Angie

"I was raised in church, and had always called God my lord, but when I was 13 years old I truly realized what it meant to give my life over to him, sins and all. I was at church camp, and one night the preacher spoke about our total inability to be ´good enough´ for God. He compared our sin to a brick wall that we could not scale or break down. Only Christ could carry us over that wall, into God´s presence. My heart was softened. The remainder of camp presented opportunities for me to really reflect on what I had been told. Quiet devotions by the lake led to a yearning for God that I had never felt before. My heart swelled as I sang to the Savior and listened to so many other voices raised in praise. After I came home from camp, I finally broke down completely, poured my heart out to the Lord, and felt His undeniable presence inside my soul. I spoke with my pastor, and was baptized not long after."

"The Lord has carried me through many trials since then, always faithful to draw me toward him even when I falter. In 2001 my husband and I (after much searching and church visiting) found EPC, and we've been "home" ever since. These brothers and sisters in Christ have loved me and mentored me, watched me grow from a "baby" into a stronger spiritual person, and I hope that they will see me mature into deeper faith as the Lord stretches and refines me. Currently I serve on staff as the Children's Ministry Director. My life is rich with blessings from God."

Jim and Nina

Jim and Nina Bates were founding members of EPC of Marshall, Texas.

"We came to know Christ in 1972 and started our spiritual journey of faith. God spoke to us through Lay Renewal Ministry, His way of presenting the Gospel to us. We were members of a denominaton that was declining and moving away from the Word of God, so we left to pray about just what God would have us do about a church home. We met with other Christians with the same issues and decided to embrace the Evangelical Presbyerian Church as the place God wanted us to minister. It has been 25 years since we took that step of faith and we are amazed at the way God has moved us forward through the life and ministry of EPC of Marshall. I have served many terms as an Elder in our church and have taught Sunday School, Bible studies, and filled the pulpit when asked. Our church is a place we go to grow in our spiritual walk with Christ and to fellowship and minister with other believers.

EPC of Marshall has kept me strong in my disciplines as a Christian! It´s not just a place to gather on Sundays, but a dynamic ministry of Christians who want to love, serve and share Jesus Christ."

Jackie

I was raised by a father who was born into an abusive home where there was no physical evidence of the love of Christ, and a mother who was brought up in a home where the ideas of a single congregation and their judgments took precedence over the living word of God. Needless to say, my father is not a Christian and my mother is, but she has been burned and unjustly shunned so much by "the church" that she does not attend anymore. My father never understood why I would want to go to church and my mother didn’t want to put on me the pressures that church put on her. I do not remember us ever attending church as a family.

As a small child, my grandfather and other extended family members would take my older sister and me to church with them. I do not remember most of those visits. My first memory of experiencing church was 2nd grade when a yellow school bus would come and pick me and my sister up on Sunday mornings and take us to a local Church of Christ. I wish I could remember the name of my Sunday School teacher. She was the sweetest, little old lady (I say old, because that is my memory of her, but as we all know the memory of a small child can be easily distorted by their own size and youth). She would let me sit with her during service. I remember singing about the "Amazing Grace" of God and how "Tis So Sweet the Trust in Jesus". I loved attending church. Being a lover of learning, even at that young age, I love listening to the Bible stories, but I did not know at that time what it all had to do with me. However, I think that it was at that church that I first knew God’s love through the love of my Sunday School teacher.

We moved a few times as I grew up. I would try to find friends who attended church and who would be willing to pick me up and take me to service with them. The fall of my sophomore year of high school I started dating a shy, quiet hearted boy who attended EPC of Marshall. Jeff invited me to attend Youth Group on Sunday evenings. The Youth Directors at that time, Sue Warner and Lynette Hillhouse, gave me a taste of the same love I had felt as a child at the Church of Christ, and I wanted more. I began, not just attending service, but really participating in the activities of the church. The Holy Spirit used the corporate worship and bible study at EPC of Marshall to open my heart to the love of God that my mind had already known. It was during this time in high school that I came to know that God was calling me and that His son, Jesus Christ, died for me, an undeserving sinner. I dove in head first to serving Him. I volunteered to help anywhere I could.

Jeff and I married in 1999. We continue to worship at EPC of Marshall with our son, Nathan. At this time, God has called me to teach children the importance of worship, individual and corporate. I lead Kid’s Worship during the service hour most Sundays, and am hoping that the children are learning as much from me as I am from them.