FERGUSON—Not many Christians have attended high school at Block Yeshiva, a Jewish College Preparatory School, but Gabe Fox, minister to students at First Baptist Church here, did.
“I studied the Talmud and Hebrew,” Fox said. “I was learning to be a devout Jew and to earn God’s favor.”
“I can now see God’s progressive drawing me to the moment of conversion,” Fox said. Fox began attending First Ferguson in 1996 when he was dating a girl who attended the church. “I heard the Gospel presented and I was fascinated.”
The girl moved to another city, but Fox stayed in the church.
“I stayed because I was drawn to the church,” he said. “I recognized that all of the Old Testament that I had studied made more sense. I realized the Old Testament was completed in Christ. He was the Jewish model and He was pleasing to the Lord.”
With Fox’s conversion, Bible study became more important to him.
“I was consumed with a desire to read the Bible and to study,” he said. “KSIV provided me with a solid radio education and I realized God sought me out.”
With his growth in Bible study, Fox began to discover a desire to serve the Lord through ministry.
“I have a passionate love for the Word of God,” he said, “and to be obedient in ministry. I started working in AWANA and now I’m working with the youth.”
According to Fox, he can see spiritual growth in the youth.
“We study the Bible verse by verse,” he said. “We discuss doctrine and practical application to school and home.”
When Fox became a Christian, it was not popular in his home.
“Years ago, when I first became a Christian,” he said, “I was considered dead to my family. However, after my father survived cancer, he has mellowed. He thinks he was spared because he is Jewish. I told him he was spared to have more time to repent.”
Fox has two sisters and a brother.
“I’ve tried witnessing to them by pointing out their inability to keep the law,” he said. “I want them to see that they fall short. I am diligent in my witness and with tears, but it is not my job. God will draw them and it gives me confidence in my witness. When God draws them, they will understand.”
VICKI STAMPS/contributing writer