First, I must say I have been a little hesitant to share my journey. I have listened for awhile and can agree with much y’all discuss about the nonsense that goes within the name of “Fundamentalism.” But, I didn’t grow up in the hermetically sealed world of the IFB movement. I grew up in Ringgold, Georgia and at the age of 7, I was towed down the isle at a SBC Church on an Easter Service and the Pastor dealt with my parents and my older brother. But, he just put his hand on my head and prayed over me. I didn’t have a clue what he prayed, but he announced me as a “new Christian” and baptized me the next week. I did not have a clue on what a Christian should be and after some bad experiences in the “Youth Department”, I turned to alcohol and atheism in High School. My high school nickname Otis because I was the “drunk” of my class. I worked in the restaurant industry as a teenager and grew even more antagonistic towards “Christians” and Churches watching how they treated my co-workers on Sundays.  I joined the Air Force shortly after I turned 18 and left for Basic Training 1 year later. My drinking, fighting, and antagonism towards Christianity only increased as I sunk into the darkness. I hit rock bottom a year later and wrote a letter to my future wife asking her several questions about life. She began to witness to me through the mail. It took a year of her witnessing, my transferring home, and her inviting me to Church that resulted in my conversion on February 14th, 1988. We got married in August of 88 and I returned to Active Duty in 1989. She enrolled me in the Liberty Home Bible Institute as I has a strong desire to deepen my knowledge of my new found Faith. I was injured in the Line of Duty and was Medically Retired in 1991 after Desert Storm. I had an opportunity to attend Liberty but missed the Will of God (another story.) I heard about Tennessee Temple reopening the Bible School in 1992 and moved back to Ringgold then to Rock Springs to attend Tennessee Temple. It was there for the first time I heard Christians ridicule other Christians (Bible School students were ridiculed as “Billy Bible Thumpers, etc…) I marveled at that. I graduated in 95 with a Th.G. Funny Story, My only demerits were for my VW Bug. I ran a drag comp header with no muffler and got 10 demerits for disturbing Seminary classes! I surrendered to become a Missionary in 1996 and that is the real start of our spiritual odyssey in the crazy world of Fundamentalism. When we were interviewed, we were questioned much more extensively because; #1. The picture I sent in I had a beard #2. They wanted to know if my wife wore pants. Well, once deputation began we packed ourselves  into our Dodge Caravan and spent 2 1/2 years raising our support. We were in 44 of 48 states. I received questionnaires asking such doctrinal questions like, “what does your wife wear to bed, who is a living 20th century hero, etc…” I had Pastors tell me to call them then they refused to take my call. I had Pastors “record” my call???? Once, I had a Pastor arrange a month of meetings in Arizona only to discover they were using me as Pulpit supply while the Pastors were taking their young people to Bill Rice Ranch. We were once put with a family that were dog breeders and their house was infested with fleas. I was sternly rebuked for using a Liberty Annotated Study KJV Bible (because it had the Old Time Gospel Hour Symbol on it) while the Pastor carried a King James Study Bible (Same Bible!) Once we were rebuked as “unwise” stewards because we had a Bellsouth Bagphone. I found out a grey suit, colored shirts, ties with pictures, and a Jesus First pin made me “compromised” with worldliness but a blue or black suit, white shirt, and a “conservative” tie made me “separated.” We played that game 14 years. The “Mission Board” continually states you are “responsible” to your Local Church. But, we wanted to return to Germany the “leadership” of the Mission told us “I wasn’t durable enough” to be a Missionary anymore. My Local Church was willing to stand behind me, but the leadership of the Mission said “no.” So, I was “voluntarily” asked to resign. Well, 30 days later I was working for minimum wage. I tried re-raising my support, but a stigma exists when a board asks you to resign. I later found out when my former supporters called to ask about me, they were told I was asked to resign because of “separation” issues! My wife cleaned homes and after someone tried to look up her dress, we decided that when she cleaned houses she would wear pants. I was seen with a goatee that I grew for reenacting (I shaved it off after the season was over.) We struggled as I worked my secular job and then I found out the “brethren” were saying I was a quitter. So, after the right fist of fellowship we walked away from the IFB movement. One thing me and my wife re-discovered is Grace! I have fallen in Love with my Lord and Saviour all over again. Sadly, my 2 oldest children will have nothing to do with the reality of our Living Lord and Saviour. Most of my former friends have written me and my wife off because we started attending a SBC Church. But I have heard “more Biblical Truth” expounded in our SBC Church than in a lot of years in the IFB movement. I saw a lot of “cults of personality” within the IFB movement. For instance, being a Liberty Graduate, I was considered a “New Evangelical” (because of Jerry Falwell)  and because I graduated from Tennessee Temple in 1995, I was at best a “Modified Fundamentalist” (George Dollar-A History of Fundamentalism) but I also graduated after Don Jennings was Pastor at Highland Park (an AJ graduate-After Jennings.) Instead of asking me what I believed, they made assumptions based upon the men associated with the schools I attended! I never knew about ANY of that nonsense until I became a Missionary! I just knew I was a Born Again Blood Washed Child of God….I am free now that I have left behind the nonsense. My beliefs are secure (as Jerry Falwell challenged us, “throw down the anchor of truth and don’t waiver.”)