From addiction to redemption, from meth addict to worship leader, Stephen McWhirter’s powerful testimony is one of radical restoration after having encountered the Presence of God, and giving his life to Jesus. Today, he is a touring worship leader, songwriter, recording artist, speaker, and has been one of the prominent songwriters and voices for Iron Bell Music.

Stephen grew up the son of a traveling evangelist, but the man he knew in private and the one he knew in public, were not the same. Due to the hypocrisy he witnessed as a child, he believed Jesus was simply fantasy. As he grew into his early teens he wanted nothing to do with Christianity. At this time of his life, he fell into extreme drug addiction. Eventually, becoming a crystal meth addict, for over 5 years. During this dark chapter, someone gave him a book about Jesus, which he miraculously accepted.

One night, at 3am, he set in a bed reading the book, with drugs next to him on the side table. That night, as he read, he was acutely aware of the presence of God, in the the room. Stephen began to have an internal dialogue with the Lord, he knew He was real but didn’t know how to quiet the life of addiction he had known for so long. In that moment, with a thought more powerful than he could ever have imagined, He felt the Lord say, “You don’t have to do it alone, because I will do it!” and in that moment, Stephen believed Him and gave his life to Christ. He found himself with a willpower not his own, and overnight, went from addiction to redemption. He had come to personally and intimately know the God that saves.