MY STORY
WATCH / HEAR MY STORY
READ MY STORY
My name is Greg Key and my life will never be the same because of my life’s transformation.
I was blessed to be born into a solid family that loved me and welcomed me in with open arms. My parents are both very strong believers and active in their lives for Jesus. Being born into this family, going to church was a main part of our lives. So from 9 months prior to birth, I attended Hilldale Baptist Church in Birmingham, Al with them.
When I was a child I use to think that going to Heaven meant going to church and living a good life (like my parents). I remember when I was about 8ish I was talking with my dad about Heaven and church. He explained to me that my church attendance is not what saves– only Jesus holds the key to Heaven. My favorite saying to this is “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to Waffle House makes you a waffle.” 
So when I was around 8 years old I surrendered my life to Jesus and asked Him to be my Savior. I continued to attend Hilldale and be active in my life there. Somewhere along the Jr High / early High School years though I grew disinterested in God & the things of God. Not sure why. There was no tragic or disappointing element in my life that caused it. I had a strong, Bible-preaching pastor, an incredibly good Youth Pastor, and parents who loved me & invested in me.
This apathy came in and my love to follow Jesus went out. I stayed out of trouble, for the most part, though because I had a real fear of my father and my coaches. I loved my sports and didn’t want to jeapordize playing because of doing something foolish.
After graduation, I came to Auburn University to start my collegiate career. No longer a dad or a coach in my immediate life, so really nothing holding my rebellion back anymore. So, as a natural result, I began to live my life in rebellion and contrary to the things Jesus lays out for us in the Bible. For 4 years there was no evidence of salvation in my life other than the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
I had 2 friends of mine who still reached out to me and showed me the love of Jesus in the midst of my rebellion. I had 2 parent who were praying faithfully for my repentance. I had a Holy Spirit that would not give up transforming to me the image of Jesus.
So one day in the Spring of 1997, I was reading my Bible in the book of Proverbs Chapter 19. In verse 5 it says that a false witness will not go unpunished. For the 1st time in my life, I was gripped with the reality of my sin in the presence of a Holy God. I didn’t quite know what the punishment would be, but I had a real fear of the Lord in my heart that day. A few minutes later, I tried to move on and move past the conviction (as I had done so many times leading up to this point) but I couldn’t. Again in verse 9 it says a false witness will not go unpunished. I fell on my face in the middle of my floor (much like Isaiah in the ch.6 when he saw the Lord, or Simon Peter in the Gospels when he realized Jesus was the Messiah). I wept and confessed my sin to the Lord and asked for His forgiveness.
That day I was forgiven, and I told the Lord I wanted to live for Him! God graciously restored me and began to remove the sin elements in my life one by one.
Now, many years later, I have committed my life to serve Him to reach people in this community & around the world with the life changing Gospel He gave to us all. I am blessed to serve Him and see lives changed. May He continue to use us as we serve Him!!
Romans 1:15-16
