Listen to Scott's testimony of his Dad's legacy of faith! 

Today pastor Tim asked anyone to write a message as to when Jesus became part of their life. Here is my story, though condensed. Born in 1940 I had been brought up in an Episcopalian family. To this day I’m not sure what that meant, but I went to church with my parents, became an Acolyte during my teens and was married in 1960 in a Methodist church. I continued to wandered from church to church, religion to religion for years. Never once was I ever told I was a sinner nor did I understand the difference between a “Religion and a Relationship”. Jesus to me was a “man who died on a cross, was buried, rose from the dead and went to Heaven”. The bible was a book of his life. My lifestyle of putting work before my marriage caused my divorce and nearly my death. But God was there for me in a way I could not have imagined. In 2014 my cousin died and his death brought me to a disciple of Jesus Christ named Joyce. My life changed. I began attending Joyce’s church, Calvary Bible Church in New Jersey and was very uncomfortable for the pastor gave me the feeling he was talking directly to me, knowing how lost I was and how much of a sinner I was. I listened with the desire to understand and with the help of Joyce started to feel something was changing my life. In 2017 Joyce and I were married and moved to Bradenton Florida. Also, in 2017 hurricane Irma caused us to evacuate our home. While in a motel in Alabama, scared that our home was gone and my life was over I prayed to Jesus and He answered me saying “do not be afraid, I am with you”. That was the first time I believed Jesus was alive and accepted Him as my savior. One Sunday in 2019 we came to Woodland Church and felt comfort with both the congregation and the message from Jesus spoken by Pastor Tim Passmore. I’ve since been baptized by pastor Tim, joined Woodland Church and become a servant to the needs of others. I thank God every day and as I say to Joyce, “you are my reason” I’m still alive and have found Jesus.

I thank God that at 15 I asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins and come into my heart! A life changing day! He gave me a wonderful husband and family! He provided for us daily and has answered our prayers. To know Jesus is to know peace! I taught elementary school for 4 years and sold homes as a Realtor for 20 years. I saw friends find Jesus and have their lives changed! Daily I ask Jesus for opportunities to encourage and help others! He puts people in my path and works His love into their lives. No life should be without Jesus! I tell people He cares for them! He loves them! He gives us His power to bring others to Him! Praying, reading God’s word, and trusting Him is the best way to stay focused on what is a priority each day!  

I accepted Christ at age eleven and diligently tried to live for Him the best that I knew how. My dad was a wonderful Christian so I emulated him, it wasn't until after college where I strayed from the straight and narrow that I learned to be the Christian I wanted to be I had to take self off the thrown of my life and replace me with Jesus! As I grew in Christ and total dependence on Him I went from being a football coach where I was ordained as a deacon at age 24 to leaving education, entering the business world in marketing and sales until I became national sales manager for a solar energy company, and then went into insurance sales until I owned my own agency. All this time I knew God had intended my being a preacher, but my first wife and I divorced so as a Baptist, that ended all possibilities of that ever happening. God, however, is a God of second and third chances and led me to join the Gideon ministry I where I became a speaker and spoke in every denomination available and did well enough that pastors would call me to fill in for them when they took a vacation or were out sick. So I became a preacher as He intended and filled pulpits in Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Nazarene, Church of God, Assembly of God, Christian Church, and Independents. God saw to it I got to preach in more churches and speak in more churches than most people ever dreamed of. I have even served as interim pastor several times! God is good and has blessed me more than I can express! He has something for me in Sarasota and whatever it is will be exciting and glorious! It will be a whole new adventure and I'm looking forward to it!