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Lisa Archer

"I hardly remember my life before Christ. I was saved at age 12. I was raised in a close family with very loving parents, 3 younger sisters, and a grandmother who prayed for all of us daily. She held backyard Bible school for us and our cousins when we were little. So I've known about Jesus since I was very young. But at age 12, I attended a youth retreat in Kentucky with our church youth group. It was there that I learned what a "personal relationship" meant. I remember slipping away from the crowd to talk to my Pastor at the time, letting him know that I wanted a life with Jesus. I was baptized shortly after that and began serving in my church youth group. I don't have a traumatic testimony with drugs, alcohol, abuse, wayward living, etc. And I truly believe it's because of God's grace that I don't. I used to think that I couldn't witness to anyone because I didn't have a "testimony" worth sharing. But my whole life has been filled with God leading me to places where He opened doors for me to share my faith. I've been blessed to work an atmosphere where I can share my faith, and do that freely. As a nurse, God has allowed me to pray with patients and co-workers, and now with medical students. I've come to love daily texts, emails, and personal visits in my office or lab from co-workers and students needing encouragement and that often ends in prayer. I truly believe God has me right where He wants me and I'm so honored to serve Him there."

Connie Charles

"I knew Jesus loved me as a young toddler, sitting at the feet of wonderful Sunday School teachers telling me so with scripture, songs, and those beautiful pictures of Jesus with children at his feet. At the age of ten I asked Jesus to be my savior and became a baptized believer, at First Baptist Church, in Kirksville, in 1968. Yes, I grew up knowing Jesus loved me, and I loved Him; blessed with a church family and a mother making sure I grew in knowledge of His love and Word. The world also played a huge impact on my growing up and it wasn’t a Christian impact either. I tried to merge the way of the secular world and my Christian walk for many years and the sinful choices didn’t work well with God’s plan, so I stopped attending church. Maybe I should say I ran away from the conviction. The consequences from choices I made were not as enticing as the sin from which they came. I began to fear the consequences of these choices enough to start praying about it. The stir within began. It took several years to arrive back on the narrow path and to walk in the full light with Jesus again. You see, He never left me, I never denied knowing Him; I just didn’t follow Him. I tried to do it my way, and that didn’t work. With brokenness, I returned to church, starting to attend on Sunday mornings again. I was welcomed back into the arms of those same people who loved me as a child and teenager. Who embraced me and began to mentor me. I learned to not only know, but to love and follow the Bible with a hunger and to serve with a joy for His glory. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25. Don’t let fear and pride of your actions and heart keep you away from walking with Jesus. Come to Jesus."

Carolyn Chrismans

Since the age of four, I have been attending First Baptist, and mainly Sunday School. I started out as a van kid, but then had my parents drop me off and pick me up. I never missed a Sunday, can remember all my Sunday School teachers names, and loved church. After my brother went to Children's camp for the first time, where he accepted Jesus, the pastor and our Sunday school teacher came to our home to talk with my parents about his decision. I heard about following Jesus, and accepted Jesus at our kitchen table. I too attended church camp, attended youth group when I could and followed after the Lord--my faith was my own as my parents never went to church. At age 16, I felt God calling me to be baptized. When others in the church had asked my parents about baptism for me before, they just stated, she needs to wait till she is older. So at age 16, when I was driving myself to church and attending morning and evening services, I went forward and was baptized. No one from my family was there. My brother at this time had pretty much left the church as well. I had great mentors and teachers though--some who have passed like Vivian Coleman--and others who are still there--like Connie Charles and Tony Swain. I was taught how to study the Bible and live it out. I have served as a Youth Minister, Sunday School teacher, VBS volunteer, and more. I love the Lord, His church, and ministry. I love having my kids in church with me, that my husband is a Godly man, and that I still serve. I want my kids to have a strong, vibrant, and alive faith in Jesus--and that will only be helped by seeing it in their parents.

