Hello gentlemen, first of all I wanted to say I found out about your podcast by seeing someone wearing one of your t-shirts.  As a “trying to recover from IFBer” I immediately went to your podcast and started listening. I have listened to a few podcasts (both Phil Kidd interviews) and I’ve enjoyed them a lot. So my story…

I live in Northern Davidson County in NC and as a teenager I worked at a local business. There was this family that frequently came in and shared the love of Christ with me. They invited me to church so I went. Most of my family went to Gospel Light Baptist (Bobby Roberson and y’all’s favorite Sword of the Lord). So I went to church with this sweet family. I was 18 years old, in college, and I liked their daughter (don’t judge) and after about a month God began to deal with me and I gave my heart and life to the Lord.  After this I was all in the church. I am a Type A personality and I began to feel God calling me to preach. I started Bible college at a local IFB seminary in King, NC from the recommendation of my pastor. Guys in college called me the golden boy because churches started calling asking me to preach. After a few years of Bible college I began serving as a part time youth pastor at a small church (with my wife by my side). After graduating and desiring to be full time at a church I took a position at a church in Fishersville, VA. Long story short, I worked under the biggest prick you could have dreamed of. I was miserable but I had a wife and kids and bills to pay. I stayed too long and this plunged me into a dark path. My last year I went off the rails big time spiritually. After looking for any avenue to leave the ministry I became a police officer in Winston-Salem (still there 9 years later).  My wife and kids transitioned back into a local church that is IFB (but doesn’t run with any circles and is more liberal than 99% of IFB churches). I have struggled over the last several years with where to go and what to do.  For a short sentient I caught a second breath spiritually but the closer I go to the pastor the more I realized they all seem to be about control and power. I have found the more I don’t care about what’s going on at church the better I deal with it. I find myself not going hardly at all. I know apathy isn’t the answer but I’m not sure what is. I have found I just don’t give a shit about church and I don’t trust pastors (been stabbed in the back too many times). I have been very successful in my police career but I am desperate for spiritual fellowship among recovered fundamentalists. If you know of a church, group, people, etc…I would love some help.   Please feel free to call, text, or email.  Thanks for any help.
(336) 582-2304

brichardson@wspd.org