“GOTTA PREACH” Guy Humphries, Compiler
Copyright 2011
ISBN 978-1-4580-0262-4
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and inspiration. Since its primary purpose is to motivate men to surrender when God is calling them to preach, you may freely give it to as many other people as you can. Thank you for respecting the efforts of the compiler in his effort to inspire God’s men to surrender to preach the saving grace of the Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Guy Humphries
DISCLAIMER:
“GOTTA PREACH” IS A COMPILATION OF TESTIMONIES OF truly-born-again-children-of-God like Jesus clearly defined in John 3, OF THEIR SALVATION EXPERIENCES AND/OR THEIR UNIQUE REACTIONS TO GOD’S IRRESTIBLE CALL INTO HIS SERVICE. They are presented verbatim as supplied by the testators. All are different but with a similar result, surrendering their lives to preaching the Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior to lost-going-to-hell-Jesus-rejecters like Jesus clearly defined in John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is NOT condemned: but he that believeth not IS CONDEMNED already, (why?) because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Some are dramatic. Some are very simple. All are genuine as validated by the subsequent lives of the testators.
God’s Word stresses the need for preachers in Romans 10:13-15a, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How, then , shall they call on Him in whom that have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? And how shall they preach except they be sent?”
CONTENTS - TESTIMONIES OF CALLS TO PREACH AND MISSIONS
Chapter 1a - Adams, Jim
Chapter 2a - Allen, Wade
Chapter 3a - Barton, Michael
Chapter 4a - Betts, Charles
Chapter 5a - Branham, Craig
Chapter 6a - Brown, Curtis
Chapter 7a - Chandler, Don
Chapter 8a - Cooper, H. D.
Chapter 9a - Cooper, Jerome
Chapter 10a - Crawford, Rufus
Chapter 11a - Crews, James
Chapter 12a - Goodwin, Jerry
Chapter 13a - Harvison, Sonny
Chapter 14a - Heuerman, Paul
Chapter 15a - Hornaday, Leo
Chapter 16a - Jacks, David
Chapter 17a - Johnson, Buddy
Chapter 18a - Jones, Leroy
Chapter 19a - Kidd, Jerry
Chapter 20a - Ladd, John
Chapter 21a - Lecrlec, Serge
Chapter 22a - Lewis, Keith
Chapter 23a - Lewis, Tom
Chapter 24a - Lunceford, Keith
Chapter 25a - Marrs, Tracy
Chapter 26a - McCreary, Harvey
Chapter 26b - Rice, .D. B.
Chapter 27a - Rogers, Eldwyn
Chapter 28a - Simpson, Charles
Chapter 29a - Sparlin, Jon
Chapter 30a - Stephenson, Chad
Chapter 31a - Stephenson, Ed
Chapter 32a - Thompson, Olan
Chapter 33a - Totty, Wade
Chapter 34a - Triplett, Nile
Chapter 35a - Woodall, Bill
Chapter 36a - Wyatt, Johnny
PREACHERS OF YESTERYEAR
Chapter 37a - Cartwright, Albert
Chapter 38a - Truett, George W.
GOTTA TELL - TESTIMONIES OF SALVATION EXPERIENCES
Chapter 39a - Humphries, Guy
Chapter 40a - Kilcrease, Frances
Chapter 41a - McBroome, Norman
Chapter 42a - Pence, Janis Pinegar
PREFACE
This book is dedicated to John Edgar and Lillie Mae Humphries, residents of heaven, formerly Providence near Judsonia, AR. They were the greatest parents a boy and man could have. They taught me the plan of salvation. They prayed for me. They trusted me. They guided me. They loved me unconditionally especially when I was wrong.
Charles Spurgeon identified the first sign of God's CALL to the ministry as "an intense, all-absorbing desire for the work.” He warned those who sought his counsel “…not to preach if he could help it. If he cannot help it, and he MUST preach or die, then he is the man.”
When God truly CALLS a man to preach it is for a lifetime, there is no backing out. From His army, there is no discharge and no true soldier can go AWOL.
SCRIPTURES THAT REFER TO CALLS TO PREACH
Thankfully, most CALLS of God’s preacher’s are less than dramatic or few would be CALLED. In 1 Kings 19 Elijah experienced wind, earthquake and fire. In verses 12-14 the Bible says, “after the fire a still, small voice.....said, What doest thou here, Elijah?....I only am left....the Lord said Go...I have left me seven thousand.....which have not bowed to baal.” Isaiah responded in 6:8-9a, “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me and He said Go and tell this people....”
Jeremiah expressed “Gotta Preach” in 20:9, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name, But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing, and I could not stay.” God would not permit him to refrain from preaching.
In Matt. 9:37-38, Jesus issued this challenge to His children, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth (CALL) labourers into his harvest.” We MUST pray that God will CALL preachers into his vital work.
Jesus told his disciples in John 15:16: You have not chosen me but I have chosen (called) you, and ordained you, that you might go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:”
I “Gotta Preach” to whosoever would listen, was Paul’s testimony. “The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have CALLED them.” Acts 13:2
“I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision... (to preach to ) “...the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God (get saved) and do works meet for repentance (serving God to demonstrate to the world that they are truly-born-again-children-of-God).
