Stories

Transformation Stories

God is doing some amazing transformation here at First Baptist. Here are just a few stories of transformation that we hope encourage you. You might notice that transformation usually happens when one person invests in another, for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Buck Dewhurst

Jenny and I spent many years of our lives struggling with the question "who are we as a Christians". About six years ago our son David told us that he wanted to disciple his mother and me. Over the next year and a half, he led us through Biblical Discipleship, which looks at what the the Bible says about sixteen areas of our faith. He encouraged us, challenged us and loved us. We now have a new and stronger relationship with David and for the first time, a biblical basis for who we say we are as Christians.

Marcy Wagstaff

A grandmother shared this story with me while I was enlisting VBS workers for 2010.

“Every year I have my family over for an Easter Lunch. This year at our meal I gave each family member a plastic egg. Each egg contained a piece of paper with an idea to share. My 2nd grade granddaughter opened an egg that said “Share your favorite Bible verse”. My granddaughter instantly quoted Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. Her parents were surprised and asked her where she learned the verse. She answered, “at Bible School last year”. During Vacation Bible School last year we sang Romans 10:9 every day in worship and she took a copy of the VBS CD home and listened to it constantly. All of those scripture songs are embedded in her heart and mind. God is using them to draw my granddaughter, and her family to Jesus”

Barbara Mang

Our English as a Second Language (ESL) students know that FBC and their teachers genuinely love them. By caring and teaching our students English, they have been given comfort, self esteem, and confidence. Being from another country, our students feel at home in our church. Sitting with one student and helping them learn something that will change their life forever is a great ministry. Transformation is happening in ESL.

Boy Scouts

The greatest opportunity for a father to build a bond with his son that will last a lifetime. The greatest opportunity for a boy to watch men relate to adversity and grow to be men in the presence of men. We live in the most beautiful wilderness area in America. What better place is there to explore together as fathers and sons. Scouting is the final frontier for your son before he leaves to go into the world on his own. The question is, will you have been there with him, as he grew to be a man? Transformation is happening in Boy Scouts at FBC.

Mark and Carolyn Knox

Once God has worked the “BIG transformation” in our heart – from darkness to light, unbelief to faith, death to life – the process of our transformation to Christlikeness begins. And I’m amazed at how many times this life change is engineered by God in our lives through trials, whether it’s the death of our son, financial uncertainty, hospital visits, or times of loneliness. For this reason, we’ve learned to embrace our trials, for as Paul says, “When I am weak, then I am strong,” (2 Cor. 12:10)

Sheri Young

God has used my life experience and circumstances to soften my heart towards orphans. He has directed me to the MANY places in the Bible where He commands us to care for the fatherless of our world. FBC has heard this call and has responded by assisting an orphanage in Russia (Kirov #1). My family sponsors an 11 year old girl named Alsy. I was able to travel to Russia this year to meet and minister to the children at Kirov #1. This experience has transformed my heart and allowed me to see these orphans as God sees them...as His precious children who have value and need to be told of His love. Through our sponsorship God is transforming our lives and the lives of orphans in Russia.

Wally Shamburger

Transformation I see almost on a weekly basis is in the death of our sweet people. The transformation comes as grieving people share how their loved one knew Christ and all they were involved with in different ways in the community and in the church. Sadness is turned to joy and celebration as we talk and are encouraged that their loved one is in heaven and they will see them again.