Where to start is the question? My name is Randall, my wife Jennifer and I moved to Missouri in April of 2009 with five of our eight children. We believed we were serving the Lord or maybe I should say that the Lord was serving us but we found ourselves in some very questionable churches. Not realizing God was gracefully giving us more light to walk in we had several instances over many years that would show us that where we were attending was just NOT where God wanted us to stay. We started out in the “seeker sensitive” church where the music was rock and roll accented by colored lights, come as you are dress code and every message so laced with worldly concepts and ideas that God was just a convenient part of the program. This at the time was fine; it suited our life style and required no major changes. God had already delivered me from severe drug addiction back in 1990 and I myself was the singer in a “Christian” rock band. Then in December of 2000, God got our attention through what my wife and I call a super natural event. This particular newsletter is not large enough to record all the details of that event but I would be happy to share it with anyone who would honestly want to hear it. Let me just simplify it to say God put us on a different path. One that would still take years but one that would lead to a much more committed and obedient Christian walk. Sometimes it seemed like Jennifer and I were on completely different paths. 

 First we changed churches and began attending a charismatic church. Not as rock and roll but still quite a production. A huge place with a fancy stage and a lot of people that seemed happy and excited about the Lord. Lots of talking in tongues and so called words of prophecy but eventually the lack of truth in the teaching showed the lack of depth in the lives of all the congregation. My wife began to grieve inside and could hardly take going there. It was not until a disastrous, too personal to explain event took place with my oldest daughter in the youth group that my eyes were opened to the fact I needed to get my family out of here. The pain at the lack of concern expressed by the pastor and staff left wounds in Jennifer and me that to this day can nearly bring us to tears. It was then that the church hoping began. I knew there had to be a place that was going the right direction. The only problem was I did not know what the right direction was! We went to a Pentecostal church, we went to an Assemblies of God church, we went to a Southern Baptist church. We tried going to predominantly African-American churches…we were going crazy trying to keep up with which Jesus we were talking about this week. We knew that our life style had to be transformed and that God had to take first place in our home especially as my oldest boys (twins) were graduating from public high school and following along with so many worldly philosophies. Things like dating, having their own cars at sixteen and so much freedom to come and go. 

Add to this the fact that I was married once before and the three oldest children are mine. I had custody, they lived with me. Jennifer had a child in her teens, had never been married and now we were married trying to blend a family while having more children together. (We had both come under the conviction that we should let God choose the size of our family so we have a ten-year gap between the blended family and the new children.) 

We had also agreed that we needed to get rid of the television so it was gone by now also. We, like many others got very fed up and decided to go it alone in our own home but as usual that failed also. 

 Thinking that the most conservative church around was the Independent Baptist, we began attending there. By this time Jennifer was devouring Gods Word in private and was experiencing all kinds of changes in her thinking and understanding of the Bible. She had given up a career as a cosmetologist, stopped wearing make up, began dressing modestly and then finally crossed the line when she put on a head covering. I couldn’t believe what was happening it still seemed foreign to me. I was trying to swallow the idea of courtship, I was having to question contemporary music, I was becoming very aware that I was supposed to step up to being a real leader in my home but a head covering just seemed to be too much. Was that really in the Bible? (Of course I found out it is!) 

 A new friend in the church had given us some Anabaptist teaching tapes and with some apprehension we listened to them. What I was hearing, though very different, was the truth. It amazed me! Could I really be that far off the narrow road? I thought I was a Christian but the more I listened, the more I realized I was NOT. My eternity was not secure. In fact there were still many things in our lives that were leading us towards hell without us even knowing it Finally in February of 2005 I confessed my sin, repented and committed to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. To live my life in obedience to His word and to walk in the light that He gives to me. 

 We knew the Anabaptist way was the direction we were to go. Just one problem! I was divorced and remarried. Even though the previous marriage was dissolved through infidelity before I was a Christian. Even though I was now married to a woman who wanted to follow the Lord, who together with me wants to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Even though God had transformed us through the renewing of our minds. We were told we needed to separate. Our desire to be right with God brought us to a very uncertain point where a lot of things no longer made sense. I was certain that divorce was not the cure for divorce and that my commitment to my marriage to Jennifer and by this time our 3 newest children was of the Lord. It was a tough time! 

 We found a small fellowship in Yanceyville, NC that would accept us as we were, based upon our confession of Christ and evidence of a new life in us. Great right? Two splits in two years and so much bickering and fighting between men who once greeted each other with a Holy kiss soon found us in fellowship with one family. We were thankful to have each other and we helped each other to grow by studying Gods word together, challenging each other and most of all loving each other in the Lord. It was good but it still was not enough. There was no where to go. No one would accept us. 

 Then one evening I got a call from someone I didn’t even know. To this day I still don’t understand how they got my number or why they called me. 

They told me they were concerned that I was being told I have to leave my wife in order to be right with God. They offered me some teaching on the subject and told me about this group of believers in a place named Brookfield Missouri…where? 

 I finally came out for a visit in October of 2008, read as much of the pastors’ literature as I could, listened to tapes and PRAYED. I could hardly believe it but I knew this is where God was leading me. It was time to let go of all that I thought was security and seek the Lord. The family thought we were crazy, the nice job with its 401k and insurance thought I had lost my mind, my oldest children who stayed behind were hurt and angry but I had to do it!  

 Here we are. Baptized members of Living Faith Christian Fellowship. I am not so blind as to think I have finally arrived. God loves us too much to leave us like we are. Now the real work begins. Not just how to figure out a new career in a new place but how to walk in the light as He is in the light and have true fellowship with one another. To be an encouragement to the brothers and to learn how to put the needs of others ahead of my own. How to fully trust God and be completely obedient to His commands. I believe this is the place for that. I believe that brother Mark Bullen has a God given understanding of the Word and the ability to teach it. I believe that all the families here are serious about their relationship with God and that despite the extremely diverse backgrounds we are all on the same path.  

 I speak for all when I say, give us a call, check out the web page God may be directing you to a different path. Have you compassed that mountain long enough?