From Acts 17. Paul could do nothing else but tell us Gentiles about salvation.
What is the foremost responsibility of men who are CALLED to preach? Acts 20:31 “Watch and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to WARN EVERY ONE night and day with tears.”
Acts 26:17-20 Paul’s call to preach first to the Jews then to us Gentiles. “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I SEND thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision (CALL): But shewed first unto them (Jews) of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God (get saved), and do works meet for repentance.”
Romans 1:14 “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am (CALLED) ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Preachers ARE essential to the dissemination of the Gospel. Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent (CALLED)? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by (preaching of) the word of God.”
When we consider the Apostles, we are convinced that God CALLS the most unlikely men to preach His Gospel. “For ye see your CALLING, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are CALLED.” 1 Cor 1:26
The common thread of the testimonies of men “called to preach,” demonstrate that they can NEVER be satisfied doing anything else. Paul confirmed that in 1 Cor 9:16, "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid (CALLED) upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"
Paul wrote of one of his “Gotta Preach” testimonies to the Ephesian church in Eph 3:6-8 “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel whereof I was MADE (CALLED) a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Referring to Jesus’ giving of gifts in Ephesians 4:11-12, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” God CALLS and enables preachers to specialize as needed for the salvation of the lost and growth toward maturity of His children.
Some preacher said, “To have the opportunity of preaching the gospel of the grace of God is, outside our own salvation, the greatest gift God could give a human being.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul writes, “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed (CALLED) of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”
Paul confirming his call in 1 Tim 1:11-12 said, “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting (CALLING) me into the ministry.” That “ministry” “ …which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24b
Hebrews 3:1 begins, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partaker of the heavenly CALLING.”
Please share your favorite “CALL” scripture with the compiler at guy013@centurytel.net. It will be included in the digital republication of this book as more God CALLED preachers share their testimony.
Please share your CALL to preach. It will be included in a digitally substituted new version of “Gotta Preach.”
For your edification, this digitally published book is free. I compiled it as a labor-of-love hoping that the testimonies of God CALLED Preachers might motivate others to a surrender.
You may reward my efforts with a donation to the Park Avenue Baptist Church, Youth Group, 211 E. Park Ave., Searcy, Ark 72143
Guy Humphries, Compiler
CALL TESTIMONIES
Chapter 1a - Adams, Jim
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Jim Adams Missionary to Grace Community Baptist Church, Eaton, CO
The Lord called me to preach in November of 1978 about 6 months after I first came to know Him as my personal Lord and Savior. During the 30 minutes it took to drive from San Leandro to the First Baptist Church of Warm Springs in Fremont, California, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart. It began with a Bible verse that I could not get out of my head.
Matt 9:37 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” What was unusual on this morning was that this verse was playing in my head like a familiar song. It would just repeat over and over again. I tried to think of other things, but it would not stop. The verse grew louder and more intense. It was like suddenly I understood that the Lord was speaking to me.
I began to pray asking the Lord to stop with the verse. It was too intense. It was overwhelming. The verse continued even as I prayed. Tears were now streaming down my cheeks. I told the Lord that whatever He wanted me to do that I would do it and the verse stopped and I felt better.
When I arrived at church, my first stop was at the pastor’s office. There was a door that opened to the outside. When Dub Richey saw me, he knew that I was upset so he invited me inside and asked me what was going on. I told him what had happened on the way to church and that I felt that God wanted me to be a pastor. Now before I go on with this testimony, you need to understand that I did not even know that God called men to preach. I had only been saved for 6 months.
Dub told me that God called men to preach, but that churches called these men to be their pastors. I immediately understood that God was calling me to preach and told Pastor Richey so. Dub asked me if I wanted to preach that night. It was like the Holy Spirit jumped within me at the offer. I told him “yes!” My message came from Matthew 9:37-38 and the title was “The Lord of the Harvest.”
Today, I see every opportunity to preach as a privilege and a blessing from my Lord! (1 Corinthians 9:16-24)
CALL TO MISSIONS: My call to missions was very different. As I attended Southeastern Baptist College and then seminary in Jacksonville, TX and also, Los Gatos, CA (San Jose campus for Western Seminary), God, at times, would make impressions upon my heart about church planting. After I graduated with my Master of Divinity from Western, I began to pray daily about how, when and where God would lead me to do so. At the time, I was not married (and had never been married). So here I was a single guy with a desire to plant a church, but also with a desire to be married with a wife and hopefully children to come.
It was in 1997 that I first met my wife Lori (Cook at the time) via email at the Christian Connection. CC (Christian Connection) is an Internet Christian Singles ministry. About 250,000 Christian singles around the US and Canada belong to CC. Each member is required to fill out a basic survey of faith/family/favorites and dislikes to belong. In addition, another essay answer questionnaire is optional. The questions in the essay part are personal. Many give direct insight into the individual's relationship with Christ and it would be very difficult to fake the answers. Lori actually wrote to me first, but when I checked her profile, I was impressed with her answers about her relationship with the Lord.
