Pastor Chad Tvenstrup's Testimony

Devotional

Day 1: Known Before Birth

Jesus shaped your story before your first breath. The pastor grew up in church rituals, reciting prayers and serving as an altar boy. He knew Bible stories but didn’t know the Author. Yet God had already written every day of his life before 1975—even when he wandered through Eastern philosophy and selfish living. [01:13]

God doesn’t wait for us to find Him. He formed Jeremiah in the womb and set him apart as a prophet. He numbered David’s days before one came to be. Jesus pursues us when we’re distant, indifferent, or lost in false beliefs. His plans override our detours.

You may feel your past disqualifies you. But God knew every failure before He knit you together. He chose you anyway. Where do you need to trust that His purpose for your life started long before your first mistake?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
(Jeremiah 1:5, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for choosing you before your first breath. Ask Him to reveal one way He’s been shaping your story since childhood.

Challenge: Write a one-sentence prayer acknowledging God’s sovereignty over your birth, today’s struggles, and future.

Day 2: Empty Rituals to Living Faith

A teenage altar boy performed rituals but never met the Christ he served. For years, church meant memorized prayers and sacraments—not a relationship. It took a gospel-preaching priest to shatter the lie that religion could replace repentance. [02:41]

Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” Head knowledge of Scripture isn’t salvation. The Samaritan woman knew Messiah was coming but needed living water. God breaks through tradition to offer transformation—not improved behavior, but new life.

Many of us treat faith like a Sunday checklist. We sing hymns but withhold hearts. What ritual have you confused for relationship? When did you last let Jesus interrupt your religious routine?

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’”
(John 3:3, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to expose one area where you’ve substituted rituals for authentic relationship.

Challenge: Tell one person this week, “I’m learning to follow Jesus, not just traditions.”

Day 3: Mentors in the Mud

A young teacher felt called to ministry but had no roadmap. His priest-mentor didn’t hand him textbooks—he handed him a pulpit. They studied Scripture, visited the sick, and preached side-by-side. Wisdom came through shared labor, not lectures. [12:19]

Jesus trained disciples by doing life together. He sent them out two-by-two, debriefed their missions, and corrected their pride. Paul told Timothy, “What you heard from me, entrust to faithful men.” God uses flawed people to sharpen each other.

Who has invested time in your growth? Who have you avoided because their counsel challenges you? What step will you take this week to learn from—or teach—another believer?

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
(Proverbs 27:17, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for someone who mentored you. Ask for courage to reach out to a spiritually mature believer.

Challenge: Call or text a mentor (or potential mentor) within the next 24 hours.

Day 4: Our Plans, His Path

The pastor planned to teach high school forever. God redirected him to Florida, church planting, and pastoring. Solomon warned, “Don’t boast about tomorrow”—yet we still draft five-year plans like we’re in charge. [17:06]

Paul tried preaching in Asia, but the Spirit blocked him. A midnight vision sent him to Macedonia instead. God steers surrendered hearts through closed doors and unexpected detours. His “no” today prepares for His “go” tomorrow.

What dream are you clutching too tightly? Where has God rerouted you recently? How might today’s interruption be His invitation to trust?

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
(Proverbs 16:9, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one plan you’ve prioritized over God’s direction. Ask for grace to release it.

Challenge: Write down a personal goal. Under it, write: “Lord, redirect this as You choose.”

Day 5: Great Sinner, Greater Savior

John Newton trafficked slaves until grace ambushed him. The pastor described his younger self as a “Buddhist Christian” blending lies with truth. Both needed the same rescue: Christ’s blood, not self-improvement. [20:33]

Paul called himself the “worst of sinners” to highlight Christ’s patience. The thief on the cross contributed nothing but a cry for mercy. Jesus specializes in saving those who’ve hit bottom.

Where have you thought, “I’m too far gone”? What shame keeps you from approaching the throne? When will you trade self-reliance for desperate dependence?

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
(1 Timothy 1:15, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one specific sin you’ve tried to fix alone. Ask Jesus to apply His finished work to it.

Challenge: Share with one person: “I need Jesus every hour—especially when I fail.”

Sermon Summary

God’s presence weaves through a life lived from Providence, Rhode Island, to ministry in Florida. A Roman Catholic, ritual-filled childhood produced consistent attendance and strong catechesis but left a gap between knowing about Jesus and knowing him personally. College drifting, a flirtation with Eastern philosophy, and a period of self-focus followed, until grief over a grandmother’s devotion and relationship commitments prompted a return to worship. Marriage and blended family concerns led to a move into an Episcopal congregation where clear gospel preaching displaced vague spirituality and prompted a gradual surrender to Christ.

Conversion unfolded as a process rather than a dramatic moment: an unlearning of syncretism, loosing of selfish habits, and a reordering of allegiance toward Christ. Vocational calling emerged amid family life and full-time work, and practical mentorship shaped ministry formation. An apprenticeship model—weekly study, on-the-job training, and incremental responsibility—moved academic study and diocesan formation alongside everyday ministry tasks. Bivocational seasons, seminary coursework, ordination, church planting, and eventual merger framed a pastoral trajectory that trusted God’s providence.

Proverbs 16 reframed every major decision: personal plans existed, but God determined the steps. Relocation, vocational transitions, and congregational shifts carried a theological conviction that God’s sovereignty accompanies the mundane and the decisive alike. The central claim insists that relationship with Christ matters more than ritual, strategy, or status; God persistently invites deeper intimacy whether in private devotion, family life, or shared discipleship.

