wrong.  I kept hearing Bro. Stone’s messages in my head (my pastor at the Church of Christ).  I kept hearing the words of wisdom that my mother (grandmother) had given me, but I kept on living a life of wanton behavior and recklessness.

When I was 20 years old, I was reintroduced to Blanche Hill at the St. John Missionary Baptist Church.  She hired me to be the church’s computer programmer – little did I know that this reintroduction would change my life forever!  While working for the the church, I was still living like a complete fool and Blanche knew it.  She never beat me up about getting saved or living right – she just loved the “hell” out of me!  One day, Blanche was sharing with me about the end of times.  She talked about a day when the believers in Jesus would be caught up in the rapture of the church, and what that would be like for those who were taken and those who were left.   The next Sunday, I actually came to the church services and joined St. John.

I began to ask lots of questions about this rapture and how to make sure I would be one of those who would be taken away with Jesus.  The more I sought, the hungrier I got.  It was not long after that when I felt the urge to recommit my life to Jesus Christ in a very serious way.  I reaffirmed my faith in Christ in word and deed – I was voluntarily re-baptized as a personal sign of my surrender to the will of God.  Although this was not necessary, I felt I needed to do that for me.

My Calling to Ministry

One night while sleeping, I had a very vivid dream/vision.  I was in a room with lots of people who were sitting on the floor listening to me preach to them about Jesus.  Behind me in this room, there was a small window which when I looked at it, the expanse of heaven was opened to me as if I were in heaven as opposed to being in the room.  When I looked away from the window, then my vision and view were contained in the room itself.

There was also a door in the back of the room.  This door would periodically open and when it did, I could see fire reflected  on the glossiness of the door.  I preached even harder to convince the people to stay away from that door and to keep focused on the window.  when the door periodically open, a man would come out and try to distract the poeple I was preaching to.  Some people ignored him and kept focused on the window, some were persuaded to get up and go through the door, and yet others were simply picked up by the man and taken as if he owned them anyway!

In an instant, I found my self sitting in a  chair in an all white room.  The room was complete bright white but the brightness did not hurt my eyes.  Being in that room was like being in a perfect place.  Then, the Lord Jesus was next to me in another chair.  I looked at him but his glory was not blinding to me, as if he shield himself so that I could see him without seeing him – that is the only way I can explain it.

Then I began to ask him about speaking in tongues and other issues of the church.  He looked at me and said: “Good preaching and good teaching will save my people!”.  Then Jesus laid my head on his chest.  He smelled like perfect freshness – that is the only way I can explain it.  Then he wrapped his arms around me and I was immediately filled with a force of power that exploded in me and knocked me on the floor; but it was the most amazing feeling I have ever felt!

After this, I accepted my calling to preach and teach God’s Holy Word!

Before I start sharing my heart with the world as an “Internet Pastor”, I would like to first thank those great men and women who have helped to shape and mold me into the person I am today. First my gramdmother, who gave her all for me at a time when I did not even appreciate it! What a great woman of God! There few greater women than Beatrice M. Hunter.

Next, when I entered the ministry, Rev. Dr. Andrew J. Brown of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church taught me, mentored me, guided me and blessed me with much wisdom and knowledge. I thank God for such a profound teacher and pastor.

Pastor Donald Thomas of Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church lit the fire of evangelism beneath me. This man of God simply revolutionized my life in ministry. I am eternally grateful to God for this mans influence in my life.

Last but certainly not least is the woman who led me to my personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior – Blanche Hill. This woman of faith and power helped me love the work of ministry with a passion. Blanche epitomizes faithfulness and service to God. Thank you Blanche for giving me a true sense of dedication to the work of God.