We wrote to each other for about 6 months without even knowing what the other person looked like. We talked on the phone twice. Lori asked me if I would consider coming to Colorado (Yes, we are planting a church in Colorado -- get the connection?). I told her that I would pray about it. I prayed about it for months. One day, I just knew. I booked a flight and flew to Denver where Lori picked me up at the airport and drove me to Eaton, CO (where God led us to plant the church 3 years later). During the visit, I stayed with my future in-laws. By the end of my visit, I knew the Lord was leading us to pursue the relationship, but a long distance relationship would not be easy.
We continued to write each other with an occasional phone call. One day, I discovered an Internet phone program called Media Ring and we began talking regularly when online. Lori visited me in California and stayed with my mother in August of 1998. I had appointments to preach both Sundays while she was in California. Just having her along praying for me was a new and a powerful experience for me as a preacher. By the end of her visit, I knew we were destined to be married. She had not come to that same conclusion, yet!
I visited her in Colorado in March of 1999 again and we discussed the possibility of getting married. I didn't actually propose, but we were both serious. It was getting harder to be living a 1,000 miles apart. We continued to write and to talk almost every night online. With the advice of her parents and her pastor, Lori came to visit me in California in the summer of 1999 for almost 6 weeks. They had told her that if she was seriously thinking of marrying me, she needed to see me for more than a week (to see if I was for real). Lori stayed with my mom. For the next 2 months, I had preaching appointments every Sunday including a wedding and a youth camp. I actually went in view of call at an ABA church in Oakdale, CA while Lori was visiting. God continually blessed with 8 professions of faith during that time period.
Chapter 2a - Allen, Wade
CALL TO PREACH AND MISSIONS TESTIMONY OF Brother John Wade Allen, Missionary to the Philippines
Childhood - I was born on December 29, 1972, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to John and Linda Allen of Springdale, Arkansas. I am the youngest of three children. Both of my sisters are actively involved in ministry and each is married to a Baptist minister. My family attended Springdale Missionary Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas. I accepted Christ as my Savior in November of 1979. I attribute much of my spiritual growth to the Sunday night Youth Bible Study at Springdale Missionary Baptist, which was taught primarily by my mother, Linda Allen. I attended public schools in Springdale, and graduated from Springdale High School in 1991, in the top 5% of the class.
Call to Ministry - The summer before my junior year in high school, I was busy with football practice as had been my custom for several years. I loved football. I was built to be an offensive tackle; and I was a starter for the Springdale Bulldogs, who won the AAAA State Championship in Arkansas that year. Everything seemed to be going great, but this year, something was different. I couldn't explain why, but I felt that I needed to quit the team. My coach didn't understand, and my father definitely didn't either, but I decided to quit anyway. In retrospect, it is perfectly clear to me why I had to quit-- because God did an incredible work in my heart that next year. Less than one year after quitting football, I accepted God's call on my life to dedicate my life to the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a nutshell, I had to give up the one thing in my life which took a higher priority than Jesus Christ-- I had to give up football!
Education and Ministry Experience - In order to prepare myself for the ministry to which I had been called, I chose to attend Central Baptist College in Conway, Arkansas, in order to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Bible & Religious Education. While attending CBC, God provided an opportunity to be involved in ministry both as a church staff member and as a layman. Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in England, Arkansas, extended an invitation to me to work with them as their Minister of Youth and Music. Being my first experience in "the ministry", I am very grateful to this congregation and her pastor, Bro. Fred Vogel, for their love and patience with me as I was growing and learning about church ministry. After resigning from Landmark, I joined Antioch Baptist Church, in Conway, Arkansas. At Antioch, I was able to become involved in many different aspects of the children's ministry. This was also an opportunity for growth and maturity. On December 17, 1993, Joanna Reddin and I were married in that church. By 1995, I was able to complete my degree and graduate from Central Baptist College.
The week following graduation, I was approached by my pastor, Bro. Henry Horton, about working with the children's ministry at Antioch on a part-time basis. I was delighted by this invitation. God's blessings continued as He gave me the opportunity to teach at Conway Christian School that fall. I continued serving at both Conway Christian School and Antioch Baptist Church for the next three years. By the fall of 1997, I felt the leadership of the Holy Spirit to continue my education, so I enrolled in extension classes at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas. Having a desire to continue my education on a full-time basis, I decided to move to Texas to attend the BMA Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, Texas. We, including our one year old daughter Carly Blair, moved to Palestine, Texas, in the fall of 1998 to work with Sheridan Terrace Baptist Church. The church allowed me to be a full-time student at the seminary, so I was able to complete my studies within three years. In May of 2001, I graduated from the BMA Theological Seminary with my Masters of Divinity degree. Just two months earlier, our second child was born. His name is Caleb Elijah. Not believing that we had completed the work that God called us to do at Sheridan Terrace, we decided to continue our work there. The following year, the Holy Spirit impressed upon us that it was finally time to return to the Philippines to serve Him there.
Call to Missions - Many people have asked me, "How can you know for sure if God is calling you to be a missionary?" I am not going to pretend to have all of the answers to this question, however, I am able to relate the feelings and beliefs that I have concerning God's call on my life, specifically as it relates to being a missionary.
