World Renewal International

Wayne says that when he awakened in the hospital and they let him go home, he assumed he had not killed anyone. He was bruised and sore and knew he had made a horrible mistake. “Most of my life was spent following the ways of the world. I was aware that others were involved in some form of worship but I myself never saw the need or had the desire to get involved in anything like that. Besides, I considered anyone who needed God to be weak and that was all right for them but not for me. After all if I was wrong, I never did anything that was that bad, so if this forgiving God existed I was good enough anyway. Thinking this way led me down a path of destruction that only affected me but also caused pain to others. I was always able to justify and rationalize my behavior, at least to myself. Today, I know I was in a state of denial.”

“At the age if 49 I was on the verge of my third divorce, I was drinking heavily, something which had started at the age of 13.” After an afternoon of drinking Wayne had a serious car accident. He hit a jogger. He said, “Not being in control of my faculties I did not know if I had injured or killed someone.” The truth was he had severely injured the female jogger who he would latter face in court.

Mr. Phelps states, “Reflecting on my past I began to realize there was something wrong with the way I conducted my life. A few days after the accident I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The next morning my wife, Roberta, announced that she was going to church. I asked her if she minded if I would join her.” Roberta called several churches that Sunday morning trying to find out the time of services. One church answered the phone, Willoughby Hills Friends Church just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. He read in the bulletin about a marriage rebuilding class. They attended and their lives began to change.
Three weeks later, Renewal and I were scheduled at the church Wayne and Roberta were attending. I remember Wayne walking down in front of the church in that 8:15 service and saying, “That man in your story, Jerry, that’s me, that’s my story.” “It was then I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, September 22, 2002.”
The next day he walked into Pastor Adrian Halverstadt's office and told him he had made a commitment to Christ the day before. He confessed, however, that he did not know what that really meant or how to pray. Pastor Adrian, a long time friend of this ministry, knew how to pray and knew how to encourage Wayne. He became a wonderful mentor to Wayne.
Since that day Wayne has been on a quest to learn as much as possible and to share what he has learned. He has had a wonderful ministry in recovery groups like AA and other ministries. I often ask Wayne to join me in preaching events to share his testimony of God’s grace and forgiveness and healing. He says, “I share my story with others and witness whenever an opportunity arises. Currently, my mission is in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and I am able to share my higher power, Jesus, openly and honestly on a level that others in the rooms can understand.”
After the accident, Wayne lost his license to drive. Roberta or someone had to take him everywhere. Wayne had built a successful business with his father in the west Cleveland area. Wayne’s lifestyle of drinking had put that business in jeopardy of failure.
When the time came for his sentencing, he faced the woman in court he had severely injured in the accident. Wayne turned and face her and apologized taking complete responsibility for the accident. Surprisingly, at least to Wayne, she forgave him. Then she turned to the judge and asked for leniency in sentencing stating that she knew Mr. Phelps was changing his life and she did not want severe punishment. The judge listened to her.
I have witnessed Wayne’s changed life. I have talked to his friends, family and employees. One of the most notable changes is in the way he conducts his business with his sister. Their company tithes, has profit sharing with employees and has several opportunities for the employees to get encouragement in living as well as business related concerns. The business is doing well and Wayne is in the process of turning that business over to his children and looking forward to more time devoted to recovery ministries.
Wayne concludes, “Most of all, I now have a relationship with the Lord. He sees me through the good and bad times. He never gives me more than I can handle. He walks with me and talks with me. His light shines upon me. His love pours over me. He purifies my heart and provides the tools to fight the evil one and He sanctifies.” [Below Wayne Phelps with Gary and Pastor John Rysers at Damascus Friends church last December after Wayne gave his testimony during Gary's sermon. Gary's sermon was the same one that Wayne heard the morning he accepted Christ only now he is part of the stories told.] Wayne will be with Gary and Renewal this weekend in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio and give his testimony in the Sunday morning service.]