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Meet Pastor Brad Ficklin
Pastor Brad Ficklin lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his beautiful wife, Heather, and his two boys Josiah and Justus. Pastor Brad planted Koinonia Church 12 years ago as the Lord called him into a life of preaching, teaching, exhortation, and service with a goal to reach the lost and bring renewal and revival to the city.
Prior to starting the church, Brad began his career in the U.S. Marine Corps when he distinctly heard the direction of the Lord. His service was spiritually profitable as he led many men to their Savior and was privileged to baptize and disciple them.
As a Christian minister, he worked on university campuses reaching students, and in missions including a five week mission trip to South Africa. He worked in other occupations such as carpentry and banking, as well as receiving a degree in Radiologic Sciences.
Through the years of experience, learning and growing, Brad is convinced of one thing: He loves people and wants them to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Despite success in his occupational endeavors, he felt God calling him to give all of his strength and capacity to building the Kingdom of God. This conviction led Brad to a career in ministry, starting at a local church in outreach as an associate pastor, and then as a worship leader. Although he had been fruitful in soul winning and serving God in these ministerial roles, Brad began to believe God had called him to a place to encourage the saints and win the lost from a position of pastoral leadership. Thus, he stepped out in faith, establishing Koinonia Church in 2005, and has been the pastor to date.
The Ficklin Family
Pastor Brad Ficklin lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his beautiful wife, Heather, and his two boys Josiah and Justus... and their beautiful Golden Retriever, Sassy.
Pastor Brad’s Personal Testimony
As a youngster, my dream in life was to play baseball professionally. It was my achievements in athletics that gave me a sense of accomplishment and approval among my family and friends. Upon graduation from high school, I received a few baseball scholarship offers and chose to play at New Mexico Highlands University. I did well academically and on the baseball team. It seemed as though I was well on my way toward my goal. However, although baseball gave me some satisfaction, there seemed to be a deep void in my life. Throughout high school, not only was I known as a good pitcher, outfielder and hitter on the field, but as a carouser and partier off the field. I tried to fill this void more and more with alcohol and lust. Outwardly, it looked like I was doing well, always laughing and making others laugh, but inside I was lonely, afraid and empty. When I was nine, my father committed suicide, and memories of him lying on the floor with a bullet wound through his chest began to run through my mind quite frequently. The more I partied, the more I thought about death and suicide. My vision to play baseball had become distant and I was full of despair.
My mother remarried when I was fifteen and both my parents were involved in the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church. My step-father frequently watched the “700 Club" on television in the morning. I began to watch the program and I heard people testifying of a new-found relationship with Jesus Christ. Every one of them spoke of how Jesus Christ changed their lives and filled the void they had in their own hearts. I was convicted when I heard that no drunkards or immoral people would enter the Kingdom of God. Through the years of high school and college, I had still attended church on Sundays and had a “head” knowledge of Jesus Christ: of who He was and what He did. As I heard the truth one life-changing day, I recognized that my life was in rebellion toward God and that the wages of MY sin were death. As the message of Jesus Christ and Him being crucified as a substitute for my sins was preached, I could do nothing but surrender to Him. The day came that I prayed and received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
It was two weeks later when in attendance at a local church in Albuquerque, I again prayed to confirm my faith in Jesus. The burden of my guilt was lifted that day as Jesus forgave me and set me free from my sin. He also gave me the assurance of eternal life. The thoughts of death and suicide that once plagued me were replaced with thoughts of the love and forgiveness of God. I experienced a joy and peace that overwhelmed me. The void in my life that I had tried to fill with the superficial pleasures of sin was now filled with the endless love of God in Jesus Christ.
Brad’s Challenge to You
When Jesus saved my life, it became obvious to me that there were two kingdoms waging war for the souls of mankind. In John 10:10 Jesus tells us, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." My mom told me that the last words out of my father's mouth before he died were, "Oh my God!" They were spoken as if he really did not know what he was doing until it was already done. I then understood the war that must have been going on inside of him. The Bible says of the devil, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies. Satan has destroyed many lives through his deception. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 states, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of the world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. "
The only thing that will set men free from the chains of sin is the truth in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Considering this, I pose these questions: Are we taking seriously the command of Jesus? Are we being Salt and Light in this dark world? Do we care where people will spend eternity?
Koinonia Church is dedicated to fulfilling the Great Commission, bringing the gospel to the people of our city through one-on-one evangelism, open-air preaching, teaching, campus and community outreaches, and multi-media presentations. Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:37-38). It is time to labor diligently. Through your faithful prayers and even financial support, we can fulfill the Great Commission and see a great end time revival. I would like to ask you to pray for Koinonia Church and our mission, and consider donating a one-time gift or becoming a monthly supporter in order to contribute to furthering the Kingdom and the work being done here in Albuquerque. You are heartily welcome to visit any time!
Thank you and God bless you!