When I surrendered to the ministry, I did not know what God had planned for me. I believe that being a minister of the gospel is not exclusively a call to pastor, even though I have been honored to serve God in that capacity. I believe that I was serving as a minister of the gospel when I was a youth minister, a music minister, a children's minister, a short-term missionary, a Christian school teacher, and as a pastor. These are all different aspects of ministry, but all are ministry.
As far as a special "call" to missions, God has placed a special call on my heart for the unreached masses of the world, especially in southeast Asia. I believe that this is a special call in that He has called us all to make disciples of every nation. I have an unexplainable burden for the people of southeast Asia, and I feel that God has placed us here and equipped us for this work. Thus, I am compelled to "go" both by my burden for the people and by my Lord's command to reach the world with the gospel. I can understand why the great missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, once said, "It will not do to say that you have no special call to go to China. With these facts before you and with the command of the Lord Jesus to go and preach the gospel to every creature, you need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay at home."
You see, Christ commissioned the church to reach the world! What is the church? The better question is "Who" is the church? God has called you, if you have trusted in Him as your personal Lord and Savior. Jesus explained very simply His plan for evangelizing the world. He said, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then the end shall come." Matthew 24:14.
Joanna's Story
On September 3, 1974, as a 2 year old little girl, I sat on my daddy's shoulders and waved good-bye to an airplane at the New Orleans International Airport-- and at that time, all I understood was that my Aunt Karen and Uncle Travis were on that plane and they were going far away. Little did I know what the significance of that day would mean for my future. You see, Travis and Karen Moore were the first missionaries of the Baptist Missionary Association of America to go to the Philippines. They were soon joined by Doyle and Linda Moore and many others who have helped to build the BMA of the Philippines. I spent the summer of 1991 with Doyle and Linda Moore as a Volunteer Summer Missionary. I came home after 8 weeks, but my heart stayed there. I knew at that point that God wanted me to return to the Philippines someday and help to expand the vision that began the day I watched that airplane leave.
Wade's Story
In the fall of 1991, I moved into the dorm at Central Baptist College to begin my freshmen year. The next evening, Joanna and I went out on our first date. It was also that fall that I had my first experience on the mission field by going with my father on a work crew to Mexico. As Joanna and I continued to date, we began to talk about our future plans and she shared with me her desire to be a missionary. I loved being on the mission field! So to better seek God's will, I went to the Philippines for 10 weeks the summer of 1993. After much prayer and seeking God's will, we both felt that God had brought us together to better serve Him-- and we felt that He would someday lead us back to serve together in Southeast Asia.
Our Story
Knowing that God's timing is perfect, we felt God's leadership to return to the Philippines in 2002. We are so excited that this dream is now becoming a reality. Would you please join with us in praying for the Philippines?
The BMA has such a strong base in the Philippines, but there are still so many areas that are un-reached. The region where we live, the Bicol region, is an area that has a tremendous need for new churches. Please pray that God will do a miraculous work among the Bicolano people
VISION - In seeking God's direction, we believe He has given us a vision to . . .
Plant churches among the un-reached peoples of the Philippines.
Equip those churches to plant new churches.
Encourage them to work together to reach out with the gospel beyond their national boundaries.
Network together with other BMA fields in Asia to carry the gospel throughout Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
John Wade Adams 2006
Chapter 3a - Barton, Michael
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Missionary Brother Michael Barton
Missionary Evangelist to the lost in Quebec Canada.
Now before I start telling you about my calling I must go back and explain what led to it.
About 9 years ago I was wanting a wife from God. A true and devoted child of God who would be devoted to Him. So, I started praying fervently for one. This lasted about 2 years but in those 2 years the Lord provided a house for me instead that I was not expecting. (As He loves to do).
No wife in sight yet but a sudden desire came upon me to serve God in the mission field and I was attracted to the Asian countries.
Now what I thought was a desire to serve Him somewhere in Asia was actually a leading to where I would find my wife. Of course another 2 years went by and God made it clear to me that my wife to be would be waiting patiently for me in the Philippines.
Now that God had given me a most perfect wife, brought us back to Canada I was satisfied.
Two years ago, another desire in me was slowly growing to do the work of an evangelist. For two years it was not strong but still it was there.
Now why am I telling you all of this before I get to my calling, is that even though God gives you a burden for something and nothing seems to happen right away does not mean that it wont. It is always His timing and not ours. Notice I was praying for a wife and He gives me a house. Then I have this desire to serve Him in the mission field and He gives me a wife. I did not get these desires when I wanted them but He was still faithful to give them to me in His perfect timing.
Now the calling, so two years have gone by, having a light burden to do the work of an evangelist.
