Wally Odum

I have pastored most of my adult life and have preached and taught Scripture in those few occasions when I haven’t pastored. My training, from the time I knew God called me to preach, has related to pastoring, preaching and teaching.

I recently read a passage of Scripture in Colossians that struck me with great force.  “In the same way the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since you heard it and truly understood God’s grace” (Colossians 1:6, bold letters mine). It struck me that if grace can be truly understood it can also be misunderstood. Looking back over my spiritual journey I can see that much of my guilt and insecurity as a young Christian can be traced to a misunderstanding of grace. I freely used the word “grace” then and I knew I was saved by grace. However, I didn’t understand the massive scope grace has in the life of every believer. Grace doesn’t end at conversion.  It is God’s gift to a believer that will last the rest of his or her life and into eternity.

When we become believers, we carry with us influences that come from our previous thinking. Believing in Jesus opens our minds so that our thoughts can be renewed by the Holy Spirit. That will take a lifetime. That is why Paul tells believers, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

Going through that renewal process in my thinking has certainly been part of my Christian life. The culture in which I grew up taught that you get what you deserve.  I translated that into my own relationship with God. I knew that I was saved by grace. I think every believer knows that. But I reasoned that when it came to staying saved, I was on my own. In other words, I knew God loved sinners—the Bible clearly teaches that—I just wasn’t sure how God felt about me. I was measuring myself and His love for me by my performance. I was often a struggling believer trying hard to measure up to God’s requirements so I could count on Him continuing to love me. I thought I would get what I deserved, and I knew that what I deserved wasn’t what I wanted. God’s grace is a totally counter-intuitive idea. I was taught that God helps those who help themselves. Grace declares that God helps those who can’t help themselves.

Troy C.

I’ve always wanted to wear the white hat, save the day and WIN. I chose Christianity early in life because it seemed like the best path to achieve this goal. I have a cherished testimony of salvation in Christ Jesus, but that’s not the story I want to tell right now. Instead, I want to share when the pin was pulled on the Grace Grenade and my life was
changed forever.

By 2009, I had been serving in church leadership for roughly 20 years and from the outside I probably appeared to be a “good Christian,” meaning I was tithing, participating in small groups, and attending church whenever the doors were open. Pastor Wally Odum gave me and my extended family a stellar biblical foundation for which I will always be grateful. However, on the inside I found I had no spark. I was just going through the motions. While I felt I was a “solid” Bible-believing Christian, I found myself always seeking the “spectacular” of God. Whatever was shiny, exciting and wow-worthy (yet scripturally correct) caught my eye. This led me to conferences, books, teachings and sermons about faith, healing, and prosperity—which in itself wasn’t wrong. What was wrong is I made those things the object of my pursuit—a pursuit that never resulted in the capture of whatever I thought I was seeking.

Then one night my wife invited me to watch this Bruce Lee-looking dude on the TV (no Asian slam, I’m a big fan). Joseph Prince was preaching about Grace being God’s unmerited favor. It so moved us that we ended up ordering his book Destined to Reign. From that point on, our world was changed forever.

Other than the Bible, no book has had more impact on my life. It introduced me to the Grace of God like nothing ever before. It felt too good to be true. On the one hand, it was so simple; on the other hand, it was so vast and mind blowing. It was like a grenade went off in my spirit. The term “grace grenade” was soon coined in our circle, as well as “pin pull” to describe the moment in which someone has a transformational revelation of God’s Grace. A grenade explosion seemed the most fitting word picture to describe the all-encompassing impact this Grace revelation has had on my life.

Here are just three of the many ways my life has been forever changed through this revelation.

God’s Word Unlocked & Safe—Grace has become the master key for unlocking the Bible. I now understand Grace has always been the heart and method of God’s approach to man. I can roam boldly through the Old and New Testaments without fear or judgment. I am drawn to and enjoy the Word more now than ever.

Galvanized Hope—Understanding God’s Grace as unmerited favor justifies my continuous expectation of good in my life anchored on His unconditional love for me, not my worthiness.

​Powerful Prayers—I no longer judge people’s worthiness to receive a blessing from God. I don’t consider how their actions/decisions contributed to their getting into a bad position. God’s Grace is a free gift. I now pray for people based on God’s love for them—period.

​I realize my early dreams of being a hero in a white hat had more to do with how I wanted people to see me—now I want people to see Jesus. My life’s mission is to continuously seek a deeper revelation of God’s Grace, while creating a platform for others to have their “pins pulled” through access to Grace Grenades of testimonies, sermons, music and more—by Wally Odum, Joseph Prince and many other
Grenade Launchers.

