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Stu Greenberg
A Testimony of God's faithfulness.
I was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family until my teen years when I drifted away and eventually became an agnostic who shunned all religions. After a failed marriage (to a Jewish atheist) and a successful career as a computer programmer, I met a Christian woman who was different than any other I knew. After dating for a year, we were married, agreeing to disagree about God and religion. I not only gained a wife but 3 kids, 2 boys (12 and 7), and a girl (18 months). My family was not thrilled about my choice and were quite cool and guarded towards my new family.
After 6 years, it became obvious that there was something missing in our marriage. After much conversation, we understood that it was God. But whose God? We debated (much of which was at 2 or 3 in the morning when I woke her up with yet another question) and I challenged her with questions like, “why don’t Christians behave well”, or, “Why are they so hypocritical”. Her answers were always straight-forward and, at times, blunt. I once asked her about my Dad who had died right before we met. “Is my Dad in hell?”. She said, “How should I know? I’m not God”. That stunned me into silence. But not for long.
However, after a while Nancy told me “Read the Book already”. Really? Read the Christian Bible? She recommended that I start with Matthew. I was shocked! This Catholic guy named “Saint Matthew” was quoting Jewish Scriptures! I verified each one and except for a small word or two, this Gentile got them right! I read about what Jesus did and what He taught. I read that they actually lived in Israel and went to Temple for the “holidays”. “Hey, wait a minute here… Jesus, His friends and nearly everyone in the New Testament were Jewish….I truly thought that they were all Catholics!”.
After months of reading, asking questions and praying in a journal I kept, I confessed that Jesus was my Messiah. That was in 1990. My mom always said I was a late bloomer!We moved from Massachusetts for my job 6 months later. We found a Messianic Synagogue and stayed for 17 years. We left because of the legalism and because Jesus was not the focus of worship or the teaching. Even the kids were being taught a lot about Judaism, but Jesus was added in where “applicable”. Thank God I was involved in a men’s Bible study that last over 25 years. We studied verse-by-verse. At Synagogue it was all topical.
We ended up leaving the Synagogue and going to a Calvary Chapel in Kennesaw, Georgia. The Pastor taught verse-by-verse. The first time I visited, he taught 3 verses! I was blown away. I was also confronted with worship that was focused on Jesus. I say confronted because I felt so uncomfortable praising Him! This passed with each week. And just like at Synagogue, I got involved with church ministries and eventually began to lead a home group. I always felt a calling to teach, and the LORD was gracious to give me both teaching and leading opportunities.
After ten years I was ordained by my Calvary Chapel Pastor. Then in 2017, I was called to be the Pastor of Calvary Pathway in Crossville, TN, where I serve at the pleasure of my LORD and Savior, Messiah Jesus!
After months of reading, asking questions and praying in a journal I kept, I confessed that Jesus was my Messiah. That was in 1990. My mom always said I was a late bloomer!We moved from Massachusetts for my job 6 months later. We found a Messianic Synagogue and stayed for 17 years. We left because of the legalism and because Jesus was not the focus of worship or the teaching. Even the kids were being taught a lot about Judaism, but Jesus was added in where “applicable”. Thank God I was involved in a men’s Bible study that last over 25 years. We studied verse-by-verse. At Synagogue it was all topical.
We ended up leaving the Synagogue and going to a Calvary Chapel in Kennesaw, Georgia. The Pastor taught verse-by-verse. The first time I visited, he taught 3 verses! I was blown away. I was also confronted with worship that was focused on Jesus. I say confronted because I felt so uncomfortable praising Him! This passed with each week. And just like at Synagogue, I got involved with church ministries and eventually began to lead a home group. I always felt a calling to teach, and the LORD was gracious to give me both teaching and leading opportunities.
After ten years I was ordained by my Calvary Chapel Pastor. Then in 2017, I was called to be the Pastor of Calvary Pathway in Crossville, TN, where I serve at the pleasure of my LORD and Savior, Messiah Jesus!