08/02/10  —  "I was frustrated with the shallowness of ministry…"

Andrew, I am a pastor in New Jersey. I left my denomination five years ago and started a new church. When I left, I was frustrated with the shallowness of ministry. I had been exposed to the word of faith message decades ago, understood the baptism, believed in healing, but the results of ministry were very disappointing. Frankly, I didn’t understand faith and grace as you do. I was also afraid to preach various controversial topics such as healing, speaking in tongues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. About six months into this new church, I told the Lord from my heart that if I didn’t understand faith and healing, see a change in my life, teaching, focus, and results, I would never teach or approach it (healing) again. I also determined that I would speak in tongues every day for six months waiting for an answer. About one month into this, I stumbled across your television program. I had decided not to watch television ministries because generally it only discouraged me to see how successful they were. Your presentation was not promotional of self. I decided I would check it out. I must have listened two or three more programs when I heard you say, “Your faith will not move God!” You had my attention. Then you taught about grace and faith. I’d never gotten that memo. I downloaded your message and showed it to my wife. That began a new paradigm shift in my life. I’ve taught many of the things you have taught me to my little congregation. I have never been more fulfilled, more relieved, and more excited that possibly ministry will be all that I expected. For me, God has taken away my reproach of feeling so powerless. I honestly believed that God was not with me like He was with others. Your teaching has reproved me and corrected my misinformed heart. Thank you.

I want to thank you for making these past two years of ministry closer to being biblical than my past twenty.

B.D. T. NJ