Brian Smith did not have a “Damascus Road” experience like the apostle Paul. Rather, the Lord led him into faith in His Son over time. Brian grew up as a Catholic, attending church weekly throughout his youth. Having been raised in the Catholic church, Brian knew about God and Jesus, but he had no understanding of salvation by faith in Christ alone and was unsaved.
Catholicism taught Brian a works-based (false) gospel, and even though Brian recognized he was sinful, he could not break free of sin by his own power. Like all unbelievers, Brian was incapable of pleasing God through his works.
Thankfully, the God Who is rich in mercy brought Brian out of the darkness and into Christ's marvelous light. Brian became a believer in his late 20s, and upon the birth of his second child, he felt a desire to return to church. Though he tried the Catholic church again, the Lord led him to several other Protestant churches as well.
In the end, God graciously placed Brian's family in a Methodist church, where he first heard God’s word preached and the true Gospel proclaimed. Though he had heard the Bible read aloud before, only now did Brian have "ears to hear," and so he came to believe the Gospel and was born again through faith in Jesus Christ.
Brian received water baptism in June 2003, and has grown in Christ ever since, as the Lord works in him to serve primarily in outreach ministries. As all Christians, Brian desires to serve and please His Lord from a grateful heart, not out of guilt nor shame. Brian thanks the Lord for the opportunity to serve at Verse By Verse Ministry International as Treasurer from 2006-2019.
