“Look at Yourself son...”
Hello friends. For years I’ve wanted to write a book about my life with The Lord. I finally realized not long ago that I don’t have the time or talent. I also realized that the songs He’s given me over the last forty years & the studies in His Word over the last 30 years -are in fact, my life’s story. I have 100+ songs & hundreds of Bible studies to testify of His love & mercy. You’ll find a lot of this work on the site. I am not an important person, but the things Jesus Christ has done for me are very important & I hope they are good for your life.
I was born in 1968 & raised in raised in Union County, NC. I had a wonderful childhood with a close-knit family in a great little neighborhood. My dad was a preacher since before I was born. He went to be with The Lord in 2015. At a young age he taught me about Jesus. He said that when I was born, he prayed to The Lord saying that he didn’t know what to do with me –how to raise me. The Lord taught him to treat me the way The Lord had treated him & my daddy did just that. In my youth I went almost everywhere with him –always to church; & so I learned about The Lord very early. I came up in an environment where The Lord was always respected & His Word was the authority. All of my early correction was taught to me through Bible stories & Christian examples.
On March 11, 1979, we were in a Gospel meeting in Pineville NC. I had been to church many times & even caught myself saying “amen!” to the preachers. I understood what Jesus did for me because I was taught well BUT I had never experienced His saving Grace until that night. The preacher was preaching & all I could think about was that he had a really big nose! I was just a child. That message moved The Spirit of God in me like I had not experienced before. Next, I found myself at the altar –the front of the church, crying. I was only 11 years old, but The Lord washed my conscience & assured me that I was His. For the next 4 years, I was in love with The Lord. I knew Him & I knew that He knew me. That innocent start would give me a good foundation for what was coming.
In January 1981, I went to public school; I had only attended Christian schools since K5. I learned fast that the environment was much different. I soon followed them into all the common sins: cussing, fighting, stealing, drinking, etc. I met a girl in 1982 & shortly afterward, fornication would become the event that caused me to turn from The Lord. Between the ages of 15 to 29, I also chased alcohol & drugs: I wrecked my life. My teenaged years were filled with heartache –brought on by a lust for ungodly things. In my 20’s I married & divorced the wrong person as a result of my sinful lifestyle. Years of heartache... mostly because I knew my heart wasn’t right with Jesus.
At 19 years old, being a country boy & having found a love for poetry in high school; I started writing songs as a coping mechanism for the miseries I had brought on myself. Soon I learned to play guitar so that I could get the music out of my head, then I realized that I would have to sing them myself to say what I wanted to say -so I took up singing. I learned everything I could about singing & publishing music from 1985 until 1997. From 1991-1997 I played country music for 3 different house bands in Charlotte. I became a “professional amateur” but my bad habits & laziness ruled out music as a career. In 1997 I was fired from a successful band –being both devastated & relieved. At 29 years old, I was at a crossroads. I needed to either move to Nashville & pursue the music industry full time or do something else. At the same time my grandma was having serious health issues. My idea was to spend some time with her & then move to Nashville. As soon as I moved back to Monroe, The Lord Jesus started working in my life a lot & this time it was different from childhood. I was a grown man who needed a lot of forgiveness. Over a 4 month period in 1997, Jesus changed my whole life. My dad was teaching Bible Studies & my pastor loved me in spite of all I had become. The Lord overwhelmed my life in so much that all I wanted to do was talk about Him & learn about Him. I thank Him for my teachers.
I tried a few times to preach when I was all alone. I was enrolled in seminary by this time & knew how to make a good sermon outline; I understood presentation, but I couldn’t get satisfied with the delivery or result. For many years before this I had been the front man in a band, directing crowds of people, making announcements, showing off singing & playing –but I could not make it through one Gospel message, even with no one else in the room. I knew that The Lord had not yet “called me” to preach. Much of my life had been about “rehearsals” for a show but this was different: I needed God’s permission for this job. On July 17, 1997, knowing He is Sovereign; I asked Him to either let me preach or kill me. I took a break from praying to cry awhile & 12 words came to mind, “Look at yourself son, only a preacher would do what you’re doing”. I stood up from there a preacher. Over the next 13 months I preached wherever I could, mainly at my home church on Sunday nights, honing the craft. I knew why I was born. I don’t like to say “God called me to preach” because I don’t want to sound like I think I’m so special that He would call me. I don’t like to say “He said I could preach” because I don’t want to sound like I think I’m so special that He would let me preach. The simple truth is, I was stuck in a prison between two lives & that night His Word came to me & gave me a reason to live –preaching. All of my blessings in life are based on this purpose.
August 8, 1998, I got a job offer at a sister church to run the music program & teach the teenaged Sunday School Class. It was my way out of singing in the bar & my way into full time ministry. I jumped at the chance. On Sunday, August 30, 1998, I went to work at Crossroads Baptist Church. Little could I have known that only 7 weeks later, the pastor would resign. The men of the church had a meeting on October 19th & I left that meeting chosen by the elders to be their new pastor –I’m still astonished by that event. On November 1, 1998, the church voted & ordained me for service to them. I still serve at The Lord’s pleasure & at their pleasure today.
December 1, 2001, I married the love of my life –the one Jesus made for me. We have 4 perfect children, 7 perfect grandchildren (so far), & will soon celebrate our Silver Anniversary. My wife & children are faithful servants to God’s people in the ministry & they all belong to Him. If not for God’s intervention, I could never have had a wonderful family because I would've destroyed my life. I thank Him so much for sparing them from what I was.
December 8, 2001, I was asked to serve as the principal of Fellowship Christian School –the grade school associated with my home church. This work has been almost as great a privilege as pastoring. We have seen hundreds of kids come through the school & have gotten to teach them all something about Jesus –as I was taught as a child.
Ministry has been a wonderful adventure, even when it’s miserable. Through the years many ministries have spawned from our fellowship, a few survived & most did not. I have seen people turn to The Lord & find their beautiful lives: I have seen most turn away & suffer. Ministry is the greatest & hardest thing I have ever done but it is the result of my purpose. The goal is to love God’s people the way He loves me.
I hope He can use my life for His Glory until the last day. There is nothing more important than knowing Jesus & knowing Him well; that is all we take with us when we go. I hope my life & studies will be good for your life.
Pastor Chuck March 4, 2026
