Tom Papania : God's Saving Grace Ministries

TOM's NEWSLETTERS

Fall 2008 Newsletter

GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

Hello Saints,
The heat and humidity has left us and the cooler days and nights are upon us already. This year seems to be going by so fast. Maybe it's just me, but the older I get, the faster the years seem to go by.
I've met a lot of people here in Florida and have already connected with three different Jail & Prison Ministries. Most of these ministries minister on a one on one basis and are trying to get permission for me to hold a weekly service with as many inmates as possible present. I'm really looking forward to this especially with the Holidays quickly approaching us.

I've already been ministering with a Homeless Ministry here providing meals, clothing and housing, and a weekly church service Sunday afternoon. Many of the homeless come to Florida because of the warmer climate. It's sad to see so many women with children living out on the streets. This ministry also helps the elderly living on limited incomes by making repairs on their homes and providing food on a weekly basis. It has kept me very busy so far, and I'm blessed to be able to help those in need.
I found a church home and they even have a motorcycle ministry. The Pastor himself, has a motorcycle and joins us for our rides after the men's breakfast that is held once a month on a Saturday morning. We have breakfast, a short Bible study, fellowship and then a 2 to 3 hour ride on our motorcycles out in the country.

The weather here is perfect for motorcycling 12 months a year. I have made many friends at this church and am blessed to be a part of it. It is very much like the church I attended when I lived in Georgia, so that is very comforting.
The last few months have not all been filled with ministry and having fun. Two people very close to me went home to be with the Lord. Gloria Flynn was my "spiritual" Mother since 1984 when I first surrendered my heart to Jesus at Landmark Church in Norcross, Georgia. She was loved by so many people that the Funeral Home did not have room to hold them all. I will miss her phone calls and her lovely voice encouraging me when things got rough. Next was Marianne Wilkerson, the wife of one of my oldest friends and supporters, Bob Wilkerson. Bob was one of the original people on my Board of Directors when God first called me into ministry. Bob has stood beside me every step of the way encouraging me not to give up for so many years. There are 2 precious angels in Heaven now looking over me. I will miss them both, but will see them again someday. How lovely it must be to see Jesus face to face.
The last few months also have been a financial struggle. With our economy the way it is, it is no surprise people have to pull their belts in tight. With so many foreclosures, businesses shutting down, and people being laid off from their jobs, it has hurt us tremendously. We too, had to cut back on a lot of our giving to those in need. It is so difficult to explain to people that you can no longer help them the way we were for so many years. Please do your best to help us financially. Thank you.

We will have a new President in office come January 2009, and I firmly believe we need to pray for this country like never before.
I have been preaching on Second Chronicles 7-14 for the last eight years and I believe we all need to pay close attention to that Scripture verse: "If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn away from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sins and heal their land."

America kills more babies than any other country under the name "abortion." And Gods Word says He hates the shedding of innocent blood. We have legalized abortion, allow pornography on our TV's and computers, and promote same sex marriages.
We want "In God We Trust" taken off our currency, and "One Nation Under God" removed from our Pledge of Allegiance.
In essence a majority of non-Christian Americans want God out of America. They think their technology and wealth can carry them through the toughest of storms. They need to read the "Book" and find out who really wins!!!
God's Word says He will always have a remnant. I believe in my heart that you and I are part of that "remnant." We need to unite in prayer and put all our denominational differences aside once and for all.

Please pray for my health and strength and the ministry finances if you will, please. I'm going to be 65 this coming May and have no health insurance and my body is wearing out slowly but surely. I need your support more than ever before. I'm trusting in God to keep me going in every area of my life until He decides its time for me to come home to Him.

Happy Holidays, to all of you, and Lord Bless you all.

