Greg's Testimony:

I begin my story as a four year old, only for the purpose of establishing the context of a single parent household to the elements of who I am. The only thing I remember about my father is a trip to the hardware store when I was 4 or 5. I had opened the door to the jeep, to join him inside, when he came around and told me to sit tight. He shut the door on my hand and walked off to finish his errand. I don't know how long my hand was in the door while he was in that store, it isn't important. I don't know what affect that incident has had on me over the years… it doesn't seem like much. It did occur to me how sad it is that the only memory of my earthly father is so negative. Praise God for Psalm 68:4,5

My mother raised two boys by herself. She is the most genuine person I have ever known. She exhibited great resolve as she brought us along. She never took on anything that got in the way of her boys. She taught us to respect our Lord, to think for ourselves, to pursue personal excellence, and to appreciate the beauty of nature. I excelled in that environment. I developed some specific skills that made it easy to navigate in this worldly arena. I could sell anything to anybody, and I can play the drums. So… I set out on a relentless, exhaustive pursuit of experiences. Any experience… Through music: I got into bars before I could drive (I had to sit in the car during breaks), I traveled to 21 different countries and 38 states, and I learned how to run my body on beer and restaurant food. Through sales: I always had the money I needed to develop a big enough credit line to get what I wanted, I always had someone around to tell me how wealthy I could become, and I learned how to run my body on beer and restaurant food. As long as I was constantly challenged, and traveling as fast as possible, it didn't matter that I had no where to go.

I still don't understand why Alice entered into an unevenly yoked marriage, but I'm ever grateful that she did. She has always been able to sense what Christ has in store for me, long before I can see it. I used to tell her that I would go to church if a family member was doing something special, but she shouldn't expect me to get anything out of the message. I had my own spirituality. I was with God when I was riding my bike or skiing. I had been taught to appreciate the beauty God has provided all around us. It was pointed out to me that I was worshiping creation, not the Creator, but I couldn't hear it at the time. Alice's family, all believers, never knew what to expect from me. They didn't expect me to show compassion when Alice's father was diagnosed with cancer. I spent a lot of time with a truly godly man. I watched how he handled disappointment, frustration, severe pain, and the inevitable separation from his beloved. I was broken by the one thing he didn't experience… fear. I could clearly see Jesus in Papa Reub's eyes. It became obvious that thinking for myself wasn't working. Now I knew I would never find excellence without Christ.

Alice had prayed and hung in there with me for six years. I walked down the isle where Pastor John Robbins was waiting. There was great relief when the only remaining lost sheep in Reuben Lambert's family finally acknowledged the Shepherd. It is not lost on me that my salvation came at an especially high price. It wasn't many hours after I told Reuben I was saved that he went to walk the streets of gold. There are two physical deaths and one resurrection in my testimony, and I will never forget it.

I was ordained in the spring of 2004 and returned to college at Leavell College on the campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary that fall. I earned my BACMin in 2010 and started on my Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling the following semester.

In addition to graduate school I enjoy the priviledge of pastoring Origins a simple church in New Orleans. More information is available at www.originsnola.org.

Innovation Ministries is the Lord's orchestration of my faith in Jesus Christ, my life experience's, the unusual palette of talent's He has entrusted to me, and my deep love for a struggling community of faith.