Who I am & What I offer

If it weren’t for the caring and loving people in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am who they helped mold. Their kindness, their helping hands, knowledge, and direction pushed me away from wrong and toward Christian righteousness. I never understood why they were so caring, to someone undeserving. I've been given food, clothing, shelter, and jobs when at my lowest points in life. I objected to social conformity. I degraded myself by wrong and unjustified judgment on others. Yet, there were unexpected Christians who stepped in and gave me guidance and hospitality when I most needed it. I was a lost sinner who deserved nothing, I didn't understand the world and the world didn't understand me. Life was average, but then I met Dr. Mark Cortz at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston Salem. With Dr. Cortz's direction, I became a leader in the Singles ministry for seven years. God led me to start up a Singles ministry. It was successful and beautiful - all because of the Lord's blessings on us. I learned very valuable lessons about myself and others. After a couple of years, I moved my membership to Pinedale Christian Church in Winston Salem. I was asked to become a leader and Sunday School teacher - such a beautiful blessing. One day, the then singles pastor, who now is the Senior pastor, pointed me to an education in Biblical Ministries and Pastoral Counseling at Johnson Bible University (2016). My pastor, that education, and my professors at Johnson University became the most valuable influence of my complete life. God grabbed hold of me, shook some good sense into me, and today, I'm using God's gift and blessings to help others.

   I like to think of the love that people send our way to be like ocean waves at the beach. The ocean waves appear out of nowhere, and then their soft and gentle crest of a wave begins to take shape, and the wave gets bigger and bigger. The closer that wave gets to the shore, its life is ending, yet, it's making the biggest difference in everything it comes in contact with. As faithful Christians, we should use our God-given gifts to higher levels that help build, encourage, teach, lift up and support. I give daily thanks to the Lord Jesus my Christ and my helper, and the Holy Spirit for the strength and guidance I receive daily. In closing, I would like to see myself as that ocean wave that made a difference in someone's life and made a believer in the lost and uninformed.

Pastoral Endorsement:
Matthew Sink, Senior Minister
Pinedale Christian Church

3395 Peters Creek Pkwy,

Winston-Salem, NC 27127