A fellow bondservant,
Tom Papania

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Tom PAPANIA Spring 2008 Newsletter

GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

Hello Saints,
2008 is here and I’m still in the habit of writing 2007 on all my correspondence. Where did 2007 go?
I have been holding out for a miracle for quite sometime now, but it just didn’t come. You see my wife Teresa filed for divorce back in May of 2006. I imagine the pressures of her health, our failing finances, her sons heroin addiction, and that I am not the easiest person in the world to live with has taken its toll on her and she decided she wanted out. I had prayed it wouldn’t come to this, but it is what she wanted and I could not convince her otherwise.
I gave her the house, all the equity and the contents of the house and left with only my clothes and business equipment and moved into a nearby apartment complex.
During this time 2 of our dogs of 11 ½ years died of cancer thirty days apart from one another. So, 2006 and 2007 are years I would like to forget. Needless to say, my heart is broken in millions of pieces.
I took a sabbatical for a few months to fast and pray and try to get my life back in some kind or order. I’m slowly mending and I know God will continue the healing process to completion.
Please continue to pray for Teresa and her son. Pray for her physical healing, her finances and for her sons total deliverance from drugs. Amen!!
The Prison Ministry is going full steam and we’ve been blessed to see about 30 men get saved each month! Praise God! We now have a large population of Hispanics in our Prison System and we have a Hispanic Pastor, Harry Valdez helping us translate our services to these men. We recently received a request for almost 100 Spanish Bibles and Pastor Harry was kind enough to purchase them for these men at his own expense. Hallelujah!!
There has also been an addition to our Prison Ministry in the last 9 months. (Hmm, 9 months= birthing period). Being a Harley Davidson owner I have recently discovered an amazing harvest field. I have come in contact with about 150 Bikers who are unchurched. The majority of them believe in God but do not attend any local church because they feel they are not accepted because of their appearance: you know, jeans, boots, leather jackets, tattoos, and some with long hair. I assured them they would all be accepted in the church that I attend. After all, if they accept me with my past, they would accept anybody. They asked me how I dressed to go to church. I told them with a suit, shirt and tie of course. They said that is why they accept you. Dress like we do for a few months and see if they still react to you the same way. I immediately accepted their challenge and wore my motorcycle boots, jeans and leather jacket to church that Sunday. I even grew a goatee to finish my new “Biker” look. At first people just looked at me kind of curious, but after 2 months about 85% of the people who had been very friendly towards me began to totally ignore me.

The Bikers were 100% right in their assumption of not being accepted because of their clothes. I cannot imagine anyone who has the audacity to call themselves a Christian judging people on their appearance only. We Christians should look at a person heart and not what they are wearing. I was so disappointed and angry at the same time. And when I’m angered, I get highly motivated.
These Biker groups go on benefit rides almost every weekend during the entire year. Some of the rides are benefits for children with cancer, Firemen and Policeman who got hurt on the job, others who are seriously ill and have no medical insurance or the insurance ran out, others who have been out of work for a long periods of time. People this is Gods work!! These unchurched Bikers are doing more of Gods work than 75% of the people who sit in pews Sunday after Sunday. The benefit rides usually charge anywhere from $20 to $25 for each motorcycle and $10 for each passenger. 100% of what is collected goes to the person the benefit is for! Nothing is deducted for advertisement or marketing. Not one cent!
I view these registration fees as a sort of a tithe. These Bikers are 100% tithers and don’t even realize it. Imagine if church goers would become 100% tithers? That would be some miracle.
God has given me such a burden for them that I am presently looking for someone to donate some space to this ministry so I can hold services for them on Sunday evenings. Most of the benefit rides are on Saturdays and Sundays and are usually over by 5 pm. So, I desire to hold a 6 pm service for them. Then when enough of them feel comfortable attending the services, I will invite them to attend the Sunday morning service I attend every Sunday before the benefit rides begin.

