Carlos Martinez gave his heart to the Lord as a young man. Yet, he was without a church home or someone to disciple him or help him understand his identity in Christ. He continued to struggle with sin.
“The thing is that a lot of times people receive Him, but don’t have a church or somebody to mentor them. Mine was a beautiful experience, but it didn’t last long,” Carlos told KCM. “It was ‘hell on earth.’ I was not connected to a ministry. Working on my salvation by myself felt like hell on earth because of all the temptations.”
Then, one day, he met a pastor from Montebello, Calif., and Martinez rededicated his life to the Lord. The pastor invited Martinez to a faith-based convention that was happening the following week.
It was the West Coast Believers’ Convention in Anaheim, Calif.
“When I walked into that place, I heard the music and the shouting. I saw happy people, and then a powerful man emerged. I didn’t know who he was, but when I saw him, my heart leaped. It was Brother Kenneth Copeland. I fell in love with his spirit,” recalled Martinez.
He Learned His Identity in Christ
Martinez heard Kenneth Copeland teach about his identity in Christ with foundational truths, such as he is valuable, God is not mad at him, and “the old man is gone;” he has a new identity in Christ.
“He said that I’m valuable, and preached a message about the reality of the new birth,” said Martinez. “I received it. I rejoiced in that. That was over 30 years ago, and you know what? I have not looked back since. I never missed a Believers’ Convention after that.”
As he listened to what Brother Copeland was ministering, Martinez’s spiritual eyes were opened to the truth that he is a new creature in Christ, just as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:16-18.
“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.”
After several years of faithfully serving other ministries, Martinez sensed the Lord leading him to become a pastor. His identity in Christ was becoming more real.
“Today, I look at my congregation and I see police officers who come to my church. I see city officials who show up, and then I see some schoolteachers who come to listen to God’s Word,” shared Martinez. “I laugh because I used to run away from people in those positions.”
Watch Pastor Carlos Martinez share his story:
Martinez attributes his spiritual growth to the teachings of Brother Copeland and KCM, which have always focused on discovering your identity in Christ. “Brother Copeland paved the way for us ministers so that we won’t have to go through challenges and things that he went through. And it’s the same way now with us. We’re paving the way for the next generation.”
Jesus teaches in Mark 4:3-20 that where you plant the seed matters. Martinez enjoys being a Partner with a ministry like Kenneth Copeland Ministries because he knows that he can trust this ministry to do something good with the finances he sows. A place where souls are won, and where the job is getting done.
“You know, a farmer doesn’t just throw seed anywhere. He puts it in good soil. KCM is good soil, and I’m reaping a harvest because of it,” said Martinez.
Have you ever been to a Southwest Believers’ Convention? Join us this year at the Fort Worth Convention Center, July 28-Aug. 2! Registration is FREE.
Immerse yourself in the Word of God alongside believers from around the world and learn how to apply it to your daily life. This event is for the whole family. Bring your children and teens for their own exciting services. Come discover your identity. Register now!
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