About A.V. Answers Man
How I Became What I Am...
Just who is the 'A.V. Answer Man'?
Well, for starters, I was born and raised in Lima, Ohio, which is located in the West/Central area, just about perfectly midway between Toledo (in the North) and Dayton (to the South) on Interstate 75. I was also in "church" from the time I was a babe, onwards to graduation from Elida High School. Unfortunately, the church my father, Roy, and mother, Ann, and sister Diane and I attended was not a truly scriptural New Testament Church, in that it was a Church of Christ (hereafter-C.O.C.). This was a Campbellite congregation, and did not believe in musical accompanyment for hymns, and had no outside hierarchy controlling the local assembly. As I grew older, I began to notice that the 'ministers' (their term for pastor) never seemed to stay more than a few years-also, there always seemed to be some clouds surrounding their departure, like financial questions or possible sexual goings-on. I also began to understand that those on the outside of the C.O.C. were not too thrilled when the name was brought up in response to their inquiries as to where I went to church, or what did I believe. As memory serves, I recall that what they preached was that salvation entailed going down the aisle, being met up front by the minister, and then (embarrasingly) being required to confess your guilt as a sinner while standing in front of the whole congregation. You were then immediatly baptized by immersion, which was what actually 'saved' you. Even though this process was clearly proclaimed and understood, I found out that the C.O.C. believed you could still fall away and be 'lost' again, somehow. I also found out later on that they really believed that the water became the blood of Christ; sort of a take-off on Roman Catholic transubstantiation, except it involved water (not wine) becoming blood, in this instance. I had to laugh a bit a few years later, when a fella I worked with thought that Baptists actually put real lamb's blood in the baptistry to immerse converts in! Not that this was funny to him, and my laughter was kept private. The embarrasment part is what kept me from "going down" as a child, for which I am now thankful I did not. I finally 'took the plunge' as an 18-year-old, which seemed to change things for me not at all. An aside here-in about 1972, I was watching a Billy Graham Crusade on television one Sunday night. My (maternal) Grandma, Nettie, was a very religious lady, and had often watched him (and others) on our television, since she lived with us. So this was not the first time I had listened to Mr. Graham, although I was not very interested in hearing preaching, probably because I heard it at least 3-times-a-week. I had sat with my Grandma quite a few times in her room while she watched these preachers on her T.V., mainly to please her, because she enjoyed them so much. On the particular night I saw Billy, my Grandma was either at church or with my mother somewhere else, for no one else was home. I really did not intend to watch, but the program came on right after Wonderful World of Disney, a show I rarely missed seeing, if I had the chance. My best friend, Jeff Dershem, was staying over that night, so we both were watching each of these shows together in my parent's bedroom. I don't actually remember the title of the sermon, or much of the content, but at the end (as always) Billy asked everyone who wanted to accept Christ to come down and pray. He also began to speak directly into the camera, and asked anyone at home in the audience to do the same thing right there where we were. I really felt as though he were talking straight to me, and knelt down by the bedside and prayed as best I knew how as he directed and asked me to. I think I even shed some tears, but on that point I'm not totally sure. I know that I was sincerely asking to be saved, and asked Jesus to come into my heart. Jeff was doing so to, but we were not praying together, but seperately. This was quite an amazing thing, looking back, because I did not really seek to watch the telecast, and what he said to do went against my previous religious training and background. I was also only ten or eleven years old, but knew that my sins were many, and that I needed to be forgiven. God had been dealing with me for many years, to the point that I had been dreaming (nightmaring, really) about the return of the Lord, which the C.O.C. often spoke about, but not in the dispensational sense I now understand it. The dream always went the same, which essentially was that the Lord had returned, and I had not been taken. I did not want to be left behind, but at the same time, I did not truly understand how to avoid it. So, in that sense, I suppose it is not terribly surprising that I was ready to pray when so prompted. I think I must have had that dream at least a hundred times prior to this night. I do recall that it was a good feeling to know