My Pastor, Bishop Bolin, has already told me to bring them in and not worry about what the congregation might say or think. I thank God I’m under the leadership of a God fearing Pastor and not a man pleaser. Praise God!!
Can you imagine a hundred or so motorcycles pulling into that parking lot some Sunday morning and both men and women walking into church with jeans, boots, leather jackets and vests and tattoos and long hair? I doubt if anyone will fall asleep during that sermon. Hallelujah!! I pity the religious folks!!
I’m also planning on inviting these Bikers into the Prisons with me once the weather warms up. Some Prisons have already had Christian Bikers ride their motorcycles right onto the Prison grounds and many inmates surrendered their lives to Christ. Praise God!
My first speaking engagement in 2008 was in Texas. Unknown to me they also had a Biker ministry. God is truly amazing! I met some of the bikers and a few of them told me how they left Biker gangs after getting saved and never regretted it. I was so blessed. I told them of my burden and they encouraged me. I also have speaking engagements in Oklahoma, West Virginia, California and Canada scheduled in 2008. So God is not done with me yet.
I need your prayers more than ever before. I’m ministering with a wounded heart and an empty wallet, but I have the confidence that God will get me through all of this somehow and turn what the enemy meant for evil into something good. He is faithful to finish what He started in me. Amen!! I am desperately trying to keep my eyes and mind going forward and not looking back. What happened in the past is just that: the past. Everything God has for me is in front of me. And I refuse to take any steps backward and give the enemy any kind of victory. Amen!

I still have been unable to find a publisher willing to publish my book. The only other option I have is to self publish. But between graphics, printing and other expenses, I am looking at a minimum of $10,000 of which I do not have. But God is still in the miracle working business, so if all these things are in His will, they will all come to fruition in His perfect timing. Amen!!
I thank all of you who faithfully pray for and financially support this ministry on an on going basis. We lost a few supporters in 2007 due to loss of employment, death in the family. (Bill Williams, a dearly beloved man of God), and our present economy. But, we are still marching forward and claiming victory over the evil one. Hallelujah!!
I opened my heart and made myself completely vulnerable in this newsletter to all of you reading this. I pray that you will not find fault with me or condemn me, but instead forgive me for any wrong doing you may think I have committed, and continue to lift me up in prayer as you have always done.

A fellow bondservant,
Tom Papania

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WHAT AN AMAZING GOD WE SERVE

After Tom Papania surrendered his life to Christ May 23, 1984, Tom Papania had no idea what God had planned for him.
Tom Papania says he was content with being forgiven of all his sins and becoming a "new creation" in Christ. Tom Papania was hungry to know as much as he possibly could about the Bible and enrolled in many Bible studies and seminars. Tom Papania felt he was growing at a steady pace and
the more he knew, the more he wanted to find out about living a Christian life according to God's Word.

In May of 1986 Tom Papania's studies were interrupted by his arrest as Tom Papania's past had caught up with him. Tom Papania's involvement
with the owner of the restaurant he was working for, Carl Coppola, was the cause of his arrest. Tom Papania had not seen or heard from him for
more than 2 ½ years after Tom Papania's salvation experience. Tom Papania was arrested along with six other people.
The charges were many: drug trafficking, R.I.C.O.; (Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization), C.C.E.; (Continual Criminal Enterprise),
attempts and conspiracy to murder, and a few more that cant be remembered right now. The strange thing was for the first time in Tom Papania's
life he was innocent! Tom Papania had committed none of the crimes he was charged with. Tom Papania was arrested and locked up in the
maximum security cells of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for a total of 11 ½ months awaiting trial. To say the least, Tom Papania wondered
why God would allow this to happen to him now that he had become a Christian. But as the saying goes, "God works in mysterious ways."

Being locked down 23 hours a day gave Tom Papania ample time to study God's Word with little or no distractions other than his court date. From morning til night Tom Papania immersed himself in God's Word. But to Tom Papania it seemed as if he could be learning even more. Tom Papania
found out about a Bible College in Tennessee that offered accredited correspondence courses through the mail. Tom Papania enrolled and received the Bible studies weekly. Tom Papania would have to complete a test on those studies before another test would be mailed to him.

It was intended to be a 2 year Bible course and was spaced out accordingly. But, being Tom Papania was locked down for 23 hours a day, Tom Papania finished the entire course in a few months! The Bible College sent Tom Papania a letter asking him how he managed to complete the
studies so soon as they were not aware that Tom Papania was in prison. When Tom Papania wrote back telling them his situation, they wrote back saying they were sorry he could not attend the graduation ceremonies as Tom Papania completed in the top 3 of that class. God used that time to further Tom Papania's knowledge of His Word.
During the 11 ½ months of incarceration Tom Papania was able to lead Carl Coppola and others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. One of the charges against Carl Coppola was a murder conspiracy against Tom! Instead the old man in Carl was killed and a new creation in Christ came forth. Praise God!
The trial itself lasted a few months and Tom Papania was found innocent of all the charges lodged against him and set free April 1987. When the
Son sets you free, you are free indeed.

Upon Tom Papania's release he began to work at different jobs but was never fully satisfied. Tom Papania had felt the call of God on his life but
had no idea what exactly it was God wanted him to do.
While Tom Papania was awaiting trial in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary he was being held in inhuman conditions. Another inmate, Joe Hale, who
Tom Papania had never met, saw the conditions that Tom Papania was being held in and wrote a letter to the Judge presiding over Tom Papania's case in the hopes of having Tom Papania transferred from the cell house Tom was presently being held. That cell house was the same cell house
that the Cubans from the Mariella boat lift were being housed. These were men Fidel Castro released from Cuban prisons and mental institutions
and sent them to the United States. Although the housing conditions were imploring, they were substantiated because the Cuban inmates were
not American citizens. But, Tom Papania was an American citizen!! A year after Tom Papania's release there was a riot by these Cuban inmates
protesting the conditions and treatment they had received. They actually burned down a large portion of the prison and were eventually
transferred to other Federal Prisons where they received better housing and treatment.

Joe Hale had sent Tom Papania a copy of the letter he sent to the Judge to both Tom Papania and his attorney. Joe Hale said he was being
released soon and would try to keep himself updated with Tom Papania's situation.
Almost 2 years had gone by and it was now 1989 and Tom Papania had no doubt God was calling him to ministry but was still uncertain as to what type of ministry. Then God came through in a very unexpected way: Joe Hale had seen on television and in the local newspaper that Tom Papania was found innocent and released and called the church Tom Papania attended to find out how to contact him. When Joe Hale called Tom Papania
he informed him that he had started a local prison ministry and invited Tom Papania to join him.

Joe Hale went to a local prison every Friday evening and Tom Papania now accompanied him. The first few months that Tom Papania had joined
with Joe Hale in the prison, all he did was help carry the Bibles and Christian tracts Joe Hale brought for the inmates. Tom Papania was just an observer and servant and was blessed. After Tom Papania had been involved with Joe Hale's ministry for several months, Joe told Tom that he
had an old court case in Florida which he was sure would be dismissed. Joe explained the situation to the Assistant Warden of that jail and was
told if Joe was found guilty, whether he went to jail or not, he would not be allowed to continue his Friday night services. Joe was confident the
case would just be dismissed and asked Tom Papania to take over while he went to Florida to attend his court hearing. Tom Papania quickly
agreed, but then wondered what he was going to do. Up until that time all Tom Papania ever did was be a servant in that ministry and other
than praying with some of the inmates had never spoken a word. Tom Papania was wondering just what he was going to do that coming Friday evening. Even intense Bible studies during that week brought Tom Papania no revelation as to what he would do or say.

Finally Friday had arrived and Tom Papania had arrived at the prison with the Bibles and Christian tracts and the room they always met in was
about two thirds full. Tom Papania started the group off in prayer and asked for prayer requests and praise reports as Joe Hale had always done.
A man who Tom Papania had never seen in those Friday night meetings before, just stood up and said "Hey man, I know who you are. You're
that guy they said was in the Mafia whose criminal case was all over the newspapers and television a few years ago. "You're Tom Papania."
When Tom Papania told him he was correct, the rest of the men asked Tom Papania to share his testimony with them. Tom Papania shared and
then gave an invitation for anyone who never confessed Jesus in to their life to come forward. More than half the men responded to
Tom Papania's invitation to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!! Tom Papania was in total shock to see this many men come forward at
one meeting, most crying and in total humbleness at the cross of Jesus. God had planned all along what He wanted Tom Papania to do and used a group of prison inmates to let Tom Papania know.

Tom Papania continued a few more weeks preaching and teaching and says he was blessed each and every week. Joe Hale had called Tom Papania
to let him know that he was found guilty of the charge in Florida but did not have to serve any jail time and asked Tom Papania to continue the
Friday night services in the prison. Tom Papania spoke to the Assistant Warden, John Barrows and asked him not to cancel the Friday night
services but instead allow Tom Papania to head it up. John Barrows was a devout Christian man and agreed for Tom Papania to continue the Friday night services. Within a few months, Asst. Warden John Barrows and Tom Papania became good friends and called upon one another for assistance. John Barrows realized that Tom Papania reached beyond the inmates and also reached out to their family. Tom Papania said that when a man goes
to prison, his family becomes a victim of his crime. The wife has to be both Mother and Father and has no choice but to assume all the families financial responsibilities. Tom Papania began using part of his earnings from his employment to help a few of the families keep the wolves away from their doorsteps. Tom Papania also began to supply clothing to the men who had no family to return to and only had the clothes on their back when arrested.

Tom Papania was spending more on these men then himself and wondered how he was going to manage to make ends meet trying to keep this up.
Tom Papania had been working for a Christian owned electrical cable company for over a year and had received both increases in pay and bonuses
for a job well done as well as receiving a plaque for being the "employee of the year." Tom Papania felt a sense of long term security in his position with this company. At least that was what Tom thought. But, one day right around lunch time the owner of the company beckoned Tom Papania to his office. The owner had tears in his eyes and Tom Papania could sense some very strong emotions. He told Tom Papania that he had been praying for him ever since he was arrested and awaiting trial. He told Tom Papania he had given him those increases in pay and bonuses to influence
Tom Papania to stay with his company as he felt Tom was an asset. But, he said, during his prayer time God had revealed to him that all he was
doing was giving Tom Papania a good excuse not to pursue a full time ministry, and fired Tom on the spot asking him to clear out his desk and personal belongings and leave immediately. Tom Papania was completely stunned and taken back. Tom Papania said, "you can't be serious", only
to be told once again to clear out his desk and leave. Tom Papania cleared out his deak and boxed up all his personal belongings and left wounded
and feeling deeply rejected.

Tom Papania went home and told his wife Margaret that he had just been fired from his job. Before Tom Papania could go into the details, Margaret informed him that she had filed for a divorce a few days earlier. Talk about a bad news day! Here Tom Papania was unemployed, going through a divorce, and would probably lose his home and automobile, and was devasted and heartbroken.
Tom Papania's wife Margaret, moved out a few days later and Tom filed for unemployment benefits. The unemployment benefits were barely enough to pay Tom Papania's monthly expenses and he struggled both financially and emotionally. His best friend and Pastor, Fred Kelly stood behind Tom Papania and kept encouraging him. When Tom Papania could not make ends meet, Pastor Kelly would have the church benevolence fund to assist
him for that month.
Tom Papania was out pounding the pavement for work every day, but coming up with nothing and was slowly losing any hopes of securing employment. But, things were about to change. Tom Papania received a phone call from the Warden of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary asking
Tom to come speak there. Naturally, Tom Papania accepted the Wardens invitation, shared his testimony and the response to the invitation was phenomenal. After that day, Tom Papania began receiving requests to speak in various prisons, jails, penitentiaries, and juvenile detention facilities taking up most of Toms time both day and night.

Shortly after, Tom Papania's divorce was final and he had to give up his house and his unemployment checks ran out. Tom Papania moved into a
small apartment and began taking jobs cutting peoples lawns, delivering newspapers, and loading moving vans. Tom Papania was making enough to survive, but not really enough to live on. Something had to give.
Tom Papania had a very good friend, Chuck Murch (who is now home with our Lord) who asked to meet Tom for lunch. Chuck knew Tom Papania's
car had broken down beyond repair and was also struggling to make ends meet. Chuck had always been an encouragement to Tom and accepted
Tom Papania for who he was. He became like the father Tom Papania never had and took Tom into his family as if he were one of his own.
Chuck was forced to retire from the Ford Motor Company as a top executive because he was diagnosed with leukemia. In spite of Chuck's illness he continued to play a few rounds of golf each and every day. You could always see the joy of the Lord on Chucks face. Chuck was involved with the Hospital ministry his church had started and asked Tom Papania to join him. Chuck would visit various Hospitals every Thursday but would only go
to the intensive care patients rooms. The first time Tom Papania accompanied him, Tom began to cry as they prayed for people with needles and
tubes sticking out of them in every place possible. Chuck asked Tom Papania if this was too much for him to see and Tom said no, I'm crying
because I feel so guilty of complaining to God about my situation and now I see people who are much worse off than me. Tom Papania was
humbled beyond words.
In the next few months Tom Papania began to see some people receive their healing that Chuck and Tom prayed for. It was just what
Tom Papania needed to lift his spirits.
Chuck did more than just invite Tom Papania to be a part of the Hospital ministry. Chuck had a car he was about to trade in for a new one, but
said God told him to give that car to Tom Papania instead. Chuck also started giving Tom Papania $50 a week to help out with his bills and told
Tom to go into full time ministry and stop delaying it, that God would provide all of Tom Papania's needs. Tom got more involved in the prison
ministrybut continued to do odd jobs to make ends meet.
Some of the men who were released from prison and jails told their Pastors or Youth Pastors about Tom. Soon, Tom Papania was receiving calls
from churches of all denominations to come and speak.
Tom Papania was asked how much he charged to speak and Tom told them he could never charge for what God gave him freely: his salvation!!
They offered Tom Papania free will and love offerings in place of a speaking fee, which Tom still accepts to this day. Tom Papania had no idea
what a free will or love offering was at that time. After Tom Papania shared his testimony with their congregation and invited the unsaved to
receive Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Pastor would then take up the "love offering" for Tom.

Tom Papania was amazed how generous the people were in helping him further the ministry God blessed him with. This was going to be one of God's ways of helping support the ministry as He began to open more doors for Tom Papania.
Tom Papania told Chuck what was happening and Chuck suggested Tom get a name for this ministry and incorporate it as a non-profit religious organization as soon as possible. Tom Papania sought out the attorney who had defended him in his criminal case in 1986, Alan Begnar.
Mr. Begnar set up the non-profit organization for Tom and God spoke to Tom Papania's heart and gave him the name
"God's Saving Grace Ministries." After the application had been accepted by the State, Tom Papania began full time ministry.
Tom Papania had already completed Bible studies from Bible College years earlier and his Pastor and the Elders of the church decided it was time
for him to be ordained with all the work Tom had been putting into the prison ministry and the lifestyle Tom was leading.
Tom Papania states that was a very exciting day and a tremendous blessing for him to have the ordination ceremony performed by the same
Pastor, Fred Kelly, who led Tom Papania to the Lord in 1984.
Tom Papania was now going to jails, prisons,and youth detention centers almost 6 days and nights a week with Sunday being his day of getting
his battery recharged at the church he attended.

Some of the inmates who had given their lives to Christ had written home to tell their family of the good news. The families inquired as to who was leading these services and was given Tom Papania's name and address. Some of the families wrote to Tom Papania and asked him how his ministry was funded. Tom Papania told them only by free will or love offerings that were taken in churches wherever Tom spoke. Some said they wanted to support Tom Papania financially on a monthly basis to help further the ministry!!! God had once again supplied even another means of income for
God's Saving Grace Ministries. By now, Tom Papania had enough coming in not only to support the ministry but also to help more of the families
with their monthly expenses.
In 1991, a Christian woman Tom had met in a church service where Tom was the guest speaker, Donna McGown, mailed Tom a complete paid in
full 16 day trip to Israel, which she herself and one of her friends were also planning on going. Tom Papania was excited, but had no passport at
that time. So, Tom Papania obtained all the necessary forms for a passport, and saw that he had to list all his arrests, and got discouraged.
But one of Tom Papania's Board of Directors, Bob Wilkerson, suggested the passport application be prayed over before mailing it in.
Bob Wilkerson and Tom Papania prayed over it and then Tom mailed it. In a few weeks, Tom Papania's passport arrived! Praise God for answered prayer!

Tom Papania went to Israel not knowing it was Benny Hinn's ministry that had arranged the tour to Israel. Up until then, Tom Papania never knew
who Benny Hinn was. There were over 1600 people on this tour from various countries around the world and Tom Papania quickly made many new friends. Tom Papania was so blessed and intrigued by seeing all the sites where Jesus walked and was crucified and His empty tomb and so many other wonderful sites.
Part of the tour was a long bus ride to Jaffa where Benny Hinn was born. One of Benny Hinn's Pastors, David Palmquist, who was on the same bus
as Tom Papania, asked him to share his testimony. David Palmquist had never heard of Tom Papania before and knew nothing about him but God
spoke to David's heart and told him to ask Tom. Tom Papania then shared his testimony with the other 54 people on that bus. When Tom Papania
was finished sharing his testimony a man came running from the rear of the bus and hugged Tom and asked if Tom would come to his country and share what God had done in his life. Being this man, Fernando Marchitelli, had a very thick Italian accent, Tom Papania got very excited about the thought of going to his native country, Italy. When Tom Papania asked Fernando when he wanted Tom to come to Italy, Fernando said "Italy?
I live in Hong Kong." Needless to say, Tom Papania accepted the invitation and months later Tom was off to Hong Kong. Fernando Marchitelli was
a prominent Asian business man with offices throughout Asia. He was very influential with other business owners in that part of the world.
Fernando arranged for Tom Papania to speak before a crowd of over 1000 business people from all over Asia, as well as in some of the Board
rooms of some
of the businesses. Many, many people gave their lives to Christ during that trip and Fernando brought Tom Papania back a few more times in the coming years. Hong Kong was God's stepping stone for Tom to speak in more Asian countries. Tom Papania was invited to Singapore and Malaysia shortly after and returned many times year after year as their guest speaker. One Singaporean man, a Doctor, paid for 2 hours in a professional recording studio so Tom Papania could have his testimony on a cassette tape so it could be spread around a lot more than Tom just traveling from place to place.
When Tom Papania would return home from these ministry trips, he would find many more requests from different parts of the country to come and speak. Tom Papania was on the road more than 20 days a month seeing people getting saved on each trip. Tom Papania was booked more than a year in advance and had his faithful volunteers keeping the local prison ministry going while Tom traveled.

In December of 1996, Focus on The Family played a very old tape of Tom Papania's testimony over a period of 3 nights. The response according to Focus was overwhelming. Over 300,000 people had called in and more than 10,000 people requested salvation booklets and Focus could not keep
their tape machines working long enough to keep up with all the requests for that tape. Tom Papania states that to this day he has no idea where that tape came from. Tom Papania states it must have been within the first few times he shared his testimony as he was very nervous and
emotional and made many errors in words and dates that he used. Tom Papania believes someone must have brought a personal tape recorder to a church where he had once spoken and recorded it. It was of very poor quality and Tom Papania asked Focus not to use it but to use the tape that was made in Singapore instead, but Focus insisted on using the old tape. From that 3 day broadcast Tom Papania was now booked 3 years in advance!! Doors began opening by God that were never opened before and the ministry had skyrocketed. There was hardly a Christian television or radio show or Christian magazine that wasn't asking for Tom Papania.
Tom Papania states that was a very uncomfortable period in time for him as he did not want any attention but for all the attention to go to God.
Tom Papania never intended to have that kind of publicity but instead tried to keep a low profile just sharing the Gospel with the lost and hurting
of this world.
Instead of Tom Papania getting an inflated ego, it had the opposite effect on him and humbled him into realizing just how far God had brought Tom Papania from his old life to his new life in Christ. Worshipping and praising God was all Tom Papania lived for.
This sudden publicity brought many blessings but also a few unpleasant experiences. But the blessings so outweighed the negative responses that Tom just kept on going and looking forward instead of dwelling on it. It was a very difficult time for Tom, but God was in control and that was all
that mattered.
Tom Papania's once local jail ministry had now become an International ministry and Tom visited jails and prisons all around the globe and it blessed Tom to see so many in jails and prisons surrendering their lives to Christ as well as in the churches Tom Papania spoke worldwide.
Tom Papania said that one day when he went to pick up the ministry mail, a booklet was sent to him titled "The Prayer of Jabez." Tom Papania took the book home and began reading it. It was the prayer of Jabez asking God to expand his territories.
Tom Papania decided to pray that prayer for himself the next few weeks. A few weeks later, Tom Papania received invitations to speak in Canada and Australia!!! Two countries Tom Papania had never been to before. Again, God answered Tom Papania's prayers.

