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As I sat there, watched and listened the people were so friendly and so plain. I came back on Sunday and the preacher asked. " Were you baptized in Jesus name?" I went to work and there I met a short African man. I felt the lord prompted me to ask him what church to go to in the course of our conversation he directed me to a church in Sugar land, Life Tabernacle, Southwest, which I went to when I got off work. When I got there was only a couple there and the pastor. I asked, "Is this the true church?" The pastor answered, "Yes, we believe in receiving the Holy Ghost and being baptized in Jesus name. On Wednesday, there were about 60 members present. I sat in the back because of my previous experiences in churches. I said "Yes, by a preacher in Canada". But I was so excited at the time I didn't know what that preacher had said
over me. I later found out that I was baptized in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. But when I read the book of Acts to find out how the New Testament church baptized, I found Acts 2:38. I also read Matthew 28:19. A small voice said to go back to the Word and the name. There is only one name! The Father has a name, the Son has a name, and the Holy Ghost has a name. What is it? When I returned to church on Wednesday, I wanted to be baptized. Sunday morning in late November of 1988 it happened. I felt so good, I loved it, but I thought I needed more It took me 8 long months to get tongues (as God gives the utterance). I did everything; I jumped, shouted. I felt eventually that I wasn't good enough. Everyone was getting it all around me. I decided that next Sunday would be my last night. I went to the altar by myself and a few saints prayed with me. Discouraged, I begin to visualize Christ brought before Pilate and how he was beaten. A door opened and the robber was brought out. He wasn't expecting to be set free. He looked at Barrabas, and Pilate said, "Go, this man had replaced you. Suddenly a voice spoke and it dawned on me that I was that robber and I had been set free, but I give you power to know what to do, how to stand on your feet. Immediately; I am Barrabas, I am free, but I don't know where to go. Then the Holy Ghost came upon me, I opened my mouth and tongues came forth--I spoke in tongues, just like that!
"IS THIS ALL THERE IS TO LIFE?"
Reverend C. L. Bass; Pastor
International Pentecostal Church
I was the "Wild One". I managed to find the wild, drug scene that I craved. In the Mobile or Pensacola area, I almost died of an overdose of something put in my drink. Some of my friends had already died of marijuana mixed with angel dust (smoked through a pipe). Looking back now, I realize that the Lord's hand was protecting me
My brother-in-law Paul and my sister moved in with me for a while until he could get another job. They attended a Pentecostal church. I had been having dreams, really nightmares, where God would say, "I have rejected you My sister has asked me to a Saturday service, She had asked me so many times that finally; I went to church with them.
That pastor said, "Someone here needs the Lord." For a sinner, that remark made me feel bad. I went to the altar, repented of my sins, and started living for God. This was in September 1975. I started going to church. There was such a power in repentance that I thought I had received the Holy Ghost, but I hadn't`. Temptations from my old life were stronger than ever, I couldn't fight them off on my own. My cousins and so-called friends would want me to party with them, but I would just get away from them…this was the hardest temptation
Beside my bed I prayed and asked to God to give me the baptism of the Holy Ghost, just like the Bible said. Within a few minutes, I had received the Holy Ghost (speaking in other tongues)! The experience was greater than eating bubblegum ice cream, just heavenly! That night everything was different, the birds, the trees. I can understand why people feel a powerful change during repentance, but there was so much more.
I was the "church man" and I loved itGod saw our heart and desire to reach lost souls. The Lord let me find hungry souls on that bus route, like Bob, who came to church for six months before his mother came to Bible Study ---drunk! Later her mom got the Holy Ghost; and died 10 months later!
My bus driver, started attending church, then got the Holy Ghost! He became a friend to all, even to the joy of all the children at church. (His size made him a great Santa Claus.)
Now as the pastor of the International Pentecostal Church, a church for all nations, even greater things have happened. A young man named Richard, who has been blind all his life in his right eye was filled with the Holy Ghost and healed that same day! The Lord healed a young woman that was deaf since she was 2 years old when the saints prayed. A man was healed of a brain tumor--after doctors gave up on him, those same doctors couldn't find that tumor after the Lord worked! Two other men diagnosed with prostate cancer---healed again by the Lord. Jesus is a God of miracles! My wife needed surgery on her throat to remove nodules---she might never sing again---Jesus healed her! Then there was the lady dying in an Emergency Room; they had already called the family in for her last moments, but the church was praying. The Lord raised her up! This is REAL!
MY FONDEST MEMORY BY RODNEY THOMAS
I was brought up in Baptist churches. My fondest memory was waking up to my grandmother fixing breakfast, the smell of the food cooking at six in the morning. I remember having my cousins there on weekends. She didn't have the Holy Ghost, but we went to church with her every Sunday, when I wasn't with my mom. She stressed Psalms 23, but my mom was a Psalms 37 person. My grandmother tried to live according to the Bible. On New Year's Day, my grandfather would pray and I would feel it all within me, the power from the words.
My dad invited me to church. I was ready! The service was not even over, I wanted the Holy Ghost so much, and the preaching was not even over. Finally after my praying and weeping died down, my Dad tried to get me to repent and keep on thanking the Lord. I heard the Lord speak a scripture, Acts 2:38. I asked my uncle if they would be baptizing that night. I figured I had better get baptized. I took off my earring and jewelry. The preachers began explaining baptism to me. I feel like "man this is wonderful!" Before I never really understood. After being baptized I raised my hands and started worshipping. I was getting discouraged, but then something stirred in my body. I literally and forcefully started weeping and praising God again. Then all the strength left my body. One of the saints whispered to me to let the Lord have his way and close my mouth. Then all of a sudden, I felt the Lord was walking toward me. My eyes were closed and I started speaking in tongues, and danced in the Spirit. I knew I had harbored some bad feeling I my heart, but when I was embraced, I felt a real love for my dad. The DEMON OF ANGER was gone! I no longer was bound by bitter feeling of what I though my dad should have done He (Jesus) took cursing away from me.
being raised in church
did not mean I was saved
Whydon't you ever have a smoke with us or go clubbing or come to parties when you are invited?" These were the questions, among others, that bombarded me while I attended school at Eisenhower High. I was raised in the church, and I spent a lot time by myself because of my beliefs. I played in the school band because of my natural musical ability, but other students thought that the church was stopping me from having fun; little did they realize that I came from a family of believers…
Church people sounded me and I lived the life. Because of this reason, I felt that I didn't need to be baptized until that night in October 1993. I was sitting on the drums, as always, during a Baptismal service. I felt a really strong feeling -heartburning, heaviness, and my body trembling. My pastor made the invitation. I felt God leading me to this decision. When I went forward to be baptized I felt so light, like a feather, I was excited and born into a new spiritual family. After this I could relate to the spiritual church family more. I felt liberated! After this, I lost my shame and embarrassment over praying over my food in the cafeteria. I invited my classmates to church.
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