Men’s ministry and disciple-making receive strategic emphasis as the practical outworking of that conviction: spiritual growth occurs in accountable friendships, regular gatherings, and investment in emerging leaders. The narrative ties the personal testimony of transformation to a broader call for churches to cultivate apprenticeships, mutual encouragement, and gospel-centered accountability. The closing reflection invokes John Newton’s humility—“a great sinner, Christ a great Savior”—as the distilled truth that anchors all movement from bondage to belonging. Prayerful dependence and communal formation aim to keep Christ at the center of every life and every ministry endeavor.

Key Takeaways

1. God was present from the start God’s presence precedes and accompanies every life season, not merely appearing at conversion moments. That presence reframes failures and detours as contexts for grace rather than final verdicts. Practically, remembering God’s prior activity fosters patient obedience and reduces frantic self-reliance. Trust grows when daily choices get interpreted as steps already known by God. [00:41]
2. Head knowledge without personal relationship Religious formation can produce accurate doctrine without relational intimacy; knowing facts about Jesus differs from trusting and following him. True conversion reshapes affections and allegiances, not merely adding information. The hard work becomes unlearning spiritual bricolage and allowing Christ to reorient practices, friendships, and priorities. Seek the knowledge that draws into communion, not just cognitive assent. [02:41]
3. Mentorship shapes practical ministry formation Apprenticeship and sustained mentoring translate theological formation into pastoral practice. Intentional rhythms—weekly study, shared ministry visits, preaching opportunities—turn classroom learning into embodied service. Investing in emerging leaders multiplies fruit and guards against isolation in leadership. Prioritize relationships that demand vulnerability, accountability, and skill development. [12:19]
4. The Lord directs life’s steps Human plans have shape, but God ordains the pathways by which those plans unfold. This conviction allows for bold decisions tempered by prayerful discernment and a readiness to adjust when God redirects. Life’s major moves—relocation, vocational shifts, church transitions—become stages of discipleship rather than mere strategy. Lean into Providence without excusing passivity; act faithfully while trusting God’s guidance. [17:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Opening: sharing a life story
[00:41] - God’s presence from the beginning
[01:13] - Birth and early identity
[02:41] - Ritual upbringing and head knowledge
[04:01] - College drifting and priorities
[05:51] - Eastern philosophy and syncretism
[07:14] - Marriage, family, and church choice
[08:59] - Gospel preaching and conversion
[12:19] - Mentorship and apprenticeship model
[14:04] - Ordination and ministry formation
[14:28] - Move to Florida and new seasons
[17:06] - Proverbs: God determines steps
[18:50] - Men’s ministry and disciple-making

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Observation Questions

What does Proverbs 16:9 teach about the relationship between human plans and God’s guidance?
In the sermon, how did the speaker describe the difference between knowing about Jesus and having a personal relationship with Him? [02:41]
What practical examples of mentorship and "on-the-job training" were shared as key to ministry formation? [12:19]
How did the speaker’s understanding of God’s sovereignty shape major life decisions like relocation or vocational changes? [17:06]

Interpretation Questions

Why might God’s presence in all seasons of life (even before conversion) matter for how we view past mistakes or detours?
How does the distinction between religious ritual and relational faith (as described in the sermon) align with biblical teachings about genuine discipleship?
The speaker emphasized that conversion was a process rather than a single moment. How does this align with or challenge common assumptions about what it means to follow Christ?
Proverbs 16:9 says God "establishes" our steps. What does this imply about the balance between human responsibility and trusting God’s guidance?

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when your plans didn’t go as expected. How might Proverbs 16:9 reframe your perspective on that situation?
Are there areas in your spiritual life where you rely more on rituals or head knowledge than a personal relationship with Christ? What step could you take this week to deepen that relationship? [02:41]
Who has been a mentor or example of faith in your life? How could you intentionally learn from them or invest in someone else’s spiritual growth? [12:19]
What major decision are you currently facing (e.g., career, family, ministry)? How can you actively seek God’s guidance while still making plans? [17:06]
The sermon highlighted accountability and discipleship as vital for growth. Who could you invite to encourage you (or challenge you) in your walk with Christ this month? [18:50]
John Newton’s quote, “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior,” emphasizes humility and grace. How might embracing this truth change the way you approach failures or struggles?

Sermon Clips

35s

#FreedFromSelf

“He loosed me from myself. Right? He loosed me from me striving to be a better person through Buddhist meditation. He loosed me from my selfish living, living for me, living for my own pleasure, living for my own comfort, living for my own reputation, whatever the case may be. And all this time by the way, after I graduated college, was a teacher. My wife was a social worker in her school, I was a teacher in a public school, eventually high school. But he loosed me from all that. And he he did the work in me.”

37s

#GodAlwaysWithMe

“God is always part of their story. So I'm gonna I'm gonna start with the end. God's always part of the story. And so what I'm just gonna share with you my story, but when I look back on it, I I know that God was always there. No matter where I was, no matter what I was doing, God was there. And so when I was born in 1975, on February 7 in Providence, Rhode Island, God was there. And God God already knew me before I was even born. He and he knew every day that was that that I was going to live on this earth, however many more days that is.”

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