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A TESTIMONY FROM PASTOR WEST:I’d like to take a couple minutes of your time to introduce myself. My name is Dennis Michael West. I am married to my beautiful wife Cheryl West, and I have two amazing daughters Hannah Rene and Naomi Lanee...
Now, let me tell you how I got here. I was born in Bellflower, California in 1966. Two months after I was born, my family packed up and moved from Compton, California to Pomona, California and my life begins (smile)... It was in Pomona that I attended Elementary, Junior High, then went on to graduate from Garey High School. While in High School, I worked for my father Pete West at the Mt. San Antonio College Educational Service Center as a tutor for people needing help getting their high school diplomas, and I picked up a few small gigs as a pretty good young D.J. After High School, with the help of my mother Laverne West, I was able to get a job at General Dynamics (an aerospace company in Pomona) as a Distribution Clerk and continued as a D.J. on the side. However, after working for four years from 1984 to 1988 at.... no, excuse me for General Dynamics my career or my business as a D.J. and now Nightclub/Party Promoter had began to take off. When it took off, so did I.
I quit my job at G.D. to pursue what I loved and knew I could succeed at. Now, up until this point I was an O.K. kid. I went to school, I worked, and I even went to church on occasion. But, living in a neighborhood like mine, of course I got mixed up in a little trouble here and there... O.K., maybe I even started a little too... Anyway, on to the rest of my testimony, like I said, my promotion business began to grow. For the next 14 years I worked as hard as I could. I started promoting Nightclubs all over Southern California, Las Vegas and Utah. I was now able to give parties for (or) with a large number of “Top Notched Celebrities” from the NBA, NFL, Boxing World Champions, Television Actors, Motion Picture Movie Stars, Super Models, and the list goes on.
I could give you a considerably long documented list of these celebrities and the events from Beverly Hillsto the Strip of Las Vegas, but that’s not the point. The point is I did all this with one goal, and one person in mind. That person was me.... ME, ME, ME, that’s all I truly thought of was me. Don’t get me wrong, surely I did a few good things along the way over those years, but not the things that really mattered.
In March of 1998 a child was born unto me, my gorgeous daughter Hannah Rene. Of course that touched my heart and slowed down my “Fast Lane” lifestyle a little. But then in 1999, I began to feel a stronger tugging at my heart. I came to find out that the tugging on my heart was from another child that was born unto me over 2,000 years ago. This child’s name is above every other name, His name is JESUS.
Yes, JESUS CHRIST the son of JEHOVAH, THE MOST HIGH GOD.
It’s funny, I had heard the message and said the words, “I accept Jesus as Lord of my life” long ago but this time it was different. He began revealing Himself to me. I couldn’t stop thinking of the Plan of Salvation and how He came down from heaven to earth to die a brutal death so that by the shedding of His precious, blameless blood it would cover all my sins, wrong doings, and selfish ways.
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteous of God.
From this act of selfless love that I couldn’t understand, I began to see my life as it truly was, MEANINGLESS WITHOUT HIM. All of a sudden, nothing else mattered. I started reading my bible more and more and falling deeper and deeper in love with this man named Jesus (God Himself) who had done this thing for me. I then learned what it was He wanted from me. HE wanted me to go into all the world and share this story of my life, which is actually not just history but HIS-STORY. He also wanted me to give my life and it’s every resource to people in need just as He did for me.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever shall believe in Me shall not perish but have eternal life.
I admit, even though he assured me that there was great rewards for giving all you have for his account it was still a bit scary. One morning at about 2:30am I was awakened by GOD, as he often does (smile). He poured into my mind thoughts, ideas, and visions of how I could use the gifts and talents He had given me for His purpose. HIS purpose is to save, to heal, to feed the hungry, to educate, and in a nutshell to Love the World (or) His people.
Now the secular Entertainment Company I had built upon for 18 years is no more, and I’m honored to present to you Gospel Vision, which was birthed to do His purpose. I’m so glad that GOD took out my old heart and replaced it with His heart of Love. Since January 2000, we have been privileged to sow, our lives into preaching the Good News, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and to Ministries who do the same in our immediate community and all over the globe. There has been a great exchange, my purpose for His purpose and there is nothing more important.
Gospel Vision has 12 carefully selected Directors on Board and surely each one of them would have their own testimony. However, we all have this one thing in common - Love for GOD and People. That’s why we say JESUS saves - We serve.
Thanks for sharing your time with me.
ABOUT THE CHURCH:
Gospel Vision headed by CEO and Pastor Dennis M. West is headed for their next level in ministry. Gospel Vision Founded in November 2002 is a non-profit organization with a Foundation status, whose initial goal is to raise and distribute funds to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, and to witness and evangelize through life changing Gospel Events, like “Community Issues Prayer Breakfast”, “Lunch-N-Gospel Hour”, Gospel Jazz Concerts, Stage-Plays, and more commonly known for “Gospel meets Clean Comedy Live”, a family oriented event, successfully designed to bring people together of all walks of life. These gospel events have filled arenas throughout Southern California, Las Vegas Nevada, and had made its residence at the Fontana Civic Auditorium for over 2 years consecutive, where it grew to over 1,000 people in attendance.
Through these events, West says, we have the privilege to give the ultimate invitation, which is Salvation through Jesus Christ. We’ve witnessed to the thousands and seen hundred’s of souls come to Christ. In addition there has been healings, relationships restored, and we’ve provided encouragement to all that come.
However, its time to Go to the next level, says Pastor West, we know there is much more to be done. This is why we have been called to develop the “Gospel Vision Christian Center” located at 9239 Utica Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga Ca 91730, which was formerly the Abundant Living Family Church Sanctuary.
The new “Gospel Vision Christian Center” will include the Good Steward Day Care, a loving Christian day care from 6am to 6pm, a Business Center, Conference Center, and Church. We’ve kept the same formula, and plan to continue to use Comedy, Drama, Gospel Artists, Choirs, Mime(s), Praise Dancers, etc… but, because there is much more to being a well rounded Christian than just being saved, Pastor West will be delivering powerful messages and illustrated sermons on “How to Live Victoriously” using Kingdom, biblical principals.
In the past six years Gospel Vision has had success in their ministry, which is proven by the changed lives. "So, all we are really doing," states West, "is increasing the amount we do!"
On the horizon, we have our Magazine publication, Television programs and our new Web-Cast, and so we are really excited!
FOR MORE INFO: 909-948-5777, or visit our website at
www.GospelVisionLive.com
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