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Testimony
I grew up in a Christian home and was born again at an early age. However, the temperature of my heart cooled and fluctuated throughout my teenage years. At 19, the Holy Spirit tightened His grip on my affections with His Word. While unaccustomed to fruitfully studying the Bible, I sat down one night to begin reading the New Testament. Something happened after exploring the first few chapters. Matthew 7:21-23 says...
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Immediately, I was terrified. These people claimed to have accomplished so much in Jesus’ name. If they were not going to make it into the Kingdom, what chance did I have?
It became clear that I needed to know Christ and know Him well. I also needed to know the Father’s will so I could do it. So I began reading Philippians, got lost somewhere in Galatians, and slowly devoured the book of Romans. God’s Word became alive. It was as though the Holy Spirit had flipped a switch and flooded my brain with light. Scripture made sense and prayer became more meaningful. Since then, God’s Word has continued to transform my life and fill my heart with love for Christ and His gospel.
Call to Ministry
My call to ministry began with a hunger for God’s Word and love for His church. Despite numerous encouragements from those around me, I initially hesitated because God had provided me with gainful employment and the warning of James 3:1 is not intended to be taken lightly. However, my zeal for understanding God’s truth and sharing its wonders with others continued to grow. Teaching opportunities began to present themselves and even acquaintances were wondering why I was not in ministry. Something had to change.
I presented my desire for ministerial pursuit to the elders at my church. In response, they invested in getting to know me better while offering several opportunities to teach. With their affirmation and my mounting enthusiasm for the study of Scripture, I decided to pursue a seminary education. While everything we need for life and godliness is found in the pages of Scripture, it was clear to me that I lacked the knowledge, confidence, and experience necessary to more effectively minister the gospel. Attending The Master’s Seminary has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. God has continued to confirm and affirm the decision to serve in ministry with every step. I am both humbled and excited to see what the future holds.