In a world where crime and desperation often snatch young dreams, David Jelmark’s story stands out as a powerful testimony of redemption, transformation, and purpose. From nearly trafficking drugs to becoming a preacher of the gospel, Jelmark’s life took a dramatic turn on the streets of Ilesa, Osun State, when an inner voice urged him to surrender to Christ. In this exclusive interview with ADEOLA OGUNLADE, Jelmark, now a seasoned preacher, recounts his salvation encounter, how he was plucked from a path of crime, the joy of his early Christian walk, his growth through mentorship, and the unshakable faith that has kept him standing for over 35 years. From his barracks upbringing under a stern military father to his deep involvement in soul-winning and ministry, Jelmark opens up about the power of grace, the role of discipleship, and his unwavering commitment to the gospel.
Please, tell us about yourself; including your salvation encounter.
My name is David Jelmark from Plateau State. I grew up in a family of seven. My father was a retired military officer. I got born again in 1987 while walking on the street of Ilesa in Osun state. I heard a voice say to me, why not give your life to Christ. I was in jeans and boots and very high. The voice came again the second time; why not give your life to Christ. The voice came the third time, and I saw a hand pushed me to a Deeper Life Bible Church during a mid-week service. I told the pastor I want to give my life to Christ. So, I gave my life to Christ that day. The pastor said I should do three days fast. I told him I had never fasted before. He said I should try, and I did. That was how my journey of faith began in 1987.
How will you describe your lifestyle before this encounter?
Before this encounter, I wanted to start exporting drugs because I had a passion to start earning money early in life. Few weeks to my rebirth encounter, I was with my grandmother; scheduled to traffic drugs abroad when Christ arrested me. There were four people traveling for business. Two are dead now. One is now a pastor like me. I had a religious background. We often attended church. My father was a military man. I wasn’t too wild. I was about getting into the world when I encountered Jesus Christ.
Share with us your experience of having a military officer as a father?
It wasn’t a loving environment. I can’t remember my father ever saying happy birthday. Eventually, my mother had to quit the marriage. Fortunately, I was already at the university when she left. It wasn’t an environment of love. I grew up hearing my parents fighting all the time. I grew up in the barracks which is a confined life. So, I was confined into a particular frame of mind. When I left the barracks to stay in Ilesa, I saw another kind of life, which helped me see life beyond the barracks. Before I became a Christian as a barracks boy, I lived a regimented life. When I became born again I found myself in the midst of brethren. I disconnected from my previous friends and joined the brethren. In those days, brethren were brethren.
Tell us your experience of the joy of salvation the day you accepted Christ
It was really an encounter. Being born again is an experience. It is not what you go before the altar, put your hands in the pockets, and repeat after the pastor, I accept Christ. This process is far from a genuine encounter. I can’t say precisely that anything changed in my life physically the day I accepted Christ. But there was an inner peace I experienced; called the peace of the joy of salvation. Prior that time I had come for the altar calls in many churches but shortly returned to my previous life. But this particular day was an experience for me.
Talking about previous life, was there a particular sinful habit you struggled to let go after you accepted Christ, and how did you eventually overcome it?
Romans 12:1-2 talks about metamorphosis and transformation. Your habit is still your habit. It is what happens in your mind. So, it takes a gradual process to leave. What helped me in my case was that since I gave my life to Christ, fellow brethren in the church just surrounded me. I didn’t have an opportunity to go back to my old friends. My name changed from Kayode to Bro. Kay among the brethren. They will come to my house; I will go to their house, and all we discussed was the kingdom. It helped my faith. I remember many brethren who would come to meet me at home, asking me if I had my quiet time. Quiet time was the main thing then. You married your Bible. I remember my old hardcover NIV Bible. When my old friends come to my house, they’ll find that I’m not interested anymore. That is what is missing these days. These days, people claim they are born again, yet they still associate with their old friends. You still see them hanging around, going to clubs, and still claiming they are born again. They are comfortable around unbelievers. At my rebirth, I became uncomfortable hanging around my old friends. My pastor played a wonderful role in my growth in the faith as a young believer. A few months after my being born again, I was given an assignment in the church.
In your 38 years of walking with Christ, had you at any time backslidden?
Since I gave my life to Christ, I have never missed any Sunday service or mid-week service except during COVID-19. I have never had a desire not to go to church. My pastor then had never called me and said, Bro. Kay, why were you not in church? Because I find solace in the house of God. My new friends are now in church. My new company is now in church. Even when I travel abroad and don’t have any preaching engagement, I will look for a church to attend.
As a young believer then who were those you looked up to as your role models?
As a young believer, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi was the first pastor I knew. The Deeper Life Retreat was the first retreat I ever attended, even while unsaved. When I eventually got born again in Deeper Life, Pastor Kumuyi was the first pastor I ever knew. I didn’t belong to the church world. I just got saved. Deeper Life was my first church after my salvation. So, Pastor Kumuyi was the only person I looked up to. After that, I met another pastor who was also important to my formation. In 1992, I was at the Holy Ghost convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, with Rev. Francis Wale Oke. I saw Bishop David Oyedepo for the first time ministering at the convention. I said Wow, who’s this person! He talked about faith. He talked so much. And my heart melted for him. In that process, I began to look out for him and his materials. I was young in the ministry and needed someone who would help me develop the other side of faith in ministry. That was how I left the Deeper Life setting into the faith setting, which I began by reading Bishop Oyedepo’s books. I became a pastor with Youth Alive Fellowship in Ilesa, Osun State. We were young ministers trying to impact other youths.
Tell us about your baptism of the Holy Ghost after giving your life to Christ.
We were having a vigil in church when I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That was another experience I will never forget. We were having a vigil, praying normally when the Holy Ghost came on me. This happened six months after I gave my life to Christ. I had desired the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I attended a ministry where, when you give your life to Christ, they will take you to a particular place and start teaching you how to speak in the Holy Ghost, but the experience (of speaking in the Holy Ghost) from that process never stayed. Since I received the experience during a prayer vigil with other brethren, I have been speaking in tongues till now.
At what point in your journey with Christ did you receive the call to ministry?
I have always been a church boy since when I surrendered my life to Christ. My electrical/electronic engineering training at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) was just to make money and be a blessing to the church. That was my greatest plan and utmost desire. But in 1989/1990, I began to get concerned about what God wants me to do. Then I was the drama secretary with NIFEST. So, between 1989/90, I was praying at the sports centre, asking the Lord for His plan and vision for my life. I’m aware that my physical birth experience was also supernatural because I spent over a year in my mother’s womb. My mom visited several places to see how to bring forth the baby. She finally visited a Cherubim & Seraphim (C&S) church in Ibadan, Oyo State, where she eventually brought me forth. She asked the prophet why I stayed too long in the womb. The prophet told her it was to preserve my destiny. She then asked the prophet the name I should be given. The prophet told her Kayode. That name never made any sense to me until I became a pastor because Kayode means someone who brings good news. With this background story of my supernatural birth, I started praying from 1989/90, asking God for his plan and purpose for my life. I was repeatedly hearing ministry, ministry and ministry. Thereafter, I met a brother, and we started a ministry together in Ilesa. I started seeing myself doing ministry. In 1991, the Lord specifically spoke to me, “I want you to work for me.”