Travis Curtman

"I grew up in Springfield Missouri in a non-Christian home. My dad started teaching me how to play the guitar when I was five years old. By age ten, every Friday and Saturday night I was playing in my dad’s band, mostly in bars and nightclubs. I remember watching a local pastor on tv when I was 17. I knew the words he spoke were true and I even repeated a salvation prayer at the end of his message. Looking back, I did not completely surrender myself and all that I loved to follow the Lord. This caused me to stray from Him. I met my wife Savanna in 2005. We got married a year and a half later. Seeking to find my purpose in life, I joined the Army National Guard. I served 10 years and deployed overseas twice. After my second deployment Savanna and I were struggling. Most nights we would fight and argue. I was only concerned with what I wanted and was never content. At the advice of my wife, I went to see a Pastor friend of mine. He helped me see that I had never made Jesus Lord of my life. On my drive back home, I pulled my car over to the side of the road and cried out to God. I fully surrendered my life to the Lord that day and I finally understood my purpose, to serve Him with everything that I do. That day my whole outlook on life has changed, and God has continued to work and open doors, giving me opportunities to serve Him and others. Soon after my surrender to Him I knew without a doubt He was calling me into full time ministry as a worship Pastor. He has graciously surrounded me with men to disciple and mentor me and I am excited to see God’s plan unfold. Without His love and grace, I know I would not be where I am today. After my complete surrender to God, His love, salvation, and grace gave me the desire to serve Him with everything I had. After my salvation I had a love for people that was not there before. Several men in the church encouraged me, mentored, and discipled me and I was confident in His desire for my life. I had no doubt that God was calling me into full time ministry."

Carol Harris

"I was blessed to be raised in a Christian family. We attended Church every Sunday morning and evening. I grew up believing in God, Heaven, and Hell. We'd watch Billy Graham on TV. I really enjoyed listening to him and the worship music also. Our Church had all sorts of youth activities. I sang in the choir from 3rd grade through high school. As a teenager, I went to Old Mexico and Colorado to teach Bible School. When I was 11 years old, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I felt like a different person! I was baptized on April 14, 1957. It wa on an Easter Sunday, my mom's birthday! I left home and moved to Iowa a year after high school. I met my future husband David. He was a Christian. We attended church but only sometimes. When David passed away with cancer in 2002, I came to finish Baptist. I wanted to get back to walking and talking with God. I am so very grateful for God's patience with me for all of those years. I am grateful that I found God. I am grateful that I found First Bapist and my church family."

Joyce Hettinger

"I grew up in church, it has always been a part of my life. When I was around ten years old I realized that it took more than just going to church, I needed a personal relationship with Jesus. I asked Jesus into my heart and was baptized. Then I became a teenager and although I always claimed to be a christian my relationship wasn't what it should be. I've made that walk to the alter more than once recommitting my life. I was married and had my first child. I was very involved with church; teaching children's church and leadership in the women's group. At a weekend women's retreat, God really started speaking to me about the resentment I had toward one of the pastor's wives in our women's group. That resentment was hurting me not her. I knew that to have the relationship with God that I wanted and needed, I needed to apologize to her for the way I felt about her and forgive her for what she had done, even though she had no idea! I went to the alter and asked God for forgiveness and for strength to do what he was asking me to do. I told God I didn't even know where she was sitting in the large group of women, how was I going to find her? When I stood up and turned around the first person I saw was that woman! I've realized that when God asks me to do something, it doesn't matter if I feel that it's important or not. It's all about obedience, and God requires it! I can call myself a christian and work in church but to have the relationship with God that he desires for me to have I must be obedient to whatever he asks. I wish I could say it's the only time that God has needed to correct me but that would be a lie! I'm thankful for that correction because as long as he's correcting me I know that he still loves me and he hasn't given up on me!"

