Pastor Josh Watts shares the incredible story behind his July 2025 kidney transplant—and the years of faith it took to get there. From “My sheep hear My voice” to trusting God through surgery, recovery, and church planting, Josh testifies to God’s faithfulness in weakness.
In this heartfelt conversation, we cover hearing God, standing on His promises, sanctification (the daily walk), unity among local ministries, and the birth of Church 2:44 (Acts 2:44). You’ll also hear the powerful donor story—how a young believer volunteered, a paired-donor match formed, and a stranger became a brother in Christ.
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Show Notes / HighlightsUnity in our area’s ministries & the Ministry/Recovery Fests (context + gratitude)
Josh’s early encounter with God’s voice (“You’ll be nothing like your father”) and later prophetic confirmation at age 22 (John 10:27).
Diagnosis: polycystic kidney disease—the same illness that took his father at 47—and Josh’s raw, honest prayer before the Lord.
“Do you remember the promise?” — God’s reply in Josh’s shower of worship, shifting the focus from disease to the Healer. (2 Cor 12:9)
Five years at stage 4–5 kidney failure without dialysis; seven would-be donors; the paired-donor path; and an improbable 3-month match (June 24 call → July 17 surgery).
Donors & brothers: Nicholas Weeks (youth pastor) volunteers; Chase Patrick donates the actual kidney—two testimonies, one Father.
Lessons from the valley:
#1 God is faithful—stand on His promises (Genesis 15; John 11; 2 Tim 2:13).
#2 There’s a process to the promise—sanctification is daily cross-bearing (James 1; Luke 9:23; John 12:24; Romans 7).
Church 2:44 origin story—From living-room discipleship to launch: “All who believed were together and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44).
Practical discipleship: deny self, carry the cross, follow Jesus; leaders make leaders, disciples make disciples.
John 10:27; 1 John 1:9; Genesis 15; Genesis 3:15; John 11; John 12:24; Habakkuk 2; Romans 7; James 1; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Acts 2:44 (theme of the church).
Josh Watts, Church 2:44, Acts 2:44, kidney transplant testimony, polycystic kidney disease, living donor, paired donation, hearing God’s voice, sanctification, discipleship, God’s faithfulness, Jesus, testimony, recovery ministry, jail ministry, Mississippi ministries, unity in the church, prayer, grace, Romans 7, John 10:27
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