In the beginning…..
I was born in Foxton, in the Manawatu district of New Zealand in May 1952. Believe it or not, my earliest childhood memory is of being in a cot in a room all alone. I remember feeling very lonely and crying loudly to get attention. As of yet I was unable to talk, so crying was my only option. As my loneliness and despair grew I cried louder and louder to no avail. I remember thinking that no-one really loved me or cared about me or they wouldn’t leave me when I felt so alone. At that point I stopped breathing. I remember distinctly that I had a choice as to whether I breathed again or not. There was no compulsion to breath. My lungs didn’t cry out for air. I had a choice. I chose to breathe simply because I wanted to find out what life had in store for me. I have often wondered if I had stopped breathing if it would have been called a cot death.
Growing up
During pre-school years my mother was my best friend. She would sit for hours with me in the sandpit as I built castles and made roads. She was an encourager and confidant. As I ventured off to Playcentre and then to school she remained my best friend. A totally dependable foundation for my early years of discovery.
The Anglican Church
We went to church regularly. I remember sitting in the old Anglican church building at the age of 14. The minister came out with different coloured robes on because it was a special Sunday. I can remember thinking that everything that happened in that place was done by man. If God was real, there was no evidence of Him in that place.
I decided that there was no point going to church any more if God wasn’t there, or possibly didn’t even exist.
College Years
I didn’t enjoy college. I supposedly had the brains to do very well, but nothing inspired me to achieve. By the time I reached 4 th form I was very rebellious and accomplished very little. 5 th form was worse with my decision not to do homework or participate in class activities. My exercise books were filled with doodles and drawings. I did not sit the School certificate exams and basically got kicked out of school with no qualifications whatsoever.
My first job
Jobs were easy to get back then. I got a job at McEwens Machinery as a store boy. The workshop appealed to me greatly, as did the guys who worked there. Working with farm machinery in the workshop and out on the farms appealed to me greatly, but that wasn’t to happen…..
The accident
While I was working for McEwens Machinery I had a motorbike accident and broke my arm. I went back to Mum and Dad’s place in Foxton to recover.
The party
While I was there a friend and I decided to walk through town one evening. We heard music coming from an upstairs apartment above some shops. It just had to be a party, so we decided to investigate. As we were peeping through the slightly ajar door someone opened it and we were caught standing there. We were invited in and I remember thinking it was an odd sort of a party because I couldn’t see anyone drinking alcohol or smoking.
The truth
A man took us aside and started talking to us. He had a Bible and started telling us how Jesus loved us and we had to ask for forgiveness for sin and ask Jesus to come into our lives and He would give us a new life. Somehow I just knew it was true and when asked if I wanted to receive Jesus I said yes. The guy, who I found out later was Ken Rout from the Open Air Campaigners, asked if he could pray with me and lead me to Jesus. I said no, I would do it later when I got home. I am sure I saw disbelief cloud his face at that moment.
Jesus in me!
When I went home that night I asked Jesus to forgive me and come into my life as Lord and Saviour. When I woke up the next morning I knew I was different. Life felt wonderful and what’s more, God was no longer far off and unknown. I knew that God was with me and life was very very different. During this time I was able to show my religious mother the way to God. We enjoyed a new closeness in this new found faith.
Back at work
When I went back to work I was eager to tell the others there of my experience in meeting God. I left tracts in the staff room and eagerly told anyone who would listen all about it, encouraging them to follow suit. This didn’t seem to win me any friends, and I couldn’t understand why others wouldn’t want to experience something so wonderful.
Loneliness
As I continued to follow God loneliness set in. My non Christian friends started avoiding me and my new Christian friends seemed more interested in things to do than the joy of knowing, talking about and spending time with God. As unbearable loneliness set in I decided it was time to return to my old friends. Somehow I needed to let them know the old me was back. I achieved this simply by swearing. As I swore I felt myself become separated from God. It broke my heart, but it was my choice.
Promotion
The boss promoted me into the office as junior account clerk. It took me very little time to get used to my duties and then boredom set in. As my interest level diminished my drinking and smoking grew. Mistakes also grew until it was time to leave.
10 years of hell
In the years that followed I drifted from job to job and from place to place until I ended up in Hamilton . During my years there my drinking got totally out of control and I ended up being arrested on numerous occasions for drunken misdemeanours. This continued until I discovered drugs. I started off with marijuana, but this soon grew into use of speed, cocaine, heroine, LSD and whatever else I could get my hands on. I could not handle being straight any more and sank more and more into a drug dependant state of oblivion.
