My name is William Bacon and this is my story of how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It was a long road of discovery and it just proves to me how patient our God is, in waiting for His children to turn to Him…
Born 1969 - Oceanside, CA
1984-1985 Alpha Bikes
At age 13, while working at my first job, the owner of Alpha Bikes played Christian radio non stop. The seed was planted. I feel that this was my first exposure to the knowledge of a Savior. My boss Jerome would always say, “This is fire insurance.” 30 years later when I became a Christian, I called Jerome and told him that it was the seeds he planted. He wasn’t surprised, because he was that intentional.
1985 - I Asked Jesus to Deliver Me
After a horrible bike crash, I lost all the skin on one side of my body. In the pain after scrubbing the rocks out, I was alone and screaming out for a savior. The pain was so great and I need to be delivered from it. I guess what I heard on the radio became of use. As I called out to Jesus, the pain became more bearable.
This was the start of a new chapter in life.
1987 - Vista High School
I spent my High School years working for Haro Bikes, which was a leading company in Freestyle BMX. Armed with this elitism, I became somewhat notorious on campus as the party guy. I found myself hanging with a tribe of people who also wanted to escape things. So many school nights were filled with road trips to Mexico or any other place where we could be free to do whatever we felt like doing. By my senior year I was awarded “Class Partier”
This was the beginning of my years as a lost soul. Read: The Parable of the Lost Son
1990 - Moved to Jackson Hole, WY
1990 - 1998 'Snowboarding to Nirvana'
I spent the better part of the 90’s as a snowboard Instructor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. I was influenced by new-age books that I was reading: Celestine Prophesy, Surfing the Himalayas, Snowboarding to Nirvana, Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance… So I fashioned myself to be a Taoist. Remaining balanced within a duality of forces… yadda yadda. Even though I thought I was enlightened, I had many mountain top and deep valley experiences that left me rattled to the core.1994 - Mountain Top Experience
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1995 - Mountain Top Experience
So while in the midst’s of realizing everything I had ever dreamed of, I got my senses rocked on top of the mountain! GOD showed up! I had set myself up to do my dream line on Meteorite Mountain in Valdez Alaska, which is the prominent 6,565-foot glaciated mountain summit located in the Chugach Mountain range. As you drive down the mountain pass it beckons to every skier and snowboarder who have ever laid eyes on it.
The night before we were to do a photo-shoot on it, I awoke to a blazing Aurora Borealis. I was camping in a Motorhome right next to the helicopter, and as I stepped out to see the show, my heart dropped. The sky appeared to have two orbs forming, like eyes from heaven looking down at me.
What I felt as I looked up, was a sense that God was examining me, “Who did I think I was? Why was I aspiring to become famous with this effort to shred Meteorite? Who was I trying to impress?” I was a small ant looking up at a giant, and I was HUMBLED! I felt that I my vain efforts weren’t to please Him. It was just my selfish ambition.
Pictures of Meteorite
September 4th, 1998 - My crown my victory
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
William and Christine get Married
For all that I did to shy away from God, to go at it on my own, He never gave up on me. He leaves the 99 in search of the one. I finally gave in to His invitations to have a personal relationship with Him. And it started when he gave me the most precious gift any man could ever be given. My helper, my better half… my bride.
To look back now, I know He ordained this marriage, as too many signs and wonders happen surrounding our relationship. He is such an amazing God. So patient, so loving. I am so grateful and DO NOT take it for granted. “To whom much is given, much will be required”
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her – Ephesians 5:25
Started a Home Group Fellowship 2007
Un-Organized Religion
I always disliked the opulence in traditional churches, so when some friends asked me to join them for church that was being held in a backyard, I was interested. It was a few guys with guitars playing a few worship songs, and an open discussion about the bible afterwards. From there that group grew into a “Home Church” which has since transformed into a weekly men’s meeting, or bible study.
Proverbs 21:2
A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.
Started Reading the Bible 2008
Mr. Cool Shop Owner
From 2007 to 2010 I was a Co-Owner of a snowboard shop called Suburban Blend. I spent a great part of my childhood hanging around a shop, so to now be a shop owner made me Mr. Cool. Right?
