Leadership

Keith Parmelee

Garden Grove, Living Spring Church

Briefly describe your testimony of coming to Christ…

During my high school years I had walked away from church but still felt a connection to Christ. During my first year of marriage, my wife had persuaded me to attend an evening church service with her. At that service communion was offered and I felt God inviting me to go forward and take communion even though I had not really been living as a Christian should. I sensed God saying to me, “I am about to become real to you and an important part of your life.” I accepted that invitation and asked Jesus into my life. That was the start of an awesome journey and He has been with me ever since. I cannot imagine my life without Him.

Briefly describe your understanding of God’s calling on your life…

I tell people that becoming a pastor was my “mid-life crisis”. I had worked in the business world for about twenty-five years, and while successful, I never felt any sense of fulfillment. It was about ten years into this business career that I sensed God saying to me; “I have allowed you to do everything you have wanted to do; are you ready for what I have for you?” It was at that time that I knew God was asking me to go back to school and prepare for work within His kingdom. The “crisis” for me was that the call was so strong I could no longer delay the decision. Once I said yes to this call I have enjoyed the sense of having a purpose within my life and the joy of helping others discover the truth about God.

How did you come to the Free Methodist Church?

For me, this is a return to the Free Methodist Church. I was with the Free Methodist Church that I first received Christ back into my life and my call to preach and teach the word of God. For the past twenty years I have been serving in a sister denomination. This past year my wife and I have been attending at Living Spring Church in Garden Grove and have sensed God’s invitation to call this place home and to continue our service to Him. As I have been relearning the values of the Free Methodist Church I am reminded of what it was within God’s kingdom that first attracted and compelled me to surrender my life to Jesus Christ