Having been raised in a Christian home and community, by the time I was 25 years of age, I had been privileged to have traveled the entire United States plus Mexico & Canada doing evangelistic work among many churches & denominations. I began  preaching and singing as a teenager, but I became seriously discouraged after settling down to pastor a church and elected to leave the ministry  in 1971.  Then, almost thirty years later, God found me living a life much the same as the prodigal son, whose story Jesus told in the Bible. I had alienated myself from my heritage, my family and the presence of God  and the result was, I lived in total depravation the majority of my life..

 My introduction into the ministry was under the auspices of a sect of "Plain Folks" from Pennsylvania . This was my heritage and reflected the lifestyle and strict religious training into which I was born . My theology was derived largely from the Ana-Baptist way of thinking. Conservative, dogmatic and unyielding.

In the course of time, I became acquainted with the Charismatic Movement which was made popular in the 1950's & 60's by a man from Los Angeles named Demos Shakarian., who headed up the organization called The Full Gospel Businessmen's Association.  My association with the Charismatics caused me to "fall out of grace" with the "Brethren" in the Plain Sect back home , but it offered me the opportunity to rub shoulders with many of the well recognized names in  ministry at that time and soon I enjoyed a widespread ministry in my own right in which God blessed in a great way.

 By 1969, in an effort to maintain a more domesticated lifestyle, we began to pastor a church located at Hyndman, PA. While I was still on the evangelistic field, I had become less than satisfied with some of the double standards which were more or less characteristic of some of the church leaders. This rubbed my "plain theology" to the core, and I carried an attitude of frustration with me into the pastorate at Hyndman.

My earlier separation from the plain denomination seemed irreversible, and it appeared impossible to ever go back to my roots . Shunning to one degree or another among the Plain folks was a very real and painful practice during that period of time . So I became ordained as an "independent",  but being young and inexperienced in the realm of God's Kingdom , I struggled desperately with the frustration of feeling useless and alienated from the more foundational, denominational  circles.  It seemed most church leaders I had contact with were looking to build their personal kingdom , with an emphasis on more people, more money and bigger buildings.  My calling simply required that I meet the needs of needy people and follow Christ in everything I did.  I can't number the times I wept and wondered why the folks I had been the closest to and most familiar with had to be so dogmatic and unyielding.....but there was no way to go back! The bridges had been burnt and they would never accept the return of a prodigal such as myself.  Some of their beliefs were honorable and spoke of the heritage which had made them great, but there were divisive issues which didn't have any scriptural basis at all, over which they would rather die than soften their view!   This left me somewhere between my new friends in the charismatic movement and the rigidness of the folks from my past.

As time went on, I learned true, God-centered fellowship was difficult to find among independents also, and everywhere I looked I saw "religious leaders"  who were in direct opposition to the Word of God, and like others, were attempting to further their personal agenda and glean all the finances and favor they could from the unsuspecting people they were supposed to be shepherding into God's Kingdom. 

I refused to buy into their ways of promoting the Gospel  and I couldn't find anyone to turn to for good counsel, since the independents weren't interested unless I could promote their agenda, and the folks back home had written me off as having one foot in hell already !  Unfortunately I failed to deal with the problems through prayer and contact with the Father, so I began a downward spiral of depression and oppression.

By 1971, I determined that all church leaders were phonies!  Rather than allowing God to work in my life making me into  His vessel in spite of circumstances, I turned my back on God, the church and everything and everybody who had anything to do with Godly things. I purposed to make my own choices and go my own way. I purposely chose to try every vice available to me and to a large degree, felt very good about myself and my "new found freedom"!

Unknowingly, at this point in my life, I began a long, treacherous  journey down a very slippery slope, spiritually speaking . My vocation went from minister of the Gospel to an employee of Greyhound Lines, Inc. driving bus. This proved to be a very successful career, but very detrimental to my relationship with the Father.  During the years which followed, my life literally fell apart at the seams in every respect!  I became very bitter toward everyone I knew and I isolated myself behind "things", making money, drinking alcohol and socializing with the wrong crowd.

 I dabbled in real estate on the side and earned lots of money, continued to study and earned more degrees, became addicted to a life-style of alcohol, women and partying.  I bought old, distressed properties and renovated them, accumulating several income properties plus a bar/restaurant, built and remodeled houses to sell, farmed over 500 acres and drove for Greyhound......all at the same time! Of course, this was done with the help of several employees.  To slow down meant I had to face reality!  The more involved I became in "things", the greater was my separation from God. The further I got from God's presence, the greater my need for things!

In spite of my growing dependency on alcohol, I was able to convince myself I was achieving success because my net worth continued to grow,..................until in the early 1990's, literally over-night, due to a strange twist of providence, all my acquired material possessions became history. I lost one possession after another within a few weeks and there appeared to be nothing I could do to reverse the losses!  For a while I was in shock , but soon  I began to hear the voice of God once again stirring in my inner being.                                   

Through a series of events God graciously found me as I was drowning in my misery and He reminded me of the extent of His mercy.  Without my realizing it, He had actually been following me all these years, but I had been unconsciously, but intentionally ignoring His signals. Somehow I knew it, but I did not want to go back into that old,  "miserable"  way of life I had left so long ago.
Then  in a vision  He brought me face to face with His overwhelming grace . He showed me Himself and the extent of His sacrifice at Calvary's cross.  He showed me how personal the events of Calvary were to Him and through this, imparted to me a fresh sense of my debt of love owed toward Him. I was totally overwhelmed in my spirit. The material "things" I used to hide behind and used as security were no longer a factor........they were gone, and I just didn't have the ambition or will to run any longer. The overwhelming love which literally flowed from His being was beyond human comprehension! The fact that His love and mercy followed and surrounded me even during the years when I was so abrasive and hateful to everything and everybody around me was more than I could bear!  Just the look of love in His eyes when He looked my way, literally melted my stony heart and left it lying shredded  for all humanity to see!

I could empathize with Peter, the disciple of Jesus, who having just denied ever being acquainted with the Master, melted beneath the look of knowing, compassionate love, which  Jesus is so capable of displaying.

A period of deep repentance followed and an inner-cleansing which is beyond human vocabulary.
I witnessed first hand how "love in fact does cover ALL sins"! 

With counseling and prayer and constantly studying God's Word, embracing God's loving invitation to "come home" became my one and only craving!  I slowly returned to His bosom and have since been totally awe-struck that He should ever forgive one who had willfully and intentionally "crucified Him" anew so many times the way I had.  For the rest of my life , it will be more than I can comprehend from a human perspective!  For this display of God's love to one so unlovely, on bended knee, and with a broken heart, I am forever grateful !

I only share this testimony with you in an attempt to announce to you and the world that there is someone who cares about each of us. He loves us all in spite of our shortcomings. His name is Jesus, the Son of the living God. And I'm happy to announce that my life has been totally changed for the better since I have begun to follow His beckoning call.  He is faithful to fulfill His promises and I'm happy to be able to share a victorious story with others I meet along this life's pathway.
If in some way, although it may be insignificant, this web site and/or my experiences will further God's will among mankind, I will have been blessed and hopefully God will have received glory as well. Thank you for obeying His call and God bless you richly as you follow Him.

A Bondservant of Jesus Christ,

Bro. Joe