Now time has passed, but I will now go back in time a little bit. In June of 2006 something seemed wrong with me. Something inside of me that I did not understand. It was like a cold, before you know its a cold you`ve got symptoms. Well, thats what I had , symptoms in me that I could not understand, not knowing what these symptoms would lead to. My soul was anxious and weary. I had no direction or clue of what was happening to me but it did not feel right. I was pleading with God to show me what was wrong but He was silent. I was asking Him in tears if there were any sin in my life that I had not confessed, but still no answer. All of a sudden the great burden came upon me to be used full time. I kept asking and asking and pleading for months in supplication and prayer because I knew God had to call me (Divine calling) but still no answers. All was silent, God was silent, I felt like nobody could hear my cries. I said, ``Lord, I don`t understand why I have to be different form others. First, I pray for a wife, it took 4 years and finally you give me one but she has to be at the other end of the world which was not easy and sometimes painful. Now that I have a wife I would like to have a normal family like everybody else, but we cannot have children because of medical issues. And now this, I am in great pain and distress, I am begging you to use me in the ministry full time but your back seems to be turned against me, if it is not your will please get this burden out of my heart. Usually it is the other way around, when you call a man he usually refuses the first time. But I am willing and ready and still have no answers.``
Now this went on for 6 months but the last 2 months were truly painful and deeply agonizing to my heart, they were the worst. God was giving me two burdens that were on fire. The burden to be used full time and to see His power at work, to see souls saved and seeing backsliders come back to a Holy God. For two months God was putting me constantly on my knees many times a day crying out to Him to give me these burning desires that He had put in my heart. For two months I was crying to Him to be used full time and to see His Hand work in powerful and mighty ways through the lives of unbelievers and believers.
I said, ``Lord I refuse to be a powerless preacher, I refuse to be a dead christian, I refuse to be a fruitless child of God and I cannot live like this anymore. I do not want to work for the world ever but work for You fulltime and to see and show the dead Christians and unbelievers that you are a most powerful and Almighty God. If I am not used that way just take me home because there is no other way that I want to be used and live.``
"I know these words seem to be hard but they are the truth. You are the one Lord who has been pushing me,and touching me in tearful and agonizing ways to say these words, if it were just me I would never have the courage or boldness to say these words.``
Anyways, after two months now of wrestling with the Lord I woke up one morning and though I thought was the end of me, thinking that this day would blow up in defeat or depression. As I left for work not knowing that my wife was praying for me, while I was driving the Lord declared to me in a way that He only can do, my calling as a missionary evangelist. Right there in my car this burning burden that was torturing my heart was replaced with peace and joy (unspeakable joy!).
All day long I could not but praise His Mighty name for this great and tremendous blessing and privilege.
I truly thank God from the day that He saved me until now and forever, that He controls my life the way He wants because that is all that I want, His most precious and powerful will to be done in my life.
Now I will continue to go forward with these burdens and promises that He has given me a man who is unworthy and incompetent. But I know that everything is by grace and by His grace God will accomplish through me what He has gracefully asked me to do until my last breath.
Again when I thought everything was lost He showed me in His time that it was not. I now expect on Him for the future that He will accomplish in His time always the wonderful promises that He has rooted deeply into my heart.
Thank you Jesus and glory to You always, my God.
Michael Barton Missionary Evangelist to the lost in Quebec Canada. Written Februrary 27, 2007
Chapter 4a - Betts, Charles
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Brother Charles Betts, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Vandalia, Ohio (now in Heaven)
I was quite an introvert as a child. I never saw myself doing such a public job as God called me into.
When I was a sixteen-year-old boy, living in Reeves, Missouri, God began to deal with my heart about pastoral ministry.
God never spoke to me in an audible way; it was much louder than that, but we had a nineteen-year-old guy who spent a week in our church. It was during that week that God put into my heart a burning desire to be involved in bringing people to Christ. I saw no way for me to follow that call because of several personal circumstances. For example, I was an introvert and could not see myself standing before a crowd of people. Also, I was in high school (I attended five high schools), and I did not see any way for me to further my education.
It was eight years later; I was married, had one child, and was working for General Motors in St. Louis, and we were active in an inner-city church. I had a pastor who took a special interest in me and helped me greatly toward taking the step of faith toward doing ministry. I preached my first sermon in the St. Louis Church in January, 1958, and was called to pastor a small church within driving distance of Hannibal-LaGrange College, a junior college at the time. I graduated there in December 1959 and moved to a church near the University of Missouri, where I attended and graduated in 1962. Then I moved to Grain Valley, Missouri, and pastored there until I graduated from seminary in 1965.
While in school, God placed it in my heart to go to what was considered pioneer work for our denomination. Immediately after seminary, we moved to Ohio where we have served for thirty-eight years in two churches. I have also served twenty-four of those years on our State executive Board and served several years as vice-president of our State Convention (and two years as president.) I served for nine years as trustee of the seminary I graduated from in Kansas City, and eight years as both a member and chairman of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of our denomination. This group has an office in Washington, D. C., and they deal with matters of religious freedoms, morals, and ethical issues on a national level.
I was saved during a summer revival at Providence Baptist Church, Judsonia, AR. Brother Johnnie Sloate was preaching. I was twelve years old. One day, I was walking from where I lived, just east of the church, to the Providence Store. I know now that the Holy Spirit was dealing with me. I felt like the dirtiest little boy in Arkansas. I stopped and knelt on the dirt road a few yards east of the church and gave my heart to Jesus, making the most important decision of my life.
