I’m excited about blogging with Jason about Fundamentalism and hopefully the power of sound words will be able to make a difference. My personal story is a story of God’s grace. I was born and raised at North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, CA and was saved at the age of four after a Wednesday evening service where my long-time pastor, Dr. Jack Trieber preached. I attended Christian school my whole life and as a sophomore in high school, surrendered to preach. After high school, I attended Hyles Anderson College for one year and then finished up at the newly opened Golden State Baptist College. It was during my college years where I really struggled with my own personal identity, my calling and my sinful heart. Although I finished college, I didn’t do it without having been defeated time and time again by sin. I couldn’t figure out how to overcome it and so after graduation, I quit any aspirations to go into the ministry.
For several years, I abandoned my calling to preach and pursued money. During that time, God used several different people to expose me to God’s grace and power over sin. Such people who personally invested in me were Evangelist Dan Garlick, Pastor Rodrigo Guzman, Pastor Luis Montano and Pastor Tom Pryde. God also greatly used my wife whom I was dating during this time to show me the heart of God.
During that time, I became exposed to expository preaching, the doctrines of Grace (not advocated by most of those men) and my hunger for God’s Word grew again. I ended up forsaking my selfish ambitions and gave what was left of my life to God to use in full time preaching ministry.
For the past two years, I have been pastoring Mission Peak Baptist Church in Fremont, CA. I still consider myself a fundamentalist, because I believe in fighting for the fundamental doctrines of the faith and believe that true holiness can only come from a renewed vision of God. So, as a result, it has been my desire to help people who call themselves fundamentalists to think biblically and fearlessly stand up for what’s right and what God says is truly important. Discovering the sovereignty of God and the Lordship of Christ gave me a greater view of God and His glory has changed me and continues to do so. To God be the Glory, great things He has done!
JasonS
July 6, 2009
Will,
Thanks for the good post.
I appreciate your willingness to uphold Biblical preaching and teaching.
I pray that your labors will be blessed, and that God will use us on this blog to be a blessing.
Jason