Bob England's Personal Testimony

 I was raised in a family of 10 children. I was next to the oldest. My father was a coal miner in the hills of West Virginia. I was born in the mountains in my Mother's parents old log home. We lived in the country and raised most of what we ate. When the harvest came in we canned and put up everything we could. I remember before we ever got a freezer we salted down our meat and kept it in a smoke house.

We never had indoor plumbing until I was 16 years of age. My Father broke his back in the coalmine when I was going into the 7th grade. We lived off of hardscrabble because it was before all the welfare we know of today. My dad fought for disability for 6 years before he got it, and was awarded a very small amount of back pay.

My Mother kept us children in Sunday School and church. I experienced old fashion revival meetings, which helped mold me for a life of holiness. I was saved at the age of 13 in the first youth camp held at the West Virginia District Camp grounds. Before long though, I quit going to church and backslid. I had no one at home who was a Christian to help me and in those days, pastors didn't do much to follow up on new converts.

I was 16 and in my last year of high school when a new pastor came to our little church. He began to fast and pray and the church scheduled a revival. I had pretty much stopped attending church, though I would go to Sunday School.

During the revival in the little Pilgrim Holiness Church that fall, a buddy of mine sent word he wanted to see me about going rabbit hunting. In that service that night God spoke to my heart and my buddy asked me if I wanted to give my heart to God. I didn't hesitate. God changed my life and started me on the path of righteousness.

I had the conviction that God wanted me to be a preacher. That desire has never left me. I went off to Frankfort Pilgrim College in Frankfort, Indiana, to pursue my education. There were some things that came up and I didn't finish my schooling. I went home and began doing my studies through correspondence. I even attended the Indiana District Ministerial Seminar the last two years to finish my studies. I was ordained in 1979.

I have pastored five churches: two of them were in West Virginia and three in the Indiana South District of The Wesleyan Church. In every church I pastored, except one, God helped me to see the church grow. The church I currently pastor has grown from 25 to 125. I give all the glory to God.

I have served on various committees, boards, and have held several positions in both districts. I presently serve in the capacity of Assistant District Superintendent of the Indiana South District.

God has raised me up from very humble beginnings and put me in positions and ministries I never dreamed were possible. I give all the credit and glory to God, for I have nothing within myself of which to boast or brag.

My desire is that God will ever help me to be humble, so I can be useful to Him in winning lost souls, mentoring them to maturity, and encouraging the saints to remain faithful. I also desire that He would help me to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully.

I want to serve my Lord faithfully and bring glory and honor to His Holy Name.

His servant,

Bob L. England