Stan and Stephanie Broder

Stan and Stephanie

I was born and raised in a Jewish home where the name Jesus Christ was never mentioned. It wasn't until 1975 at a gathering of the Motown Records staff (where I worked as studio manager at the time), that a fellow employee very bluntly informed me that "I was going to hell if I didn't receive Christ as my Savior"; now that's the direct approach to evangelism. My response was understandable. "You believe what you want to believe and I'll believe what I want to believe. Just because I wasn't raised the way you were doesn't give you the right to tell me that I am going to hell."

That was the beginning of a long soul-searching experience that took me across the United States in six weeks, through the UK and Europe in three and a half months, and then on to Israel for an additional four and a half months. I was a Jew. I was one of God's chosen people. Sadly, however, I had no idea at the time what I was chosen for.

All of Europe spoke of Christ. Art museums, cathedrals, and history in general spoke of the man from Nazareth as I traveled from one end of Europe to the other. It was time for me to visit Israel and to better understand what I was supposed to believe as a "Jew." What I discovered sadly was that the Jews of Israel were just as ignorant of spiritual things as I was. They knew about their history, their rituals and ceremonies but they had no idea what God had intended for them as "God's chosen people."

I left Israel after an additional four and a half months of living on a kibbutz still oblivious to what it meant to be a Jew. Throughout Israel, however, just as in Europe, everywhere I traveled this man from Nazareth was there. I wasn't looking for Christ but my Messiah was definitely looking for me.

For those who are interested, the full-length version of my testimony, and God's tremendous work in my life, can be found by clicking on the Testimony of A Completed Jew.


Bethany Bible Church


My wife, Stephanie, and I have attended Bethany Bible Church for some time now but have just recently become more actively involved. Previous to our retirement and relocation to this area more than five years ago, Steph and I attended Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California where John MacArthur is pastor-teacher. During that time I worked with the outreach department, and "Grace to You" as Director for International Ministries (1980-2005). I count it a privilege to be working with our leadership team in providing guidance to the development and organization of our church in general and our missions program in particular.