Pam C.

In the mid-1980s, until our revelation of Grace in 2009, my husband and I were proudly part of what was known as “the faith movement.” We followed some gifted preachers who taught that with enough faith, all things are possible. Today I still agree with that precept. However, the burden of that level of faith was always on the individual. When things were going well, my faith was working.  If things didn’t work out according to plan, my lack of faith was the problem. Always the focus was on me and my “performance of faith,” not Jesus and His perfect, complete gift of Grace. With a constant inner reflection on my faith performance, my faith journey became works. My intent was to please God and passionately pursue Him, but my focus was off—it was on myself.

The Grace revelation changed all that for me. No longer is my attention within, but rather on how much God loves me, despite my shortcomings. Nothing could ever make Him love me more and nothing could ever make Him love me less.  He loves me because of Who He is, not what I’ve done. This revelation has emboldened me to step out beyond my faith limits, because His love for me is limitless. Grace has shown me that when my focus is correct, my performance naturally follows, and “all these things shall be added” to me.

Right thinking leads to right believing, which leads to right living. I had that mixed up. With my performance I thought I could please God, when all he wanted was my heart—then He could powerfully guide my steps and propel me to His purpose. The burden on my performance was lifted. It seemed too simple, too easy, too wonderful to be true—yet it is and I’m forever grateful.

Taylor W.

For me, It’s always been about love. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39). It felt like a great way to live out your Christian life—and it still is. However, burnout after burnout left me feeling like there had to be something more to my Christian walk. I tried getting involved and giving back by joining as many church teams as I could accommodate—from stage design, to youth ministry, to new believers and even the media team. I wanted to be the “good Christian girl,” always trying to love harder and always seeking approval from church leadership and peers.

One day, I found myself in tears on the phone with our youth pastor, explaining how exhausted I was and asking to step down as a small group leader. Burnout had struck again.

Did you notice how often I said, “I” in that last paragraph? That was my problem.

After my parents, Troy and Pam Catindig, gave me the book Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince, my faith was radically opened to God’s amazing love and Grace. My finger was on the pin. And, although His Grace was changing me, I still struggled with burnout because I still struggled to love people as much as I could within my own efforts.

It wasn’t until I began studying from The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words by Lawrence O. Richards, as recommended by Pastor Wally, that I had my “ah-ha” moment. When I looked up the word love from one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, I had my Grace Grenade revelation. The Greek word used for love in this chapter was Agape, which describes God’s unconditional love for us. It describes a love that is given to us before we could even earn it—a love that inspires effortless obedience to God and amazing love for others.

That’s when it hit me. My own efforts to love other people were never going to be good enough. I couldn’t do it on my own. My source had to first come from focusing on God’s love for me. When I can get even a glimpse of that Agape love, it becomes the fuel that powers my Christian walk. It is no longer out of my own self-effort that I accomplish anything, it happens out of the overflow of understanding His love for me.

I was transformed when I stopped looking at my own works and looked to the finished work of the cross—the greatest love story ever told.  Although I am human and imperfect, when I can stop to recognize God’s Agape and Grace for me, my source no longer comes out of my own efforts, but through the Grace of Jesus Christ. I am no longer under the bondage of my own works, but I am now the righteousness of God in Christ!

Haley R.

Grace was the plan all along. God knew well before He breathed life into Adam that we would need Grace to be united with Him, yet He made us anyway. What pulled the pin for me was seeing His plan laid out in the Word. From the first Adam to the last Adam…

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”  
(Romans 5:17, NASB).

…from eating forbidden fruit to eating the bread of life, …

“I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh” (John 6:51, NASB).

…from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion.

“For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, ‘IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.’ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, ‘I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.’ But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:18-24, NASB).

In every way that we have failed Him, He has redeemed us. The only way for us to be with Him in our weakness was to be redeemed through the eternal washing of Jesus’ blood. For that reason, I could never boast in my own efforts because He has done it all. Jesus says,  

“My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB).

Knowing that, I can never be the same. I’ve been set free. I’m no longer a slave to fear of condemnation, I’ve been perfected in love.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love” (1 John 4:18, NASB).