Is God real?
During those years I remember a friend asking me if I believed in God or not. I seriously had to think about it before answering him. I vaguely remembered the experience I had had all those years ago, but they didn’t seem real any more, and neither did God. I gave my friend the most honest answer I could find. I told him that I had an experience of some sort when I was 16, but it didn’t seem real any more and I couldn’t honestly say if God existed or not. I wasn’t sure.
But, but I’m over there!!
One evening when I was home alone in my flat I tried to get up out of my chair. At first I was unable to, but after an extreme effort I did manage to get up and I walked to the other side of the room. When I turned around I was horrified to see myself still sitting in the chair on the other side of the room. I stood there for some time coming to terms with what I was seeing. The ‘out of body’ experience convinced me beyond all doubt that there was life after death.
So what happens when you die?
Having become convinced that there was life after death I decided to find out what it was all about with the intent of preparing myself for it. I used my out of body experiences and mind projection to explore the ‘other side’ to the best of my ability, but seemed to make no progress. I became very aware of a ‘line’ that was not to be crossed and spent quite some time close to that line, curious as to what was on the other side. I found no answers.
Scared
As I continued to try and find answers some very noticeable changes happened in my life. The most noticeable was that every night as I lay down in bed I felt a wave come over me. This wave left me paralysed and unable to speak or even move my eyes. It was scary, but not as scary as what happened next. It was like my mind was taken over and shot into unreal realms where I was tormented and fear became all too familiar, night after night.
On top of this I started having attacks during the day where I became unable to control my body. My arms, legs and body did things that I didn’t tell them to. I had spastic attacks! As well as all this there were times when my mind simply would not function. I could not understand the value of money or add a couple of coins.
The doctor’s verdict
I became increasingly concerned with what was happening in my life as the attacks became more frequent and grew in intensity. I came to the point of realising that if I didn’t get help I was going to end up in a padded cell, probably permanently. I called on a local doctor to see if I could get any help there. I confessed my drug use and told him of my experiences. He told me I was nuts. I already knew that, that’s why I was there!! He was no help and I realised I needed to look further afield.
Help!!!
I had a friend at the time who went to a psychiatric hospital to get help with his problems. I saw that friend’s state deteriorate and his dependence on the counsellor increase dramatically. I also found out that the counselors had counselors! This was not an answer in my mind!
I heard of a lecturer at the local university who ‘knew all about what I was into’. He was away overseas for three months. I didn’t have three months. My need was desperate.
I visited a church just down the road from my flat. The nice man told me to come back after lunch. I won’t repeat my reaction to that, but it is sufficient to say I didn’t go back there.
I knew my parents would support me, but they would have no idea of the things I was into or how to help, so that didn’t seem like an option.
As I returned to my flat that evening I was totally aware of the very heavy vibes in the room. Far more so than usual. I can remember thinking “this could be my last night with any sanity”.
“God, if you’re real please help me”
Out of sheer desperation, and because I had nowhere else to turn, I got down on my knees and prayed.. “God, if you are real, please help me”. I heard a voice inside my head. It was different from anything I ever remembered hearing before. It said “The name of Jesus is used to cast out demons.” I started crying out “Jesus Jesus Jesus” like my life depended on it. It felt like a plug was pulled out of my back and I felt all those bad vibes leave. Wow!!!
Slept like a baby
I slept like a baby for the first time in six months! There was no ‘wave’ coming over me, bringing me paralysis, there was no scary, out of control stuff going on in my head.. just peace, beautiful peace!
When I woke up the next morning I thought all my troubles were over as I reached for my first joint for the day.
Mind over matter?
I started analysing the events of the night before. Did it really happen, or was it mind over matter? As I thought about it I realised that it must have been real because I was crying out to a God I did not know. The name Jesus had to come from somewhere. Also, at that stage I believed in the spiritual realm, it was a real part of my life, but I didn’t believe in demons. I would have said bad spirits, not demons. Thirdly, it worked! I couldn’t deny that fact!
The days following
The next night all the ‘bad vibes’ were back. That was a bit unsettling, but I knew how to deal with them now. I called out “Jesus Jesus Jesus” and waited for them to go. They didn’t! I called out again, harder. They finally left, but not in the convincing manner they had done previously.
The third night was worse. It was then that I realised that I was just using God. I was using Him to give me a good night’s sleep, but then living my own selfish, non-accountable life during the day.
