By Dr. Rick Rogers
I am writing this article to the praise and glory of my Savior “The Lord Jesus Christ.”
Like many people born in our part of this great nation, I was brought up in church.  As a child I remember those Sunday School classes, I attended in the Original East Dillon Baptist Church.  I remember those Vacation Bible School times in the summer, making lamps out of ice-cream sticks, flower arrangements out of cones probably from Dixiana Mills.  I also remember those home coming celebrations on the grounds of the church property.  We always seemed to have my favorite “Banana Pudding”  and for some reason I did not know that Bee’s liked pudding too, they always tried to get in my plate!  Those were the days when God began to prepare my life for things I could never believe!
Like many young children brought up in the church, there were times, which were very special times, I would sense the call of God to come!  Those callings resulted in going forward during an invitation to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior, and I responded in my young life more than once.  However often these responses were not real regeneration, where a sinner is redeemed and in Christ Jesus becomes a saved saint, a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Football, sports was a very important part of my life and God blessed me in athletics.  On the other hand school wasn’t my favorite thing to do.  As a young man in high school at Dillon High, 1972-73 I began to seek the Lord and was able to be used as a young person in my church.  Between my junior and senior year peer pressure overtook me, I gave in to the lures of the devil.  I began partying, living in the flesh life and before I knew it I had no desire at all to be in church or to be doing church things.
After a year in college, followed by several other years of hard living involved in drugs, cocaine, the high life I found myself reaping what I had sown!  I was sent off to prison in the state of South Carolina for trafficking cocaine.
It was while I was in prison that Jesus came to me, when I wasn’t even seeking after Him.  In the gospel of John 15:16 Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit.”  It was there that Jesus Christ saved my soul and filled me with the Holy Spirit.  A life recovered rescued from the evil hands of the world, the flesh and the devil and set me upon “The Rock Jesus Christ.”  It took being separated from society, friends, family, people, place that I lived to be able to hear the voice of God.
I am writing this brief testimony for the purpose of Reaching out to all who read this testimony.  Our communities, homes, job forces, schools, churches are filled with many who are trapped in some sort of addiction –pain, suffering, unhealthy lifestyles and Jesus Christ alone is the answer!  The answer is not a higher power, it’s a present and willing power, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Blood of Jesus, the helping hands of those who care.
Every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm at Open Door community Church, we offer “Celebrate Recovery,” a deep study in the teachings of God’s Holy Word, The Bible.  We address Hurts, Habits, and Hang-ups, which I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t possess at least one of these.  Why stay trapped, stuck, hurt, defeated, when Jesus has the remedy for all our troubles and pains?  Are you tired of being depressed, down, defeated?  When Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
I am one hundred percent positive that what Jesus has done for me and is still doing today, He will do for you!
In Christ…Rick Rogers
“CELEBRATE RECOVERY,” every Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Open Door Community Church  1502 Commerce Drive  Dillon, SC