I was raised in a Buddhist family, but fortunately, my parents registered me to study at a Catholic school. I fell in love with Jesus there in elementary school, and whenever I looked at the cross I couldn’t help but wonder why people would have persecuted Him. Jesus lived such a righteous life; He taught people the truth.

Before meeting Him I never imagined that there could be a person with such a heart to love and forgive others even to the point of death. Because of that sacrifice I wanted to follow and obey Jesus, and so I kept asking my parents to allow me to be baptized all throughout junior high school. It wasn’t until high school that I finally received permission. So, I studied the catechism when I was 16 years old and was baptized at 17. I was happy in my faith until I came to the United States in 1998.

Everything was so different in the U.S. I not only experienced culture shock but also confusion with the freedoms that people exercised regarding relationships and morality. I had been raised in a protective environment, so whether I was going to school, visiting family, or working in my family’s store I was never really exposed to harsh the realities of life until the Los Angeles riot of 1998. I also started to make new friends who I discovered would often sleep around with each other. That sort of behavior made me feel uncomfortable, but I also felt lonely being away from my parents and the people whom I loved.

In 1999 my family ran into financial problems and I felt that Satan truly exploited the stress of that situation by attacking me at that time. My atheist roommates began challenging me with questions about the Bible. My faith was strong, but my knowledge of the Bible was not, so I had very few answers for them.

Meanwhile, some protestant friends asked me to visit their church. The contradictions of the two faiths caused me to wonder, ‘in which place is Jesus actually at work?’ Nothing prepared me for all the many denominations within Christianity. At one point, I went to two different churches every week for 6 months trying to understand the difference. I also started reading various theology books which lead me to analyze my faith in God and Jesus. I constantly asked tough questions to each pastor I met. I wanted so badly to understand why there are so many different doctrines for one God.

In the midst of my search for the truth I experienced the most passionate prayer sessions. I often cried out to Jesus in agony asking, “Jesus, just let me be like Thomas and please show Yourself to me! I want to know where You are—I want know who You are!” It was in 2000 that a friend of mine invited me to a Providence church. At first I was still skeptical whether there was anything left in the Bible to study. I had read so much already and heard it all before. Could this Bible study really answer my questions about life and faith? I soon realized that God himself had lead me to the Bible study on the Berkeley campus.

I look back at studying the 30 Lessons Bible study by Teacher Joshua as the best time of my life; I have never felt so close to God. I remember having a vivid dream in which Jesus approached me and gave me a hug, yet He was wearing modern clothing. I felt overjoyed that God chose me to understand Jesus and the Bible on a deeper level than I ever thought possible.

For a while I only knew about Teacher Joshua from other people’s stories about him. The moment finally came when I met him in London in late 2000. It’s hard to describe the moment; for me it was intensely spiritual, and I’ll never forget it. Everyone was trying to get a moment to be near Teacher Joshua. Because I was new I was given the chance to greet him during a song. I felt a bit overwhelmed, but I’m not ashamed to say that I started to cry. I prayed in that moment, asking God to open my spiritual eyes. Its difficult for me to describe what I saw next, because it happened spiritually. What I saw was the same spirit of Jesus right there next to Teacher Joshua. I’ll never ever forget it. To this day I am infinitely grateful to God for showing me that sight. As a skeptical person by nature, I would never have believe it if I did not experience it myself.

This year will be my 7th in Providence. Having spent a good part of my life searching for truth I can easily say that there is no other faith that is so pure, so clean, and so beautiful as the faith I discovered in Providence. Providence people are those who have been transformed into lovers of God, and sweetened by the fragrance of affection, passion, and determination towards God. There is a added maturity and degree of intimacy in their union with God that perplexes Christians in much the same way Christians once provoked the Jewish faith. I can truly testify that I am a changed person.  I once was out of step with God’s will, ignorant of the spiritual world, and sorry for my distant relationship with Jesus Christ. But, Teacher Joshua opened up the Bible to me in a way that wiped away the generations of preconceived ideas, misinterpreted doctrine, and restrictive dogma that shrouded my faith.

I remember myself as a child when one day I made a promise to Jesus that I would be just like that disciple at the cross promising to defend Him and his church. I will keep that promise, though I fail to comprehend how people can judge evil a righteous man like Teacher Joshua. I pray for people like you who read my testimony: think deeply about Jesus’ time period! Put yourself into the gospel and imagine your response. How would you judge Jesus when He let Mary Magdalene—a woman thought to be a worthless whore—come so close to Jesus as to touch Him and clean His feet? How would you react to the obvious rumors that would be certain to circulate?

Non-religious types attempt to destroy Teacher Joshua’s reputation because his teaching is beyond reproach. Religious types attack Teacher Joshua’s theology because they are close-minded and judgmental people, fearful of losing their influence and happy to finally have an enemy in the flesh. Do wicked cults flourish? No, they are flashes in the pan before dying out. Providence is stronger every year—for over 30 years now. It started with one person and now spans the entire globe. If Teacher Joshua is guilty God will judge him and leave him to the consequences of sin. Yet, Providence grows strong, produces Godly men and women who prosper in life. I tell you plainly that Teacher Joshua is a man directed by the hand of God. Would you be so foolish to risk striking at him when it could mean striking God’s hand too? Has this world learned nothing from studying history? The righteous people sent by God are always labeled heretics and persecuted viciously—it happened throughout history and it is happening again now. Read the Bible deeply and recognize the pattern. Before you make comments about Teacher Joshua listen to him speak and pray deeply about what you hear.

May all the glory of this testimony be for God and the Heaven on earth that surrounds those who love Him with all their heart, soul and life.

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27-28 (New International Version)

Written by: Anonymous