Trevor's Story

My story is not nearly as dramatic as Tony's but is just as full of grace and awe.  I grew up in Ripley, WV and graduated from Ripley High School in 1992.  I attended Ripley Baptist Temple until the age of 19.  My church was by no means a part of radical fundamentalism and my journey begins many miles and years away from those wonderful people.  I thank the Lord, as I look back on my journey of grace, for the wonderful and caring influences that He put in my life (and in many cases still in my life) from Ripley Baptist.   I love that church and those people with all my heart, and look forward to being with them when I visit my great hometown.    

In 1994 I began attending Crown College (Temple Baptist Church and Dr. Clarence Sexton) and met my future wife, Joy, in 1995.  We were married in July of '97 and I graduated in '98 followed by Joy in '99.  Crown is where Tony and I first met as roommates in 1995.  I was having a great time and met some wonderful people and never even thought to question one tenet of what it meant to be an Independent Fundamental Baptist.

All of that was about to change...

It all began on January 1, 1999 in Beckley, WV.  I had been hired by an IFB pastor who was the pastor of a community church.  I was hired as the assistant/youth pastor and couldn't wait to begin my very first job in the ministry.  I got there in my suit and tie and looked around with wide-eyed wonder at the pews and the pulpit and was genuinely excited at all of the possibilities and fun that lay ahead.  I knew how to dress, how to talk, had the right Bible and I was ready to go.  I was called into the pastor's office and the first thing out of his mouth on my first day of work was this:  "We cannot be friends.  I am the boss and you are my employee. Everybody has to know who the man is around here".  My heart sank. I was green and needed a friend.  From the 'courting' process that preceded my hiring I had no reason to think that he would be anything other than a friend.  My rose colored glasses of the IFB movement were slapped off my face and smashed under his oppressive foot.  It was all downhill from that point and it was only the first day.  I was worked to death and was told I wasn't working hard enough. I was worn out and had my job threatened.  I was dressed down and berated in front of my wife and told never to question the pastor. There were major inconsistencies and something was wrong, but it had to be me because he was the pastor.  He was the man of God and I knew I was to never question him or 'touch God's anointed'.  I wasn't to question or think, but simply follow or face serious consequences.  I was miserable and stuck.  The story is long and amazing and I will probably share more later, but the short of it all is that after fourteen months I was done.  

Joy and I moved out west to Pasco, WA in March '00 and we started Victory Baptist Church in October of the same year. Fresh off of my eye-opening experience I was determined to start an IFB church, but promised myself that I would never treat people the way that I had been treated.  We started an IFB church from top to bottom -- KJV only, hymns only, no pants on women, door-to-door soul-winning, extreme pastoral authority, etc. It was going good by IFB standards, but something wasn't right.  I was seeing many people say a prayer but nothing else. Some of them would actually hide when they saw me coming. One day, as I was door-knocking, I realized that I couldn't stand it anymore.  Something had to change. Two things happened that changed my life forever.  I began to think and I began to ask questions. That's when my presuppositions shattered and God's amazing grace came shining through.  God used the good and the horrible to help me see my need of Him and Him alone. My religion died and my relationship with my Rescuer began!

That's our desire for you.  Maybe you're beat down and told you aren't working hard enough. Maybe you have questions, but to even ask them would mean rebuke and possibly the loss of your job. Maybe your killing yourself trying to please a pastor who is never placated.  We've been there!  We've been beat up and had our jobs threatened.  We've been worried and scared, but by God's grace we survived and by His grace you will too.  We want to let you know that you're not alone.  We want to give you a safe haven.  This isn't a place to argue, but this is a place of encouragement and safety. This is a place to ask the hard questions without fear of retribution and ridicule.  This is a place of hope and healing. This is a place of journey and wonder.  This is a place to lift up and glorify our indescribable Savior!

My prayer is that God will make us brave, and that He will grant us the grace to break the chains of legalism and embrace the truth of His full salvation.  Once you peek your head out of the box of rigid legalism and see the glorious scene of our Savior that awaits, you will never go back.  You will be changed.  You will be brave.  You will be amazed!

Please don't hesitate to contact us and tell us where you are at on this journey of grace. Maybe you've been down a similar road. Maybe you see the inconsistencies and need some advice. Maybe you just need a friend.  Let us know.  

In Awe,

Trevor