My story of faith centers around a great God who loves mankind. His promises are sure and long before my life began, mankind was in the middle of tragedy. Adam and Eve sinned, which separated mankind from God. But God was patient and loving and just over 2000 years ago sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Jesus showed mankind how to live and honor God on this earth. He was the perfect Lamb of God. Mankind responded to this example by beating and crucifying Jesus on a cross between two criminals. Some would think that God’s plan was thwarted, but God is sovereign. Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, died on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind and He conquered death by raising three days later. In victory, Jesus now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Maternal Heritage
God in His sovereignty was working within my mother’s side of the family. For generations, the Pike family served in churches as deacons, pastors, teachers and funeral directors. All out of a care for others. This care for others was not founded in ourselves or our family’s tradition but was founded in God and His love for us. Many within the family, personally recognizing our sin and our need for a Savior, have claimed Romans 10:9-10, 13: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Two of these faithful family members were my maternal grandparents. They served churches across the state of Michigan for over 50 years. Their investment and heritage of faith has been an excellent example to many even to this day.
Paternal Heritage
God was still sovereign and patient with my father’s side of the family. For generations many would live however their heart would desire. Then in the 1950, two men from Good News Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, stopped by and invited them to church. On a Wednesday night, they realized that they were sinners and needed a Savior and placed their faith and trust in Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
This changed my paternal heritage forever, leading them to sell their home in Grand Rapids to get away from the bad influences and moving to Howard City, Michigan, to be part of a church where ultimately my maternal grandfather would become the pastor. God, through His saving work in both side of my family, led to my parents meeting and marrying!
God brought an ABWE missionary from Togo to speak in our church one Sunday. His words and passion for Christ were captivating. His passion was centered on doing everything he could to share the Good News of Jesus Christ on the mission field. That night I realized that I was not a follower of Christ and that my sin was keeping from a relationship with God. At my bedside that night, my mother shared with me truths from God’s Word and I personally confessed with my mouth and believed that Jesus was my Savior. This decision lead me on a journey of faith.
At the age of 15 God was working on my heart. I was attending Lincoln Lake Camp and the speaker, Pastor Mark Shaw, challenged us to consider ministry. He gave us a list of nine items from God’s Word that should be evident in the life of a full-time minister of the gospel. During that week I reviewed and prayed over this list. By the end of the week, I knew that I needed to give my life to Christ and His service.
Jenni and I have had the great privilege to serve Christ at Fellowship Baptist Church and Good News Baptist Church over the past 20 years.
