By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
MARKSVILLE, La. (LBM) – John Riddle seemed like the least likely person to become a pastor he was in a battle with drug addiction that landed him in the Baton Rouge Salvation Army rehabilitation facility in March 2017.
But an encounter with God three months into the treatment program, shortly after his release from jail, set him on a path to redemption in Jesus and an eventual call from the Holy Spirit to serve as pastor with Life Point Community Church, Mansura.
“That night I told the Lord, ‘I want you to be glorified in my life after taking drugs for so many years,’” Riddle told the Baptist Message. “For God to get the glory and what He did in the life of an individual who was so far out there and lost in the darkness speaks to the goodness He can bring on a person’s life.
“I love the Lord so much,” he continued. “I have this yearning inside of me to learn the word of God and to preach and teach, and I just want to glorify God and for people to see that God is a God of transformation.
“I remember dedicating the following six-and-a-half months in treatment to reading through the entire Bible,” he continued. “When I had completed this task, I took my Bible and placed it on a stool. I looked up to Heaven and asked God to turn my craving for drugs into a craving for His Word. He did just that.”
Riddle, who started as pastor of LPCC in 2020, was one of two pastors recently named a Louisiana Baptist Convention “Bi-vocational Pastor of the Year” for dedication to both biblical ministry and secular work.
WAYWARD PATH
Born in Alexandria, Riddle grew up at New Life Assembly of God, Marksville, and turned to Christ when he was in the sixth grade. He eventually enrolled at Louisiana Tech. However, while attending college he drifted into a life of alcoholism and partying.
Riddle’s life began to plummet when he discovered that he had become addicted to a prescription drug that is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He began to consume both prescription drugs and alcohol, an addiction that continued through most of his young adult life.
At age 34, after he experienced a broken heart because of a broken relationship, Riddle took an even more dangerous path of destruction when he turned to using crystal methamphetamine in 2014.
“My world fell apart,” Riddle said. “I hit rock bottom, but this is where I met Jesus again and He picked me up.
“I didn’t have a home, and had been moving around to wherever the road would take me,” he continued. “My rock bottom with my arrest on charges of possession of drugs was on a concrete bed in a jail cell.”
The situation caused much embarrassment for
Riddle’s dad, Charles, who was and still is the district attorney with Avoyelles Parish.
“Some preachers came into the Salvation Army facility after my release from jail and my life turned around,” he said. “I stood up and confessed all of my sins in front of 40 men who were just like me. I felt the fire of God coming out of my mouth. When I went to bed that night, I prayed to God and asked Him that if it were possible I would like to get the same level of attention for His glory on the ‘sheep side of the fence’ as I had gotten on the ‘goat side of the fence.’”
NARROW WAY
After completing a year of residence in the Salvation Army facility, Riddle moved to Marksville and joined Life Point Community Church in Mansura. During that time, Jacob Crawford, who was pastor at the time and later became a Send Network Louisiana church planting catalyst, began mentoring Riddle, who at a younger age felt a call to ministry.
When Crawford left to start City Life NOLA ministry in New Orleans, Riddle succeeded him as pastor with LifePoint.
“I knew that God was extending his grace in my life because I’m one of those that feel very undeserving,” he said. “But it’s never been about deserving God’s grace. God is giving me what I don’t deserve in this temporary world. I’m forever grateful every morning and every night and I just hope that feeling never wears out.”
LPCC, which averages 80 for Sunday morning worship, has frequent outreaches to the community: van transportation for children in the neighborhood, food box distribution to 600 people per month and operation of a clothes closet to help support needy families and produce church income.
“I’m very proud of our church,” Riddle said. “We have a consistent 60 who attend with another 15-20 who come here in need of spiritual help. Once they get better, they will leave, and we have others who rotate in. We are constantly seeing new people from all over Avoyelles Parish who come into to LifePoint as it has and always will be a spiritual hospital for the sick.”
When he’s not pastoring LPCC, Riddle drives a van for the Avoyelles Society for the Developmentally Disabled. While it can be challenging at times to balance the pastorate and a secular job, Riddle said his company has been accommodating and supportive.
“I’ve done plenty of hospital visits and funerals and my work has been very lenient and graceful with me as to taking days off when I need to,” he said. “When God calls us to ministry, He always provides for our needs and equips us with the tools necessary to get the job done. I will always do all that I can to be a Kingdom builder. Whenever the Lord calls, I will answer.”
