What am I?

[Frank]

This is my story.

My question is If I am not a Baptist what am I?

I was led to the LORD in my home by my mom at 7yrs old, was called to preach at camp at 9yrs old. We were in and out of church as I grew up. Sometimes Southern Baptist other times IFB churches always Baptist. My parents were former sda & jw.

At 21 young married 1 child went east to Bible school we tried 2 of em in one year. The first asked me to leave and grow up. The other I left because one of the teachers taught what I believed and still do to be a heretical doctrine. The Dean said that it was a gray area and that it didn’t matter. First I ever heard that idea and could not go down that road.

We stayed in the east for about 1yr from then, after we ended up in a Full Gospel Church and living in our car, we went back west and lived with my Parents, found a place to live for a wile, 2nd child born, moved back in with my parents then into section 8 apartments 3rd child born.

I got a steady job for a few years and bought a home. Things went well for a while I even was asked to be Sunday school director at the small IFB Church we belonged to. I lost that job and went to jail for hitting my wife. Found anther non-Baptist Church before moving about 200 mi. for work now living in an old school bus. (Wife’s idea)

Now 31yrs old, working here and there mostly for temp services. Joined a local KJV IFB Church (the only KJV Church I could find) Not welcome but stayed anyway. (No elec-water in bus so it was hard to bathe also we Home schooled)

The Pastor would preach on personal hygiene about once a month on a Sunday or Wednesday night.

We went 30 miles each way to Church every service and Saturday prayer time 7am. We stayed in town on Sundays usually at a park where the children could play this was nice in summer but in winter it was real cold and we spent a lot of time in Wal-Mart and the mall. We were there most of a year.

(We later learned that the pastor warned the people not to help us. He told “them that people who lived in buss sued people who helped them.” ie.. Would fall down and say they were hurt)

Then we moved about 80miles down the road buss and all and drove trash and mixer truck was there about 2yrs found a good loving church (KJV preferred not only) best in town there we lived in a RV park. The ladies in the church not only were nice to my wife at church, but outside of church and would visit in the bus, and we in there homes. 4or5 ladies became close friends with my wife; even the Pastor came to our home in the buss!! (These are the only Baptist like this I have ever found)


Then eleven years ago I came to the southeast and joined a small Baptist mission board. My wife and I flew down and interviewed with the board. They asked us to move here and join them. (I really believed this is where GOD wanted me to be) My wife had been sick and when I called the director to explain he just said, “when are you going to get here.” So we came at once.


I drove in to the parking lot in our old buss (made same year I was born) ready to be a missionary. Well you know what a “lead balloon” is.

I in NO way fit their image of a Baptist, let alone a preacher. I had to be made to conform to their standers. Now how they did this, was I had to get settled in with a house, job, and phone, etc. This took some time as I had come across country with only gas money.

We moved into a trailer in the country and I started working a full time 50hr+ job kept job 8 ½ years.

Not knowing how to be a missionary I waited for the next step for 6months so I asked. I was given more ways I was expected to conform to their ways (not bible just them) so I did. Then things starting moving within two weeks I had Prayer cards, address and phone numbers for pastors, and was able to start mailings for meetings. Started having meetings 3rd child died on Monday after a meeting 500miles away.

Then things just stopped for a while.

During this time the director changed churches and I followed him to the other church. He had been the Pastor at the first church not the second one.

New Pastor allowed us to join the church (I’ve never seen any refuse yet) but never accepted that this was our home or sending church. Later after he became the director of the mission board. He told me that I was a member of the church and all that that meant. I was not a missionary from the church. The board was sending me, not the church. And as far as the church was concerned I was just like the other 50 missionaries they supported that didn’t belong to the church.

At that we left the mission board and that church. Shortly we moved about 50 miles and bought a doublewide on an acre.

We could not find a church. So we endeavored to start a church in our home but 5yrs later it would seem that there no others quite like us anywhere.

Now we are looking to start the next leg of our journey.

I have been out of steady work for about 2 yrs trying to work for myself hauling with my pickup, flea market, etc. As things now stand the “Bank” could start foreclosing next week.

[Brother Mike]

Frank. Welcome to the forums and thank you so much for your stirring testimony. I hope that you can find some blessings here. Both in edification and cyber-fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ here at the Baptist Zone Forums.

I will be and I am sure others will also be in prayer for you and your situation. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

[Michelle]

Howdy Frank! Another newbie here.

[MavMin]

Welcome! May the Lord grant you peace and wisdom! I have known folks in similar circumstances. I have had some of those myself. I pray you will find yourself in better circumstances soon.