By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter, karan@nasguard.com

Life is filled with numerous success stories of people that came from rags to riches — both literally and figuratively. The Bahamas is no different and Bishop Simeon B. Hall, Senior Pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church, is one of those people who made dramatic changes in his life.

"I like to tell people that the mistakes you make can create your future, but God can change all things and all situations," he said. "And that's what happened to me."

At a very young age Hall had placed himself in a "tough-spot" that he needed to escape from to become one of the most high-profile pastors of The Bahamas.

"I was not a kid who had much interest in the church, but the call came to me out of me searching for meaning and a footing in life. I had dropped out of school when I was 14, and it was the worst mistake of my life. Because I didn't have a basic education I went from trade to trade in the construction field and I was always miserable. I wanted to do more but I just couldn't find the footing. Then I went to church, and I just found that I was comfortable there. This lead to a Christian conversion experience and that transformed my life."

Bishop Hall made his confession of faith during a church service in April 1964, at the Central Gospel Brethren Church even though he was christened at St. Agnes Anglican Church and grew up attending St. Paul's Baptist Church.

"I just felt that by the preaching of the word, I was reformed. The preacher told me to open my heart to Jesus and he can do something in your life, and I did. I prayed the prayer that they lead me in and I felt like I had swallowed sunshine to be honest. There was just an inner peace ... and I'm speaking of it emotionally — but it was just an awesome feeling.

Hall says he was nurtured in the church, and applied the conversion experience as a guideline, and that made him change his life radically.

"My friends changed, my motives changed, my whole outlook on life changed, and I knew that the church was where I wanted to be. It's like finding a job and realizing that this is the thing that you've been searching for. It was a realization that completely changed my life."

He says becoming a Christian made him feel as if he had a purpose, and also encouraged him to go back to school. He graduated from the American Baptist Theological Seminary in 1973. He has also done studies at Vanderbilt University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and The Billy Graham School of Evangelism.

"Over the years I have traveled extensively proclaiming the gospel, and have preached on all the islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. I have been to every major island nation in the Caribbean, 42 states in North America and preached in Europe, South America, South Africa and London, England. And I think that shows that I have come a long way, from the boy that dropped out of school."

Hall, who was born Apr.12, 1947 to Walter Hall and Nola Musgrove, is a former president of the Bahamas Christian Council. He serves as Senior Pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church, Moderator of the New Light Baptist Association and President of the Bahamian-Haitian Covenant Fellowship.

On Aug. 27, 2002 he was consecrated a bishop by the Association of Evangelical Churches of the State of Florida. He is also an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of The British Empire (O.B.E.).

Bishop Hall is married to the former Linda Farrington. They are have three children: Shacantilla, Simeon Jr. and Sanderia.