Breakthrough Worship Centre

Testimony

I was born in Durban, South Africa, on the 22nd September 1952.  I am the second eldest; and the eldest son of a family of ten children.  Five boys and five girls.  We were for many generations, members of the Roman Catholic Church.  I was very religious & staunch to that Church.

Ever since I can remember, I have had a skin pigmentation called Vitiligo.  This condition imprisoned my mind, and led to many emotional problems while growing up.  Problems such as; low self esteem, inferiority complex and introverted.  I have very supportive parents and family that made every effort in search of a cure.

But there is none. I always wore cover-mark creams to camouflage this condition.

I hated school as I’m sure you can imagine what it would have been like, a spotted child, different from all the others.  As I became older, I feared that no one would marry me. Having already been used in relationships – always feeling that I didn’t deserve this girl in my life – that I had to buy her friendship with many presents, and be her doormat.  After all I was very fortunate that she would even go out with me.  This would end up with me being dumped by her, even after a courtship of two years. However, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

In September 1972 I went on a pilgrimage in Lourdes in search of a miracle.  I didn’t receive one. However, my conscience was appeased in a sense because I saw many thousands of people with far worse problems than my own.  But very soon after arriving home, that feeling, along with all that "positive thinking" disappeared.

In February 1973 I met a beautiful young lady named Daphne.  We were engaged in August 1973, then married on the 21st September 1974.  (The day before my 22nd birthday).  Things were going really good for us. We had our first child Renalda in 1975, Rowyn our second in 1978.  However, throughout this time I suffered severe mood swings, all related to that skin condition.  In February 1973 I had also started working as an apprentice rigger, after having worked for a motor spares company since 1969.

Round about 1979 onwards, God started sending a lot of "born-again Christians" across my path.  I also began to search for, "I don’t know what," at the same time.  I felt like such a hypocrite because I worked with many people who cared nothing about God; nor did they go to Church.  I did care about God and went religiously to Church, yet I hated the garbage that would proceed from my mouth.  

I didn’t know what to do to be a better Christian.  I discussed this with my wife and decided that we should get involved with a "works program", such as cleaning the Church, washing the altar boys vestments, etc.  But then I started a new job at a sugar mill in Mt. Edgecombe, my hometown, and also the mill where my dad worked for 32 years as a blacksmith.

Just two weeks into the job, during July 1981, and during a strike by the Zulu and Indian employees, I got talking to a man named Lawrence about the way I had been feeling for a couple of years.  He started speaking about Jesus in such a personal and wonderful way, that I immediately knew that this is what I had been searching for.  During the next five weeks I gave my heart to the Lord five times before someone told me you only have to do it once.  This was the beginning of my life.

The most exciting time of my life.  Seeing people get "saved" every day of the week.  This was the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.  Many people got healed and also delivered from evil spirits.  God also healed me from all the emotional pain and suffering associated with my skin condition.  I mean I was totally healed!  Not living in denial or positive thinking.  God also told me in those first days that I would one day be a Pastor.  I began to pursue this call on my life, overcoming many obstacles, difficulties, trials and financial lack.

God began to use this once shy, solitary introverted young man in a powerful way as I chose to believe, trust and obey His report about my life.  I now had an identity and a destiny.  In October 1981 my wife also became a "born-again believer".  In November 1981 we welcomed the birth of our third child Marie-Claire.  Then John-Mark our fourth in July 1985.  In December 1985 we immigrated to Australia, then left the Catholic Church and joined a Pentecostal Church in Penrith, N.S.W.  On the 10th April 1987 Luke our fifth child was born.  We have 3 boys and 2 girls.  After two years we purchased our home in St. Mary’s N.S.W. and joined a local Assemblies of God Church.  We lived there for five years during which time I continued to grow in my faith, and was promoted from Elder to Pastor in that same Church on August 25, 1991.  My wife and I would pray with our children as a family everyday.  It was a home Church from the time I became a born again Christian.  My wife and I would also awake anytime after midnight each day to pray together.  On the 3rd April 1992 after such a time, and after returning to sleep, I dreamt that my family and Tony and Theresa Goddard’s family were travelling by bus to a place in Victoria Australia, a place called Ballarat.  There were other details which I noted from that dream; then I awoke.  As I sat at the edge of my bed, I heard the Lord say to me, "You’re going to Ballarat."  I had never previously heard of Ballarat, and I was absolutely amazed when Ballarat was confirmed on the map.  It was not difficult for us to obey this call as God had prepared my wife, Daphne, about a month previously, she would always say to me, "I feel as though we will be moving interstate."  I did not want to accept that.  Nevertheless God will have His way.

During July 1992 we went to Ballarat to "spy out the land."  We experienced two weeks of the worst weather- rain and cold – that we have ever experienced in our whole life.  But nothing was going to stop us. After consulting with the Pastor of the existing A.O.G. Church in Sebastopol, Ballarat, we moved lock, stock and barrel to Ballarat.  We were accompanied to Ballarat by the Goddard family.

On the 14th March 1993 Christian Life Church, Ballarat was birthed.  Fifteen years later, May 19th 2008, Christian Life Church Ballarat changed its name to Breakthrough Worship Centre to better describe the type of people God has called us to be – a breakthrough people.

Never let your past, nor the speculative opinions of others, nor any difficulty you have or are suffering, determine your future, your destiny.  Choose to walk in the paths of the destiny, plan and purpose that God has revealed to you by the power of His Holy Spirit, and confirmed by His word.

My Family

On the 16th December 1995 Jose Fuentes became the husband to our eldest daughter Renalda. They now have three sons and a daughter.  

On the 17th April 1999 Kathy Williams became the wife of our eldest son Rowyn.  They have two sons and a daughter.  

On the 14 February 2004 our second eldest daughter Marie-Claire became the wife of Simon Fink.  They now have one son and one daughter.

John-Mark and Luke are not yet married.