...out of darkness into the light!
Mar1949… born to Bernice Marie Carter in Shreveport LA. I do not know my biological father but madear married Willie Porter soon after my birth and he gave us his name. He is the man who cared for me and I call him daddy.
Daddy and madear took me and my siblings to church. I learned the stories of the Bible at an early age.
During my early teen years I made “a” confession and I was baptized because I truly did believe Jesus died for sins and that he resurrected from the dead.The problem was none of that related to me personally.
During those years I was sexually abused by a family member and grew up confused and angry!
I learned to play the clarinet and tenor saxophone in junior high school and music became my life. After graduating high school I started playing night clubs, picked up the bass guitar and never looked back.
I began to pursue a life of sexual immorality and drug use trying to quench the raging fires of hell that had been ignited in my body.
I served 30 months in Germany as a soldier in the US Army while playing bass guitar in night club bands on weekends. After the military I moved to Atlanta GA and started my dream band. I was always a church member who lived on my own terms until I lost all of my material belongings including my apartment. I was homeless until the church I was attending at that time secured a room for me at the Butler St YMCA Atlanta GA.
Sept1982… while walking the streets of Atlanta GA pondering the failures of my life I literally stumbled upon Carver Bible College and Institute.
Jan1983… enrolled for classes at Carver not because I was called to ministry but because I was in darkness looking for light. I quickly learned that I was dead in the darkness of sin. Though I knew and believed Jesus died for sins; I didn’t know He died for my sins because I didn't know I was a sinner.
Holy Spirit shining the light of Jesus into the darkness of my dead in sin soul enabled me to personally acknowledge my sins and confess Jesus as my Savior from sin and give my life to Him as LORD.
May1986… one week after graduating from Carver College,
I was blessed with the hand and heart of Patrica Ann Farrow.
Before she went to sleep in our LORD we were blessed with
Charmaine Patrice 6/87, Sarah Noel 12/88
and Charles Samuel 4/92.
Jan1996… began a life of adventure in the darkness of
widowhood that only the LORD Himself could carry me through.
I never asked for the adventure of raising and caring for 3
children on my own… that’s what our Father has done through
this unworthy image of God male that i am! I am blessed by the
amazing grace of the living Lord of the Light to know that my children are walking in the truth 1John3:4.
I never sought to preach or teach God’s Word… though there is no doubt the LORD led me to Carver; NOT to train as a preacher or pastor but to live in the Light of God’s Word. The godly men and women images of God at Carver College opened the Bible to me. Through personal time with the living God of the Bible… His Word is become His Lamp to my feet, and His Light to my path”.
After years of ignorance and arrogance, living deep in the darkness of sin I consider myself unworthy of the great love, rich mercy and amazing grace of the living God. Yet He counts me worthy as He daily creates in me His desire for His life that constantly draws me into the marvelous Light of His Word
Yesterday… I was the image of God living in darkness, I have seen His great Light.
Today… by His grace and the mighty power of Holy Spirit I proclaim to all human male and female images of God living in the darkness of sin and death … The LIGHT Comes!
Bernice and Willie Porter
Madear and Daddy
...because JESUS LIVES, I live! John14:19
Minister Charles Sanders Porter
The LIGHT Comes Ministries, Inc
BA in Bible ~ Carver College
(Formerly Carver Bible College and Institute)
Atlanta GA 1986
MACS
Luther Rice College and Seminary
Lithonia GA 2016
Current serving...
Lay Minister Atlanta Bible Baptist Church, Decatur, GA
New Testament Professor Carver College, Atlanta GA