WHO IS BRIAN HENRY?o

WHO IS BRIAN HENRY? My testimony!

I was born in Belfast in Ireland, in a religious environment. My dad was saved as a 17 year old. He had been invited to a Four Square Gospel church in the Ravenhill Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was there he heard the gospel and repented, and started following Jesus.

After his marriage to my mother, they attended a Congregational Church for a short while. It was there I was subjected the totally meaningless, unbibiblical, and unnecessary ritual of infant sprinkling. Later my mother was also saved, and we started attending a gospel hall in Belfast.

As an elementary school child I was privileged to hear the gospel, learn scripture verses and have many church friends. I saw many down and outs, drunks and immoral people repent, confess their sins and join the church. But I felt that I was good enough, and didn’t need to repent. I even misunderstood a bible verse to justify my position. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” Luke5:32

However, I found the constant reminder of death by the interminable funeral processions, and Irish wakes that paraded down nearby Milady’s Road, in Belfast Northern Ireland to be very disturbing. As a young child this constant exposure to death caused me great fear. I knew I was not prepared for death, but did not think that I needed to repent.

When I was nine years old Mom, Dad, and my two sisters and I went to live in Africa. Dad had found a good job there, and he also wanted to preach the gospel to the mixed race people. Well, with a two week sea cruise, followed by a land of bright sunshine the “funerals and death” faded and I lived as a very happy chap for three years.

When I was twelve those carefree years ended. I had attended a week long series of gospel meetings at Lancaster Avenue Gospel Hall, in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. A Mr. Lee Spratt was the preacher, and I came under great conviction of sin, and although I had lived a sheltered life, I realized that I was a sinner, by nature as well as by choice. At my bedside that night I believed, repented, and placed my faith and trust in my savior.

Four years later at the age of sixteen I had the joy of following my Lord through the waters of baptism, with my two best friends, Royston and John. My faith was strengthened by attending many Gumtree/Stanger camps near Durban. Preachers such as Ferguson, Levengood and Fleming impacted my life and faith back then.

It is now many years since I made that momentous decision to trust, and obey – the voice of God. You might well ask, “What difference did it make?” Unending peace of mind, peace with God, and an assurance of sins forgiven, and the hope of eternal life with my Lord and Savior. I am truly saved for sure and know it. I am ready to see the master face to face, what about you?