INNISFAIL – A second chance at life is something Adam Bishop knows all about.
The 33-year-old student pastor at CenterPoint Church in Innisfail has experienced a turbulent and troubled life. Despite being born into a Christian family, life took Bishop down a path of drugs, alcohol, crime and prison.
“It really started when I was 12 and I started smoking cigarettes,” said Bishop. “That led to other things like alcohol and soon in high school I started doing drugs and dealing drugs.”
Bishop dropped out of high school and continued his downward spiral.
“There’s no peace in it. I spent 10 years as a drug addict, homeless, in prison and on the streets,” he said. “I was on the streets in Calgary for three years totally homeless. I was one of those crackheads you see downtown just completely lost, sleeping in the parks and stealing to survive.”
Born in Peace River, Bishop spent his formative years in southern Ontario before returning to Alberta just over 13 years ago.
Today, he lives in Olds and is attending college in Edmonton.
After spending half of his life in prison in Ontario and Alberta, there was one special day when things began to change.
That turning point came eight years ago when he was serving a 31-month sentence at the Bowden Institution for drug-related offences.
“My parents started to come visit me and they invited me to come stay with them when I got out,” said Bishop. “I started to read my Bible. I went back to my cell one day and I just cried out to God and I started repenting.”
He participated in a recovery program in prison and when released he began attending church and slowly his life began to turn around.
“My dad was a huge help with that. He was a big-time mentor to me,” explained Bishop.
Two and a half years ago, Bishop attended CenterPoint Church in Innisfail with his parents. At the time, he was beginning his studies at the school of pastoral leadership at Vanguard College in Edmonton, and was welcomed at the church as a student pastor for the summer.
Bishop will graduate next spring with a diploma in theology.
“My goal is to be a full-time senior pastor in rural Alberta,” said Bishop. “I think there’s a big need here and that’s where I feel called.”
He just finished his second summer at CenterPoint Church.
“I’ve had an awesome opportunity to learn from pastor Gerald Bradbury and his wife Karen,” said Bishop. “It’s been really good to see how things run, how he handles things as a spiritual authority and just how to be a pastor in a rural setting.
“He has shown me that relationships really matter,” he added. “He’s got a passion for God, a passion to see the Kingdom grow and he’s got a passion for Innisfail.”
Bradbury said Bishop has been a blessing to the church and its congregation.
“He’s here as a student and is helping out throughout the summers,” said Bradbury. “He’s been speaking, preaching and filling in for me when I’ve been away and contributing to the general spiritual health of the church. Talking with people and sharing with the people,” he added.
Bishop has been clean and sober for seven years now and is focused on building a better life.
He shares these words of encouragement for others who may be struggling.
“Don’t give up hope. Even if you have nothing going for you, you do have Jesus going for you and He’s the one consistent thing that you can always count on,” said Bishop. “He turned my life around.”
