Source: IMB Commission Stories, January 20, 2016
Broken homes are often hereditary, but God’s grace can end the cycle. That is the message reverberating from the testimony of pimp-turned-preacher Thierry Kopp. Today at 54, with a wife, two small children, and an evangelistic ministry, Kopp wants to pass on a legacy of love and truth to his children.
“Family is beautiful. I didn’t know what a family was, but God restored me [and] healed my heart. He showed me that he is my Father. And I like to be a father for my children,” he said.
At 23, Kopp was his own god. Selling drugs, pimping women, and accumulating riches, he lived the life he thought he wanted. But his life was empty until the day he met Christ.
With tears in his eyes, he explained in broken English what happened 20 years ago that changed his vocation from pimp to preacher. “I know, I know he loves me, and this is what changed my life—his love. Because… I have a lot of rejection. And his love was so strong, it changed my life—the love of God. Only love can change us,” he said.
» Read full story and watch related video. Commission Stories offers extended coverage of human trafficking issues, along with resources and ways to connect.