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MAN DELIVERED FROM HOMOSEXUALITY & HEALED OF AIDS

By KHRISTI L. ADAMS

East Brunswick: It was a little over a year ago when I saw Matthew C. Manning in a television documentary entitled, “Twice Saved: The Matthew Manning Testimony”. I became increasingly involved as my eyes and ears began to gather information about his intense experiences. I listened as he re-told his story and actors re-enacted every moment. Can this be? An avid unbeliever living in the Castro district of San Francisco individually experiences the light of Christ Jesus, then walks a path of deliverance from homosexuality just to discover he has AIDS. However 5 years later, with 24 hours left to live, his AIDS goes into remission in which months later God miraculously heals him completely, testing HIV negative on both tests ever since. What’s a little more convincing of the validity of his story is it being accented by his non-churched facets. He wasn’t cultivated in a “church” culture, but history of his relationship with God is solely based on direct experiences. The question remained: Should I take the skeptic route or investigate the possibilities? I thought this was worth investigating. Off to California!

Upon arrival in the renowned San Francisco Bay Area, I made what I dub, a “faith call”, to Lighthouse World Evangelism Ministries, informing their general voice mail of my recent 3,000 mile journey to inquire of the one they call Pastor Matt (and of course visiting for my own leisure reasons also). Not expecting an immediate response, I received a call back within the hour directing me to a nearby Johnny Rockets in which Pastor Matt and his wife Christa were dining. As I entered the quaint dinner, I noticed the man that I saw on the television set so many months before. I wanted to introduce myself and tell him how I saw his documentary on television, converse with him and ask him the questions that had been on my mind. However when I confronted him all that I had desired to utter was somehow stuck in my mind and only able to come out in the form of “Hello”. Pastor Matthew was confused. He assumed that I was there to seek counseling from my own personal struggles from homosexuality.

“Would you like to go somewhere and talk?” he asked.
“No”, I responded.
“Are you comfortable talking to me about it here?”
“Talking about what?”
“Wait, why are you here?” he questioned.
He couldn’t comprehend how or why I would be as interested in his ministry and ministering to homosexuals as much as I was and I had never struggled with homosexuality. (I could see why though. It is a bit weird.) Pastor Matthew did most of the talking that afternoon. I just listened, though, he didn’t have to re-tell the story that I heard on the television set. The more he spoke, the more I believed. There was something different about this man. Something piercingly authentic. Something subservient and meek. His words were sharp and penetrating. He had this peculiar way of making me feel exposed and thirsting for immediate change. Instantaneously, I became a believer: A believer in the ultimate power of Christ to resolve the naturally unattainable.

It’s been an honor to be trained under and to have the opportunity to help Pastor Matthew launch the ministry that God has given him. I could say that it was my inquiry that opened those doors of favor so many months ago, but I realize the steps that I thought were mine had been prearranged by God long ago.