Born and raised in Melbourne, Terry Walkers early years revolved around a pattern of crime, violence and destruction. From bouncer to brothel owner, alcohol to heroin, trucking and prison, Terry's life was spiralling downward fast... on a path to certain death. Then God stepped in, made an amazing change to his life that turned him around 180 degrees, and showed him what life was really about.
"At age 19, I had a few tip trucks that my Dad had given me, but I wanted something else, so I got a job as a bouncer working three nights a week at the Bundoora Hotel in Melbourne, a job I held for six years. I was a pretty good figher, and got plenty of opportunities to prove it and later became the head bouncer. I was drinking more and more which made my first marriage more and more unstable until it finally ended. Because of my fighting reputation I had lots of fights... I wasn't scared of anyone. I did have one fear however, because of my uncontrollable anger, I feared that one day I would kill someone. I was so wild that sometimes I'd beat three or four guys at a time. Soon, I was heavily into mandrakes, marijuana, black opiate, hash and buddha sticks. Sadly, I once sold dope to someone who later died when they crashed their car head on into a tram. I continued my downhill slide. I found a new interest in betting on horses, and quickly lost everything I owned. To help dull the pain, I went to the Bundoora Hotel and got very drunk. While I was there, I met an old underworld friend, and, to shorten a long story, I ended up owning and operating a brothel through him. I made a lot of money, so I bought a second parlour. One day, a man brought in some heroin to sell to 'my girls'. I thrashed him, took his dope and kicked him out. Up until then, I'd never used heroin, so a friend and I snorted some, and from that moment onwards, I was addicted to heroin for a very long four years.
During those years, the police closed my brothels and constantly raided my house for drugs. While I tried many ways to get off heroin, including two Methadone programs, nothing seemed to work. Heroin had a death grip on my life. I did a stint in prison for bashing three policeman. When I came out I went straight back into heroin and my old life, holding up people with guns and a mask on my head. Then I met someone who said that God, in the Bible, used a donkey to talk to someone. Soon after that, I was alone in my house and got on my knees beside my bed, and, just like I saw in the movies, I put my hands under my chin and asked Jesus to 'show me the way, one day at a time'. The power of God came into my room so brightly, I could hardly stand it. God spoke deep inside me and said... 'Terry Walker, because you have called on My Name, I will take you out of this and seat you in high places.' I ran from the room, scared!
That night, all traces of heroin just disappeared from my body. I waas instantly sober and had no withdrawals. Although my friends wanted nothing to do with it, I knew this was a turning point in my life. That was over 28 years ago now. I knew God changed my life that day, I knew I'd never use heroin again. I was completely set free!
However, I was a wanted man in Melbourne. So I went to Brisbane driving trucks, sharing Jesus with many drivers. But I felt I was the only Christian truckie in Australia. Finally, I walked into a church and invited Jesus into my life. Shortly after that, God asked me three times... 'Terry, do you trust me?' Three times I answered, 'Yes Lord, I trust you.' Then The Lord spoke to my heart and said, 'I want you to give yourself up to the Melbourne Police.' I wanted to ask if there was anyone else up there. To do this, I knew I would face at least six years in Pentridge Prison, but I trusted God, and went ahead and gave myself up. By a miracle of God, I served only five weeks. Praise God! I went back to Brisbane to my wife of four months, Sue. Then, with a $26 drill, God led me to start a security door business, which I aptly named 'Heaven Sent Security Doors,' building security screens and doors. Seven years later, I sold that business which was turning over up to $750,000.00 a year. God taught me so much, as well as how to run my business from the book of Proverbs.
In 1993, God sent me to America where I met Ben Priest, President of the Tribe of Judah Motorcylce Ministries in the USA. Ben had been praying for a long while for God to raise up someone to start an Australian chapter. I wasn't sure about it, as I'd had dubious experiences with other Christian bike clubs. So I prayed long and hard to the Lord. On my next trip to the USA, I was at Kenneth Copeland's Eagle Mountain Motorcylce Rally, where a preacher prophesied over me and God spoke through him and told me to accept the leadership of T.O.J in Australia. Then, in 1994, God prompted me to start a weekly church meeting under my house on Wednesday nights. What began with 12 people soon grew too big for my house. A friend then invited me to use his mat factory in Kingston, where we began a church in one corner of the mat factory. Now, over 14 years later, we have over 600 in attendance each week. We moved premises in 2000 to a new building high on a hill overlooking Logan City. We have established one of the largest Food Care Services in Australia, giving away over 80 tonnes of free food to the needy in our area. We have streetvan outreaches going out every week, witnessing to those on the streets, we heavily support Ronald McDonald Houses in Brisbane and Zoes Place in Brisbane. We have just purchased a Womens Home in our area, where we will accomodate women in need of safety and drug rehabillitation.
I praise God and thank Him daily for bringing me out of the depths of heroin and crime, and for where He's placed T.O.J and me in Australia. Through television, the print media, outlaw biker events and 17 years of prison ministry, we're reaching the lost on the highways and byways of this country.I praise Him that we can be clean vessels, uncompromised on the Word of Faith, to generate the Gospel without being prideful. We just show people the love of Jesus, and with that, we build bridges and allow God to do the rest."
