ALIVE AT 65

At age two I was the second born of nine children
to a loving and caring but poor Texas Coast mom and dad.

In two days I'll be 65. To be honest, I never thought I'd make it to 25. But because of God's amazing agape-love, not only will I be 65 on November 16th, three months later on February 9 I will celebrate 40 years as a born-again Christian, and one month later (March) I'll celebrate 40 years in prison, street and pulpit ministry.

At age 15 I  was an A student &
lettered in all school sports but was
also burglarizing homes and "rolling"
people at knife point.

At age 15 I knew my life was in a stormy and raging sea of unchecked anger and hatred. I had no idea whatsoever where my troubled life was going to take me. All I knew was that my life wasn't normal. And although I tried to be normal and appear normal, my life was in a shambles. Over one million youth and adults have heard my testimony, how Jesus Christ set this chemical and criminal captive free from a life of crime and time. Only Jesus could do such a thing.

Already in prison for two years,
just two months later I would
accept Jesus as my Savior!

Only God could use a place like prison as the proving ground that would transform a wretched man into a brand new creation in Christ Jesus, as well as be the place where the Holy Spirit would teach me and equip me with everything I would ever need to become an on-fire for the Lord prison, street and pulpit evangelist.

At age 25--the age I really thought I'd never make it to--I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, and the rest is His-story. And what a story it has been thus far!

Jeanette and I were married in Las
Vegas on  a beautiful and  sunny
Valentine's Day in 1976.

At age 28 I met Jeanette, the love of my life, at the Assembly of God church I attended after being released from prison. She sang in the choir and I was now working at Bakersfield Teen Challenge as its Drug Prevention & Intervention Coordinator. On February 14, 1976 Jeanette and I were married. Shortly thereafter I became the Associate Director of Kern County Teen Challenge. In 2013 Jeanette and I will celebrate 37 years of marriage. Believe me, unless the LORD had built my life, my ministry, our marriage and our family, none of this would have been possible.

San Francisco Teen Challenge
is a men's 12-month rehab center.

At age 35 I became the Executive Director of San Francisco Teen Challenge. In my wildest dreams I would have never in the world thought I'd be sitting behind a desk inside the Mission District of such a majestic and beautiful city as San Francisco and coming home each night to a beautiful wife and three wonderful children. But just think about it: a lifelong Dallas Cowboy fan  living smack dab in the middle of San Francisco 49ers turf. :)

In 1982 Jeanette and I founded Teen Scene, Inc. and focused our ministry on drug prevention, intervention and postvention rather than drug rehabilitation. Living in the Bay area for fourteen years before returning to Bakersfield in 1992, our small but potent ministry became well-known throughout northern, southern and central California as a "one man army against drugs."

The 60-pound, 10-foot by 5 foot
"God's Plus Sign"

From this successful grass roots drug education and prevention ministry, several affiliated ministries and outreaches have sprung up, including the one most people associate me with now. Walk The Cross is now in its seventh year.

Two days from now and if the LORD tarries, I will celebrate my 65th birthday by walking the 60-pound, 10 foot by 5 foot wooden cross--God's Plus Sign to the world!--throughout one of Bakersfield's 60 or so official neighborhoods. On November 16 I will greet a whole lot of individuals with a friendly wave, a sincere smile and a personal greeting, share Jesus with many, and pray for youth and adults as they come out of their homes or stop as they drive by in their vehicles. 

If the LORD tarries, I look forward to
walking the cross many more years.

On the day that I never thought I'd celebrate, much less live to, I will also enjoy the presence of  a loving and dedicated wife, three of four children (oldest lives in Texas) who have grown up to become amazing individuals and three of our grandchildren (five also live in Texas). And, as if that isn't enough, I get to celebrate Jesus and what he has done for me with all my spirit, heart and soul.

Glory to the King of kings and Lord of lords. \O/   --Street Evangelist Tom Alexander

A MINISTRY NOTE OF SINCERE APPRECIATION

25,000 youth & adults have accepted
Jesus as their Savior  through Teen Scene,
Walk The Cross, Bakersfield Street Church,
GangBusters, Nope To Dope, Run From Guns,
Church on The Streets & Pray USA.

"I'm alive / I'm on fire / And my spirit burns with desire / You set me alive /...I want to thank You / thank You / Thank You" (lyrics from Newsboys lead singer's solo hit, "Alive"). As I celebrate my 65th birthday on November 16th, I cannot ever forget just how wonderful God was to me at age 25, when he rescued me from a very deep and dark pit and then put a new song in my heart and mouth (Psalm 40). And, for almost 40 years He has allowed me to serve Him as a street evangelist. In His grace I hope to serve Him for many, many more years.

For these 40 years I've never had to charge for the weddings I officiated, the one million kids I spoke to in public schools about the dangers of drug use, the individual and family counseling I provided, or any other ministry service. That's amazing. But this happened because of dear friends who have supported our ministry these past 40 years. Perhaps you'd like to contribute to our ministry. If so, why not give a gift of $65, not to celebrate my birthday, but to help underwrite this ministry at a unique time in my life.

You can make your gift out to either Teen Scene, Inc. or Walk The Cross. Our mailing address is: Teen Scene/Walk The Cross, Box 10551, Bakersfield, CA 93389. E-mail address is: Tom@WalkTheCross.com