At this same time in my life I was coming into a new found morality in my walk with Christ, so a conflict in the two lifestyles started to arise. Ultimately after three years I had to walk away from this lifestyle. I can’t say it wasn’t fun, because it was, but my desire to be transformed was greater than the desire to fulfill my childhood dreams of what is was to be a “made man.”
Daily Hygiene
“Washing yourself with the Word” of God is a thing we all should do similar to daily hygiene. If you are not in it you most likely are being feed the garbage of this world.
At first I did not know where to begin, by my good friend and Pastor Will Lowry told me to start with a red letter bible and read the Gospel of Matthew.
Red Letter Edition
WITH THE WORDS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR SET FORTH IN DIGNIFIED RED ITALICS
This made the bible come alive for the first time in my life with the words of Jesus Christ jumping off the page.
1 John 2: 15-16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world.
Baptised October 5th, 2008
Public Declaration
A “Believers Baptism” was needed for me to publicity proclaim myself as a disciple of Christ.
Thank you Will Lowry and Scott Gostomski
Worship Music - Playlist
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. – Psalm 95:1
Started a Fellowship with Believers Chapel 2012
Testimony
The influence of Mighty Men
The influence of mighty men of God, has changed the course of my life. As I used to be the loud peacock, always spotting of some shock value stories etc.
But in this example, 40+ guys go climb a mountain together, for 4 days and there is no profanity, no alcohol, and no issues. Just men building each other up, in encouragement, and in God’s truth.
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29
Proverbs 27:17-18
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another. He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, And he who cares for his master will be honored.
Started Live Streaming at Believers Chapel 2015
Live Streaming Church Services
Since 2014 I had been working for a company who specialized in the video capture of content and the delivery of that education via live streaming. So church was a perfect place to do some extra R&D as will as practice the skills required to broadcast a live event. [Read more…]
Cancer Battle
From June 2016 to June 2017 I walked, prayed and triumphed with my beautiful wife as she battled cancer. We learned to “rejoice always” during this trial. I wasn’t easy, and we chose a difficult treatment option, but we are only stronger for having gone through it.
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13
That verse has a deeper meaning to us now. It means that you can have peace to endure any trial.
Joined Pinnacle Forum - Oct. 2019
I was invited to join a weekly Zoom call with a group called Pinnacle Forum. After an interview I was coupled to a group that have now become my fellow brothers in Christ.
“The mission of Pinnacle Forum is to encourage and equip influential leaders through confidential Forums, supported by a national network, to engage in personal and cultural transformation that honors Jesus Christ.“
I’d testify that during a marriage crisis, my mighty men stopped everything that we were discussing to devote the rest of the session in prayer over our marriage. That night Christine and I were empty, and had no more fight left in us. We reconciled and have moved on since that episode. The catalyst for change was that we ganged up in prayer! We are NOT meant to do this alone. We need battle buddies.
Big Sendoff to Park City, UT - May, 2020
For most of our Daughter’s life Bella Bacon has been destined to be a professional skier. With a strong competition season in 2019/2020, Bella was invited to join the U.S. Ski Team in Park City, Utah. Even though it was a Covid-19 crazy year, we jumped at the chance to get her where she needs to be is an epic part of the country.
In this picture you see 20+ men of Believers Chapel, praying over me and our family. We were MORE than Blessed by this outpouring of love from the mighty men of BC!
Pastor Sean Prays for the Bacon Family
Galatians 6:9
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Live Streaming at Mountain Life Church
In less than a month, I found myself live streaming at the local Park City Church, Mountainlife.org
I started up in a men’s Bible Study dedicated to getting to the “meat” of the scriptures. I was also trained to be a Stephen Minister.
The Bacon Family visits Jackson Hole
Since Christine and I are JHMR ski-school sweethearts and we named our 1st born Jackson, it was long overdue that we we able to visit as a family. They call this “God’s country.”
To be continued...