Page 44 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

LOCAL LEGENDS

Leaving an
Leaving an

IMPACT

Gilbert Herrera

by Hope Sisemore

hen someone first meets met him with the news that she had Baptist and, that day, found his faith.
Gilbert Herrera, they cancer. She passed the following The oddest thing for Herrera was
Wwould never suspect that, Thursday, which led to the greatest that “I had fought white people all
at one time, he was filled with anger fall for Herrera. my life, and the Lord saved me in
and hurt. His gentle spirit is only a white church.” Now, for 35 years,
rivaled by the calming peace that is From that point on, his life became he and his wife have been active at
his wife, Gloria. Today Herrera is a a “cocaine life.” He spent time that church, as well as involved in
well-known evangelist, volunteer running nightclubs and drugs. After ministry, all around the Lubbock
pastor at Impact Lubbock, volunteer he got out of prison the second area.
chaplain for UMC, and minister in time, he started the Brown Berets in
three different prisons. However, Lubbock. He fought discrimination Herrera worked for many years in
while growing up, his path seemed and racism and worked as a sort of many realms, including the political
set in a very different direction. Robin Hood to people, but despite world, but when he found himself at
his good actions, he never left drugs. the top of various social or political
At the age of thirteen, Herrera’s In the midst of all this, Herrera ladders, he still felt empty. It was
mother left him with another family, found his anchor, his wife Gloria, then that Herrera realized that the
but he chose to go his own way and after a while, she took her stand Lord had not only turned his heart
and spent most of his formative and told him he had to stop, or towards Him but sparked the desire
years on the streets. Living in she was going to leave. Little did to reach others through ministry.
rebellion, he blamed the system Herrera know that God was using One of his most significant impacts
for what happened to his life and this gentle woman to bring him to is seen through his prison ministry.
eventually found himself in prison. faith. Having walked that path, Herrera
While in prison, Herrera’s mother understands the hurt and need for
wrote to him, but he did not want Gloria had gone to a revival at First the Lord in some of the darkest
to respond. He was still filled with Baptist Church and accepted the places.
the anger of feeling left behind until Lord. When she first approached her
he realized, “She didn’t leave me husband about going, he said no— He had spent much of his time
behind, she left me with a family. I’m he would not stop her, but he would holding revivals when he was
the one that didn’t want to stay with not join her. Over time, after seeing asked to pastor Lubbock Impact.
anybody.” That realization led to her in her Sunday best, he finally He felt he was an evangelist and
their reconciliation. However, on the asked to join her. not necessarily a pastor, but then he
Monday after Mother’s Day, Herrera Flanked by two bodyguards, saw the brokenness of people and
was granted parole, and his mother families. Looking at his story and
Herrera found his way to First

44 Lubbock Senior Link