The Testimony Of David Hammock

Born, reared and educated in NC to an average, church-going family, David began walking, talking and reading at an early age, and quickly developed a curiosity about all of life. He knew as a little boy that he would one day become a “preacher.” God spoke to David at age twelve and told him that He wanted David to have great faith. Middle school and high school would be very difficult periods in his life in David’s search for identity and significance, despite knowing that God’s hand was upon his life.

Consumed with popularity and athletic success in high school, David grew restless, fearful and uncertain. While in a period of darkness, David was kidnapped in Virginia and taken to New York City. After fleeing from his kidnapper in NYC, David found his way to Teen Challenge, a Christian youth rehabilitation center founded by Rev. David Wilkerson, pastor of Times Square Church in New York City. After returning to NC, David began experimenting with drugs. On February 8, 1972 in the midst of an overdose, he cried out for help and pleaded with God for certainty of salvation, and asked God to restore him to sanity and David was instantaneously delivered.

“I had known my whole life that there was a divine call on my life, but for years I refused to submit to it.” Despite this knowledge, David would complete college, and create his own philosophy of life that consisted of three half-truths that were nothing more than lies: 1- The grace of God is sufficient to cover all of my sins, so I can do whatever I want; 2- If the situation works out the way I want it to, it must mean that I have God’s favor and His will is taking place and; 3- If it feels good, just do it, because God would want me to always feel good. David’s warped value system finally collapsed in 1983.

After being at the absolute “end of his rope,” David realized that he had never truly entered into the truth path of a disciple of Jesus Christ, despite his past commitments and experiences with God. “I looked at my life and said that fruits of God’s Spirit just aren’t there. I missed it. I had experienced the presence of God, the power of God, heard and knew the Word of God, seen and experienced the miracles of God, and recognized the voice of God, but I had never fully walked in the purposes of God that he has for every believer in the Gospel, which are submission, obedience, love, wisdom, faith, fellowship and service.” 1983 was also the year David’s father died. Before his father died, he told David, “You’ve never really walked in true faith, the way faith is supposed to be.” Those words would become a catalyst at the end of a year and a half battle with suicidal thoughts, and satanic oppression, where David finally surrendered to the will of God and he was set free in July, 1984. God confronted David with the question, “Do you just want relief, or do you want relationship?”

“God renewed my call to ministry, quickened the Scriptures, began rapidly discipling me and He gave me a vision for ministry and I began preaching in 1986, upon entering seminary. My heart is that of a REVIVALIST/EVANGELIST. There is nothing more exciting to me in life than to see people have their spiritual eyes opened to God’s truth, and their hearts open to God’s love.

I’m committed to preaching the message of revival until the day I go and live with God.”

David Hammock. Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved.