In 1979, I was working in an open cut  coal mine, and part-time at a an Indoor Swimming Centre.  I was living hard on booze, brawling, bouncing in hotels, being what I thought a “real” bloke ought to be.  I had no no real joy, though I chased hard for it in all forms…drinking, drugs, women, music, work, travel, money and on and on.  Nothing I tried satisfied the emptiness in my heart. The gnawing ache of being riddled with guilt and shame because of wrong choices, broken hearts, unfulfilled dreams and sinful living, along with that sense of wanting “something”, was driving me further from family and friends.  I guess you could say at 23 years old I had had a bash at many things, but had nothing to show for it all. What a mess. My drinking and brawling and filthy life and language had left me very empty and very alone.

Through a friend I was invited to the first evening service that was going to be held at a new independent Baptist church, about 30 miles from where I lived.   When the young lady arrived to pick me up, it was 3 pm, and I had been home about 2 hours after a loud, wet pub crawl home from work that started the day before.  Despite the stink, she graciously waited for me to “clean up” and I went to church. I did not have any idea what I was going for.  That night the preacher, a little Englishman, preached from the text, “… And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God… “. Wow!!! What a preacher. I thought somebody must have rung him up and told him my life story, and now here he was telling the whole world of my “wickedness before God”, right there in front of all these well dressed strangers. God spoke to my heart that night  I raised my hand to admit both my need and my guilt.  After the meeting, the same preacher, came to me and challenged me concerning my need of salvation in Christ. He said ” What are you afraid of??? Will give me 5 minutes to show you from the Bible, Gods Word, how you can know Christ as your own Saviour and know your sins are forgiven???? I said yes to his challenge, and together in a little store room on the side of the hall, Pastor Harold Davies opened the Bible and lead me to trust Christ.

I am so glad I asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save me and come into my heart February 18, 1979, and the search  for real peace, joy and purpose of life was over. It was not ‘something’. It never could be something. It was ‘someone’.  And I found out an amazing thing… I was not looking for him, but really it was Him looking for me, and me running the other way and trying to hide. I am so glad He found me, and I am so glad I know the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God as my own personal Lord and Saviour.  Glory to God. What a wonderful Saviour and what a sweet salvation.

In Jan 1980 I commenced 3 yrs. study at Victoria Baptist Bible College. It was during my time at Bible College that I met and later married Sharon who was from Nth Qld.

In Sept 1982 we responded to a call from Sharon’s home church to start a church in Cardwell Nth Qld. In March 1983 we arrived and began a church planting pastoral ministry.  Before and during the time we were serving in Cardwell the Lord was continuing to burden my heart for the work of evangelism. Together with my pastor and a small group of trusted friends we began to pray for the Lord to direct our steps.