Profiles of Faith - Coney Gardner

Coney Gardner grew up going to church every Sunday in a little church in western Massachusetts. His father was the janitor of the church and as a youngman, Coney used to help him with his janitorial work. Although he was always in church he never heard anything about salvation or how to be saved.

While living in Birmingham, Alabama in 1984, he was a member of a religious cult called “The Way International” and assisted in the tennis program at a local country club. One day a member of the club came into the tennis shop while Coney was reading a book. She asked him what he was reading and he told her that he was reading a book published by the religious group that he was a member of.

When Coney told her this, she asked if he would be willing to accept something from her if she came back in two or three days. He told her that he would. Two or three days later she came back and gave him a copy of the Four Spiritual Laws, a gospel tract and a copy of Josh McCullough book, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict”.

Brother Coney took the material and went back to the cult living quarters. At the time he didn’t know God, but something was leading him not to show the materials with the other members. He knew they would get really upset if they knew he had such materials. Praise God he had his own bedroom.

Coney kneeled down by his bed and read the entire gospel tract. As he read God began to open his eyes and heart to the truth that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. He prayed the suggested prayer of salvation in the tract and was saved by the grace and mercy of God! Brother Coney was 55 years old when he had this life changing experience that has transformed his life forever. He accepted Jesus Christ into his heart as his personal Lord and Savior right in the middle of living in a cult bedroom!

He started attending a Baptist Church there and was baptized. Coney realized that this cult didn’t have any of the answers he had been looking for all his life. As his walk with the Lord Jesus has grown over the last seventeen years, he can truthfully say that Jesus is the Way. Praise God for the Truth!

Brother Coney serves courageously on the frontline working alongside of the other soulwinning crusaders of SWAT. He is an inspiration to all the members through his dedication. He is a gospel-tract-passing-out-machine. He is a fearless witness. He is a bright light in the midst of so much darkness. “Job Well Done”