Charles Betts March 7, 2003
Chapter 5a - Branham, Craig
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Brother Craig Branham
IN HIGH SCHOOL I PLAYED ON THE B-TEAM, BUT ...
I'VE PLAYED IN THE BIG LEAGUE - I'm not talking about the Base ball or any other sport, I'm talking about THE MINISTRY , and no it isn't a game, it is real.
When I was eight years old in our country church sitting by my friend Cecil Wayne when the preacher said maybe if you'll move somebody else will move. IMOVED. I came down the aisle and pretended to be saved. I reasoned thatsince Daddy was a deacon and Cecil Wayne's wasn't he ought to be saved. Ithank the Lord that he convicted me of my sin and I was saved. I was savedat my mother and daddy's bedside, in the middle of the night. What a blessing to have godly parents.
THE DRAFT - As an early teen-ager as I sat in Church I listened to Reverend Robert Fling as he preached about Gideon's fleece, I became aware that God would show His will in my life. One of my earliest memories is when I would stand behind an apple crate and mock Brother J. S. Jones who was our pastor. My older siblings have told me that I would stand on a stump and preach. My call to the ministry wasn't like a bolt of lightening but that still small voice that I could not avoid. I knew that God wanted me to preach. That night I picked out a certain peach tree and asked God to let it be wet with dew the next morning and all the others be dry. I played sick the next morning. I already knew He wanted me to preach.
THE NEGOTIATIONS - I had never known a young preacher in my life. All that I knew anything about were grown and married with families. I was barely in High School and didn't want anyone to make fun of me so I began to try to bargain with the Lord. Lord, let me finish High School and I will serve you. Then I decided Iwanted to be a doctor. Nothing like stretching the time out is there?
I graduated from High School on May 23, 1946, started my summer as usual, but late in the summer I attended several revival meetings with a friend. When the invitation was given I would hold up my hand for prayer. Because Satan had convinced that because I had promised the Lord after I was saved that I would do anything He wanted me do, and knew that He had called me to preach and I hadn't responded to the call that I was surely lost. At one church the last night of an open-air revival was suddenly moved inside when a small cloud appeared. As I started out all exits were blocked, each by a preacher. Sizing up the situation I went out by the song leader, I thought he'd be the easiest to get by, who invited me into a room and tried to teach me how to be saved. Sunday afternoon they came by our house in force, but I had already run.
Every revival I attended, and there were several, it seemed that the evangelist had an extremely long fore finger, which he continuously pointed at me. The last one for the summer was at Bell Baptist Church, a country church near Troup, Texas, our church. I was so burdened that I stood in the morning services and asked for prayer that I would be saved. I wept through every invitation and feared that I would never be saved. Mama let me know that she was burdened for me and was praying for me. Daddy seemed untouched by it all.
Sunday morning he decided to get involved and insisted on helping me doctor a horse's hoof that I had been caring for, for weeks. When he poured a little liniment on the hoof he opened the gate and let her out. When I started out he blocked the way. He never said, son I want to help you to be saved; he said, "Boy, I want to know what's the matter with you." I told him God had called me to preach and he moved aside and I went into the house and to my room bawling like a baby. He didn't say another word to me until we pulled up under the old pine tree at the church and my sisters had gone inside. Daddy, Mama and I were left and his next words were, "Well what are you going to do?" I said, I reckon I'll preach. Mama hit the ground shouting. She and Mis' Mamie Lacy and maybe others disrupted Sunday school. Daddy later told me that he had felt that I would preach from the night I was saved. The next Sunday night I made my first attempt at a sermon. It was less than five minutes long, but I had started down a road that would be directed by the Main Office in glory.
Craig Branham 9-24-07
Chapter 6a - Brown, Curtis
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Brother Curtis Brown, Heaven
My salvation:
As a teenager, I had lived a life of sin far away from God. After my wife and I were married in September, 1947 and after our first son, Dale, was born in November, 1948, God began to strongly convict me of my sins. God has a way of keeping the pressure on a sinner until he makes it right with Him.
Belleview Missionary Baptist Church was having a revival meeting in the Summer of 1949 with Brother Corbett Mask doing the preaching when I heard the truth about God’s love for lost sinners and about His provisions that He made in His Son Jesus Christ for the sins of all mankind. It was in that meeting when I repented of my sins and put my faith in Him as my personal Savior. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Spiritual freedom is mine in Jesus.
My Call to Preach:
It is not all that easy to explain. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:1, “This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work.” Based on that Scripture, I have strong feelings that it is a matter of a man’s heart that brings real satisfaction in the Lord’s service.
I have tried several different avenues in the Lord’s work with no real peace of mind. I came to feel like the Apostle Paul when he said,
“For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel!” 1 Cor 9:16
Since the feeling in my heart that preaching His Word was indeed my true calling, I made it known in the Summer of 1954 to the Belleview Missionary Baptist Church. The church, the same year on October 3, ordained me to that office. Some 49 years later, I am still preaching the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ my wonderful Savior. As long as He makes it possible for me to preach and Pastor, I am not making any plans to quit.
