Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:
From a very young age, I learned in a Methodist
Sunday School about Jesus of Nazareth; as presented in various Bible stories. In
fact, one of my earliest and fondest memories is when my mother led me to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am thankful to have been born into such a family and to have been raised in a conservative home and
church in rural Western New York. My heritage, for many generations, has hailed from a line of committed Christians, including
numerous Christian leaders and teachers.
During my youth, I was privileged to attend and
enjoy a Christ-centered, summer youth camp, which played a significant role in my Christian growth and development. As a teenager, I attended a weekly Bible study where much solid, foundational truth was imparted. During these years, I learned to love and hunger for the Word of God.
After a series of our Lord’s dealings, I
was brought to a re-dedication of my life unto Him, and a decision to live for Him always, and serve Him in whatever capacity
possible.
Shortly thereafter, in the fall of 1998, as a
freshman attending College in New Haven, Connecticut, I was, by a providential leading of our Lord, brought into fellowship
with Pastor Michael O’Connor and Church of the Good Shepherd. This resulted
in my being baptized into water by full immersion; baptized into the Holy Spirit; and mentored and taught in the Apostles’
Doctrine. It was also when I learned of Pastor O’Connor’s long-standing
vision and pressing burden for the raising up of a Faith-School, after the pattern of Ivan Q. Spencer, Mother Christine Gibson,
and others, as mentioned in his Letter of Introduction.
During this juncture, I became aware of a deepened
sense of divine purpose for my life which included a calling to full time ministry.
This awakening redirected the path of my life and changed my pursuit of secular education to that of Ministerial
preparation.
The following year, I enrolled as a Bible/Theology
Major at Messiah College. An outstanding highlight of my time there was the
honor of being one of eight students chosen for studies abroad, at Jerusalem University College in Israel. An added blessing at that juncture was when my parents arranged for Pastor O’Connor to visit Jerusalem. "Dad O'Connor" was determined to see as much as possible in his eight days
there. He surprised us with his determination to walk many miles each day, and travel by bus and taxi to distant
locations, from early morning until late at night. It had been his desire since age fifteen to visit the Holy Land.
My years of study and preparation eventuated in
my graduation from three schools of ministry, and the earning of three theological degrees.
After graduation, I continued to serve as an associate
at Church of the Good Shepherd, and later to serve as Pastor of Attica Center Baptist Church.
During this period, it was also my great privilege to serve for nearly two years on the faculty of a school of ministry:
In our Lord’s divine wisdom, He led thusly as preparation for that which would follow.
Over the past eight years, I have been privileged
to participate in missionary endeavors in Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Uganda, and Rwanda.
It is my joy and privilege to now stand upon the
brink of a brand new day in God, and to be a part of His plan and purpose in the establishing of this church and Bible College,
which is dedicated unto our Lord as a “House of Prayer for all Nations,” where His Body (including the “poor
of His People”) shall be welcomed to: "...come...to the waters, and...buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price." Isaiah 55:1.
God bless you most sincerely,
Your friend and yokefellow in the Gospel,
Brother Warren
