Meeting Pastor Kenny McClinton - what a delight! A wonderful man of God. It was obvious Pastor McClinton not only loved his family but was deeply in love with Jesus Christ and wanted to share Him with everyone. We lost contact until sometime in the year 2000. After responding to a prayer petition, our friendship was established. Unable to get together to do the interview, the following is excerpts via brochure of his testimony. Pray for his plight please.

God Bless, jan

Pastor Kenny was born in 1947 to a hard drinking, fighting miner who spent all the family income on drink leaving the family in poverty. They lived in a ramshackle ex-army Nissan hut. There was no running water; he was as familiar with rats as most children are with cats. With the other children making jokes, ridiculing and bullying he and his brother, they learned to fight back. Kenny’s whole life centered around violence, they became the terror of the area. He was involved in the loosest kind of life imaginable. His voice trembles with a sense of shame when he says, “I tried just about everything there is to try over and over again.” “Yet,” he says, “I never felt really satisfied. I never had any lasting peace or pleasure. I always felt there was something missing.”

He joined the Ulster Defense Regiment in 1972, before long graduating to the more militant Ulster Freedom Fighters, a much-feared terrorist group. He trained many others in the use of weapons, machine guns and explosives. He would send letter bombs to key people in the IRA. Again his voice drops as he says, “It was at this time, I am ashamed to say, that I killed two people and attempted to murder a number of others.”

After a major bombing campaign he awoke one morning, dreadfully hung over, sweating and feeling really ill. For some reason I just prayed, “God, I have always believed in You, and the Protestant tradition. I am tired of what I have become. I am tired of my life. Please help me to have a new start.” That was Friday the 27th of August 1977. On Monday morning he was arrested, charged with two murders, other terrorist offences and violent acts.

Hundreds of other terrorists were taken about the same time. Kenny McClinton was one of the most feared men in Northern Ireland. His years of terrorist activity culminated in a life sentence. He had become a thorn in the side of the authorities. Even in prison he found himself in punishment cells fifteen times in nine months. Although he could not see it at the time, he looks back and knows this was the answer to his prayer. Terrorist activities continued in prison. He was referred to as, “That maniac McClinton!” One day he found himself in solitary confinement in the punishment cell. The only thing in his cell was a rather decrepit looking King James Bible, which he started reading, finding the stories quite enjoyable and relating to many in the Old Testament.

After nearly two years from the time of his arrest he was tried and he heard the judge say, “I find you a ruthless, cold blooded and completely callous man. I sentence you to two accounts of life imprisonment, and recommend that you serve no less than 20 years.” Shortly after this time Kenny found himself reading in the New Testament. Suddenly, he became aware of the great love of God. He said, “The Bible pointed me to Jesus Christ who died and rose again to offer me forgiveness.” He fell to his knees in cell 9 on H Block 6 in the Maze Prison. He cried out for forgiveness and was immediately transformed. He shared this news with his other cellmates, then declared, “I have taken Jesus Christ into my life. I cease to be the commanding officer of the UFF and wish only to be a volunteer in the army of Jesus Christ. I will seek to serve Him to the best of my ability.” There was stunned silence!

His life so radically changed that he was eventually allowed out on parole, and ultimately set free in 1993. Kenny now heads an International Christian Ministry – The Ulster/American Fellowship that unites believers in prayer and fellowship across the Atlantic.

This is what Pastor Kenny shares about prayer and why it is so important in Ministry and in life. “Prayer for the true Christian is partaking of an absolute privilege secured for us by Christ's suffering at Calvary's Cross. He made the way into the Holy of Holies for sinful mankind to communicate with a Holy God of wrath against sin. Therefore, when we come into God's Presence

Pastor Kenny continued on page two

The story in the Belfast Newsletter (Ireland) the morning of Wednesday 16th January 2002 read:

Pastor Appeals to Bush :- LVF go-between Pastor Kenny McClinton is appealing to President Bush's adviser on Northern Ireland to help him secure a visa for the USA. Last November, Mr McClinton - ordained into a Texas Ministry - was denied a visa-waiver after the USA tightened sanctions on admitting individuals with alleged links to terrorist organizations...

Last night, Mr McClinton praised Mr Haaas for recognizing the plight of Unionists but said: "I am a repentant EX-terrorist turned Pastor who has had success in producing the only visible decommissioning Northern Ireland has seen and I am being refused entrance for Christian Ministry into the States." "I go to America for no political reason whatsoever. I simply preach and carry out Bible teaching in different churches including President Bush's own church. I am held in the highest esteem by the American people and they are screaming out for me to come back.

It is vital for me to get back to America…….."