MY CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY AND
CALL TO MINISTRY
Dennis McBride – December, 1999
I love the Lord and am deeply grateful for His
love and grace in my life. Even though my spiritual upbringing
was inconsistent and somewhat shallow, the Lord never left me
without Christian influence.
My paternal grandparents were Assembly of God missionaries to
South America, but Grandpa eventually denied the faith and spent
the remainder of his life criticizing Christianity. But Grandma
remained faithful and outspoken about her love for the Lord. When
I was just a child she taught me how to pray, confess my sins,
and trust in Christ.
Dad followed in Grandpa’s footsteps--at one time professing
Christianity and even pursuing seminary, then denying Christ and
spending 45 years in apostasy. By God’s grace Dad came to
true faith several years ago. Now, at seventy-five years of age,
he loves the Lord dearly.
When my sister and I were very young, Mom (who is now with the
Lord) sent us to the local Assembly of God Sunday School each
week, but she seldom accompanied us. Then, when I was nine years
old, a friend invited her to attend The Salvation Army. That soon
became our church home.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t believe in Jesus,
but my commitment to holy living was erratic until I was almost
30 years old. I knew what it meant to repent and trust Christ for
forgiveness, but I knew very little of spiritual growth, victory,
and assurance.
In my 29th year the Lord did a deep and powerful work in my
heart. Through a series of difficult circumstances, He taught me
how far I had drifted from His Word and how deeply enslaved to
sin I had become. Those days were so profound that I often think
of them as the point of my salvation. But despite all the
failures and doubts of my earlier years, I was always sensitive
to the Lord, aware of my own sinfulness, and desirous of pleasing
Him. Those are characteristics of a true believer.
I’m convinced that those special days were a time of purging
in preparation for the ministry to which God would call me. From
those experiences came a greater dependency on Him, an
appreciation for His sovereignty in my life, an almost insatiable
appetite for His Word, and a passion to serve Him in full-time
Christian ministry.
In September of 1974 my wife and I entered The Salvation Army
School for Officers’ Training in San Francisco, California.
After two years of studies and practical ministry experiences, I
was ordained and granted a teaching position at the school. The
next four years were very significant in shaping my theology and
honing my ministry skills.
By June of 1980 the Salvation Army’s philosophy of ministry
and Wesleyan/Arminian theology had become untenable for us. We
left the Salvation Army at that time and began attending Grace
Community Church in Panorama City, California.
Leaving the Salvation Army was painful because we left many dear
friends behind. But it was also a precious time because it
climaxed several years of diligent Bible study in key areas of
doctrine and church polity. Those years not only crystallized my
philosophy of ministry but also provided an opportunity to see
God working in our lives in special ways as He honored our
commitment to sound doctrine and biblical ministries.
My eight years on the pastoral staff of Grace Community Church,
followed by four years at Word of Grace Communications (the
communications arm of Dr. John MacArthur’s teaching
ministry), were significant in solidifying my biblical
convictions, expanding my knowledge of God’s Word, and
exposing me to a greater breadth of ministry.
Having now completed four years of ministry at Trinity Baptist
Church in Solvang, California, followed by three years of
ministry in the secular workplace, I continue to be humbled and
encouraged by God’s faithfulness and sustaining grace.