The decision
I realised that I had to make a choice. I could either stay the way I was, and I am positive I would have ended up as a permanent resident in a psychiatric institution, or I could give my life to God. I didn’t want to give my life to God. I hated Christians! I hated their “I’m better than you and oh so righteous” attitudes!
As much as I hated Christians, and the idea of being one, it was still a better option than the other. Very reluctantly I asked God to forgive me and I gave my life to Him. I was reluctant, but I meant it.. 100%.
That night was a bad one. I thought it should have been a good night because I had finally surrendered to God, but it wasn’t to be.
Am I accepted
The problem that night wasn’t with demons, it was with my own head. Had God accepted me? Was I free at last from the spiritual realm that had tormented me? Was everything going to be ok now? My mind was in turmoil until I had this thought. If I was to die right then and there and had to face God, I would be able to say to Him that I had done everything I could to put things right with Him. There was nothing else I could do, or needed to do. It was like a game of tennis where I had served the ball to Him and it was up to Him to make the next move. With that thought in mind I finally got to sleep at about 2am .
The morning after
When I woke up the next morning I literally felt like I was floating on a cushion of air. It honestly felt like there was a space of several inches between me and the mattress. I felt so light and so good it was totally amazing!! I didn’t ever remember feeling that good before! I looked at the joint beside my bed and laughed. No joint had EVER made me feel that good!
I had been psychologically addicted to drugs for years, unable to handle being straight, but now, suddenly, I was free from them!
Meeting the mates
I left my flat later that morning and met up with a mate in town. We talked for a few minutes and I stopped in utter amazement! I suddenly realised that I had not sworn once! Previously I had the foulest mouth! Every second word was *****! All this was gone without me even trying!
Then I saw a police officer over the road. Amazingly my face didn’t contort with resentment! Instead I saw a guy doing his job! Wow!! What an attitude change!!
I went to see another mate. He didn’t recognise me! All the heavy lines had gone from my face and I just didn’t look like the same guy that he used to hang with any more!
The totally amazing book
As a new Christian I decided I needed a Bible. I went along to a Christian book shop and asked for one, but it wasn’t that simple.. oh no! Did I want this version or that one? Did I want a concordance or red letter? Did I want this type or that? I don’t know.. just give me a BIBLE! I was so confused I ended up just grabbing the one that was closest to me. It was an old King James version with red letters.
The amazing thing was that I just couldn’t put it down. I read and read and read! It felt like I was consuming the very words! Somehow it all made sense to me and I devoured it, page after page. This was a very different experience from the last one I had of reading the Bible. I think I only managed two or three words and then put it down with disgust because I had no clue what it was about. Obviously God had opened my eyes!
To church, or not to church..
I thought about going to church, but the only kind of church I knew was the old Anglican church that I was brought up in. They definitely didn’t have what I had found, so I didn’t see any point in going. I remembered thinking at the age of 14 that if God was real there was no evidence of Him there.
A couple of weeks later I had a real desire to go to church. It was the kind of desire that you just HAD to do something about because it wouldn’t go away. I knew the two girls in the flat opposite mine were Christians, so decided to ask them if I could tag along with them. They cautiously agreed, cautious because they only knew the old me, the one that they were afraid of. Anyway, they took me along to church on the following Sunday. It was the Hamilton Assembly of God church. It was pretty big, probably about five to six hundred people with Pastor Jim Williams at the helm.
Freaky!!
They did some freaky stuff in that church and I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to run. I think I would have if I could have gotten past the girl beside me easily.
It was obvious to me that these guys were into something spiritual. That’s what bothered me most. I wanted God to keep me SAFE from the spiritual realm!!
I watched what went on in that church and made up my mind that I was going to show them from the very book that they professed to live by that they were wrong. I remember going home after that freaky service with total determination that I was going to show them!
And God said “Look…..”
When I got home I opened up my Bible and started to read with determination. I didn’t know where to start so I just opened it up and started reading. As I read the Lord said to me “Look, speaking in tongues.” A little bit later He said “Look, prophesy.” And then it was “Look, praying for the sick.” So it went on until I had to admit that they were right. I was scared still because I wanted out of the spiritual stuff.
God sorted me out and gave me peace about going back to that church. I went there for two years, from 1978 to 1980 and in that time the church grew from around 600 to 1,200. During that time we moved into an old supermarket on Victoria St .
I was baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit in 1978.
