Lance Stewart Ferm's Testimony

My name is Lance Stewart Ferm and I was born in 1956. I was raised in Orange County, California and continue to live there today. Starting in the late 1950s, my parents began attending a Baptist church and later King of Kings Lutheran church in the 1960s.

Christianity did not mean much to me growing up until my second year of catechism through King of Kings. The first year was spent studying the Old Testament while the second year was devoted to the study of the New Testament. My lack of interest during the first year showed up in the grades on various Biblical tests. The second year was the turning point of my eternal life. When I discovered that Jesus had died for me personally, that He loved me personally, and He is my personal Savior, I was transformed. My interest in the Bible soared along with my Biblical test scores in Catechism. My prayer life bloomed with remarkable miracles. One example of the power of prayer occurred when the city of Huntington Beach wanted my parents land for a park yet wanted to pay only a faction of the market value. My parents not being rich had to hire an attorney with no background in real estate law. Yet I prayed and a lucrative out of court settlement occurred unexpectedly.

With sudden material prosperity in 1971, we moved to the Yucca Valley area for my high school years. Unfortunately, there tends to be a spiritual cost with material prosperity. We stopped attending church, my prayer life essentially stopped, and life was filled with selfish experiences not centered on Jesus Christ. Upon graduating from Yucca Valley High School, I moved back to Orange County and began attending Cal State Fullerton. I returned to King of Kings but never reconnected to my Lord Jesus Christ. Needless to say, I stopped attending church and my life began a slow spiral downward. My parents were drifting apart about this time and their marriage of 26 years ended in 1978. By this time nothing seemed sacred anymore and a hopeless feeling slowly overcame me. Despite personal problems, I was able to graduate from CSU Fullerton in 1979 and began my career in accounting. 

With my hiring at Apple Computer in 1981, selfish experiences continued their reign in my life. But since jobs come and go, my high flying career stalled when Apple Computer consolidated operations and I was left without a high paying job after four years. In this hopeless situation with a lousy job and a recent dirt-bike accident, God got my attention once again. I was taken to a charismatic church where the pastor was once a successful business man. Free expression of worship was new to me but it was what I needed at the time to jump start my spiritual life. Unfortunately, I married a lady at this time who thought hand waving was equated to godliness. Jesus had a lot of things yet to teach me. I discovered that the Holy Spirit was not the author of chaos but of righteousness, joy, and peace centered upon Jesus Christ. 

After nine months at the Eagles Nest, I left for Calvary Church of Santa Ana where the Bible was being taught. Again I had to learn to keep my eyes on my Lord Jesus Christ instead of a dynamic pastor. When he was discovered in sin and removed from the pulpit, Jesus taught me not to be a witness about a particular church or pastor. After six years at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, I'm currently a member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Jesus brought me through these situations to teach me to be His witness and servant. People will disappoint you but Jesus Christ will always be with you throughout the ages. God has graciously allowed me to serve Him in two counter-cult ministries whereby we lead people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

In 1998, God graciously brought Trinidad into my life and we were married on June 3rd of the year 2000. We maintain memberships at both St. Andrew's Presbyterian and Holy Family Cathedral in the city of Orange. Trinidad has introduced me to ministries such as The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the 2nd Harvest Foodbank where needy families can obtain food in their time of need. It is truly a joy to help people in their time of need thereby glorifying God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2001 was a time of testing for both of us. Trinidad lost both of her parents but Jesus Christ sustained us through the trials. It was during these trials that St. Andrew's called me to serve as a Deacon. God will always equip you for the ministries that He wants you to partake in. Yes, Jesus Christ has truly brought sustaining life now and eternally to us and may He bring sustaining life to you also.

--Lance Stewart Ferm

(His website can be found at http://www.truthandgrace.com)