The church is people - ordinary people like you and me.  We all have our stories of how we found God through Jesus, and how our faith in God helps us in our daily lives.  Here are just some of our stories.

Betsy’s story

What it means to me to belong to the fellowship of Kilmington Baptist Church, as a member for ‘too many years to remember’.

Kilmington Baptist Church holds many precious memories for me. Especially the Young People’s Conventions held in the village in the 1950s.
During those weekends, usually held over the late Summer Bank holiday weekend, we were richly blessed by the ministry of many saints of God.

Personally, I thank God for the times I was able to attend these weekends and the   lasting friendships made with Christians now flung far and wide. It was around a campfire on the village common that I was given the opportunity to personally respond to God’s voice, and later encouraged to publicly testify of God’s grace and salvation in Jesus Christ, in baptism.
I later married one of the young lads already attending Kilmington Baptist & became a member here.  That’s quite a while ago now, and much has             

happened since then. Our three children were dedicated here – our two daughters married here, and now with our family widely scattered over the globe, one in Australia & two in Wales.  Being retired myself, I seek to serve our Lord & Saviour as Secretary at KBC. (They say you never retire in the Christian Life – God always has a work for His children to do)!
In all stages of my life – through joyful times, difficult ones, testing times & times of weakness, I can honestly say that being a Christian, trusting in the Lord Jesus, belonging to His Church and the fellowship at Kilmington, has always been a great strength to me.  Sometimes it seemed God was not answering my prayers and God’s guidance has not always been apparent at the time, but in retrospect I can see His hand at work.  Our lives are always changing but God never changes – ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today & forever’. Hebrews 13 v 8.
In Chapter 2 of Philippians, Paul urges the readers to ‘Imitate Christ’s Humility’ - Philippians 2 v 1-11. Christ gave Himself – not just in part but fully, entirely, going deeper and deeper, until He finally gave His life on the Cross. God challenges each of us to surrender ourselves in this way, but He doesn’t ask us to do anything that He has not already done Himself. I have found this quite a challenge as I seek to live for Him each day.  ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’  Philippians 4 v 4.
If you are ever in this lovely part of Devon why not visit our fellowship at Kilmington – we are a warm, welcoming church.
Betsy  

John’s story

I became a Christian  as a teenager  when I lived in London.  I did not live a really bad life, and I didn’t really consider that I had anything bad to repent of.  I was keen on football, and the team I had played for broke up, so I looked for a new team.  I saw an advert in our local paper for a team wanting new players for the coming season.  It turned out to be a church team.  At first I didn’t know what the “Baptist” stood for in the team’s name.  Through playing in the team, I started going to the youth club at the church and then through an invitation, to a service, which was a baptism service, when some other people, youngsters like me, and older people, were baptised by immersion to testify that they had become Christians.  The idea of baptising fully grown people was new to me, and also the idea that it was

necessary to be converted by repenting of sins and accepting Christ as saviour.  I then started enquiring more and eventually found the way through  to believing in Jesus as the Messiah and my saviour.  I was baptised along with some other youngsters at the church.  Since then, my life has had many turns, ups and downs.  Although I may have not been the best example to others, I have always had Jesus at the centre of my life, and of our family’s life.
John

Liz’s Story

For some years now I have brought to KBC “social issues” - important matters that God has brought to our attention for prayer and sometimes for action.  In my diary I came across a quote which to some extent sums up where we should be, both individually as followers of Jesus and as a church.  “God is waiting for us in the margins of society.  Do we want to be in the middle?”  While we were away over Christmas, we attended three different fellowships - Baptist, Independent and Anglican..  I can only say that in each one - though so different in style, type of people and leadership - we sensed the presence of God and knew Jesus to be present in His people.  They were His, working in the margins of society, and I was greatly encouraged.  Jesus is truly “alive and well” (I say that with reverence) in our country - but that is not to say  that we can rest on our laurels.  No, it is a call to continue

our battle against evil, to stand up for truth and righteousness, to plead for mercy and justice and to rely on God’s grace as we walk with Him.  This year is going to be a momentous year.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus as we walk through it - and beyond.

Antonia’s story

I love to tell people what a difference knowing Jesus has made to my life.  I was raised as a Catholic and believed in God but only as a distant God, who was not interested in my problems or me, but was there to condemn me when I made a mess of things.
At 17 I made a conscious decision that church and God was not for me and since I was fairly wilful and a rebellious teenager I determined that I didn’t need religion in my life.  I embarked upon a promiscuous lifestyle, which involved drug and alcohol abuse.
However, at 26, I found myself sitting in a psychiatrist’s chair with my life in tatters.  My sister told me that I didn’t need a psychiatrist but Jesus and she took me to her church.  I realised that she was probably right but as I considered my sins too deliberate and unforgivable how could I ask God to forgive me?

On the eve of my 27th birthday, I told my sister of my need for Jesus and so she and her husband prayed for me.  For the first time ever I experienced true forgiveness and felt so clean and happy!  And best of all I now had a personal relationship with a loving God who cares for me.
Since then I have had many trials and difficulties including divorce but I know that the Lord Jesus helps me, strengthens me and with prayer, counselling and friendship of my Christian friends I am a stronger and happier and more fulfilled person than I ever was.

Adrian’s story

I had a good job, lovely wife and kids, and a nice home, but somehow life was empty and I felt like a shell.  That emptiness reflected through all areas of my life, including home and marriage.  Through work I met a woman who was full of life, and had a lot of love.  As I got to know her better there was something else in her as well, but I could not work it out immediately.  Light gradually dawned that it might have something to do with her ‘religious thing’. The first thing that happened was a visit to the church where she went.  This was something different – the people were welcoming, they knew what they were there for, and enjoyed doing it – so different from my previous experiences.  

A week later found me visiting my local Church to see if it was the same - no, but there was something there!  I started a real search then and through an assortment of experiences, books, pictures and dreams, I came to a point where I realised that I had ‘a God shaped hole’ and I needed God to fill it. I had to have God!  I sought out the Pastor of the Church and after quite a tussle, I asked Jesus to be my Saviour.  At that instant my mind was filled with a picture of a point of light that grew and flooded my whole being, and I was completely overcome by the awareness of peace, and being completely forgiven, unconditionally.
My life has been full of ups and downs since.  A lot is expected of the Christian, but incomparable resources are there to support us.  There are joyous times when God is in control, and life is flooded with his presence, there are times too, when one can be a fool or life can be difficult.  We are human and make mistakes.  I have had many experiences of God at work and have been very privileged to have had clear and separate experiences of the 3 separate beings of the one God (the Holy Trinity).
Would I trade my Jesus, or the Christian life, or give it all up?  NO!!