So it began. I will add more adventures here as time allows
Top
I was born in Foxton, in the Manawatu district of New Zealand in May 1952. Believe it or not, my earliest childhood memory is of being in a cot in a room all alone. I remember feeling very lonely and crying loudly to get attention. As of yet I was unable to talk, so crying was my only option. As my loneliness and despair grew I cried louder and louder to no avail. I remember thinking that no-one really loved me or cared about me or they wouldn’t leave me when I felt so alone. At that point I stopped breathing. I remember distinctly that I had a choice as to whether I breathed again or not. There was no compulsion to breath. My lungs didn’t cry out for air. I had a choice. I chose to breathe simply because I wanted to find out what life had in store for me. I have often wondered if I had stopped breathing if it would have been called a cot death.
Growing up
During pre-school years my mother was my best friend. She would sit for hours with me in the sandpit as I built castles and made roads. She was an encourager and confidant. As I ventured off to Playcentre and then to school she remained my best friend. A totally dependable foundation for my early years of discovery.
The Anglican Church
We went to church regularly. I remember sitting in the old Anglican church building at the age of 14. The minister came out with different coloured robes on because it was a special Sunday. I can remember thinking that everything that happened in that place was done by man. If God was real, there was no evidence of Him in that place.
I decided that there was no point going to church any more if God wasn’t there, or possibly didn’t even exist.
College Years
I didn’t enjoy college. I supposedly had the brains to do very well, but nothing inspired me to achieve. By the time I reached 4 th form I was very rebellious and accomplished very little. 5 th form was worse with my decision not to do homework or participate in class activities. My exercise books were filled with doodles and drawings. I did not sit the School certificate exams and basically got kicked out of school with no qualifications whatsoever.
My first job
Jobs were easy to get back then. I got a job at McEwens Machinery as a store boy. The workshop appealed to me greatly, as did the guys who worked there. Working with farm machinery in the workshop and out on the farms appealed to me greatly, but that wasn’t to happen…..
The accident
While I was working for McEwens Machinery I had a motorbike accident and broke my arm. I went back to Mum and Dad’s place in Foxton to recover.
The party
While I was there a friend and I decided to walk through town one evening. We heard music coming from an upstairs apartment above some shops. It just had to be a party, so we decided to investigate. As we were peeping through the slightly ajar door someone opened it and we were caught standing there. We were invited in and I remember thinking it was an odd sort of a party because I couldn’t see anyone drinking alcohol or smoking.
The truth
A man took us aside and started talking to us. He had a Bible and started telling us how Jesus loved us and we had to ask for forgiveness for sin and ask Jesus to come into our lives and He would give us a new life. Somehow I just knew it was true and when asked if I wanted to receive Jesus I said yes. The guy, who I found out later was Ken Rout from the Open Air Campaigners, asked if he could pray with me and lead me to Jesus. I said no, I would do it later when I got home. I am sure I saw disbelief cloud his face at that moment.
Jesus in me!
When I went home that night I asked Jesus to forgive me and come into my life as Lord and Saviour. When I woke up the next morning I knew I was different. Life felt wonderful and what’s more, God was no longer far off and unknown. I knew that God was with me and life was very very different. During this time I was able to show my religious mother the way to God. We enjoyed a new closeness in this new found faith.
Back at work
When I went back to work I was eager to tell the others there of my experience in meeting God. I left tracts in the staff room and eagerly told anyone who would listen all about it, encouraging them to follow suit. This didn’t seem to win me any friends, and I couldn’t understand why others wouldn’t want to experience something so wonderful.
Loneliness
As I continued to follow God loneliness set in. My non Christian friends started avoiding me and my new Christian friends seemed more interested in things to do than the joy of knowing, talking about and spending time with God. As unbearable loneliness set in I decided it was time to return to my old friends. Somehow I needed to let them know the old me was back. I achieved this simply by swearing. As I swore I felt myself become separated from God. It broke my heart, but it was my choice.
Promotion
The boss promoted me into the office as junior account clerk. It took me very little time to get used to my duties and then boredom set in. As my interest level diminished my drinking and smoking grew. Mistakes also grew until it was time to leave.
10 years of hell
In the years that followed I drifted from job to job and from place to place until I ended up in Hamilton . During my years there my drinking got totally out of control and I ended up being arrested on numerous occasions for drunken misdemeanours. This continued until I discovered drugs. I started off with marijuana, but this soon grew into use of speed, cocaine, heroine, LSD and whatever else I could get my hands on. I could not handle being straight any more and sank more and more into a drug dependant state of oblivion.
