TODAY I AM SIXTY YEARS OLD: THAT IS 60: A FOOTNOTE

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Footnote: Today I am 60. Now that is old. Of those 60 years I have been saved by the grace of Christ for 52 years. My dad preached and mom played the piano from the first day I was born in Lynchburg Virginia. Dad started churches. He would go to a town with the old gospel tent and set up and preach for a month or two or three months. From those meeting a group of people would establish a church. In Lynchurg, dad started three churches. My sister Ellen Samples is researching the information about dad's work. More of Ellen's research if forth coming. I understand there is a connection between Thomas Road Baptist Church and Jerry and Macel Falwell. To which I proudly say.

My dad was 42 years old when I was born and had been in ministry for some 20 years. He had already started churches in North Caroline. In 2000 I received a call from a family in Ashville, N.C. to tell me the church my father started back in the 1940's was still doing very well. I wish I could give a bio on my dad and mom.

Dad died in 1966 while pastoring the Roanoke Baptist Temple, where I was the Youth Director. I had been teaching the youth class for 27 months when dad died. Following dad's death, I didn't feel I was ready to pastor the church. I was in shock when dad died, I don't remember a lot. Later that year I attended Fellowship Baptist Church where Gene Arnold pastored, and then later mom moved to Danville Virginia to work with Bob Barber at the Baptist Tabernacle.

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While in Danville, I talked to Dr. Wayne Martin and in August of 1966 I went to Arlington Texas to attend the Bible Baptist Seminary. Dr. Earl K. Oldham, Dr. Raymond Barber, Dr. George L. Norris, Mrs. Martha Norris. Mrs. Helen Barber, and Bro. Bobby Cunningham, oh Dr. Walker Moore and Dr. Luther C. Peak. Some of the best men, preachers, and teachers that one could have ever have.

In 1969 I attended Gideon Baptist Church (Dr. Norris) and worked in the Bus Ministry and Children's Church with Charity. In 1968 I meet my wife Charity Mucha (Temple) and was married in June 1969.

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We moved to Wooster, Ohio in 1970, our first son, Eric was born in 1971.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Clark and Linda Shelton

Bill Rinehart and Dave Greegor and family

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In 1971 we moved to Mindford Ohio and pastored the Madison Baptist Church a little over three years.

Mr/Mrs Everette Vest and Sharon, and all the family

Mr/Mrs Randy Barkley and family

Too name just a few

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In 1974 we were the Youth/ Education/ Ass. Pastor at Victory Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Ted Colley, Steve Euton, Ray Harris, Frankie and Leath Lestmaster

only to name a few of many.

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Moved to Grapevine Texas, (FBC of Haltom City) then to Perrysville/Mansfield, Ohio, Pleasant Valley Ranch and Mansfield Baptist Temple (Tommy Leatherwood) Becky my daughter was born in Grapevine 1976.

Randy Webb

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In 1977 moved to Connersville, Indiana, Calvary Baptist Church.

I was back in Connersville in 2007 and visited with some of the same folks who were in the church in 1977-79

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In 1979 moved to Ceder Lake, Indiana, attended FBC of Hammond and Hyles Anderson.

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In March 1980 moved to Altoona, Kansas to pastor the FBC on Main Street until July 1996.

Chad my second son was born in 1980 and Kyle was born in 1984 and our last child died before birth.

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Almost seventeen years of close fellowship with folks in FBC. Let me see, I could name so many of the wondeful friends Charity and I and Eric, Chad and Becky, and Kyle had.

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In July 1996 moved to Lexington, KY and Charity was staff secretary for five years at Ashland Ave. Baptist Church, and I was Building Manager and Adult teacher.

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I attempted to pastor a church for a brief time in 1999, failed. Then again in 2000 attempted to pastor a church, while we had over 100 visitors in the first three months, we failed again.

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Moved to Portsmouth Ohio in March 2001, and was co pastor until we were ask to leave by the pastor, who left a few months later. Charity and her sister Debbie have the Union Mills Bakery.

We had some very good friends at the church.

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Today I am in the Bigelow Church, in Porstmouth Ohio, since November 2003. Today I am working in the Christian Education, Children's Ministry.

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I had from 1966 to 2003 not only being a pastor/teacher, dad, husband, but worked in the work forced.

The number of places I haved worked would take up too much room to mention.

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I became a blogger in August 2006. I became an Internet Bible Study student in October 2003.

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So for the last forty two years I have been engaged in church ministry and the work place and being a husband for thirty eight years and father for thirty seven. Life is good..

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The Lord has been so very good to Charity and I. Praise the Lord for His wonderful love to us. His salvation is so good.

THE STORY BEGIN OCTOBER 22, 1947

AUGUST 2008 CHARLES AND CHARITY WHISNANT
PAULINE WHISNANT AND EVERETTE WHISNANT

THE 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