Outstanding Experiences:
The first one that I wish to share concerns my two years of Pastoral work with my home church over 40 years ago. Even though I was taught no preacher could be much of a success in the ministry in his home church and in the community that he was born and raised. This teaching was based on something Jesus said in Mark 6:4. Even though I am not exactly sure what Jesus meant in that scripture. My home church gave me the privilege of being her Pastor for two years. In that two years, I witnessed 41 professions of faith and baptized those 41 people into the membership of that church. Also, I saw the attendance increase from the twenties and thirties to over one hundred in the Sunday morning service. For this reason, I consider those two years the best years of all my ministry.
The second experience was when I pastored the Promise Land Missionary Baptist Church near Hamburg, AR. I have thanked to Lord many times for giving me that privilege. It was eight good years in my ministry. It was a joy to be your Pastor, even though it was a short period of time.
A little sad note about my work there was when the church voted to build a new sanctuary in l980, the work was begun. After all the rafters were in place and the walls were nailed together, the whole structure fell on Sunday afternoon.
Even though some of it was sad, some good things came out of it. The church was brought together in Christian fellowship. We had a good revival that week. The next Saturday, while the women were cooking some good food, I counted forty-five (45) men on top of that building putting it back together.
It has been a great joy to work for the Lord. Curtis Brown 2003
Chapter 7a - Chandler, Don
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Don Chandler, Senior Pastor, Central Baptist Church, Conway, AR
I have been in ministry for 41 years, having answered the call in the spring of 1966. I was attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, contemplating Law school, when I began to think of ministry. After weeks of prayer and discussion with my pastor, Dr. Bob Batson, I made my call know at the Park Place Baptist Church in Little Rock. I preached my first sermon the same day I surrendered to ministry.
Don Chandler 6-22-2007
Chapter 8a - Cooper, H. D.
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF H. D. Cooper, now in Heaven
Written by Sister Sarah Alice Cooper, his widow, after 51 years with Brother Harvey Denzel “H. D.” Cooper.
H. D. was not saved when we got married. He did not grow up in a Christian home. I have attended church all of my life and was saved as a teenager.
Shortly after we married, he made a profession of faith, and later realized he was not saved. At this time, we had left the farm and was living in Birmingham, AL. We lived one block from Temple Baptist Church (BMA). We began to attend and H. D. was saved. We united with the church and became active in l960. Brother Z. W. Swafford was the Pastor.
We looked back and could see how the Lord worked in our lives. Putting us where He wanted us and preparing us for the ministry. H. D. Worked with Barber Dairy in Birmingham as a wholesale delivery milk man. He had previously worked as a door-to-door delivery man. He said that was when he learned to meet people and that helped him later in his ministry.
In the fall of l962, he began to feel the Lord dealing with his life. He would get so disturbed. He would talk to me, then go talk with Brother Swafford. They would talk, cry and pray. He would feel better for a while and then it would start all over again. He said he couldn’t understand why the Lord would call him to preach. He didn’t have the education he felt like he needed. He was studying the Bible but didn’t feel like he knew near enough to preach God’s Word. The real reason was, he was afraid he would make a mistake.
This went on until April, l963. On Mondy morning after Easter Sunday, he went to work early as always. One of the tires on his truck was low of air. He didn’t want to be late with his milk delivery so he drove up to the air hose to air up the tire with the intention of having the tire fixed when he finished his route. As he was putting air in the tire, the rim broke and hit him on his knee knocking him backward several feet. Someone that witnessed it told him he had seen that happen twice before and he was the only one that lived to tell about it. The man said the rim usually hit the head. H. D. had a chipped bone on his knee. A cast was put on his leg and he was sent home to recover. The next Sunday night he walked the isle on crutches and surrendered his life to preach the word.
He was a changed man. He felt like the Lord gave him a second chance in life. He was off work all Summer and spent much time in Brother Swafford’s office at church studying. Brother Swafford would say he had to run him out of his office so he could study.
A small church outside of Birmingham call H. D. as pastor that fall. He was ordained November 22, l963.
He continued to feel the need for more education. A couple in Temple Baptist Church, Gene and Berta Fant, began talking to him about Central Baptist College in Conway, AR. I thought they were out of their minds, thinking H. D. could quit his job and move his wife and children to Conway.
But, I learned what a great God we serve. God opened the way for us to move to Conway in August, 1964. I was given the job of House Mother (I think it is Hostess now) in Bruce Hall, the girls dormitory. My salary was $78 per month with an apartment for my family to live in. Our faith grew more in those four years that anytime in our lives. Many times when it seemed we did not have money for groceries or to pay a bill, I would go to the Post Office and there would be a check for just the amount we needed or H. D. would get a preaching appointment.
One highlight in H. D.’s ministry was while we were at CBC, Mt. View Baptist Church on Wolverton Mountain call him as pastor.
Clifton Clowers was a deacon in the church and H. D. baptized his daughter.. You may remember the song about Wolverton Mountian and Clifton Clowers.
