Doug's Testimony

I am convinced that I was truly converted at about age 6 in 1960. I prayed a simple “sinner’s prayer” with my Father’s help. My Father had read a missionary bedtime story to my siblings and me. The subject of the bedtime story had been David Livingston, the 19th century missionary to Africa. I became convinced of my sins and of the need for the Savior by that story and (most likely) by earlier conversations with my parents and others. I believed God; I believed in Jesus. That is what really mattered. I remember very little about my early childhood. But I do remember that evening when our Father read that story to us on the second landing of our home there on Worden Road.

I am well aware of the dangers of the “sinner’s prayer”. Saying a prayer does not save one. Savingly believing with the faith God gives us saves us. But I really think that I did savingly believe that night.

I do not remember much about my life before my conversion at age 6. However, I do see that God has been at work in my life since then.

There have been many spiritual setbacks. The fact that I recognize the spiritual setbacks as sins indicates to me that God has effectually called me by His grace. As I have “matured” spiritually over the years I have seen more and more of my sins. I think of that as an indication of real spiritual progress. What follows is more positive than a narrative of the setbacks and I hope more edifying.

I received a study Bible from my Father at age 12 which I started to read with great interest. I was baptized and became a junior member of the North Waverly Chapel at about age 14. I began to focus on Apologetics at age 18. I also started to teach Sunday School at age 18. I had worked all through Cornelius Van Til’s published works on Apologetics by about age 25. Van Til turned out to be the most important spiritual influence on my life. By that point in life I was a thoroughly convinced Calvinist but I felt it necessary to keep that to myself for the most part for many years. The Bible itself was the key to this Calvinistic conviction but Van Til answered my objections as no one else had. As time went on I shifted my focus from Apologetics to New Testament studies. I led small groups, taught Sunday School, and by about age 45 started to preach at the North Waverly Chapel. I was recognized as an elder by the North Waverly Chapel in my early 50’s. I shifted my focus from New Testament studies to Church History and especially Historical Theology around age 55. My study of Historical Theology led me to realize that I could no longer keep my Calvinism to myself. I realized that except for a few sentences I was (and am) in agreement with the 1677 Second London Confession of Faith put forward by the 17th century Particular Baptists of England; however, I also realized that I had very few fellow confessionalists in the area and I don’t expect that to change.

I preached about 200 times at the North Waverly Chapel (half Sunday mornings, half Sunday evenings) over the years. I first spoke at Christian Life Church (as a guest speaker) in July 2022 on Luke 18:18-27 (“Law and Gospel”). In September of 2022 my wife and I started to attend Christian Life Church regularly. About six months later we were accepted as members of the church. In March of 2023 the Prayer Council asked me to speak on a regular basis. We have worked through Philippians, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Gospel of John. Recently we have started James and we are taking time out from that series to consider the birth of Christ in Luke.

In my preaching and teaching I emphasize the primary doctrines. I particularly focus on the doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of God, and the doctrine of Salvation. I hold to the five “solas”: Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and God’s glory alone. In these important areas of doctrine I keep to a Reformed perspective. If you exclude credo-baptists from the designation Reformed I understand. But with respect to Scripture, God, Christ, and Salvation I hold very closely to the old Reformed positions.

I find that the Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God especially as I meditate, study, pray, teach, and preach. But the core of my assurance is Jesus Christ and the promises of God revealed in His Word.