We first heard of Brother Shelley when we were at McDonald's one morning, eating breakfast.   A lady came and said, "You people are Holiness or Church of God, aren't you?"

"No, we're Holiness Independent."

She said, "I just want to invite you to come and hear my pastor, Bro. Steven Shelley."   She told us they had rented a building on Williamston Highway.

We didn't think too much more about it.   My wife heard him preaching on the radio, and she began to listen regularly.   She really liked what he had to say.   She told me, "I want you to hear this man.   He sounds like he's familiar with the ministry of Brother William Branham."   A day or so later, I made it my business to listen, and it sounded real good.   I agreed with her.

We were attending Bro. Henry Green's church in North Carolina, about ninety-five miles from Anderson.  Some time in June, 1989, we decided to go over to the little church, and we heard Bro. Shelley in person for the first time.   We really enjoyed it.

That first night, the Spirit of the Lord moved on me, and I stood and prophesied over this brother.   I can't tell you what I said, but my wife recalls hearing how that God had anointed him and raised him up to be an embarrassment to the ministers of our city.   God would vindicate him to be His servant, which He did.   All kinds of healings took place under his ministry right here in Anderson.

That night I asked him if he had ever heard Brother Branham.

"No, I've never heard him."

I said, "The reason I asked is because what you preach is so similar to Bro. Branham's Message, I thought maybe you were acquainted with him.   Well, perhaps some day we can get together, and you can hear some of his tapes."

During the last week in June, we went over there again one Sunday night.   They announced that they were preparing to move and vacate the building, so we stayed and helped.   Bro. Shelley invited us to the new church.   A week or so later, we heard him preach again, and we really enjoyed it.

They needed someone to put in the air conditioning unit, hook it up and run the wires and things.   That was my trade, and I told them I'd be glad to help them.   During that time we got acquainted.   Bro. Shelley was very busy, but I felt at home knowing this brother.

We would go to the services on Sunday nights.   Really and truly, the way he was preaching, God was revealing the "Message" to him.   God showed him "Water Baptism."   He began to preach and explain it, but the people couldn't understand it.   I could see they didn't like that.   They had come out of the denominational church, but the denominational system was still in them.   They didn't want to give up their old teachings.   Although they liked Bro. Shelley, they couldn't understand why he was preaching like that.

One at a time they began to drop off until there was just a handful left.   Bro. Shelley was having an awfully hard time.   I definitely felt led of the Holy Spirit to help him.   I talked to him and gave him some of Bro. Branham's tapes so he could understand what we believed.   He was really nice.   He took them, but I didn't realize he had put them up on a shelf and didn't listen to them.

The church was falling off.   I tell you, God was anointing Bro. Shelley.   I was about the only one there who stood up, shouted and cheered him on.   The rest of them stood there with their eyes wide open.   They didn't know what was happening.

Bro. Shelley still hadn't listened to the tapes, but I didn't know it.   The way God was using him, I thought he had, but he truly hadn't.   One Monday morning, he told me he had been in his office, crying and praying, telling God, "Lord, you spoke to me, and you sent me here for the revelation of the 'Last Day Truth'.   Now look at the mess I'm in."   He was weeping and crying, his heart was broken.

Then a little voice spoke to him and said, "I've sent you the Truth, but you wouldn't listen to it."   Right then he knew that God had sent him the tapes, and he hadn't listened.

"God, forgive me."   He took out the tape, "The Spoken Word is the Original Seed" and played it. He saw immediately why I kept telling him God was revealing the Truth to him.   You'd be surprised how much he already knew.   He wasn't in the whole Truth, but you could see and hear that God was revealing things to him.   Brother Shelley lived "Holiness" stronger and stricter than anybody in the "Message."   I respect a man for his convictions.

His church was broken up, gone.   I introduced him to Brother Henry Green, and he started preaching, holding revivals in different churches in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.   Bro. Shelley has been going really strong ever since.   We're very proud of him.

We have heard Bro. Branham say that the Bride has not had her revival yet.   I believe that God has His hand on Bro. Shelley to use him to spearhead the last day revival for the Bride. There are people who see what Brother Shelley stands for.   They see that he doesn't back up to please anybody.

Bro. Branham said that if Pentecost puts forth another branch, it will be exactly like it was in the beginning.   We haven't seen it.   We haven't seen the restoration yet.

[Testimony of Brother Gerald Cleveland]