To God be the glory, great things He hath done.
I am pleased to introduce myself as John Spurgeon Ponukumati.
I'm working as Pastor for Prison and Law enforcement ministries at New Vision Baptist Church. Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
God has blessed me with a lovely wife, my childhood sweetheart, Zion Spurgeon and a beautiful daughter, Jordan Krupali Spurgeon.and a handsome son Joseph Charles Spurgeon
God has brought myself and Zion together with a divine plan and purpose.
I have a Masters degree in Imaging Radiology from India and have worked for one of the largest hospitals in Hyderabad, India during which God called me to serve Him full time.
I lived a sinful life - a life filled with alcohol, drugs and parties.
Being born and brought up in a Christian home, I was sure that I will go to heaven just because my roots are christian roots. I was wrong. Being born and brought up in a Christian home does not give one a ticket to heaven.
Being the son of a well known Evangelist, Rev.Dr.P.Joshi, in India, I thought that it was another credential for me to enter heaven. I was wrong! I was totally wrong.
One day when I went with my Dad to a revival youth crusade where he was preaching a sermon on the "Prodigal son" that is when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. Nothing would have guaranteed my eternity in heaven other than the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I have accepted the Lord as my personal Saviour that very day after being obedient to the altar call given by my Dad.
I gave my life to the Lord, but I did not want to serve Him full-time like my father. I saw the struggles my dad had, being in full-time ministry. That made me decide to work hard in my secular field of expertise and win for myself name, fame and money.
I was good at it. I was the top notch General Manager at St.John's Hospitals, India.
After my salvation, I wandered away from the Lord and was in persuit of my dreams and desires. I was running away from God, but God never let go of me. He loved me so much that He was running after me and gave me a call to serve Him full-time.
It was then that I realised there was no use persuing my dreams to become something in my life.
I decided to accept the call and resigned my job to serve the Lord full-time.
My officials thought that I have gone mad and that I was comitting the biggest blunder of my life- throwing away my career for something very invaluable to them.
(I Corinthians 1:18) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I gave my resignation and then walked out of the Hospital with my head held high.
I know in my heart that the calling I received was a High calling- A call to preach the gospel to those who think that the message of cross in foolishness. I wanted people to know that the blood of Jesus will cleanse them from all unrighteousness.
I came home happily to relay the message to my beloved Mom and Dad. My Dad was shocked and he bluntly told me that ministry is not a cake walk like the Medical profession.
It is hard work and he asked me to re-think my decision. When I told him "Dad, this is it" I have made up my mind. I have accepted the call and there is no turning back".
My dad embraced me with open arms and started to pray for the Lord's direction in my life.
My dad's desired was that I persue my Seminary education in Cincinnati, Ohio at a Baptist Seminary. I received my admission and obtained a visa to go the United States and then persued my education in Christian Ministries from Temple Baptist College, Cincinnati, OH.
I completed my 4 year course in 2 years with honors. Taking 27 quarter credits per semister, in fall 2007 I took 9 subjects and by God's grace I got 9 straight "A". I was on the President's and the Dean's list throught my study at Temple.
I was awared the "Who's who among students in American Universities" for 2 consecutive years.
I was awared the "Who's who among students in American Universities" for 2 consecutive years.
God fulfilled His promise in my life.
The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it (I Thessalonians 5:24)
God proved to me time and again that I am his child and I am under His loving care and that I will never go hungry without food or will struggle for anything. He provied me day in and day out. Unknown sources reached out to me to embrace me and love me and to acknowledge God's divine appointment in my life.
It was time for me to look for a life partner for myself and one of my dear Professors, Late.Dr. Hamren told us one day in our Pastoral counselling class that we need to start praying for a life partner that is in the radar of God's will, plan and purpose for my life.
I started praying and God brought into my life, Zion, who was then working in Toronto, Canada for Planters Peanuts as their Import Documentation officer.
Zion comes from a godly home. She was well raised by godly parents-Rev. Nelson and Hema Nelson. She is the second daughter of the Nelsons.
After speaking to her, I knew in my heart that this is who the Lord wanted me to marry. I was convinced in my heart that I have found for myself a wonderful girl who will stand by me in my calling to win souls for the Lord. We were married on 1 September, 2007 in Canada.
After we got married that is when our faith walk started. We were unsure of our plans for our future. A month later, my Mother-in-Law calls us to inform us that there was a job offer for me to work as a Pastor in Smyrna, Tennessee.
Both of us prayed for 2 days and after the Lord's clear direction, we drove 17 hours to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where we did not know anyone except a good friend of Zion's parents-Mrs.Beckie Johnson who teaches in Community Bible Study.
We moved into an Apartment on 27th October, 2007 and then found out that I did not have the job I was promised.
God reminded me one more time his promise: I Thessalonians 5:24- I am a faithful God, I have called you and I will do it. Amen, Praise be to our promise keeping God.
God took wonderful care of us. 29th November, the doctor confirmed my wife's pregnancy of 6 weeks.
