Testimony
One night in 1997, I experienced the presence of the true, mighty, and holy God. I heard the voice of God speak to me. But first, I want to explain about my past.
When I was in the 4th grade, I got an electric shock from a power line. I was completely dead. All my relatives came to my house when they heard about my death. But my mother and sister were weeping and praying continually that God would bring me back to life. My mother and all my family were believers in Jesus Christ. My mother prayed that if God would do a miracle for me, then she would dedicate me for His service. After 8 hours of praying, Jesus came at once and brought me back to life. Everybody was praising the Lord. After that, my family took me to the hospital for a check up. The doctor said that my right side could be paralyzed and not work properly because there was no blood in my right arm. All the blood had been burned by the electric shock. My mother refused the statement of doctor and said, “Jesus has done a miracle for my son. He will not be paralyzed because he will serve the Lord. After 15 days I got up and left the hospital. I was completely healed. It happened just as my mother said and prayed.
Because of my electric shock, I was afraid all the time, especially at night, in dark places, or when I was alone. I told my mother about this. She told me to start reading the Bible and said that God would give me strength. So, in 4th grade, I read the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation by the light of the oil lamp. I worshipped and prayed and felt very close to God.
Sadly, when I started university, I started smoking cigarettes and drinking with my musician friends. I loved singing and became a very successful singer in the secular world. I wasn’t interested in religious activities. I continued that lifestyle when I got married and worked in a restaurant. I forgot the big miracle that Jesus Christ had restored my life. My mother always reminded me that when she asked God for my life back, she dedicated me for the Lord’s service. I didn’t like my mother’s words at that time. But my mother continually prayed for me.
As I mentioned in the beginning, one night in 1997, Jesus Christ came into my room and spoke to me. He told that he was not happy with my lifestyle. He told me that I was on the wrong path and going the way towards death. I was very afraid. I quickly told my wife everything that God spoke to me. We both were afraid. My wife said, “Let’s pray and ask God for forgiveness. During the prayer, we felt comfort and peace in our hearts. We both knew that I was forgiven. I left my old life completely, and I immediately started my new life with Jesus Christ. I went to our family’s church (FGA Church, Bahar Colony 1, Kotlakhpat, Lahore) and talked to the pastor, Pastor Sadiqe Masih. He prayed for me and guided me for water baptism. Then my wife and I were baptized by him. After that we attended our FGA Church meetings regularly. Pastor Sadiqe became my spiritual father. I was so inspired by his life and ministry style. Many months later, I decided to study and got admission in Pakistan Theological Seminary. I received my Bachelor of Theology degree in 2000. Praise the Lord.
During my seminary training, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and led me to serve the Lord in the area of Youhanabad. At that time, Youhanabad was very poor, and many people were gambling and addicted to drugs. Young adults had no jobs and all the time wandered the streets. In addition, many people worshipped spirits in front of oil lamps. When I went to Youhanabad, it was very difficult to do ministry there because the people didn’t want to listen to me and ignored me. But soon five children started to follow me and came to the Lord through my ministry. The number of children started increasing. Every evening the children sat with me, and we worshipped together. I named that place Children Chapel. The children gave me small coins that their parents had given them to buy candy, and they said to me, “Uncle, we will build a church.” In my heart I was laughing and wondered how we could build a church with small coins. Now I understand that it was a seed of faith and I started a ministry from their faith and small coins. After 1-2 years, some parents started coming to our meetings because their children insisted again and again that they come. Gradually new families starting coming. My family donated some land to me for ministry. Over many years we slowly started to build a church building, and later added additional stories.
By many years of hard labor in the ministry, Children Chapel has grown to be a large congregation of all ages. Today, more than 1000 people attend Children Chapel every Sunday morning during one of the 4 service times: 4-6 a.m., 6-8 a.m., 8-10 a.m., and 10-12 p.m.. Children Chapel has many ministries including Children Chapel School System. About 15 pastors serve with us. Also five of the children from the very beginning are now successful pastors in village areas.
After my first wife’s death, I married Catherine A. Wenz, an American missionary. God blessed me with a skilled and experienced servant of God. Together Cathy and I lead Children Chapel, and day by day, by our ministry and the grace of God, Children Chapel is growing more. I have seen many churches in the world generate a children’s ministry. But, my experience has been very different from that. The big church ministries at Children Chapel were generated by children.
