471. My Testimony - Pastor Mitchell Perez

This was quoted from our retreat guest speaker, Pastor Mitchell’s Facebook post, with his permission.

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God's love found me at 16 years old while in my bedroom. 

I cried out to God to save me and use me. 

I repented of my hypocritical life. 

One way with my peers at school. 

Another way with my peers at church. 

Soon after, I made it my aim to live for God's Kingdom. 

I was consumed with letting Him do a great work through me.

So I evangelized peers. Taught Bible studies. Served my church. 

My life was marked with passion. Boldness. Risk-taking. 

I would go on to Bible College and become a youth pastor at a large church at the age of 20 years old. 

But what began to happen beneath-the-surface was a brewing problem. 

See God, in His grace, brought fruit to many of these endeavors. People were getting baptized and growing under my leadership. Ministries grew by multiple metrics. 

I received much affirmation from leaders. But I didn't just receive it, I reveled in it. I'm not even sure I was aware of this at the time. 

Over time, I began to judge fellow Christians who struggled with doubt or those who didn't have the "passion" like me. I rebuked fellow Pastors that weren't as "biblical" or who weren't willing to sacrifice and work like me. 

I became the "older brother" in the Parable. 

But I was blind to see this. 

So then... God because He really really loves me... began to do a great work in me. 

He gave me the gift of sending me to plant a church that didn't result in explosive numerical growth like I wanted. 

If it had grown like I wanted - perhaps I would be yet another pastor scandal. Another leader that didn't have the character to handle the weight of such a ministry. 

Along with this gift - a Christian leader I looked up to, whom I longed to be affirmed by, crushed me with his words: 

"You're an unfaithful Pastor and if the Holy Spirit was truly anointing your ministry there would be fruit - your church hasn't even grown passed 30 people..." 

To be clear - He was wrong to say these words and they certainly weren't based in biblical teaching. 

But His words - sinful as they were - became a gift from God. 

In my brokenness, I believed these words from this leader. 

My shattered heart turned to God with anger. 

I considered leaving Christianity altogether. 

I willfully opened the door to pornography as a way to spite God. 

Though my actions were sinful. 

It revealed something profoundly important: 

"Mitchell, you're not as strong of a Christian as you thought were..." 

My God loved me so much, He broke me. 

And this was His great work in me. 

Bible scholars call this "sanctification". 

The lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus 

Because - as it turns out - God wants to reach the lost in the world. But He also wants to reach the "lost" in His children's hearts. 

We have a great mission for Jesus - Matthew 28

But the Spirit has a great mission for us - Romans 8 

The Spirit wants to conform my character to Christ... 

I'm 38 years old now. 

And I'm so grateful for His great work through me. 

It's a privilege to be a pastor. A high honor. 

But I'm now so so so grateful for His great work in me. 

I've come to see that spiritual maturity is not: 

• Learning more Bible
• Doing more good works
• Accumulating Church titles 

Spiritual maturity is when more and more of my pride is broken and I become increasingly controlled and content in the Holy Spirit. 

I hope my testimony blessed you. 

Thanks for reading.