Living Word International

I was born in the country of South Africa to Pentecostal parents, who raised me in the fear of the Lord and imparted to me a rich spiritual heritage.
Just like Hannah (the Old Testament Prophet, Samuel’s, mother), who gave Samuel back to the Lord, my mother, whom I love dearly, also dedicated me to the Lord from before I was even born.
Carmen was born in Carmel California. She was raised in the Assemblies of God Church and grew up partly in New Jersey before moving with her parents to upstate NY. It was there also, still living in Cortland NY where she met me… but I am getting ahead of myself.

The apostolic work Dr. John G. Lake founded in South Africa at the turn of the previous century: “The Apostolic Faith Mission,” played a big part in my life and spiritual upbringing. For instance, at 8 years of age, on August 8, 1978, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit while attending a prayer meeting with my parents at our local church. Besides receiving the speaking in other tongues, I also learned to flow in the Holy Spirit there and to function in the gifts of the Spirit and especially in the gifts of prophecy and healing and I have been prophesying and laying hands on the sick from that early age till now.

It was not however until August 8, 1988, during my first year of national service in the South African Armed Forces that I yielded more fully to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the Lordship of Jesus and accepted Father God’s call to devote my whole life to the work of the ministry.

And so in 1989 I received a commission from the Lord while I was still attending Elyon Word Ministries (a ministry training centre in South Africa): “Make known My mysteries to all My children, no matter what their nationality or religious background is.”

It was a very intense time of impartation during which God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, granted me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him and gave me clear insight into what He has to say to mankind in the work of redemption.
This is why then, today still, I emphasize new creation realities and the word of righteousness here in Living Word Ministries. 

I believe that these truths literally form the very foundation blocks of Christianity and I see them as the very substance of the New Covenant and absolutely vital to every Christian’s life.

I believe that these truths were unveiled and made known to me for a purpose: to establish every believer in their faith, and to activate them for the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to all believers by the Lord Jesus Himself just as it also says in 2Corinthians 5:18-21, one of my favorite scripture passages.

God by His Spirit has granted me a strong teaching, prophetic, and healing anointing so I may function effectively in the purpose for which this revelation was entrusted to me and this anointing then also flows freely throughout Living Word Ministries. God is truly confirming His Word with accurate prophetic words, healings, signs and miracles, and many are being released into the ministry.

Since I became a steward of the mysteries of God, I have preached the gospel and labored among Christian brethren in most countries in the southern part of Africa, in Great Britain, Europe and also here in the United States. 

God also opened an effective door of ministry to me, for the sake of His word, in several African nations, and today, as a result, fifty some churches and several orphanages have been planted in the country of Malawi by the local people who saw, welcomed and believed the word of Truth, the gospel of their salvation.

It was in June of 1991 that I moved to the USA.

As I said in the beginning, Carmen and I got married on August 8, 1998, after God supernaturally revealed to me that she is the one I am to marry. I was living in Binghamton NY, and she was living in Cortland NY when we first met.

She was invited to a small storefront ministry to come hear a guest speaker from Africa speak. She expected an African, you know, the national geographic version, someone tall, dark, and handsome, and she was surprised when she found out that I was short, white and stocky, complete with freckles and all… ha… ha… ha… 

But God started doing something in her heart through the preaching of the word, and she tells of how she felt the spiritual shackles of condemnation, low self esteem, and legalistic religious bondage come off as she, with tears running down her cheeks, listened to me preach the word of God for two hours... back then I didn’t know any better and wasn’t used to the American way of doing things.
In Africa we all often preached for long periods of time, and going to an all day meeting on Sunday was the norm, not the exception. We were all on fire with passion for the Lord and lived in constant revival. 

Now I know y’all have tried to domesticate me from the day I came to this country, and I have complied as much as possible, but I have to warn you, I was born a lion, and once a lion, always a lion, so every now and then I have no choice but to let that lion out of the cage… he… he… he… watch out devil! We are not here to play games; we are here to tear his kingdom down!

But let’s get back to talking about Carmen and I. God put a love in Carmen’s heart for me that I still can’t get my arms around sometimes. I may not always understand how she can love me so much, but I sure do appreciate and enjoy it, and thank God every day for His indescribable gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus and for my sweet wife, the greatest gift I have ever been given in Christ Jesus besides salvation.
She has been a tremendous source of comfort and joy and blessing to me over the years, and to all who know her, a real treasure. Carmen is not only a good companion to me, but she is also my co-laborer in the work of the ministry. 

God put a love in her heart for me shortly after we first met, but she had to wait on me to get the same message. It was about 6 years later before I heard God for myself and we finally got married. My only regret is that I wish I was a smarter man, and listened to the Lord much sooner about marrying my sweetpea.

But let me end with this: our life together has been one adventure after another, miracle upon miracle from the day we met, and the most exciting thing about it is that it’s just the beginning, we still have many years ahead of us for fruitful labor in the Lord