Reverend John Couch

Transcript of a Tribute from Rev. John Couch, delivered at an Appreciation Service held in honour of Apostle Austin de Bourg at Trinidad Christian Center on October 30th, 2011.

There’s a saying, “If you think you’re a leader, stop and look behind you.” By this alone, Apostle, you are surely a leader. But you’re not just a leader of people; you’re a leader of warriors. Many of them were mere people…until they met you. And that anointing that you possess turned them into the warriors they now are. Sometimes they might look really flawed and imperfect, they might stumble or fall, but because of the strength you’ve placed in them, and because of the anointing that’s in you, they will not give up. They will continue and they will be overcomers.

I have met many men in my life yet I can count on one hand the people I respect. I love the world and the people in it, but I don’t respect a lot of people. However, you, Apostle, have my greatest respect.

Anytime discouragement might come, I want you to remember something that we as Christian people often don’t understand: one cannot get anything out of a ministry that is not birthed in it. You have paid a heavy price that has benefited every person who has ever gotten a healing from your ministry. Whether that healing was spiritual, natural or financial, you went through pure hell so they could have it.

When you look at ministries, you see where they’ve come from, not where they are and not where they tell you they’re going…but where they’ve been. The strength of this church, Trinidad Christian Center, rests upon the anointing that fell upon this Apostle.

And so, I will say to anyone, if you’re looking for a leader, here’s your leader. If you’re looking for someone to pet you, he won’t do that. But if you’re looking for someone to grow under, you choose wisely to choose this man.

So to my friend, I thank you for caring about me. I don’t know why God put us together but in the middle of the night, I can hear things that you’ve spoken to me and they birth in my spirit.

Finally, to those of you who have been honoured to be a part of him, you should understand that God shared His best with you. He shared His best with you!