BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

The Multiplication of Seed “Kenneth Copeland became my teacher in the things of God,” David remembers. “Each evening, Jane and I watched another video. We didn’t just listen. When we found something in the Bible, we implemented it. Soon the Word of God was transforming every part of our lives. About a month after we started listening, I wondered if Jesus was alive. If so, what did that mean for me? What did it mean for my family?” Alone in a car on a business trip, David had an epiphany: “Jesus,” he said aloud, “I believe You’re alive. I believe You’ve been raised from the dead. I know what You’ve done for me. From this day forward, I’ll live my life according to what You say in the Bible. And the next time the census comes around, I’m going to check Christian, because that’s what I am.” “I didn’t know what the term born again meant, but I realized something in me had changed,” David recalls. “I was different, but I didn’t know why. On my way to work one day, I heard a news story about the impact of AIDS on the homosexual community and wept. That wouldn’t have been my normal response. I had a level of compassion I’d never known.” Jane’s mother continued feeding them magazines, books and tapes. Each day during lunch with his mother, David shared what they’d learned. She loved it. Although she’d always been a praying woman, she had never heard the things he taught her. The first book David gave her was Kenneth Hagin’s "Authority of the Believer" which had been purchased from KCM. The Good Life Over the next three months, David and Jane spent most of their free time reading the Bible and devouring the materials Jane’s mother gave them. David set his alarm early to read his Bible and pray before work each morning. Growing from strength to strength, they spent the next year in intense Bible study. “I was in a rhythm of learning and developing my faith as a new believer,” David recalls. “I was also learning to hear from God. I felt a strong connection with Kenneth Copeland. I considered myself a son by faith “Our lives were happy and full. Years before, after graduating with a business degree and working in the corporate world in Melbourne, my father had called and asked me to move home and help him with the family business, which had been in our family since World War II. “Jane and I had left Melbourne, returning home to Country Victoria. Dad was happy with my help and he semi-retired. During those years, as I got to know him as an adult, I fell in love with him. The business grew into a multimillion-dollar company. Jane and I had acquired 5 acres in the rural town of Cudgee, a small but beautiful rural town. Our acreage had a gentle slope overlooking a willow tree lined creek.. It wasn’t a place you’d ever want to leave. The Call “That’s why, when I heard the Lord say, 'I want you to go to Bible college in America,' I blocked the words. I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t even tell Jane.” One day, David was on the KCM website when he saw a link to Jerry Savelle. David clicked the link and read an article about Jerry Savelle Ministries International Bible Institute and School of World Evangelism. While he was reading the article, the Lord spoke again. 'I want you to go there.' David shut down the website. For weeks, the Lord continued to deal with David about attending JSMI. Finally, David said, “I’ll go next year.” 'No, I want you to go this year.' Meanwhile, David heard that Kenneth Copeland was coming to Brisbane to hold a convention. He wanted to go, but the Lord insisted he send Jane and her parents. In April 1998, Jane and her parents attended the convention. When Jane returned, she brought with her several materials about Jerry Savelle. David hadn’t told Jane what the Lord had told him. In part, because he knew when he spoke those words it would set things in motion. In addition, he couldn’t imagine how he was going to uproot his wife and four children. How could he tell his dad that he was leaving the business…and the continent? One evening David came home from work and found Jane in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, he said, “The Lord wants me to go to JSMI.” The Rich Young Ruler “I knew it,” Jane said, handing him a piece of paper. “Here’s a list of things we need to fix around the house before we sell it.” David felt nauseous. It was the end of April. To obey God, they needed to be in Texas by August. The circumstances seemed overwhelming. Alone with God, David said, “If You want me to be there, then You need to make it happen.” 20 : BVOV

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