Pastor’s Testimonies
I would like to start off here today by saying that I thank God for my salvation through the works of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. When asked to write a testimony for our web page my mind and thoughts go to so many places, because of Gods wonderful grace. So I have decided to break my testimony into many different categories, I hope and pray that these testimonies will enlighten and encourage you in the Lord. Brother Rob.
Brother George Pike with Brother Rob Coones
The Shucks Came Off Of My Eyes
Greetings! Pictured above is a photograph of my pastor George Pike and I standing in front of the Father’s House at Little Bethlehem in Monroe, Georgia. Brother Pike was the pastor and founder of JCEAL and Love’s Temple. He passed away in June of 1996. Brother Pike had a greater impact on my life than any man ever. He was a godly, holy man that truly gave his life for the gospel. I was privileged to sit under him for five and a half years. Before I met Brother George I was laboring in the ministry to the best of my ability. I was very zealous and always looking to do something for the Lord. I was preparing to make a trip to Romania working with a ministry out of California. While making a run to Georgia to look at an airplane for this ministry to use, I met Brother George. We fellowshipped for a couple of hours and he ministered to my spirit. Brother George had a way of speaking directly to your heart. The two hour meeting moved on me so much that before I got out of the parking lot of Little Bethlehem, the Lord had spoken to me to move there. Most of my friends thought I was crazy to give up the opportunity to go to Romania, to preach and fly for this ministry and maintain their airplane, which was something that I loved to do. Even though I was young in the Lord and the ministry, I knew that I had heard from the Lord. So my family and I moved to Georgia by faith in God. We had no work lined up; we knew nobody there; and we weren’t even sure what kind of preacher Brother Pike was. I had never even heard him preach. I just knew that God said go.
Well, about ten weeks after that meeting with him, we relocated from California to Georgia. It was quite a culture shock both naturally and spiritually. We came out a charismatic background right into a holiness work. Brother Pike was very gracious to us and worked with us to indoctrinate us. It would have been easy to run but I was so sure that God sent my family and I there. Brother Pike told me when he baptized me in Jesus’ name that the shucks would come off my eyes. Many of us have a testimony of being delivered from drugs, alcohol, worldly things, etc. I can say I’m thankful for the delivering power of Jesus for those very things in my own life. But I can truly say to you that the greatest testimony to me is that Jesus delivered me from a religious spirit. Do you realize that the ones that crucified Jesus were very religious? Brother Pike opened my eyes to many things by ministering the Revelation of Jesus Christ. I find that there is a real problem or I could say an epidemic of that very same spirit in the church throughout the world, we have to realize that the spirits that crucified the Lord Jesus are still present in this day and hour.