AUGUST 2008 CHARLES AND CHARITY WHISNANT
PAULINE WHISNANT AND EVERETTE WHISNANTTHE STORY BEGAN OCTOBER 22, 1947
Charles E. Whisnant
The story began October 22, 1947, in Lynchburg, Virginia. My father and mother: Rev. Everette and Pauline Whisnant. Dad was the Pastor of a church in Lynchburg. In 1950 we moved to Roanoke,Virginia. Dad was the pastor of 9TH Street Baptist Church, and until Feb. 1966 was pastor of a congregation in Roanoke, when my father died of a heart attack at age 62.
In 1954 in my father’s church on a Sunday Morning, the Lord spoke to my heart, enlightened my mind, and gave me the gift of salvation. I know the Lord saved me then, because some 50 years later, the Lord is still in my heart. Praise the Lord.
I sensed the call of the Lord for ministry in preaching in my early teens. My father asked me to teach the young people’s class in 1964. For twenty-seven months I taught the class, until my father died in 1966.
After my graduation from high school in May 1966, my mother moved to Danville, Virginia and I enrolled in the Bible Baptist Seminary, in Arlington Texas, and graduated in May 1969.
In June of 1969 I married Charity Mucha Temple, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Bob Temple, of West Portsmouth, Ohio. This union has seen four children. Eric (1971) Becky (1976) and Chad (1980) and Kyle (1984). Presently all three boys live in Lexington, Kentucky, and Becky was living in Hutchinson, Kansas, but has moved back to Lexington KY.
Our spiritual journey has taken us (Charity and I) to several places over the last 39 years. In 1969 we worked with Dr. George Norris at Gideon Baptist Church, in the Bus Ministry and Children’s Church Ministry. In 1970 we worked at the Wooster Baptist Temple in Wooster Ohio, as Youth Director.
In 1971-1974 I was Pastor at the Madison Baptist Church, in Minford Ohio. Then we worked as Asso. Pastor with my father-in-law at Victory Baptist Church, in West Portsmouth. Later we worked in Fort Worth Texas, as Minister of Education, then we moved to Mansfield Baptist Temple, where Tommy Leatherwood asked us to be camp director and later Single Adult teacher at the church. Then we worked at Calvary Baptist Church in Connersville, Indiana, under Willie Weaver, as Youth Director.
Then in 1980 we went to Altoona, Kansas to pastor the First Baptist Church, on Main Street. For the next 16 plus years we ministered to the wonderful people in Altoona, Kansas.
We resigned in 1996, we moved to Lexington, KY. where we stayed for five years and worked in the Ashland Baptist Church, and for a short time worked in the Lusby Mills Baptist Church. We stayed about four months and then we didn't have a vote of confidences and we resigned.
We had a short four month stay in Princeton Kentucky, a brief try to pastor a Southern Baptist Church, we had our difficulty with a few, but the many were wonderful. We moved to Portsmouth Ohio to work at the Portsmouth Baptist Church in 2002-03. Then for four years we attended the Bigelow Church, in Portsmouth Ohio from November 2004 thru January 2008.
Where did the last sixty years go. What a great journey the Lord has allowed us to travel. In every step of the journey the Lord has graciously allowed us to see many wonderful things happen, and to His glory some have been saved, some have been discipled, some have entered the ministry and we have many friends today because of that journey.
If any thing has been accomplished that is good, the Lord has accomplished it. Charity and I have given ourselves to the Lord for His service for 39 years. Our love for the Lord today is as strong as ever. While we love the service of the Lord, it’s far better to have that personal relationship with the Lord that really brings the joy to our hearts.
If and when and how the Lord so directs us to be a small part of what He is doing, we are humbled that He would so use us
Each chapter in our journey has a different ending and a new chapter begins with a new beginning.
CURRENT UPDATE: January 2010
Since July 2008 I have been the pastor/teacher in Minford, Ohio. The Rivers of Joy Baptist Church. You can go to our other websites to see more about our ministry.
Charles and Charity Whisnant
Portsmouth Ohio
