Las Vegas Megachurch Pastor Benny Perez Learns to Trust In God Instead of Relying on His Strengths In Ministry

In a new book, a Las Vegas megachurch pastor shares the heartbreaking experiences that led him to a deeper understanding of what it means to accept God's grace as sufficient in all circumstances.

Benny Perez, senior pastor of The Church at South Las Vegas, wrote More: Discovering the God of More When Life Gives You Less as a way of helping people who are discouraged by life's setbacks.

In the book, which was released on Jan. 15, Perez references the biblical story of the Apostle Paul's shipwreck on the island of Malta, along with his own personal experiences, to show that God is able to help anyone through the toughest of times.

Prior to enduring a series of catastrophic life events himself, Perez says he often relied on his own strengths in his ministry. After those events, however, he realized more than ever just how much God can and should be trusted in all of life's circumstances.

"You can't build your life, especially in ministry, you can't build your life on success," Perez told The Christian Post. "You can't build your life on what other people are saying about you. It literally has to be rooted and grounded in your authentic relationship with Jesus Christ."

In 2010, just days before Easter Sunday, Perez and his wife, Wendy, witnessed their unborn child die in the womb during a routine sonogram, a press release about More states. On Good Friday, when he was scheduled to preach the first of 10 weekend services, his wife collapsed in their garage and had to return to the hospital for treatment.