Brad Ridge

How Jesus Changed My Life

“I got saved,” my friend told me one day when I was about 10 years old.“

Saved from what?” I asked.

“Hell,” he said.

“Who saved you?”

“The preacher!” 

Growing up in a small, east Tennessee town outside of Knoxville, I was a typical kid – taught to be moral and respectful but out to please myself. My family never attended church, so I had no idea what my friend was talking about that day. I didn't really think anything more about it for years. Nevertheless, it was the first seed of the gospel planted in my mind.

Fast forward about six years when I met my future wife. She did attend church, so I started going with her. My brother had started attending church as well and had made a profession of faith. He also told me, “You need to be saved,” but I still had no idea what that meant. But seeds were being watered.

After attending church for some time, I felt God dealing with me. I realized hell was a bad place. I knew that I did not want to go there, so I walked the aisle. It was years later that I realized, although, yes, God was dealing with me, I had never truly trusted in the completed work of the Lord Jesus to justify me before a Holy God. Once the Holy Spirit came to live within my heart, my desire was not to please myself but to please my Heavenly Father. I had a desire to read God’s word, to fellowship with His people, and tell others about the hope within me. For the first time I had felt justified, not because of anything that I had done, but because of the grace and mercy of my Lord!

My family and I came to Covenant Baptist Church in 2012 after a very difficult time in our lives. God used the people of Covenant to minister to us. I feel this transition was a very important time of spiritual growth and strengthening of my trust in the Lord’s faithfulness. Like everyone else, I have periods of highs and lows in my spiritual walk, but I realize, even when I am not faithful to Him, God is always faithful to me.

My Prayer for Covenant

I pray Covenant will be a body that functions with unity, using the spiritual gifts for the glorification of the Father. I pray the members would grow in our faith and knowledge of our Lord. I pray others would come to know the Lord through our ministries and service. I pray we would consider others more important than ourselves. I pray God would use us in a mighty way, not that we would get the glory, but that His name is made great!