Also, while we were there, H. D. was doing some calling and inviting people to a revival we were in. He drove up to a house and a man in his 60’s was sitting outside under a tree. H. D. invited him to come to church and he said he might. He came that night with his wife. After the service, as he started out the door, H. D. asked him if he would like to be saved. He said, “Yes”. No one left. The preacher counseled with him and he was saved. The church door was opened and he and his wife, daughter and granddaughter joined the church. His wife had been saved years before but he would not let her be baptized. People said that was the first time they had seen him in church except for a funeral. he never missed a Sunday except for sickness. We ate many meals in their home.
Where ever we ministered, there were young and old saved. Some in their homes, some in the hospital, some in church and one in his garden, a 70+ year old man.
H. D. had one brother who was lost. He witnessed to him many times. His answer was always the same, “I am all right, I help my neighbor, etc.” In l992, his brother and wife visited us in Isola, MS. H. D. took him to his office to show him something. The Lord opened the way and he led his brother to saving grace. What rejoicing! He died about two years later.
H. D. pastored churches in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. After graduation from Central Baptist College, he served as State Missionary in Greenville, MS for 3 1/2 years.
When his health began to deteriorate, he took early retirement and we moved back to Searcy, AR to be near our daughter, Jeanine, and her family.
On October 30, 1999, the Lord called H. D. home from his earthly ministry. Only now does he realize how many lives he touched here on earth.
Alice Cooper 9-29-02
Chapter 9a - Cooper, Jerome
CALL TO PREACH TESTIMONY OF Brother Jerome Cooper
In the early 1960’s our family joined the Temple Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. At around the age of seven, I made my profession of faith and was baptized at Temple by pastor Z. W. Swafford.
A couple of years afterward I began to experience a burden which I could not understand. Firmly convinced that I was saved, I couldn’t ignore a sense that I needed to do something; I just didn’t know what it was that I should do. By this time my dad had surrendered to the ministry and was preaching wherever he had the opportunity, including serving as pastor of a part-time church outside of Birmingham.
I remember a revival meeting at Temple; the evangelist was Harold Leytham. I finally shared my feelings with my dad, and he took me to Brother Swafford and Brother Leytham to talk to them. They didn’t tell me the Lord was calling me to preach, but they did counsel me to consider whether that was the case. But because of my very young age, they didn’t feel it was wise to make a public declaration of any call.
I sensed some peace about the matter for a while but then into my teenage years, once again the burden returned. On one occasion, I even made another profession of faith and was baptized again, yet that experience didn’t put the matter to rest.
Junior high and high school years passed and I made plans for college. I struggled with the burden of God’s call throughout those years; some times were harder than others. I made plans for a particular course of study in college and decided to attend Central Baptist College for one year and then transfer to a state college. I went so far as to register at another college.
During the summer following my first year in college, I was really struggling with God’s call. Finally, I felt I couldn’t take the struggle any longer, and one day I went to find Dad at his church office. I shared with him the thoughts I had been fighting with, including my hesitation to make such a decision because I didn’t want to be mistaken. He shared his own experience of surrendering to the ministry years before, and in his office I surrendered to God’s call on my life. That evening, July 31, 1974, I publicly shared the call with Park Avenue Baptist Church in Searcy, Arkansas. The church licensed me to preach and I delivered my first sermon at Park Avenue the following Sunday evening.
Jerome Cooper 2006
Chapter 10a - Crawford, Rufus
CALL TO PREACH AND MISSIONS TESTIMONY OF Brother Rufus Crawford
The fifth Sunday of March 55 years ago was a rare March Easter. I preached my first sermon that Easter evening.
I had just returned from the service. The Holy spirit put a desire into my heart to preach.
Brother E. L. Jones of Texas, 15 years older than me, was my first cousin on my mother’s side. He was my role model.
I had been home for a short time. I planned to study to be a lawyer. I missed the Fall session so I was fiddling around. I had been out in West Texas for the wheat harvest but a drought cut the harvest short so I hired on a road gang. I was moving a bulldozer. The boss asked if I could do a back fill. Although I had no experience, I allowed that I could, and I did.
I was not there long before the Lord put it in my heart to go home. _______Cole, a Southern Baptist evangelist who had pastored in Lemesa, TX where my cousin was. I didn’t know that. He preached that night.
In the bedroom where I was born in the middle of the morning. The Lord put it into my heart to get my sisters Bible. When He impresses on you to open the Bible you should do it. My eyes and my heart fixed upon Mark 16:15, And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. That was mine from them on. I didn’t realize that was a missionary call at the same time.
I took that Bible into my mother’s kitchen where she was singing as usual. She was singing, “How Firm a Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord.”
I am the last of seven children, the last of four sons. I had no idea that they had prayed that I would be a boy and that I would be a preacher. They didn’t pray that for the others. They prayed for the others that they would be saved but not for them to preach.
When I went to my Mama’s kitchen and told her that God had called me to preach and by His grace I will do it. She started weeping and praising God saying, “Thank God our prayers are answered.”
The next Sunday morning I told the Church and that night I preached. That was fifty five years exactly on Easter Sunday 2002.
You can preach a lot of places in fifty five years.
The devil tried to get me to doubt my salvation. He does that to all preachers after a year or two. But he couldn’t chase me off of my salvation. I had come down that isle and told the old preacher I had accepted the Lord. He patted my on my head and said, “Bless you Rufus. Go on back to your seat.”
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