Is God real?
During those years I remember a friend asking me if I believed in God or not. I seriously had to think about it before answering him. I vaguely remembered the experience I had had all those years ago, but they didn’t seem real any more, and neither did God. I gave my friend the most honest answer I could find. I told him that I had an experience of some sort when I was 16, but it didn’t seem real any more and I couldn’t honestly say if God existed or not. I wasn’t sure.
But, but I’m over there!!
One evening when I was home alone in my flat I tried to get up out of my chair. At first I was unable to, but after an extreme effort I did manage to get up and I walked to the other side of the room. When I turned around I was horrified to see myself still sitting in the chair on the other side of the room. I stood there for some time coming to terms with what I was seeing. The ‘out of body’ experience convinced me beyond all doubt that there was life after death.
So what happens when you die?
Having become convinced that there was life after death I decided to find out what it was all about with the intent of preparing myself for it. I used my out of body experiences and mind projection to explore the ‘other side’ to the best of my ability, but seemed to make no progress. I became very aware of a ‘line’ that was not to be crossed and spent quite some time close to that line, curious as to what was on the other side. I found no answers.
Scared
As I continued to try and find answers some very noticeable changes happened in my life. The most noticeable was that every night as I lay down in bed I felt a wave come over me. This wave left me paralysed and unable to speak or even move my eyes. It was scary, but not as scary as what happened next. It was like my mind was taken over and shot into unreal realms where I was tormented and fear became all too familiar, night after night.
On top of this I started having attacks during the day where I became unable to control my body. My arms, legs and body did things that I didn’t tell them to. I had spastic attacks! As well as all this there were times when my mind simply would not function. I could not understand the value of money or add a couple of coins.
The doctor’s verdict
I became increasingly concerned with what was happening in my life as the attacks became more frequent and grew in intensity. I came to the point of realising that if I didn’t get help I was going to end up in a padded cell, probably permanently. I called on a local doctor to see if I could get any help there. I confessed my drug use and told him of my experiences. He told me I was nuts. I already knew that, that’s why I was there!! He was no help and I realised I needed to look further afield.
Help!!!
I had a friend at the time who went to a psychiatric hospital to get help with his problems. I saw that friend’s state deteriorate and his dependence on the counsellor increase dramatically. I also found out that the counselors had counselors! This was not an answer in my mind!
I heard of a lecturer at the local university who ‘knew all about what I was into’. He was away overseas for three months. I didn’t have three months. My need was desperate.
I visited a church just down the road from my flat. The nice man told me to come back after lunch. I won’t repeat my reaction to that, but it is sufficient to say I didn’t go back there.
I knew my parents would support me, but they would have no idea of the things I was into or how to help, so that didn’t seem like an option.
As I returned to my flat that evening I was totally aware of the very heavy vibes in the room. Far more so than usual. I can remember thinking “this could be my last night with any sanity”.
“God, if you’re real please help me”
Out of sheer desperation, and because I had nowhere else to turn, I got down on my knees and prayed.. “God, if you are real, please help me”. I heard a voice inside my head. It was different from anything I ever remembered hearing before. It said “The name of Jesus is used to cast out demons.” I started crying out “Jesus Jesus Jesus” like my life depended on it. It felt like a plug was pulled out of my back and I felt all those bad vibes leave. Wow!!!
Slept like a baby
I slept like a baby for the first time in six months! There was no ‘wave’ coming over me, bringing me paralysis, there was no scary, out of control stuff going on in my head.. just peace, beautiful peace!
When I woke up the next morning I thought all my troubles were over as I reached for my first joint for the day.
Mind over matter?
I started analysing the events of the night before. Did it really happen, or was it mind over matter? As I thought about it I realised that it must have been real because I was crying out to a God I did not know. The name Jesus had to come from somewhere. Also, at that stage I believed in the spiritual realm, it was a real part of my life, but I didn’t believe in demons. I would have said bad spirits, not demons. Thirdly, it worked! I couldn’t deny that fact!
The days following
The next night all the ‘bad vibes’ were back. That was a bit unsettling, but I knew how to deal with them now. I called out “Jesus Jesus Jesus” and waited for them to go. They didn’t! I called out again, harder. They finally left, but not in the convincing manner they had done previously.
The third night was worse. It was then that I realised that I was just using God. I was using Him to give me a good night’s sleep, but then living my own selfish, non-accountable life during the day.
