Bishop John Gimenez

Click here to read Bishop Gimenez's stirring testimony of how he came to Christ!

Bishop John Gimenez, International Overseer of Rock Ministerial Family, in conjunction with Rock Church International, was born in Spanish Harlem and raised in the South Bronx.

He became involved in drugs at an early age and was put in reform school at the age of eleven. At the age of sixteen, John was put into prison. He served time in New York State Training School for Boys, Sing Sing Prison, Elmira Reform School, Auburne State Prison and several other institutions. He voluntarily went to several rehabilitation programs, none of which helped him. It was said that he was incurable and would in all probability die from a bullet, a knife, an overdose of heroine, or, if he was lucky, be in a mental institution for the rest of his life.

In 1963, he left Rackers Island Penitentiary where he had heard about a small church called Damascus Christian Church. Upon being released on April 12, 1963, he found his way to this church and there had a personal experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. He traveled for five years with a drama group he formed called "The Addicts". The group spoke in churches, school, and colleges sharing the horror of drugs and also the free salvation in Christ. He attended Elim Bible Institution, and was married in 1967 to former Anne Elizabeth Nethery from Corpus Christi, Texas. They traveled together for a while and later settled in Norfolk, Virginia where they founded Rock Church. In 1968, they established a drug rehabilitation program called "Proclaim". Through this program they ministered to many drug addicts whose lives were shattered and families broken.

"Proclaim" allowed young people to live in a drug free environment where they were taught work skills, participated in a work program, and received spiritual instruction and guidance. Today, several of these former drug addicts are pastors of churches who now have outreaches to drug addicts. The success of this program has been acknowledged from leaders in the Tidewater area as well as across the country.

He has written several books, and made numerous television appearances where he shared his testimony. This has been very successful in bringing positive results in the lives of many addicts. Bishop Gimenez is now overseer of the Rock Ministerial Family Fellowship, which consists of pastors from churches all over the United States as well as other countries. He works closely with his wife who pastors Rock Church International in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Click here to listen to Bishop Gimenez's NPR interview!