In my life, this revelation has manifested through my relationship with my husband. He was raised as a Catholic but was apathetic towards God when we first met. He was everything I wanted in the natural (tall, dark, and handsome) but he had no heart for God. Now only 8 years later, he leads us in prayer, communion, and faithful perspective. We celebrate as a family how God’s grace has radically changed his life and ours through him. Not only did God provide the spouse I needed to be the spiritual head of our household, He also has healed me of my intense anxiety. I used to be shamefully harsh on myself and my husband anytime I felt pressure, due to the distractions of the enemy. After the pin was pulled, I saw I could never do it on my own. In fact, I never was supposed to do it all on my own. 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NASB).

I’m growing more each day, discovering new gifts to be grateful for. I owe my abundant life to Jesus Christ.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”
(John 10:10, NASB).

Because of His grace, I look forward to whatever lies ahead because I know He’s already there waiting for me. 

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3:12-14).

I am overwhelmed with His goodness, forever grateful, and in high expectation of more to come.

Shirl C.

I ponder many things these days… What happened to the Apostle Paul that made him turn 180° from persecuting Christians to risking his life in prison for the cause of telling people about Jesus?

Sitting in the back seat of our family car en route to a local Baptist church – just 6 years old – opening my little new testament Bible to the color picture of Jesus on the cross and thinking, “I will die on the cross too if I have to, I love Jesus so much.”

Coming home from church camp with such a fire in my heart to tell my classmates about Jesus – but by the first day of school, the passion smoldered and I fell back in step with everyone else.

Humming the old comforting hymns of my childhood…”What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grieves to bear…” and current favs like “Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.” Even writing it now brings tears to my eyes.

What is it about my life journey that has brought me to a place of being so in love with My Jesus? How did Grace become so real and meaningful and life changing? “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound… I once was… blind but now
I see.”

There was a period several years ago when I just said every day “God show me that You love me.” I had experienced a lot of loss that year and I was pretty broken. He began to impress on me that I don’t have to measure up to any standard for Him to love me. I don’t have to check off requirements on a list: Bible reading, church committees, tithing…

It seemed pretty radical in my church-girl brain that I could just sit and let God’s love shower over me – no judgment, no requirements. It was healing. And it brought me to a place of thanking God every day for His nearness.

Then I started to study with others the wonder of God’s Grace. The scriptures came alive. How could I have missed this true understanding of Grace all these years?

It was like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Afterward they said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32). Yes! Exactly that.

Years later, this fire still burns so brightly. It’s not a revival meeting or a church camp experience.  Once it was about trying hard to be a good Christian and feeling guilty when I didn’t measure up. Now it’s about loving Jesus and wanting to live a life worthy of His Grace. Yep that includes connection, tithing and witnessing, but with no guilt. Just loving Him and seeing what flows out of that relationship. As I write, it just explodes from my heart, overflowing, tears-in-my-eyes adoration. Thank you Jesus for loving me like this.

What do I ponder these days? That Jesus really is a Friend, that His work on the cross is the beginning of it all… and those lyrics, “Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus and let my Jesus change your life.” It’s all true… “I once was blind but now
I see.”

Ask Him to show you how He loves you… I dare you!

Steve C.

I had been a Bible-believing, Church-going, non-denominational Christian for more than 20 years when I got smacked with the revelation of Grace. A familiar concept—Grace was not new to me. It’s how we all get saved, right? So, when my spiritual mentor (my big brother Troy, but don’t tell him) approached me with this newfound excitement about Grace, I was confused. Grace, for me, was for spiritual newbies—once you’re saved by Grace, you’re supposed to move on the loftier things of God, right?! Boy, was I wrong!

Through Grace, God has brought about significant change in my life, and it feels effortless! Here are just some of the benefits I am enjoying.

Grace makes the scriptures come alive. I like to use this word-picture: any scripture knowledge or revelation I had (before grace), was like a smoldering pile of twigs and branches. Grace was like gasoline poured over the wood, igniting every spiritual thing I’ve ever known, not to destroy it, but to make it burn in my spirit! I’ve found a new hunger for the word motivated by relationship, not duty.

Grace deepens my spiritual relationship. The Father bankrupted heaven for me by sacrificing His Son! Jesus paid the ultimate price by His obedience at the cross. And this has all been revealed to me by the Holy Spirit. Grace has magnified the incredible love God has for me and I have fallen even deeper in love with Jesus. It’s easy to seek Him first, knowing that He’s crazy about me!

Grace gives God the glory. It’s hard to take credit for anything good in my life when I know it’s all because of God’s goodness and His love towards me. I exchange my self-obsession and self-righteousness to become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Today, it’s much easier for me to extend Grace to others and to be less judgmental. Admittedly, this is a work still in progress!

