New York Drug Lord Becomes A Pastor: ‘I Was a Walking Dead Man’

A New York drug lord whose world revolved around money, women, and worldly possessions found Jesus behind bars and became a Christian pastor.

Life As A Drug Lord

As a teenager, Herman Mendoza started experimenting with drugs. At “The Pure Flix Podcast,” he revealed how in his 20’s dove deep into the drug trade. As someone who could hardly find employment, he settled for easy money.

“I was married and living with my wife and I was laid off from a job that I was working at,” he said. “And so I was desperate for money.”

So, he followed the footsteps of his brothers and lived his life distributing cocaine. The money came flooding in, and he got overwhelmed with the newfound riches. Soon enough, partying and women became his lifestyle.

“I thought that, ‘Hey, this is an easy way to make money and get rich,'” he said.

But despite the pleasures he enjoyed from all the money he earned, his riches and fun halted when cops found loads of cocaine in the trunk of his car. Suddenly, he faced a reeling reality behind bars.

Behind Bars

“My mind was racing. My heart was like in my throat. It struck a chord with me because the reality of what I was involved in hit home,” he recalled. “I was facing 25 years to life, and at the time I had one child and I was thinking about my child, ‘What’s going to be of my child?'”

Moreover, he ended up going to prison before even being released.

“I was a fool … and I went right back into what they call in the streets, ‘the game,'” he said.

Then once again, Herman found himself arrested and behind bars. This time, with a more complex and troubling legal conundrum.

Finding Jesus

But amidst the troubling situation he was in, Herman’s brother, who became a Christian, prayed for his salvation. And God amazingly answered that prayer.

“I gave my life to the Lord … there was no other recourse,” Herman said. “I said, I need to try God. I’ve tried anything else. And I had millions of dollars, but it was never satisfying.”

“I felt this warmth that enveloped me. I felt the presence of God,” he said. ” And I realized that Jesus paid the price for my sin … I was a walking dead man and now I’m alive in Christ.”
He then suddenly felt the conviction to change and wanted to heal his past mistakes and relationships. And after his release, he started traveling around the world to share the gospel.

Today, the once drug lord has become a pastor who is ministering to people in New York. He also authored the new book “Shifting Shadows: How a New York Drug Lord Found Freedom in the Last Place He Expected.”

Praise God for such a powerful testimony!

Reference: Faithit