For over 40 years, Pastor 5* has been a missionary, pastor, and servant of Jesus Christ. He has spent most of his life establishing Bible Training Centers and raising up Christian leaders throughout his native country. He gave up his pension shortly before retirement to join SGWM, and he recently helped start the new Calvary Chapel Bible College in South Asia.
Here is the story of Pastor 5’s Journey:
Asking Why
I grew up with good discipleship from my believing Christian parents. Sadly, when I was a teenager my father went to be with the Lord. My father’s passing made me think about God. I started asking the question, “Why did God take my father?” The more I focused on the difficulties in our family, the more I questioned God. As I grew up, I began asking God even more questions. During my school days, I slowly started going away from the presence of God. Instead, I began to spend more time with my ungodly friends. Their influence drew me further away from God. I knew about who Jesus is, why He came to the earth, and what He did for us. I knew everything. At the same time, I did not want to accept it. I just wanted to enjoy my life and the pleasures of this world.
In outward appearance, I looked spiritual. But, my inside was empty. I was so afraid for the future; I was afraid about my future physically, but more so spiritually. The sin in my life was keeping me away from God. At the same time, I was attending Christian meetings and church services. I heard the Word at church but I was not able to have a closer walk with God. I was like the parable of the sower that Jesus gave in the Gospel of Mark 4:3-20. I knew my inward life was empty. I had no hope. Fear about eternity continued to put me in trouble.
Finding the Answer
As I was struggling in my life not knowing what to do, one of my friends asked me to come to a youth meeting. There, I accepted the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior and Lord of my life! I asked the Lord for forgiveness for my past life. He gave me peace of heart and hope. He took away my fear about eternity.
I know my life has no value in this world without Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can give the answers to my questions. Only Jesus is the answer for everything in my life. I began studying the Bible to know more about what it says. I became a regular attendee at the youth meetings. I was so interested in the testimonies and talents of the people there, and to see how God could use them.
What About Them?
When I began to experience the peace, hope, and joy that only God can give, I started to think about millions of people who are going to eternal Hell. I wanted to tell this to everyone. The Holy Spirit put such a burden in my heart. I began to pray, “Lord send me where you want.” After a year of prayer, the Lord very clearly showed me that he wanted me to go to the North. I was raised in the South. I was going thousands of miles away as a missionary to preach the Gospel. This was a difficult task because I did not know the language, people groups, place, lifestyle, food, or culture. Everything was unknown to me. I said to the Lord, “I will go.” I said to the Lord, “The rest of my life I want to be there and die preaching the Gospel.”
Spreading Hope
I shared my decision with my family. It was difficult for them to accept me going away. I had many family responsibilities because I had no father. But, I knew that God was calling me there.
We face a lot of opposition for preaching the Gospel from the anti-Christian groups. In the villages, there is no place to worship. Drinking water is not available. Children are not educated. The literacy rate is low. There is no transportation. Many villages have never heard the name of Jesus. We walked many kilometers to share the Good News. When we shared, it was their first time hearing the Gospel. I have seen many people come to know the Lord and many churches established. Lives have been completely changed. They were once living in sin, but they cried and asked for forgiveness. Now they are studying the Word of God, committing their lives to serve God, sharing the Gospel with others, and sharing testimonies of what the Lord has done in their lives.
We are praying for the new Bible college campus that the Lord has given us-that we will glorify God. We are asking God to use this campus for many people to be trained and sent to preach the Gospel.
It is my desire to see hundreds of young people receive the call of God and commit their lives to Him. Our prayer is that there will be a great awakening of the Holy Spirit in this land. God is using Calvary Chapel Saving Grace Bible College South Asia to see this come to fruition.
–Pastor 5*
*Names have been changed or omitted for security reasons.
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