Charles Hunsaker

"As a preacher’s kid, I grew up hearing and learning about Jesus and salvation. In my teenage years I knew I was a sinner and needed a Savior. After hearing a gospel presentation with clear focus on the eternity of hell, I prayed for God to save me. I didn’t want to go to hell, but the truth is that I also didn’t want to lose control of my life. So, I lived for many years with the false assurance that God would save me without my full surrender to him. In 2009, I reached a breaking point. I had no joy in life and was living recklessly and sinfully. I remember standing in a bookstore and was desperate for help. I was so aware that I had nothing to offer God but a broken and sinful life, but silently cried out to him with “if you will have me, I will surrender my life to you.” I walked out changed – saved by grace. In the days that followed, I found I had lost my taste for the sinful addictions and desires that had once held me captive. Those desires were replaced by desires to know God, to share about Him and follow Him. It is true...I once was dead, but now I live!"

Deanna Hunsaker

"I grew up in a loving supportive home with parents who made sure I was at church every Sunday. My parent’s sought out a church with a very active children's and youth ministry. I grew up surrounded by a church full of members who invested in me and were always encouraging. A close friend's mother led our children's ministry and I remember sleepovers at her house that always ended with a bedtime Bible story and prayer. I cherish those memories and appreciate how much she poured into me. While attending a summer church camp at age 10 I remember a strong feeling of God calling me to accept him as my personal savior during one of the worship services and I went forward and prayed with a camp counselor. It was my first year of college before I followed in obedience with baptism. It is difficult to describe my life before Christ because I did accept him at a young age but I can confidently say I’ve always had a sense of peace that can only come from a personal relationship with Jesus. I know that I’ve been extremely blessed in all aspects of my life and that I’ve done nothing to deserve these blessings. I’m thankful for the many blessings, the things I enjoy, and too often I need to be reminded about all the intangible blessings that God has given me, like forgiveness, mercy, grace, peace, hope, and eternal life. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”-John 16:33"

Ken Lundstrom

"My journey began when I was about twelve. That is when the understanding of the penalty of sin began to work on me. My family attended church regularly so I was exposed to the penalty of sin on a regular basis. I held back for about 2 years and attended a Vacation Bible School in July of 1958. A visiting evangelist spoke each day of how to come to a relationship with the Lord and to have my sins forgiven. He made it understandable. The last day of the VBS in July 1958 at 14, I accepted the forgiveness that God offers that is the only way to salvation. The 2 year struggle was over or so I thought. That is the first time I felt clean. The realization that the journey was only beginning was not apparent to me. We did not have a very good training/discipling program so I drifted a long way away. About 8 years later Joyce and I met and I started attending Pure Air Baptist church with her and her family. Her dad, Vernie, lived the life of a Christian man so I started to follow the example he lived before Christ. After Joyce and I were married at that church we attended regularly in the meetings at Pure Air and that opened the life I knew would be much different. That is the reason that the story of the Prodigal son in Luke 15 means so much to me! We moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa a few months later and attended a good church there and then, a few short months later, we were moving again to Iowa City, IA. In Iowa City we became members in a mission church and met the pastor that came to mean so much to me. His name is John Vaughn and he discipled 3 young men there. He awoke in us the necessity of study and building your relationship with God through His Son. He also taught us evangelism and its necessity for our Christian lives. We later moved to Carbondale, IL for 30+ years and in July 2007 came here. In looking back at all the ways God has molded us, which we are still praying for that process daily, I find it hard to believe that God could change me from what I was to the life I now live."

William Lutz

"My name is William. Growing up my family was very involved in the church, especially since my dad is a pastor. In 2008 my dad went active in the Army which changed our lives. Growing up I really just went through the motions with going to church. I thought it was a life everyone lived. As I went into high school, I drifted away from being around Christians and really made cars and trucks into an idol. In the middle of my high school years, I decided I wanted to be a technician to work on tractors. When I graduated and went to tech school my mind kinda drifted even more. I had gotten addicted to pornography and kept it hidden. As time went on, I became aggravated and never satisfied with life.