Zoran Paunovich, a Youth Pastor in Geelong, Australia originally asked Tom Papania to come to Australia in 1996, and Tom has been going there
ever since!! Tom Papania says he cannot express in words alone how blessed he is every time he visits Australia. Tom Papania was told by the Pastors that every attendance record and salvation record was broken by Tom Papania's first few visits there.

The Holy Spirit was moving in Tom Papania's life in an extraordinary way and gave Tom Papania favor with the Country of Australia. It was nothing that Tom Papania did or said, but only the move of the Holy Spirit that made all those things possible.
Tom Papania acknowledges that he takes absolutely none of the credit for what God has done. Tom says he has much to be grateful for and how
God is using him as long as Tom remains obedient to His Word and calling.
God is not done with Tom Papania yet. There are yet more foreign countries inviting Tom Papania to come and share the love of God. Tom Papania actually has a video ministry in India. Tom Papania bought a video monitor and sound equipment for a Pastor in India. This Pastor was originally
renting equipment before Tom Papania bought him his own equipment. Tom Papania is also partners with a ministry in Kenya, Africa. Both these ministries occasionally send Tom photos of the fruits of their ministries.
Just think: from a local jail to a worldwide ministry.

WHAT AN AMAZING GOD WE SERVE

"Who has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time."
2 Tim. 1:9

Tom Papania (tm) is truly one of God's miracles of Grace. Saved in 1984 at The Landmark Church in Norcross, Ga.
Tom has since been blessed to travel around the world sharing a message of hope to those who are lost and hurting.
Tom's travels have brought him throughout the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Jamaica, Australia, and
the Fiji Islands with the Holy Spirit bringing many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Tom Papania (tm) has been featured on national TV and radio shows such as The 700 Club, Life Outreach, Billy Graham's radio broadcast,
TBN, local Christian television stations and radio stations in Charisma magazine, and on Focus on The Family. On the second day of
broadcasting on Focus, in December of 1996, Dr. Dobson commented that Tom Papania's story was almost too good to be true and
Focus did a lengthy background investigation of Tom's references and everything Tom stated in his testimony was true.

Tom Papania not only ministers in churches and Christian organizations, but in jails and prisons throughout the world and locally here in Georgia, reaching out to the families of the inmates with necessities whenever possible. Tom's testimony along with millions of others, shows the mercy
and grace and unconditional love of God. There is not one single soul that God would not, or could not save if only we would allow Him access to
our hearts.

Tom Papania's Testimony :
Mobster... Enforcer Mafiosa... Gangster...
These are all names that at one time described Tom Papania from an abused New York street punk of 15 years of age, until 1984.
Tom's main goal in life was to make Al Capone look like an amateur. Until one day, he met his creator.

Tom worked his way up in organized crime to a trusted position in the New York Gambino organized crime family. Tom answered directly to Paul Castellano. From 1976 to 1985, Paul “Big Paul” Castellano was the capo di tutti capi, boss of all bosses, of New York’s Gambino crime family, then
the most powerful of the city’s five families.

Tom Papania wielded fear, terror, and brutality to control the New York mob's expanding interests. Bomb threats to contracts on Tom's life
couldn't stop the hell-bound course crime had put him on. One day, after a road to Damascus experience, Tom Papania surrendered his life to
Christ.
December 16, 1985 Paul Castellano was gunned down outside of Sparks Steak House in NY. Tom's past caught up with him and he was sent to
the Atlanta federal penitentiary to await trial. The trial was one of Atlanta's longest, lasting 11 months. God used the maximum security cells
of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary to mold and develop Tom's new Christ-like character.

A year later, Tom Papania was set free by the Grace of God. Tom continued in his commitment to Christ and is an ordained evangelist and
executive director of God's Saving Grace Ministries. Tom now goes back into the prisons with the power of the holy spirit, truly setting captives
free.
Tom would be more than happy to share his testimony with your local church. It will be a blessing for both your local church and Tom to see the
lost come to the Lord in a mighty way leading thousands to accept Jesus as their Savior.

Tom Papania God's Saving Grace Ministries

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