Our Testimony

Jerome’s testimony:  Jerome Burkett barely escaped Satan's grasp from the sexual immorality and drug abuse that came from a childhood of fatherlessness. As he was incarcerated several times he would always turn to the Bible for answers. Finally, in a correctional bootcamp he gave his whole life to Jesus Christ and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
After five years and some rehab he finally gained enough maturity to break Satan's grasp. The next ten years included being discipled by great Kingdom leaders that equipped him to also be able to set the captive free. In 2010 God prophetically released Jerome to begin to fulfill the vision that God put in his heart.
Since then we have seen hundreds affected by the vision God gave Jerome. 

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Mark Smith
​Pastor / Leader

Drugs were just my cover up to hide from dealing with pride, lust, rejection and rebellion. I thank God for my addiction because I couldn't just manage my sin. It makes me deal with the real issues which makes me call out to a real God. As I did, He showed me a path which made me lay down my life as I saw it and made me go a way that makes me continually ask him for grace to become who He has called me to become.  As I stay on His path, I am finding out those things that continue to draw me away from Him. He allows circumstances to bring them to the surface and I make the choice to deal with it. As I do, He helps me with the understanding not only how to overcome, but also who He has created me to be in the process. Today I walk in victory! I'm not tossed to and fro, but I'm stable in who God is and who I am in Him. I'm learning more and more. Just how God talks to me everyday and leads me every step of the way. I believe God will have what He says He will have and I'm going to make the choice to be a part of it. Will you?  I'm not going to get to the end of my life and wish I had done it different. Living in such a way I can pass the baton with purpose and destiny. 

Alexis Smith
Kid's Church Pastor

I surrendered my life to Jesus when I was 32 years old. After being in church and being involved in Bible studies, I still felt like there was more and I didn't feel like I had depth in my relationship with God. My husband and I knew God was calling us to JBM Ministry. At that time, I had no idea what a five fold ministry was and had never heard of it.  I also had never heard of a lot of the terminology that was used like prophesy, kingdom, and authority.  After learning about five fold ministry, prophecies, kingdom mindsets, etc. I knew that was what had been missing in my relationship. I have been able to hear God in a whole new way. I have learned how to declare words over my life to have strongholds broken. Before, I had no idea what strongholds were.  I have been able to declare words over my children, and speak life into them. In God lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The more I seek God and with the leadership at JBM I am finding the wisdom and knowledge from God to be a Godly wife and mother. 

Greg Zaremski
​ Former Resident / Former House Man & Leader

I am a leader over the Refuge and Freedom House. I came to JBM over 2 years ago, after my mom died. I knew Jerome for about 10 years, but didn't talk to him regularly. I was seeking guidance thru prayer in what to do. Thru prayer I heard Holy Spirit say to call Jerome. I told him what was going on. That I had addiction problems and had 2 weeks clean. I asked him if I could come to JBM. He told me he would pray about it and get back with me. He ended up calling me that he would be in the area in 2 weeks and would be willing to pick me up. I ended up coming here with him as a Joshua House intern. I completed the 6 month program and ended up being set free from alcohol, drug addiction and depression. Slowly being set free from fear, anxiety and insecurity. After graduation I sayed on as a house man / leader. It definitely is challenging yet rewarding. I am greatful to be learning more on how to walk with the Spirit's leading. I was a total basket case in my opinion when I came here. Ive learned how to love myself, love God, love others. Being here has also pushed me further along and stregthened e. I would have never thought I'd be a leader, be sober and be free.  I always thought I was just a useless, hopeless cause. I found hope and my future is bright now. I've got great support and a new loving family here. I'm truly blessed. 

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Wes Donaldson
Former Resident / Former House Man & Leader

This time about a year and a half ago I was addicted to meth and living a homosexual lifestyle. I was so rejected and empty. I cried out to God for help, and wow did He ever! While the loudest voice was saying to jump off of my 20 story balcony, another voice said pack a bag and leave. At that time there was a hurricane coming and my friends and family said it didn't make sense to head into a storm.  I later found out that storm was needed to change a season in my life. As I became desperate and hungry for true love, the more Holy Spirt began to lead me to each divine appointment he had set up before I was even born. Holy Spirit lead my path to Jerome and Denise. The moment I met Jerome and spent time listening, he knew my life story without me ever meeting him before. I had met my spiritual Father... WOW. It has been a year and a half and God is continuing to reveal Himself to me in ways that are more valuable than anything I have ever experienced. I should be dead, but I am more alive in Christ today than I have ever been.  ​

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Michael Andrew Vickers
Former Resident / Former House Man & Leader

