David Gilland

Life Story:

When I was five years old, I participated in a children’s evangelistic musical production our church put on for various neighborhoods. At one point in the presentation, my dad would pick me up as he shared the gospel to the neighborhood community. Those nights I heard, at the age of five, that if I repented of my sins and trusted in Jesus, I would receive forgiveness and eternal life. As I heard that story for several weeks, I believed it to be true and I wanted to respond. One night I called my dad in my room and we prayed. I confessed my sins that night and called upon the name of the Lord. That night Jesus saved me. My parents watched an immediate change of attitude, even at my age. I was more responsive to discipline and joyful. Shortly after I was baptized. God showed himself faithful to me as the years went by and began to develop within me a love for Jesus.

In High School, I grew a deep love for the local church and hoped one day to be serving in a vocational role at some point. As I entered college, I went through a season where I really battled emotionalism and fatalism, particularly through the area of depression. I allowed myself to fixate on the things that I wanted and didn't have and often trusted what I felt rather than what God had made plain in his Word. This, over time, developed in me both a self-absorption and bitterness towards God. In the years that followed after graduation from college, the Lord kindly revealed that my sinful responses were an affront to his sovereign moving in my life. This is because, from my plan’s perspective, I didn't like how my life turned out after college, but God continually showed himself faithful to me.

In 2009, I met Beth and we were married in 2012. She has been used by God as the greatest encouragement to me in my life. We have four children in whom we take great delight and have the great joy of teaching them the truths of the Gospel.

Through all these seasons, the Lord has graciously drawn me to understand the depths of my sin and the depths of his grace. I’ve grown to learn of the great chasm sin creates between God and us. And I’ve grown to marvel at Christ’s sufficiency in bridging that chasm…drawing men and women to love and glorify His name as he continues to make for himself a people of “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).