A Preacher’s Journey From Ignorant Rebellion To Repentance

Greetings,
My name is Derick R. Jordan and I’m an Ambassador of Kingdom of Heaven. I’ve been walking with the Lord since 1992, finally submitting to Him after having an encounter with the Holy Spirit in 1989. I was licensed in 1995 and ordained as an Elder in 1999.. I’ve been active in ministry since 1992 and founded Rivers of Jordan Ministries in 1995. I married after cohabitating for 2 years and receiving Jesus in 1992 to a woman who was previously married but had that marriage annulled before consummation. They say “how can a marriage be valid if it was never consummated (completed by sexual intercourse)”? They never consider the betrothal customs of Hebrew and other cultures but only that of American culture, see Matt.1:18-25. We separated in 2006 and finalized the divorce in 2009. I moved to Savannah, Georgia in 2007 and remarried another woman (that I knew before my first “wife”). We both got divorced from our spouses in 2009.

In July of 2011, I began pastoring, assisting a bishop, when the Lord began dealing with me about my marriage. It started with the Lord calling my attention for a few weeks to 1 Tim. 3:2, focusing on the “husband of one wife.” God began showing me according to 1Tim. 3:2 that one of the qualifications of a leader (bishop, overseer or elder) as well as deacons, (vs. 12) must be the husband of one wife. Some translations read “or married only once” or ” have never been divorced” (The New English Bible and Contemporary English Version UK translation notes). Uh-Oh. Then as I was researching preachers in second marriages online, God allowed me to discover the Rev. J. M. Humphrey’s testimony of “A Preacher’s Repentance From An Adulterous Marriage”, which was printed on this website. BINGO! The revelation was so revolutionary and the Holy Spirit bore such a witness through his testimony and that of Cindy V, and the FAQ dialogues between Cindy W and those who opposed the marriage, divorce and remarriage (MDR) doctrine was so refreshing and relatable, the biblical truths that were being disseminated into my spirit was so revelatory and confirming, that I just ate it up. This was September of 2011. I was so convicted. After much prayer, study and research as well instant “receiving” of Jesus’, Paul’s and the ECF teachings on MDR, I repented of my second marriage and divorced my “wife” this past June, 2012.This was the hardest thing that I had to do because my 2nd wife was deserted for another woman in her first marriage, which devastated her, almost to the point of a nervous breakdown. Now, after asking God to give her a man “who loved Him more than her” and we were happy, I’m telling her that our marriage is adulterous and we have to repent and end this marriage! Her heart was shattered as well as mine. The pastor who married us was aghast when she was told by me and my “wife” that I have to divorce her. Everyone was so shocked and surprised, because we was the “model couple”. Not that we were the Huxtables, but we were happy. I was accused of possibly having ulterior motives for ending such a “good marriage” i.e another woman. My wife stated, after I showed her the Scriptures in Matt.5:31,32; 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-11; Luke 16:15-18; Rom. 7:2,3; 1 Cor.7:10,11,39; 1 Cor.6:9 and Heb.13:4, that “I see it, but I don’t see it”. I felt so bad because a woman who’s so sweet and loving, who treated me like a king, who wanted to marry me before my first “marriage”, was being “abandoned” again. Abandoned by the man whom she loved more than her first husband, (whom she was rebounding with after our two year relationship ended in the mid 1988). I love my 2nd “wife” of almost 2 years. By the grace of God, we’re still speaking today and are friends even though we miss each other.

I stepped down from pastoring after discovering my sinful state in my 2nd marriage. When I preached and told the bishop and congregants “why” by preaching a message entitled: “The Sanctity and Permanence of Marriage” I was accused of causing confusion and not preaching the message of grace. I’ve been called crazy, a legalist, fundamentalist, literalist and other things. I’m single now and believe that because both of my marriages were unlawful in the sight of God, that I can remarry a woman who’s never been lawfully married by God or widowed. However, I’m concerned about other believer’s perception about me marrying again for a “third” time and being offended. I believe that God has shown me great mercy for my sin as a preacher, and will use my errors to help someone else. I’ve distributed some of Rev. Wilcox’s messages on MDR especially addressing pastors..
The bishop and his “wife” of the ministry that I stepped down from in Georgia said that I was causing confusion and that if God told me to leave my wife, than do what God say “but God ain’t tell me that”. “He (God) didn’t tell them that, for their past, with all its sin has been forgiven.” Thus he staying in his 2nd marriage of over 20 some odd years irregardless of Rom. 7:2,3. I called this “loophole” for disobedience, “Selective Grace”, because while homosexuals, fornicators and others have to repent and forsake their sins, remarital adultery can be remained in by the grace of God, especially if children are involved. This is contrary to true repentance, “he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” Prov.28:13. This has been a very painful and personally shameful experience for me. I was never taught the one flesh covenant truth as clearly as I am being enlightened now and I was always taught and believed that if you make a vow but didn’t mean it, (which wouldn’t be right), the vow was invalid. I see how incorrect that train of thought is through the biblical accounts of Esau and Jacob (Gen. 24:30-34) and Joshua and the Gibeonoites covenant frivolously made but God did honor them (Josh. 9:3-27). It’s amazing that Jesus after he first mentions about adultery and remarriage adultery in Matthew 5:27-32, He then teaches on the proper use oaths/vows. The Apostle Paul addresses the binding power of a covenant entered into by man, that can’t be disannulled or added to once ratified in Gal.3:15.

I’m now single but I do have a 19 year old daughter from my first marriage who was devastated due to the divorce, but God has kept her. I’m still recognized as an elder in my home church but I question if that is right according to 1 Tim. 3:2. My pastor, who is also my spiritual mother didn’t agree with my decision to marry my second wife in the first place, but even more so of divorcing her. She doesn’t agree with “our interpretation” of the one flesh covenant doctrine that Jesus, Paul and the Early Church Fathers and Church taught, as clearly as it’s spelled out in the Word of God. When I told her that according to my understanding I could get married again but it would have to be to a woman who was either never married or lawfully married according to the Word of God or widowed. Of course this sounds very suspect to her. She has appointed leaders who are in adulterous remarriages. I feel very uncomfortable with the state of things where I fellowship as well as with mainstream Christianity. However, I’m not compelled to leave as of yet until that appointed time. I’m praying that the Lord will give my spiritual mother revelation about this very important issue. I’ve been called a legalist, fundamentalist, literalist, crazy all of which I’m sure you’ve heard before and become familiar with. Please keep me in your prayers and I solicit your support because even if I’m scripturally unqualified to be a leader in the church, I can and must propagate the apostolic and prophetic message of one flesh covenant marriage has to be taught, especially in my African American community, where divorce and remarriage along with co-habitation is amongst the highest in and out the church . Blessings!

Your Fellow servant and Ambassador
Derick R. Jordan