Mike
At age 9, my mother led me in the sinners prayer, yet we never went to church growing up. At the age of 16, I got connected to a youth group and began going on my own. It wasn’t long before I was called to preach and surrendered to ministry. I struggled with doubt quite a bit because of never growing in my faith from 9-16yrs old. After I came back from my last summer camp, I got assurance of my salvation and was baptized two weeks later.
I went to Heartland Baptist Bible College and graduated from the Master’s program. For the past 15 years, I have served the Lord in whatever way I could- eight of those years I have served as a youth pastor at South Knollwood Baptist Church.
I have always been open to missions, but never felt God leading and directing me that way until this year. In July of 2018, we took a missions trip to Itapua do Oeste, Brazil. It was on a Monday morning when I woke up and, as when I was called to preach, it was clear that I was to be there in Brazil. After three days, I talked with my pastor, and we decided to take a couple of months to pray. During those months, God made it clear to me that missions was still His will. There were providential meetings and conversations, the continued promptings from the Spirit, and the confirmation of my spiritual mentors– especially that of my pastor. It was in fact made so plain to me that, I am without question, convinced I will be sinning if I do not go.