We were not prepared for this news. However this was a sweet sound to our ears. We were now expecting our first baby. Zion and I were so excited but we did not know how we were going to take care of this beautiful bundle of joy.
God proved to us one more time- I am faithful, John Spurgeon. I will take care of the 3 of you.
We came in contact with a wonderful Christian Doctor in Murfreesboro after seeing his name at a Pregnancy resource center. He agreed to meet with us. Zion did not have insurance at this point.
Dr.Brent Boles from Covenant Health care welcomed us with open arms to take care of us.
He said "John and Zion, God has blessed me to bless wonderful people like you" That brought tears to Zion's eyes. I was shocked at what the Lord was about to do in our lives.
He is a faithful God. He will do it. If no one can, He will do it because He called me to serve Him eternally.
Dr.Boles did not charge us a penny for all of Zion's doctors visits or any tests or even for her delivery. He infact asked me to pray for him. A stranger soon became a divine friend to our family. He is a wonderful man of God who along with his beloved wife, Julie Boles walked this walk of faith alongside with myself and Zion. Isn't our God amazing? Are you shocked already?
on 28th December 2007, Zion almost miscarried the baby. We rushed to the Emergency Room to only find out that Zion had 50/50 chance to carry the baby full-term.
God reminded us of Isaiah 30:15 in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.
He took care of our little baby. We decided to move back to Toronto to have our baby delivered in Canada because of the free health care. God once again spoke to us saying" I am faithful, I will do it" We were once again obedient to the Lord, stayed back in Murfreesboro to deliver the baby.
Don't you think were discouraged by a lot of people? Yes, we were. We only held on to the promises of God.
God will make a way where there seems to be no way. His ways are perfect. He knows the plans he has for us. Both of us decided not to run ahead of God or give advises to God. He is the author and perfector of our faith.
Zion, delivered the baby at 37 weeks on 15th July, 2008 in Murfreesboro. God blessed us with a gorgeous baby girl, Jordan Krupali(Grace) Spurgeon. Krupa is my mothers name.
I Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"--
God loves us and God has pre-planned and prepared a great destiny for Jordan and for us.
We could not believe the miracles that were happening in our lives.
We decided to name our precious girl Jordan upon Zion's wishes after she heard me preach on River Jordan in our first missions trip to India.
God has begun the good work that he has started in us. We went on our first Missions trip as a couple to India on the 12th January, 2008 and I was called as the Main Speaker for Gospel and Revival crusades at Gethsemane Evangelical Church. I had a great opportunity to preach and teach the word along with Rev.Nelson and my Dad, Rev.P.Joshi.
It was an exciting time to see people pouring in giving their lives to the Lord after the altar call.
God has been using me here in Murfreesboro to win souls for the Lord. After completion of a small group study at our home on "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby, two men gave their life to the Lord and I had the honor of baptizing them in a river here in Murfreesboro.
I enjoy personal evangelism and as a result of the personal ministry with a high school kid, Austin Paul, gave his life to the Lord and once again I had the privilege baptizing him along with our dear friend and Dr.Brent Boles.
God also gave me an opportunity to minister to a inmate in a correction center in Rutherford County. Nick has now accepted the Lord as his personal Saviour on his 21st Birthday in the jail.
He will be baptized on the 27th December.
I also lead and minister to a group of Indian families in Nashville once a month. My wife, Zion Spurgeon writes her daily devotions to minister to women. Her Blog title is Intimate Introspection and the address of her blog is http://www.zionspurgeon.blogspot.com/
The one who called me is faithful and He will continue to carry on the good work that he has called me to do.
Without a test there is no testimony, and without a mess there is no message and there is no miracle. I was once lost, but now I am found. My life was a mess once but now God has turned that mess to a miracle and called me to serve him and it is my desire to carry on the message of the cross the one and all who are perishing in this world.
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
When I gave my life to the Lord in absolute surrender 19 years ago, there was great rejoicing in heaven and It is my hearts desire to see more and more rejoicing in heaven each and every day of my life.
This, my friends is my testimony- A wretched sinner once lost is now found by the Blood of Jesus Christ. A divine calling, for a diving purpose with a divine destiny.
I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
If God can save a sinner like me, He can save you too. I want to present this gift of salvation to one and all. God has given me much and he expects the same from me- To remain faithful and true to his calling to win souls for the extension of His kingdom. My dream and desire is to preach the Gospel and reach the unreached till my very last breath.
Luke 12:48 From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
If anyone who is reading this testimony has not yet acknowledged Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, this is the time to embrace and welcome Jesus into your lives.
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2)
May God Bless you.
I very much enjoyed reading this post. My niece a missionary for several years in hyberdad. She loved the Indian people and children (she lives in Boston). I would love to meet you and your lovely family. I will connect with your wife on her website. I attend New Vision.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brother for sharing the awesome testimony....it is so encouraging and praise be the almighty God who has called you to preach the Gospel to the unreached and to the ppl who've fallen back in to sinful even after tasting the miracles and wonders of GOD.
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