I was Brought up in the Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement. From my earliest childhood recollection...We were non-attending Methodists...My brother and sister and I, ages 3, 5 and 7 respectively were outside on a Saturday afternoon when a big school bus that had been painted red and white, With the Words...VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH...in white against the red painted trim pulled up in front of our drive way. A nice lady and man and a teenage boy came out and asked to speak to mom and daddy, so we yelled at them as we ran to the front screen door "Mom can we go to church tomorrow?" "Bus'll come get us, an an drop us off an everything!"...That was summer 1973. about 3 weeks went by and My mom and dad agreed to go to church with us. My Dad Accepted Christ that Sunday, My Mom , about 4 months later. I was Saved at age 11. My brother and sister ,soon after me. Yes, we were ruined for life. At a very young age I was turned onto the preaching of Jack Hyles, John R. Rice, Bill Rice, Dr. Lee Roberson, Lester Roloff. The list goes on.
The gist of each and every sermon was a radical tirade ( that is no exaggeration.)against anything not Baptist, followed by 3 verses of JUST AS I AM...I learned that it wasn't enough to be a christian, We were right, and all other denominations especially the Catholics, but including "other baptists"...well we just don't know about them. Were all wrong. The sermons were very emotionally stirring, comical, creative, convicting at times...and above all consistent in the methodical repetitive indoctrination of a number of questionable beliefs. The one that makes less sense the more you consider it, and the subject of this lengthy Blog...Is that of the 1611 King James Version, the (TEXTUS RECEPTUS) of the Bible being without question the true and inspired, infallible, Word of God. preserved for us in it's purist form. And, all other versions, revisions, and translations are PER-Versions of the Bible. This is the KJO stand. King James Only. So... we had the exclusive. How very Christian of us.
Ok. So fast forward to 1987, I'm about to turn 21 and I curiously find myself smack dab in the middle of the apparently new Hotbed of Fundamentalism (Longview Baptist Temple, in Longview Texas- Pastored by Dr. Bob Gray-the heir apparent to carry the baton of fundamentalism) only 2nd to the Mecca of Fundamentalism...First Baptist Church, Hammond Indiana. Pastored by the aging Dr. Jack Hyles. Well, Dr. Gray was at one time, Dr. Hyles right hand man.
So...Boy did I ever listen...I had my share of ups and downs...And eventually I left. But within a year of my joining the church, I was enrolled in Texas Baptist College the ministry and main tool for recruiting/luring families, and building a membership in the Church. Someone, in the Church must have liked me, because I remember my first yr of school was completely paid for. Anyway, Back to my point... The KJO stand.
I remember thinking as sat In one of my classes, or a Chapel Service, And, I heard a Man I admired greatly say "There Is ONE WORD, FROM THE ONE GOD...And Your Reading from it right Now. AMEN." He was of course referring to the 1611 KJV. Mine was a Cambridge. But, My Daddy is still Fond of the Schofield. I remember thinking, "Wow". Holy Spirit Inspired and Preserved...Through all those years and translations, into The Textus Receptus-taken DIRECTLY From the Greek...Septuagint? ( how ever you spell it.) The meticulous handling...Ect. I never doubted it for a second!
OK...Even if they all sat under the same teacher, in the same school, through some sort of Time Warp...Without the Divine preservation it isn't likely right? Since that would be miraculous and since God is in the miracle business... I believed it, Accepted it, lived it.
So here we are some 20 yrs. after I've left the place. I hear it is still going-though not as strongly as it once was. Several of the members I remember from my time there, have left for one reason or another. There has been a very revealing, scathing, entertaining book written by former TBC student James Spurgeon, Exposing the Underbelly of the whole Giant Debacle that is Longview Baptist Temple, and Her pastor Dr. Bob Gray. A very well written, humorous look back at James' experiences there and his thoughts on it all in Hindsight. The church and her Pastor have even gone through some very controversial ordeals, that have garnered them some unwanted attention I'm sure. But the thing that gets me is Dr. Gray has apparently made a very disturbing statement of late regarding The KJO stand and it's relationship to salvation...I'm Paraphrasing but I believe he said if a person was led to Christ by any version of the Bible other than the King James...They Probably aren't saved.
So looking back...If the KJO stand is right by all counts that statement is indeed true. And, since there is only one Holy Spirit, God, and Son...No other versions or revisions.
Then I guess all those folks that weren't fortunate enough to hear the "Message" From the HOLY SPIRIT OF THE KJV...well, Too bad for them. They just weren't saved--"Sorry Umbutu. That was a different Romans 3:23 the missionary read to you...I know it's a technicality, But You weren't really converted." So while It's true God Loves you, he is also quite the prankster." Give me a break. needless to say, I don't believe it anymore. Will the real word of God Please Stand up?!