I spent most of my adult life struggling with addiction and making very bad decisions which also produced bad fruit in my life. At the age of 19 I was sent to prison for almost 3 years because I broke into a house and stole guns, drugs & money. When I got out of prison, I tried using drugs intravenously for the first time/ got on the needle. This sent me down a path of darkness, destruction and death for many years to come. I was a gang banger, surface level devil worshipper, needle junkie, robber, thief, liar, sexually immoral hater of anything good because I had never tasted anything good in life myself. I was miserable and slowly losing the desire to even be here on earth. Death soon became a fantasy, knowing that it would actually be a form of relief from the lifestyle I was entangled in. October 27th 2019, I died. I overdosed on heroin mixed with fentynl. I was in a coma for 3 days and wasn't expected to live. I had 7 different drugs in my system. It's true, a death had occurred. The version of me that lived life without God had passed away. I woke up from the coma and had no desire to live. No energy to pick myself up from my current situation and move forward with this miserable existence. So in a final outcry of desperation, I said in my heart, "God , if you are real, you better do something because I'm going to commit suicide as soon as they let me leave this hospital." Then I remember scoffing and mocking saying to myself, "see, I knew you weren't real". Then a couple minutes later, a presence or warmth started to cover my body from my head and slowly moving down into my chest and throughout the rest of my body. As it passed through my chest, I suddenly felt every bit of anger leave and a calmness and peace were deposited by it. Then, the moment that forever changed my life took place. "There is still hope in Me my son"! In the deepest part of my being I heard this. When I acknowledged it, it was like a seed of hope was planted into my soul.
I immediately understood what just happened. God, the almighty had spoken to me! Called me son and told me there was hope in Him. I knew exactly what He was saying. He was asking me to truly surrender my whole life over to Him. Guess what? I did it! Hallelujah. I gave it all right there in that hospital room. A week later, I found myself at JBM. The place that has been my life's greatest impact for the Kingdom. I went through freedom house and Joshua house program. God began speaking to me, strengthening me and showing me visions of my identity. There leadership team understood the process and had the patience to help me walk out real deliverance. They believed in me and spoke life over me. Told me I could become a real man of God. Well I believed them and decided to stay even longer. Continued the process as a staff member. Began Pastoral training in the 5 fold ministry and grew so much that I got licensed as a minister. Hallelujah, wound up staying there for a total of 2 years then as a new creature in Christ, went forth into Montgomery Alabama, my hometown. Since then I've been commissioned as a 5 fold Pastor at Rivers Edge Church. I work with the young adults in the community. I'm even a business owner now! From the skills I was trained in by JBM, I started a lawn service called Kingdom Cuts Simple Services LLC. God used JBM to raise me up as a leader in the body of Christ. I think its safe to say that God used JBM to mold me and shape me into the man I am today! I couldn't have done it without them. God is moving mightily in and through Jerome and Denise Burkett. And there Pastor Mark Smith who was in the trenches with me everyday, leading , guiding and planting Kingdom seeds. I honor this place big time! God bless JBM. I pray that many others will get a chance to get what I got from there. Praise God!!!

Karan Rogers
Discipleship Graduate / Leadership Training

I just want to start off by saying, “God, I thank you and I give you all the praise and all the Glory!” I was as lost as I could be. I would drink liquor like it was water. I was so full of lust. I ran off and left my home, my relationship, and all my friends to be with this guy. In my heart I know I didn’t love him, but he fulfilled all my lust. The devil knew that so he used the guy. The guy was telling me another religion that I knew was not right, but I ignored it all because that was what my flesh wanted. So, I moved me and my daughter there. He had the most beautiful home I ever did see. But, still in my heart I knew it was good, but not where God wanted me. So conviction kept hitting me until I came back home. I was still running back and forth and that is when my friends invited me to come to church. I said, “Nobody want to go to church, I don’t believe in God no more.” Knowing I did not mean that. So, I went on to church with my best friend at JBM’s Narrow Gate. Every Sunday it seemed like the pastor had a word for me. He spoke on everything I was going through and I’m telling you, conviction started hitting me. At first it was a fight with my flesh and I wasn’t listening. But, I kept going back. I remember them playing “Reckless Love Of God'' and that song really spoke to my heart. The pastor asked if anyone was willing to give their life today. I remember jumping up with tears. I was under conviction and I could not take it any more. I gave my life back to Jesus as my Lord that day. What was a miracle was that I looked and here came my best friend and her mother behind me! Hallelujah! We all gave our life that day!  Did I change that day? I did, but God was still working on me. I started in the Discipleship Program. My first lesson was The Bait of Satan and it taught me that offense was the bait of satan. The lesson helped me become free from being offended. Then, Breaking Intimidation helped me to fear God instead of man. And that honor means more to God than giving gifts, etc.  I have done several lessons since then and I have a new mindset. It has changed my life. I now see people as God sees them. It’s a beautiful thing. God is still working on me, but JBM has changed my life. I thank God for them, and for them speaking truth to me instead of what I wanted to hear. There is freedom in truth and JBM is the truth. But wait!  There’s more!  Almost 1 year to the day later, my daughter got saved too! Praise God!

T.J. Parker
Former Resident / Former House Man & Leader

I was as broken as anyone could be, full of rage, hate, unforgiveness and rejection. Deep down I wondered if life was worth living anymore. By this time I had tried to take my own life more than once. Thankfully, those attempts failed. I was a full blown drug addict and porn addict. I was drinking heavy in an attempt to put a bandaid over all the sin in my life. All this while I had given my life to the Lord, but never really knew the Lord or understood I could walk with Him and talk with the One who created me and have a real, deep, personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. I see my life now and I no longer recognize the person I was 5 years ago. I have allowed my loving Heavenly Father to put His finger on those major issues in my life and His Word to bring healing into my life. I can honestly say I'm feeling FREE INDEED. Today I am thankful and can say I'm truly blessed to know that God has given me a truly new life in Christ with a beautiful, Godly wife and a 2 year old son to share in this life with.  Thanks to JBM (Jerome  & Mrs. Denise) for the Godly example and for taking the time to speak into my life, and  for all the love, prayers and support. And of course for their faithfulness to do what the Lord has called them to do. 

MORE TESTIMONIES COMING SOON...