Title:	Pastor
	Responsiblities:	Oversight of Evangelism, Outreach, Youth
	Date of Birth:	7/20/1963
	Phone:	410-987-3021
	Email:	pkdspence@yahoo.com

Testimony

Looking back I observe different times and seasons in my life where I see God’s calling. First, as a very small child, I remember attending Sunday School and singing in the children’s choir, “Jesus Loves Me”. As a teen, while attending a Nicki Cruz Crusade at the Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Va., I answered an invitation to repent and be baptized. Another season was in my early twenties, I met my wife and was very much attracted to her faith in Jesus Christ.  In my thirties, while attending Freedom Bible College and Seminary, I sensed God’s call on my life to be a shepherd of His flock.

Throughout my life I have experienced God’s personal revelation and with each encounter I am humbled and in awe.  Ultimately, I am changed in the presence of a Holy God.  God is sovereign.  In as many ways as God can use, he does use to draw man unto himself. God used my born again Aunt who was a struggling single mom to rescue my brother and I from the ill effects of an alcoholic home. He used a family in the neighborhood who loved Jesus to shine like a city on a hill. He used Dr Cook, now deceased, and his daily radio program ”Walk with the King”.  He has used the example and love of my pastor to raise me up and provide constant encouragement.  The ways and people are countless and endless because God is infinite.

In 1987, we were personally invited by a Catholic friend who did not attend Severn Covenant Church to a meeting at Severn where Teen Challenge (a Christian drug and alcohol program for men) was presenting. We were so moved by our experience of praise, worship and lives being changed that we kept coming back!

  

I married my wife, Gwinn Spence June 4, 1988 (which was the second best decision I ever made) at Severn Covenant Church. After three years of marriage and a number of attempts to have children, we decided to adopt children which was exactly what God intended for us all along.  In March of 1992, God delivered our first precious daughter. She was 20 days old when we received her with her big beautiful eyes. God had fulfilled one of the desires of our hearts. On February 14th, one of my wife’s favorite days to celebrate love, our second beautiful baby girl was born. We picked her up from the hospital three days later. She was and is our bundle of joy. We had been waiting for our “son” for two years, when God redirected our steps to Armovir, Russia. Our son was almost two years old and four months younger than his closest sister when he joined our family to make our joy complete. All of our children have been dedicate to the Lord at Severn Covenant Church.

In 1999, I realized midway through bible college that God does not place a valuable deposit of His Word and numerous years of  ministry  without a plan and purpose to use for His good and glory. I knew that God was calling me to be an overseer, but more specifically a Pastor and Teacher. I expressed this to my Pastor and he confirmed this in his own spirit and suggested that I present my calling belief to the other elders of the church. The elders agreed with a calling on my life, but first believed there would be a time for training and testing. I was ordained as an elder two years prior to my ordination as a Pastor by Severn Covenant Church in 2004 where I currently serve with deep gratitude and joy.

 

The closer I draw to my Lord, Jesus Christ, the more realization I have through studying His Word and the deeper I grow in love and devotion for His Bride – The Church.  In the Book of Ephesians, Paul explains to husbands how to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for Her; to make Her holy, cleansing Her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present Her to Himself as a radiant Church without spot or wrinkle, but holy and blameless.  In 1 Peter 5, the Apostle Peter appeals to “fellow elders” to be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers, not because you must, but because you are willing. I’m sure, as any other man called of God would testify, it is the highest honor to serve God’s Church. I know by His grace I will love, protect and feed His sheep as long as I have breath.

Other:

music - The way of the Seeker - by Gwinn Spence