Rooted in the Past...Growing in the Future

Rooted in the Past...Growing in the Future

Although not raised in a christian home, my grandmother influenced me greatly to regularly attend Sunday school and the summer VBS programs at the local Baptist Church. What was the power of persuasion? Sweets, Birthday money, hugs and smiles with the applause of "Ron your a good boy..." Not to mention being the recipient of grandma's fried bread from fresh bread dough, smothered in butter, jam and peanut butter.  Yes, I will be forever grateful to her, for you see at the age of twelve I received Jesus as Savior following a Sunday morning message.

Now that was only the beginning, because during my teen years Jesus became only a fleeing thought as other things grew to take my heart into ungodliness. There was no foundation laid to support my christian experience. Thank God he did not leave me there. He used a familiar tool to capture my attention. A GIRL!!! YES A FEMALE!!! "Will you go to church with me this Sunday?" My answer was less than favorable. But she persisted and using HER power of persuasion like... Go with me or I'll break up with you. I conceded to her request.

It was the best decisions I ever made. That was the beginning of a dramatic change in life. In the next few weeks, I seen things I've never seen before, heard things never heard before and FELT things never felt before at Kingsway Cathedral in Des Moines.  There I made a total surrender to the will of God. Later, filled with God's blessed promise, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

PENTECOSTALISM - It is the real thing!!! For the next few years the teaching of Dr. D.L. Browning laid a foundation built on the Lord Jesus Christ.  In experiencing the power of  the Holy Spirit my life was dramatically changed with passion and purpose. Through the seasons of life, both days of defeat to days of victory, the Holy Spirit has been a steady friend and faithful guide.

Today, some 40 years later, I'm serving the Lord by preaching the Gospel of Christ. As a Pastor, serving the body of Christ in Kalona, there is a great expectation of an incredible move of God in these last days. Acts 2:17 says" In the last days saith God, I will pour out my Spirit on all people". We have only seen a portion of that Spirit, coming soon will be a move of God in its fullness. Thank God for our Pentecostal heritage that has made us ready for this move. There is a renewed passion to preach the Word of God in Kalona and wherever there is an open door that the church is about to explode with the power of an Almighty, All powerful, All knowing, Ever present and never changing God by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Hallelujah!!!