I was a sailor in the US Navy, living what I thought was "the good life," enjoying all the world had to offer but my life was empty. However, through the witness of one faithful Christian, my life was given meaning and purpose. Yet, for twenty-eight years, that Christian never knew the influence he had in my life. This is my story—the story of the impact of one Gospel seed.

I was raised in a non-religious home in eastern Pennsylvania. We had no religious faith whatsoever. My dad was an electrical engineer, an agnostic if not atheist. My mother was without faith as well. Consequently, I had few preconceived ideas about any religion.

After high school, having no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I enlisted in the US Navy. Within a year I was stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal, in the Mediterranean Sea. I was working in an avionics workshop with twenty-five other sailors and still had neither direction nor a moral compass guiding my life.

It was in that workshop that a shipmate called me over to his workstation one day and proceeded to share the Gospel of Christ. He gave it almost like a business proposition. There was no preaching, pleading or persuading. He just gave me the facts of the Gospel and prayed for me. I made no profession at that time. In fact, I recall thinking, "Well, I'm glad Jesus works for you." I felt no conviction to give my life to Christ. Little did I know the Gospel seed had been very effectively planted. I continued a typical sailor's life—enjoying the accepted worldly activities of naval life in the foreign ports of the Mediterranean.

In 1985, I received orders to my final duty station for the remaining two years—the coveted Subic Bay, Philippines. Many sailors would give their right arm to get orders to the Philippines. This was a sailor's paradise: the beautiful waters, the weather, and especially the local entertainment waiting outside the gates of the base. I lived this carefree life of wine, women, and song and thought I was having the best time of my life! During that period, I had no further Christian witness.

After five months of "riotous living," I felt a tremendous emptiness and came under great conviction, not only about the way I was living but also about the need for doing something more significant with my life. I should not be wasting it away in the immorality of the bars and clubs of Olangapo City. I became so convicted that I went to the base bookstore and purchased a Bible and began reading it, searching for the Truth that was so deeply convicting me. I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for, but I began reading in the Gospels every night before bed.

After a couple of weeks of reading words that meant nothing more to me than just a good novel, it was as if scales suddenly fell from my eyes. I acknowledged my sinful condition and understood my need for a Savior. I believed! I know I was saved that night, right then and there in my bedroom! I cried tears of joy for almost an hour, knowing I had found the Truth for which I was searching. I felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from my body and soul. The joy was unspeakable!

Obviously, I had a lot of questions regarding my conversion and began visiting a local church off base where many servicemen were attending. After all of my questions were answered, I made a formal and public profession of faith and was baptized in the South China Sea! That was in February 1986, almost five years after I had been given the Gospel by that shipmate on the Forrestal.

Fast-forward twenty-three years. God blessed my life with a godly wife and three wonderful children. I attended George Washington University School of Medicine and received my Physician Assistant degree. God, in His grace, then called me to the field of Uganda to serve as a church-planting medical provider.

In April of 2009, my family and I were attending a missions conference at Valley Forge Baptist Temple when I shared my testimony with a fellow missionary to Uganda, Lawrence Lantz. Afterwards, he asked if I had ever tried to get in touch with this shipmate who gave me the Gospel. In fact, I had never seen nor heard from him since that time. He had flown off the ship just a few months after he had witnessed to me, to be discharged from the Navy. Brother Lantz offered to locate him, and I gave him the shipmate's name: John Knittle.

In less than 24 hours, Brother Lantz had the phone number and town of the shipmate! Incredibly, it was just one hour from where we were attending the conference! I called John the Saturday night before the last day of the conference. I detailed his witness to me back on that aircraft carrier in 1981, of how I was wonderfully saved five years later in the Philippines, and that I was now a missionary on my way to Africa! John was completely taken by surprise. He shed tears of joy, listening to how his faithful sowing of the seed of the Gospel had born fruit in the salvation of my lost soul. For years, I had wanted to say "thank you" to this man who had shared the Gospel with me, and that day I finally got that chance.

That Sunday morning, John and his family drove to the church that was hosting the conference. We met nearly thirty years from the last time we saw each other when I was a lost, wandering soul on that aircraft carrier. We had a great reunion and it was truly a blessing for him to see the fruit of his labor.

Let this be an encouragement to all. If we are faithful in giving out the Gospel, whether it be to friends, neighbors, coworkers or the person at the corner store—God's Word truly does not return unto Him void. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth (Romans 1:16). The power of the Gospel most assuredly can save souls. This Navy sailor was faithful to minister in his own small mission field—an avionics shop aboard a naval aircraft carrier. His faithfulness will someday be rewarded by the Lord Himself, and part of the fruit of my labor in Uganda will go to his account.

Remember, it takes just one believer, faithfully sowing the seed of the Gospel, to change a life forever. I am living proof.

How could God use the power of the Seed in your hands? What impact can you make? You'll never know until you begin sowing!

Final note: Alan Sutphen and his family completed deputation and arrived in Uganda on June 6, 2011.

Friday, May 24, 2013

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Philip & Susan Smith -  CLAIM
Robert Lee & Betty Smith -  MILITARY - RELIEF
Roy & Ellen Smith -  ARM PERSONNEL