Jeremy Stewart - Tumi Graduate Testimonial

My life up to this point can best be described as two parts: the part where I was in charge and the part where God was. My name is Jeremy Stewart, I am 39 years old, and I am a Pastor, husband, father, ex- crystal meth addict, 14-time convicted felon, and a 4 striker in San Diego, California.

I was raised by one of the hardest working women I have ever known, my mom. She was divorced from my dad, taking care of my older brother and me, while on welfare, becoming a RN and working her tail off to give us a great life.

Despite our financial status, I had a great upbringing. Nevertheless, I was prodigal.

I was smoking crystal meth and breaking into houses by the time I was 16. At the age of 18, I went to jail for the first time. The first few times getting arrested were for charges like 2nd-degree Burglary and Possession of Controlled Substances. Later, I received my first two strikes for residential degree burglary.

I remember going back and forth with God during those times. I would ask for forgiveness, get out, and go back to the drugs. During those times, I knew I had to stop, but I couldn’t for the life of me. I thought I would stop if I had kids and got married. So, I married my girlfriend and got her pregnant. After my son David was born, she got pregnant again with my daughter Heatherly. The only thing this did for me was create more victims and a divorce.

There was a bigger problem that was coming though; I was mocking God with my vacillating behavior, and He was done with that.

I was arrested on 03/10/2010 on two counts of Residential Burglary and that meant that I was going away for a long time. While fighting my case, I was offered no deal. At the time, this was devastating. I was found guilty on both counts and sentenced to 70 years to life.

I cannot disclose at this time everything that the Lord did in my life when I went to prison.

It would take too long to describe all the divine encounters behind those hallowed steel doors, but I will tell you about TUMI.

God got my attention in a major way. He placed on my heart a dual desire: one for preaching and teaching his word and the other for education.

After that desire came, the opportunity to satisfy both of those followed. That was where The Urban Ministry Institute came in.

Life has not been the same since. I excelled in TUMI. I became a leader in the church.

Through many avenues of God, Governor Jerry Brown commuted my sentence from 70 years to 8 years on December 23, 2017.

Today, I have followed the path that God set in motion through TUMI.

I became an intern pastor in 2019. In December 2023, I was ordained and graduated from Seminary with my Master of Divinity degree. God brought a God-fearing woman named Jennifer into my life, and we are happily married. My kids are living with us, and I also inherited my wife’s two kids.

My wife and I are also planting a church. Our vision is to see God use us and my testimony through this church plant to impact people of many backgrounds with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We don’t want to stop there. We are going to write and design curriculums, start faith-based treatment centers, and multiply churches.

I have no bigger desire than to share Christ's hope to all and see him change their lives like he did mine.

God bless,

Jeremy Stewart