The decision
I realised that I had to make a choice. I could either stay the way I was, and I am positive I would have ended up as a permanent resident in a psychiatric institution, or I could give my life to God. I didn’t want to give my life to God. I hated Christians! I hated their “I’m better than you and oh so righteous” attitudes!
As much as I hated Christians, and the idea of being one, it was still a better option than the other. Very reluctantly I asked God to forgive me and I gave my life to Him. I was reluctant, but I meant it.. 100%.
That night was a bad one. I thought it should have been a good night because I had finally surrendered to God, but it wasn’t to be.
Am I accepted
The problem that night wasn’t with demons, it was with my own head. Had God accepted me? Was I free at last from the spiritual realm that had tormented me? Was everything going to be ok now? My mind was in turmoil until I had this thought. If I was to die right then and there and had to face God, I would be able to say to Him that I had done everything I could to put things right with Him. There was nothing else I could do, or needed to do. It was like a game of tennis where I had served the ball to Him and it was up to Him to make the next move. With that thought in mind I finally got to sleep at about 2am .
The morning after
When I woke up the next morning I literally felt like I was floating on a cushion of air. It honestly felt like there was a space of several inches between me and the mattress. I felt so light and so good it was totally amazing!! I didn’t ever remember feeling that good before! I looked at the joint beside my bed and laughed. No joint had EVER made me feel that good!
I had been psychologically addicted to drugs for years, unable to handle being straight, but now, suddenly, I was free from them!
Meeting the mates
I left my flat later that morning and met up with a mate in town. We talked for a few minutes and I stopped in utter amazement! I suddenly realised that I had not sworn once! Previously I had the foulest mouth! Every second word was *****! All this was gone without me even trying!
Then I saw a police officer over the road. Amazingly my face didn’t contort with resentment! Instead I saw a guy doing his job! Wow!! What an attitude change!!
I went to see another mate. He didn’t recognise me! All the heavy lines had gone from my face and I just didn’t look like the same guy that he used to hang with any more!
The totally amazing book
As a new Christian I decided I needed a Bible. I went along to a Christian book shop and asked for one, but it wasn’t that simple.. oh no! Did I want this version or that one? Did I want a concordance or red letter? Did I want this type or that? I don’t know.. just give me a BIBLE! I was so confused I ended up just grabbing the one that was closest to me. It was an old King James version with red letters.
The amazing thing was that I just couldn’t put it down. I read and read and read! It felt like I was consuming the very words! Somehow it all made sense to me and I devoured it, page after page. This was a very different experience from the last one I had of reading the Bible. I think I only managed two or three words and then put it down with disgust because I had no clue what it was about. Obviously God had opened my eyes!
To church, or not to church..
I thought about going to church, but the only kind of church I knew was the old Anglican church that I was brought up in. They definitely didn’t have what I had found, so I didn’t see any point in going. I remembered thinking at the age of 14 that if God was real there was no evidence of Him there.
A couple of weeks later I had a real desire to go to church. It was the kind of desire that you just HAD to do something about because it wouldn’t go away. I knew the two girls in the flat opposite mine were Christians, so decided to ask them if I could tag along with them. They cautiously agreed, cautious because they only knew the old me, the one that they were afraid of. Anyway, they took me along to church on the following Sunday. It was the Hamilton Assembly of God church. It was pretty big, probably about five to six hundred people with Pastor Jim Williams at the helm.
Freaky!!
They did some freaky stuff in that church and I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to run. I think I would have if I could have gotten past the girl beside me easily.
It was obvious to me that these guys were into something spiritual. That’s what bothered me most. I wanted God to keep me SAFE from the spiritual realm!!
I watched what went on in that church and made up my mind that I was going to show them from the very book that they professed to live by that they were wrong. I remember going home after that freaky service with total determination that I was going to show them!
And God said “Look…..”
When I got home I opened up my Bible and started to read with determination. I didn’t know where to start so I just opened it up and started reading. As I read the Lord said to me “Look, speaking in tongues.” A little bit later He said “Look, prophesy.” And then it was “Look, praying for the sick.” So it went on until I had to admit that they were right. I was scared still because I wanted out of the spiritual stuff.
God sorted me out and gave me peace about going back to that church. I went there for two years, from 1978 to 1980 and in that time the church grew from around 600 to 1,200. During that time we moved into an old supermarket on Victoria St .
I was baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit in 1978.
So it began. I will add more adventures here as time allows
Top