May I share my testimony of God’s extreme grace in personal growth after failure? The 2014 release of my latest book tells it all, Failure Is Not the Final Chapter. - Video

Though shocking perhaps, I’d rather be transparent about my story upfront. Almost twelve years ago, my livelihood in the gospel ministry suffered at a moment of arrest. I watched my entire life crash and burn. Everything I lived, worked, studied, sacrificed, and hoped for in 33 years of fulltime gospel ministry, was blown to bits.

Never did I dream my post-TBC life would include a brief incarceration stay. Never did I realize the extreme length our second chance God goes to dismantle, then reassemble, a purified relationship with Him. Never could I have imagined how God is at His best when my life is at its worst.

As the smoke cleared, I decided to bloom where I was planted, in an 8x8 cell. To survive the harshness of prison, I became a daily Bible study teacher of 30 inmates. The same gospel story lessons I taught decades prior on a Sunday school bus route while attending TBC resulted in salvation for several inmates. As a son of an itinerant Baptist evangelist from childhood, I recognize Spirit-led, God-sent revival. This intra-prison Bible study changed lives through wonders of authentic revival. Hardened convicts were softened to make things right with one another, some exiting the Bible study early in tears to call mother and apologize for past wrongs and hurts to their families. Humility and repentance is not an everyday occurrence in the lives of inmates behind bars. Trust me on that one. Divine and immediate answers to specific prayer needs encouraged us. The presence of God saturated our dorm facility. Correctional officers attended our evening Bible study meetings out of a buzzing interest. Bible study inmates formed a 4-part harmony, gospel quartet, who were asked often to sing for administration staff, and several special occasions. To boot, I personally witnessed 3 unexplainable, “Red Sea” miracles that I share in my book, Failure Is Not the Final Chapter. In addition, I was asked by the Department of Corrections to teach a reading class for illiterate inmates, which I accomplished by constructing phonics flash cards out of old notebook paper, markers, and cut-outs from old magazines. A major victory is that I became the first person in our state’s penal system history to complete an accredited Doctorate level college degree, while incarcerated.

Point is, you think my future ministry plan looked like this when I graduated from TBC as a bright-eyed 23 year old? Hardly. Life journeys us in-and-out of jarring cycles. So, our ability to specialize in ministry depends on an ability to follow God’s lead, no matter where life takes you.

Post-incarceration, I went on to become a National Top Producer of life insurance sales, authored a noted book on it, and today enjoy traveling as an executive-level consultant and professional speaker. As a licensed and ordained minister, I enjoy sharing my testimony in churches on the weekend, so I am fortunate to lead folks to Christ in both worlds – business and church.

My first book, The Perfect Bible, is being utilized as Bible college curriculum, Sunday school curriculum, Bible study material, as well as being circulated in Afghanistan among military officers and troops, to being quoted in national Christian magazines and newspapers. The Perfect Bible is a one-volume library on the history, accuracy, and perfection of God’s eternal Word. It is an easy read, written in layman terms, that represents over 20 years of careful and validated research. To God be the glory, my publications crisscross North America, and stretch around the globe with joyous leap and rush on a variety of successful business, personal growth, theological, and recovery topics. Learn more at www.TroyClark.net. 

Pearls from prison are real-world lessons that taught me God wants us to give Him our worst, not necessarily our “best”. Why? Our “best” is often infected with pride. When God allows devastating events to totally rip pride out of our lives, His extreme grace kicks in immediately. As an Almighty Creator assembles something useful, special, and purposeful, out of a rotten situation (our worst), HE ALONE gets the glory for it, and gains a forever friend. From corporate executives to homeless shelter residents to churches, this is my uplifting message - No matter what page your life is on, rest assured – Failure Is Not The Final Chapter.