I now know that ALL the things of God are obtained by Grace, through faith in Jesus, and His finished work! My life will never be the same, and I never want to go back to living this Christian life in my own power. Thank you, Jesus!

Pastor Rick S.

May 2010 around midnight, I had been partying since 10AM that morning. If you saw me at any point that day, you might have thought I was the happiest person alive. It was all a charade. That night, I would be drunk and high, sitting alone on the bathroom floor, depressed and crying out to God.  I remember how guilty I felt for having turned my back on Him. I was a follower when I was younger, but allowed His voice to grow faint in my distracted and reckless college days. Thankfully, He did not turn his back on me. I felt a comfort like I had never felt before. I made a deal with Him that when I went home from college for the summer, I would dedicate my life to Him. If He wanted to use me, I would stay with Him, and if He didn’t, then no hard feelings. I would keep living like I had been. This was the point where I felt like life began for me.

When I returned home two weeks later, He was my focus. While sitting on my parents’ front porch chatting with friends a couple of months later, someone asked about a verse in the Bible. I ran and grabbed my Bible and started a conversation. Our group of friends decided we’d do this once a week, just the four of us. The following week I came prepared with a case of beer, cigarettes and a Bible. It was the beginning of our Bible study. Within two months we had over 20 people getting together weekly to talk about the goodness of God. Every time we met, I felt like the verses we read just confirmed what I already knew about God. I didn’t deserve His love, but here I was receiving it. After that summer, I decided not to go back to college and stayed home. I met so many encouraging people who helped me more than I can express in a few paragraphs. One of those families were the Catindigs. They gave me a book by Joseph Prince, “Destined to Reign.” It was yet another moment in time when God confirmed what I already knew about Him.

About two years later, I became a licensed pastor. That is no reflection on me—only on Him. My story is about a God who is so loving, He would lavish His Grace on someone like me. I need Jesus every single day—in my broken yesterday, my restored today and my promised tomorrow. I understand God loved me just as much when I was drunk and high on that bathroom floor years ago as he does today. I’ve never had to earn His love, it has always been his freely given gift. For that, I am thankful. 

Lee P.

I was broken, in pain and despair.  I walked with my head low, feeling as though everything I was going through was my punishment.  I was literally ready to give up and just die.  Sure, I’ve made some mistakes, some were pretty awful, but did I really deserve all this?  One night I’d had enough and was ready to call it quits, when I took a friend up on an offer. I went to her church and was radically saved.

Yet, as time went on, I still felt like something was missing.  Sure, I loved Jesus, but something still wasn’t quite right.  Then I heard a sermon on Grace and BOOM!  The grenade had been set off.  I realized that it’s not about my love for Jesus, it’s about His love for me.  How He loved me so much, He died for me to be forgiven.  It’s done! 

I wish I could say my life was perfect from that moment on and that my issues magically disappeared, but I can’t.  I still have trials and everyday problems.  I still have battles to be fought, I’m just not fighting alone.  He never leaves my side.  As much as I love Him, He loves me more!  No matter what I do, His love never changes.  His Grace is Enough!

Amanda C.

My Grace story starts in 2018. This was a tough season for me. I felt like I was constantly battling something in every area of my life. Work was HARD. Family life was HARD. Parenting was HARD. Finances were HARD. I was tired, and frustrated. See, only a few years before this, I had a revelation of God’s love for me, and had seen His provision in my life. I knew God could work in all these areas of my life! I knew He could make a way through all the hard – but I thought I had to do something in order for that to happen. I believed there was something that was preventing me from hearing His guidance and will. I thought I had to pray harder or more frequently, and that I had to have more faith. Maybe I had to love Him more, or be more patient. Ultimately, I thought I was doing something wrong that was keeping me from experiencing the fullness of His promises to me.

Like a soft ocean current, each time I found rest in His word, I felt peace, and the hard changed. In every area I was trying to fix, I saw RADICAL breakthrough miracles! The toxic situation at work resolved! My husband’s lost job was restored! My anxiety was HEALED! I received a gift of discernment while reading the Bible – what had previously felt like a foreign language came to LIFE in a miraculous way! I started recognizing God’s hand EVERYWHERE in my life. It was a true Grace Grenade explosion! Now, when tough times happen (those don’t stop!) I know what to do. I find rest in His word, and I sit down.