3 years later, and a lot of jumping around, I had moved to Green Castle, Mo to live with my dad. Things didn't work out, and I went through a time of depression. Shortly after that I moved out to live on my own. However, during this time, I began attending church services at First Baptist - Kirksville. The Sunday my life changed, I remember my heart being super heavy before I came to church. That morning my truck didn’t start and I remember fixing it just enough to get to church. That Sunday Jason preached on Joshua 8 and in verse one it said “Don’t be discouraged.” And I tell you what, I broke down in tears because I was so discouraged and knew that I needed to repent of my sins and give my life to God. That morning, I made the best decision ever - I gave my life to Christ and was saved from my sin.

Ever since I was saved, God has been helping me to recover from the sinful addictions I had, and my love for God has sky-rocketed through the roof. Now I strive to live for God everyday, and hope to bring others closer to God."

Rachel Malen

"I don’t really remember a time in my life before Christ, as I was saved as a very young child during Bible School and then I rededicated my life to Christ when I was 13. I’ve always known and loved the Lord, but I didn’t actually start growing in my walk with Him, until I was faced with some really dark times in my life, as an adult. When my life hit rock bottom is when I finally fully surrendered to the Lord. I remember saying to God, “I can’t do this by myself anymore. I need you to help me.” God met me there. He pulled me out of a black hole, by rescuing and redeeming me. Since that time, God has continued to mold me into who He wants me to be, by strengthening me and maturing me in my walk with Him. Although I am far from perfect and I fail God every single day, my life is better because of God’s goodness, faithfulness, mercy and love. He has never left me or forsaken me and He continues to strengthen me as I try my best to live a life that glorifies Him."

Jason Marlin

"Church was always a part of my life. My parents showed the importance of church by being involved in many areas. I remember going to AWANAS programs, singing in children's choir, and going to VBS in the summer. However it was not at church that I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I was saved at the age of 9. I was on my living room floor. I was watching a television program for children. A man dressed as a pirate was explaining about a person who was a good guy but never knew Jesus. He used shoes to walk through this man's life and at each stage he had an opportunity to know Jesus but refused. Then the man died never knowing Jesus. He went to Hell. Then the plan of salvation was given. It was at that time the Holy Spirit gripped my heart and convicted me of my sin. I realized I needed a Savior. I asked Jesus to forgive me and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. Shortly after I was baptized by immersion at Liberty Baptist Church in Dublin, GA. Even as a young child I knew God was working in my life and have always looked back on that morning in my living room floor as the moment I met Jesus. I attended church regularly and learned about the basic Bible stories. It was not until I was in the youth group at First Baptist Dublin that I began to really grow as a Christian. I had a youth minister, Jeff Sanders who took me under his wing and invested into my life. He taught me about relationships and began to disciple me. He taught me about reading the Word and Scripture memorization. I began to walk with Jesus in a more real an intimate way. Jeff left and without that accountability I lost my zeal. It was not until I was a freshman in college that it returned. I was 5 hours away from home and anyone I knew, completely on my own. It was then that the roots that Jeff had placed in me started to bear fruit. I had a roommate who was not a believer and he would question what and why I believed. I went back to the disciplines I had learned. I read my Bible and began to journal. This is a discipline I still use today. I read daily His Word and journal about the insights and lessons He is teaching me. I get up early and meet with God through His Word and through prayer. This time is so important to me. My roommate could see something in me and began reading as well. We would stay up at night and talk about the Scriptures. God was using the lessons I learned and I could once again feel His presence walking with me. It was during this time that the Lord called me to the ministry. I thought everyone called in the ministry was a preacher. So that is what I went to do. I have a group of people around me that help me keep Christ first. Sarah is such a great partner and strong believer. In my later college years, I roomed with Troy, who also had surrendered to the ministry, and we still talk and hold each other accountable. That relationship started in college and I consider it a blessing to have such people in my life. "