Testimony of Conversion

From a very young age, when I was only months old, they took me to church. Although they told me growing up that I was a believer, I did not consider myself part of them. I knew it was a good place, but not of interest to me. I loved the world, going out with friends, hiding from my parents and only going to church out of habit. My eyes were blinded and I only craved what gave me pleasure. Every second, with every decision, I was moving further and further away from the Holy and Righteous God and if anything I deserved immediate condemnation for transgressing His law. Sometimes it did come to my mind that God sets me free from sin and by the work of the Spirit a feeling of guilt was sown in my adolescence, I believe that God was preparing the way with this. In spite of this I continued to move further away from God. He allowed me to meet a young man who passed by my house (today one of my best friends) who preached to me, he also invited me to a retreat and it was at that time where God through his Spirit showed me my condition, I was aware as never before of my sin, my filthiness came to my mind, I also remembered again and again that Christ forgave me and saved me from the yoke of sin, from my enmity with God, that if God was allowing me to live it was because of his mercy. At that moment I saw Christ with different eyes and also His Word. It was a painful but renewing experience, I don’t remember a specific one of those days, but it was at that time that my mind and my desires changed. Christ was the Savior of my soul and I wanted to be His, there with tears I committed myself to never deny Him and to be faithful to Him forever and this also by the work of the Spirit that was guiding me. In that week I understood the gravity of my sin of how great my punishment was, God in His Grace had brought me granting me repentance and faith. God illuminated the knowledge of the gospel in my heart. He carried my sin in his Son and I truly felt free and happy, I loved God for the first time at the age of 14. A few weeks later I asked my pastor to baptize me. God has kept me since then and sanctified me. I decided by His Grace to live for His Glory and the exaltation of the Lamb who takes away my sin and that of His chosen people. I thank Him and Him alone for His work on my behalf that I do not deserve. For Salvation is His. For He is my God and I His child, by the blessed Son.

Call to Ministry

When I finished pre-university I had an accident that kept me in bed for a long time, because of this, I was able to read some theology books and I felt the desire to study in a biblical institute. The following year, the rector of the biblical institute in Pinar del Rio, told me about the need to attend a congregation, because it was so far away nobody wanted to, the pastor that I had before abandoned it and the congregation was dispersed, I agreed and three times a week I went to serve in that place, in that place a church was established and approximately a year later I read the book: “The Character of a Minister” and “Biblical Elder Leadership” and grew my love for shepherding souls and serving the Lord by guiding the congregation I had to be like Jesus and that. This time was very sanctifying, but I believe with the guidance of these books that the congregation should test me and I taught the church that they should evaluate if I had the requirements (I had this teaching before I was reformed). The congregation after evaluating me called by means of a letter to the pastors of the general Baptist convention to which I belonged and they also made a kind of examination, later they laid their hands on me. My love and commitment to serve the church has grown, and even though I see myself as insufficient, I pray to the Lord to grant me to be a faithful servant who pleases and honors Him in everything.