that I no longer had to worry about the matter of being left here, upon the Lord's return. I have come to the conclusion since then that the man (instrument) is not so important, but it is much more so who the player of that instrument (Jesus Christ) is that really counts. At times the devil will tempt me with why I did not change so completely as others seem to do when they are given the gift of salvation, but then I remember (am reminded by the Spirit of God) that I was very young, and in the grips of a cultic group preaching a false gospel. There was no one I knew who was a real and outspoken Christian to confirm that I'd been saved, and to help me to grow in grace, and in my knowledge of the Bible and sound doctrine. This was achieved in me a few years after I got out of High School, and began to listen to preachers on the radio, and read books on spiritual topics, and theology, not to mention the most important, the Word of God. By the time I was in my early 20's, I had read the Bible (wrong one/New Int'l Version/N.I.V.) through at least once, and probably more (in total reading) than that. I had never heard of the controversy between those who believe in the traditional Protestant KJV and the newer versions, so-called. Funny thing though, the C.O.C. had always preached out of and used a KJV. I only switched over to the N.I.V. because a preacher I knew recommended it, saying that it was easier to read and truer to the 'original Greek text'. I continued on in this basic lifestyle for a number of years after High School. I was already married to a gal from Lima, and she had another religion she was deeply involved in, Lutherinism, specifically the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, known as the E.L.C.A. We had no kids (at the time) so our day-to-day lives revolved around work, church, television, radio, going out to eat, movies; the usual 1980's stuff. In the early part of our marriage, I was a Police Officer, and my wife, Brenda, was a Floral Designer by training and trade. Before that, I had been in sales, and later on I went into retail management, after losing my position on the force. The firing was very devastating to me, because I wanted to continue for (at least) 20 years, and retire at 40-something. Looking back, I am glad now that the Lord did not see fit to let me continue on that path, because of all the blood, heartaches, and broken lives I would have been witness to along the way. It is interesting to me to find out that the average L.E.O. only lives to be about 60-years-old, with a high rate of divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, and suicide, too. You don't really think about the long-term consequences of your decisions when you are 19 or 20, of course. The Lord's plans for us are always better than our own, I have since come to realize. At any rate, I moved on to the Army, becoming a soldier at the ripe old age of 24. I think that decision was largely a reaction to the shame and despair I experienced a few years before when the P.D. let me go. I was determined not to be labeled a failure for the rest of my life, and was interested in preaching to the other young men who also joined the military when I did. On a practical level, I also had a son (Kenan) on the way, and needed to get his birth and care paid for. I recall quite vividly finishing up reading the New Testament sitting in the MEPS center (processing headquarters) in Houston, waiting for my name to be called to ship out to Fort Knox for basic training. I had been reading the Old Testament thru, and had gotten down to the last few chapters of Revelation in the New-my name was called a few minutes after finishing the 22nd Chapter. This seemed to be a good portend to the time I would spend on active duty for the next nearly 5 years. Again, God's plans for me there turned out to be quite a bit different than what I had initially thought they would be. For one thing, he used me more than I thought I was capable of being used by Him, and for another, he got me off the N.I.V., forevermore. I had been influenced by a (Southern) Baptist minister who I had been listening to on the radio, so I was leaning that way prior to my induction, though my attendance was not in that denomination. He was not King-James-only (by any means) but had taught me about false doctrines and groups to avoid, as well as how to witness to other folks on a practical, spiritual level-for this I will be eternally grateful! After 1 1/2 years, I received orders to go to Germany. Upon arrival, I was assigned to the 1st Armored Division, based in Ansbach, but I went to Erlangen. I was a tank driver, and spent a lot of time in the field, on manuvers. A fellow who I became friends with, Chris Sunday, was a very outspoken witness for Jesus Christ, and I was interested to know where he attended church. It turned out to be Bavaria Bible Baptist (independent) in Furth, about 20 miles away, pastored at the