Nearly 200 men gathered recently for a Men’s Dinner at Campus Bible Church, bringing together men from Team Challenge, Centers for Living, Fresno Mission, and Campus Bible Church for an evening centered on recovery, faith and testimony. Among those who took the stage to share his story was Keith Shackelford, one of Fresno Mission’s own.
God Was Tugging at His Heart
Keith’s testimony began with a path that started in prison. After facing time, he was picked up by Fresno Mission, a moment he now recognizes as the beginning of a much larger work God was doing in his life. He shared how he could feel God tugging at his heart, calling him toward something different. His message to the men in the room was: God is always there if you are following Him.
From Searcy Center to Spiritual Leadership
Keith has been part of the Fresno Mission family since November 2022, and today he serves as the Program Coordinator for Searcy Center. His journey since coming through our doors has continued to unfold in ways that reflect the transformation at the heart of his testimony. Keith now also serves as a beacon and church director, providing spiritual guidance for Next Door Ministries. On the personal side, Keith is married, has a daughter, and is expecting another child.
A Room Full of Men Who Understand
The Men’s Dinner brought together an audience of men in recovery, many of whom carry stories not unlike Keith’s own. Every speaker who took the stage that evening to share a testimony had one thing in common: a relationship with Christ. The men in the room were receptive, drawn in by stories of struggle met with grace and by the reminder that no one’s past disqualifies them from the purpose God has for their future.
You Help Make This Possible
Stories like Keith’s are only possible because of the community that surrounds Fresno Mission. Your generosity helps create spaces like Searcy Center, where men facing addiction, incarceration and hardship can find case management, spiritual support and a path toward lasting change. Every gift helps make sure that when someone is ready for a different life, there is a place — and people — ready to walk alongside them.
Give today and help Fresno Mission continue turning testimonies like Keith’s into the next chapter for someone else.
