Debbie Calvert

I am the oldest of eight children. We had a good home life. Mom was a Christian; however, Dad was not, so we didn’t go to church together as a family. Some of us rode the church bus on Sundays, and occasionally, mainly on holidays, Mom would go with us.

At the age of 14, I began singing and playing music in the area. I played and sang just about anywhere I could get in at such a young age. At 17, I began playing and singing in nightclubs. I was a very shy and naïve kid who believed everything people told me. I was so shy that I couldn’t talk to people very well and I had trouble even introducing the song I would sing.

Well, as time went on, I began to drink alcohol. This gave me confidence and made it easier to talk to people. Anyway, this is how I got started drinking. I drank more and more and more, and if I wasn’t an alcoholic by then, I was pretty close to being one. I don’t say that to glorify drinking, however, it is what I was at the time.

I was the most likely not to get saved. .My family had begun praying for me, because, while I was on the road, several of them had gotten saved. They were now going to church, even my Dad. I had heard about the Lord from early days attending Sunday school and Bible school with my neighborhood friends. I knew a little about it. They all started trying to get me to go to church, but this was uncomfortable for me. I know they prayed for me a long time.

Many other things happened during this time; let’s just say I wasn’t living like I should. I had made some bad choices, ones that go hand in hand with living in the world. But one night, one of my musician friends had gotten saved. He would come by and visit us at the club on our breaks. Some people might have frowned on him being in those places as a Christian. I believe he heard from the Lord in this situation. He would invite us to church. As time passed, another music friend got saved and they both started witnessing to us. I would feel sunny, like sad or something, but I didn’t know exactly what it was, or why I was feeling this way.

I had played music for a living for about nine years now. Down deep inside, I knew that I wasn’t living right. That little voice inside kept saying that to me. I was trying to fill a hole inside with alcohol or anything else I could. At that time, the song “Why Me Lord” was very popular. I would get requests to sing it, and every time I did, I would feel sad and funny inside. I later realized that the Lord was convicting me at the time. We were out of work for a short while, and my Christian friend asked me to play for a Saturday night alive convert at his church. I thought why not. We opened for a man named Dave Boyer. The whole night I keep feeling that funny feeling inside. I accepted Jesus Christ that night as my Lord and Savior. I was “Born Again”!

Shirley Coonce

My husband accepted the Lord a year after we were married, and because of the changed life I saw in him. I questioned mine. As newly weds, we started to church. Fred was raised in Church. I wasn't. So, this was all new to me. He felt convicted of his sin from the get go. Me? What's sin? Truely, I didn't know anything about Christ. So, It took me longer to understand. However, the change in Fred's life was the real message that made me understand who Jesus Christ was. There had been a real change.

Reading the Bible every night, praying, changed language, Love that never existed before then. I began to see sin in my heart and God started convicting me. I never was a "Big Bad Sinner" But, when I came to the knowledge that we are all born sinners. I started seeing sin alive in me. I went to a Jack VanImpee Crusade, all the way there I cried. Just scared to death that I would die in a car accident before I could be prayed with. Now I realize that I didn't need to have a preacher pray the sinners prayer with me. The stadium was packed, I cried all through the song service and sermon. Couldn't wait for the invitation. Finally, It came, I was the first out of my seat and down the isle. Wow! what overwhelming love! I couldn't believe it! Awesome sense of peace and love. I felt clean, and totally undeserved. I'm so glad that Jesus saved me. Me, a sinner, He bore the stripes and shed His precious blood for me. How wonderful He is to do that for me and by the way, FOR YOU!

If you're reading this and have searched for peace and happiness in this world? The little you have are earth bound only. Money, fame, family and friends all fade. This peace goes on for Eternity..... Please accept His unfailing love and ask him into your heart. This decision is more important than any decision you could ever make. May you have the courage to make it.

Love in Christ, Sister Shirley Coonce

Jackie Williams

I am the fifth child of eight. When I was younger, some of my brothers and sisters and I would ride the church bus to Maple Park Bible Baptist Church. I loved church and Sunday school, especially. I learned so much about the Word of God there. I had always heard about Jesus and knew about him, however, I really didn't KNOW him.

At the age of 8, my family was attending Tiffany Fellowship Assembly of God in Kansas City. My Sunday school teacher had been telling us how to get saved and I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart that day. I always tried to do the right thing and make good decisions, however, now I had Jesus to help me. I was so excited, I wanted to tell everyone. I was also baptized a short time later and I felt wonderful, complete. Life to me, isn't truly living, without him.

There are so many uncertainties in life....I am so thankful that Jesus isn't one of them.

Riley W. Brown (deceased, founding member)

I was a superintendent for J.E.Dunn Construction Company and we were building Winnetonka High School. We were also building J.E. Dunn's biggest job yet, the Osteopathic Hospital. I was 37 years old, with no carepenter apprenticeship. I had only been a carpenter for one year and made Carpenter Foreman, held that position for 15 months before receiving Superintendent. Having had no formal training in construction, I felt I was a big deal.

One Saturday morning the phone rang and it was Bill Duinn. He said, Riley, I hate to tell you this, but I have a 14 story Ramada Inn in Tiffany Springs (South of KCI on I-29) that you are going to have to do. Since you are the only Super who has experience building a pre-cast building. (I had built a 9 story pre-cast retirement home, just south of the ball park, a few years earlier. That sure took the wind out of my sails. I started the biggest job yet on Monday morning, the Ramada Inn.

After several weeks on the job, I noticed this sweet lady watching my as I worked on the foundation. She said, "Riley, I hear you have 7 kids?" (I now have 8) I said, yes, I do. She said my son has a church across I-29, and we would like for your family to try it out if you don't already have a church home. This lady, Mrs. Barron, had lost her husband in about 1956 or so, when he was flying a commercial airliner that collided with another airliner over the Grand Canyon. In a sweet way, she continued to ask me to come to their church over and over again. I finally went home and told my wife that we were going to go to their church on Sunday morning so this lady would quit bothering me on my job.

We started attending that church on a regular basis and I got saved. Once that happened, one by one more members of the family were saved. Some of my kids had attended Sunday School on the church bus at Maple Park Bible Baptist and had already gotten saved. They always tried to get me to go to church and I never would. From Mrs. Barron's witness, many lives were changed that day.

Later, I built the first addition on to Tiffany Fellowship Church on Barry Road in Kansas City, Missouri. I know at least 26 peole who are saved because of Mrs. Barron, through me. The reason I told this story is because:

1) the Lord knew where I was, and what I was doing

2) Someone was praying for me and Jesus was listening

3) He took a bigger job away and gave me one where someone (the right person) could witness to me

4) He knew I was looking for something fulfilling 5) I praise the Lord for Mrs Barron and her persistence. That she didn't give up on me. I hate to think of what my family, 8 children and 19 grandchildren, would be if I had never given in to this lady's witnessing and gotten saved. I had been heading down the wrong road, the path of destruction. Today I play guitar for my church at The Moment of Truth Bible Baptist Church. I retired in 1990 and have continued to do consulting work for churches. I have also been playing guitar and singing for many years now with Sweet Spirit. I look forward to the Lord's return for me and my family one day.

Riley went home to be with Jesus on "Good Friday", April 6, 2012. We miss him, but know we'll see him again in Heaven!