time by David Trosclair, from the New Orleans area. At first, I attended the 'chapel/chaplain' ministry, but was not getting too much out of it, spiritually. Chris kept asking me to come with him, so I finally did. They were studying the Book of Daniel, and I did find prophecy very interesting, so I kept coming back. Then David started in on the N.I.V./versions issue, which caused me to stumble a bit in offense. I quit going for a while, but went back, eventually. In the meantime, I had bought a 4-translation 'Bible' to study the issue with. Honesty compelled me to accept the fact that the N.I.V. had made many changes to the King James text, in regard to such things as the blood atonement, deity of Christ, his nature, sin, and other very important topics. I got rid of my N.I.V., and have not believed in it since, with no regrets about that. I stayed an Independent Baptist (hereafter, I.B.) for nearly the next 20 years (until recently) before deciding to go on to finish my course of life in a new arena that God has shown me. Although I appreciate what the I.B.'s showed me about doctrine and the Bible, there was always a nagging doubt about them deep in my soul. It was a feeling that I recalled from my days in the C.O.C.-it seemed that (most) everyone was trying to be 'Biblically Correct', but there was an oddity in their manner of life, and I don't mean that they were all in sin, or something. It was more a feeling that they were watching each other, trying to see if the other party slipped up, so they could be ostracized or rejected in some way. It reminded me of a film I saw in the 80's called 'God Makers', where a lady who had left the Mormon Church said that she never felt loved while she was L.D.S. Her question was, "where is the love in this church?" I have similar questions about the I.B.'s. I know their (typical) reaction will be that I have gone liberal or touch-feely, but that is a ploy to avoid the nagging doubts they feel in their own hearts (those who are saved, and not just 'religious') about the movement. It is an incredible thing to realize that a man or woman could be P.C. as far as the Bible Versions issue goes, but still be lost and without God in his or her heart! I wonder sometimes if the ministers of Satan (according to 2 Corinthians 11:13-15) may be going about with a K.J.V. under their respective arms? When you think back to olden days, (pre-1880's) it makes sense, because EVERYONE (non-Catholic) had a King James, for there was no other; not counting Mormons, JW's, and their ilk. There is no special "magic" in someone believing in the K.J.V., for I have met many infidels (by their own admission) who said they believed in ONLY a King James, but were as lost as could be. I have even met one (recently) who had a beer in his hand, and was obviously intoxicated, who said that very thing! I will be very careful for the rest of my days not to (necessarily) trust a man's profession, but rather will follow the counsel of Jesus the Lord in examining the fruits of their supposed belief. I cannot see into another man's heart, but I do not need to be a fool in dealing with professing christians, either. The Bible even admonishes us to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see if we be in the faith! I have been studying Libertarianism as a political philosophy for several years now, and have come to see how it answers the issues I see as being troubling in that realm of existence. It has long bothered me how the Federal (and State) governments both here and abroad run roughshod over the God-given rights of their citizens. It saddens and angers me how that the typical (fearful) 'Pastor' will run quickly to Romans 13, to attempt to justify any act of violence or lack of respect for the people, of the (civil) powers-that-be! This cannot be of God, who in His Word says that He is love, and that He abors those who practice violence as a way to live. Not to mention that government is often arrogant in the use of it's (much brayed about) power to levy taxes, and authority of arrest. Rather than using these abilities sparingly and wisely, they make it a matter of policy with the passing of each year and legislative session to flaunt them, and make these instruments of slavery and oppression. To be a Christian is much more than to be 'religious' about certain Bible issues, or to attend worship at some 'church', but rather should be to see all of life, and it's joys and difficulties through the eyes of the Saviour, Jesus the Christ. I am a Christian (first) and Libertarian (second), in that order; in other words, a Christian Libertarian. I did not say a "Christian Libertine/License", and believe in the sinful nature of man and this world as much as (or more than) ever!
This has been a (necessarily shortened) testimony of how I came to be a Christian, and arrived at the point I now find myself (spiritually) in this life.
Blessings in Our Lord-
Evangelist Andrew White