As
a
child
during
the
depression,
I
became
very
sick
and
my
parents
said
they
could
not
get
me
to
the
doctor
nearly
twenty
miles
away.
One
night
while
I
was
so
sick
I
saw
something
in
the
corner
of
the
room,
at
the
time
I
did
not
know
what
it
was,
but
years
later
I
learned
it
was
a
vision.
It
was
dark
in
the
old
cabin,
and
I
was
laying
there
with
fever,
I
looked
up
in
the
corner
of
the
cabin
and
a
bright
light
appeared,
at
the
time
I
did
not
know
what
to
think,
I
just
knew
I
was
seeing
the
face
of
Jesus
as
it
appeared
in
that
light.
He
took
his
hands
and
moved
the
clouds
out
of
the
way
and
when
he
did that I was immediately healed.
During
the
time
that
I
was
so
sick,
there
was
a
revival
going
on
in
our
community,
People
were
praying
everywhere
and
things
were
happening.
God
was
performing
miracles.
When
I
got
up
the
next
morning,
my
parents
said
there
was
no
longer
any
reason
to
take
me
to
the
doctor
because
I
was
alright,
I
was beginning to play again. I have never fortten that vision.
In
September
of
1946
I
married
Pauline
Buckner
and
soon
after
we
were
blessed
and
started
a
family.
Pauline
and
the
childrent
went
to
church
long
before
I
did,
and
Pauline
being
the
Godly
woman
that
she
was,
always
prayed
for
me
that
I
too
would
come
to
know
Christ
as
my
personal Savior.
In
1958
I
did
give
my
life
to
Christ,
and
within
a
matter
of
months
He
had
called
me to preach his Word.
In
July
of
1958
my
wife
and
I
organized
a
prayer
meeting
in
our
home
in
which
many
people
gave
their
heart
to
the
Lord.
Regardless
of
everything,
by
October
of
1958
we
were
established
as
a
church
under
the
name
of
Community
Fellowship Pentecost Church.
Things
began
to
happen
fairly
quickly
as
it
soon
became
very
evident
that
the
hand
of
God
was
upon
this
little
groub
as
it
began
to
grow
until
it
became
too
loarge
for
our
living
room.
We
were
able
to
locate
a
litte
building
on
the
corner
of
18th
and
Geyer
that
would
seat
close
to
a
hundred
people,
the
building
had
been
used
by
another
church
that
had
out
grown
it
and
we
were
able
to
move
in and use it.
From
that
time
on,
so
many
people
were
being
saved
and
rededicating
their
life
to
Jesus
that
our
congregation
outgrew
the
building
within
six
months,
so
we
began
searching
for
a
larger
building
and
found
an
empty
drug
store
that
was
located
at
12th
and
Sydney,
still
in
the
St.
Louis
area.
Before
long
it
became
necessary
to
move
again
and
find
another
building
that
could
accomodate
our
growing congregations.
PAGE 1
As
a
child
during
the
depression,
I
became
very
sick
and
my
parents
said
they
could
not
get
me
to
the
doctor
nearly
twenty
miles
away.
One
night
while
I
was
so
sick
I
saw
something
in
the
corner
of
the
room,
at
the
time
I
did
not
know
what
it
was,
but
years
later
I
learned
it
was
a
vision.
It
was
dark
in
the
old
cabin,
and
I
was
laying
there
with
fever,
I
looked
up
in
the
corner
of
the
cabin
and
a
bright
light
appeared,
at
the
time
I
did
not
know
what
to
think,
I
just
knew
I
was
seeing
the
face
of
Jesus
as
it
appeared
in
that
light.
He
took
his
hands
and
moved
the
clouds
out
of
the
way
and
when he did that I was immediately healed.
During
the
time
that
I
was
so
sick,
there
was
a
revival
going
on
in
our
community,
People
were
praying
everywhere
and
things
were
happening.
God
was
performing
miracles.
When
I
got
up
the
next
morning,
my
parents
said
there
was
no
longer
any
reason
to
take
me
to
the
doctor
because
I
was
alright,
I
was
beginning
to
play
again.
I
have never fortten that vision.
In
September
of
1946
I
married
Pauline
Buckner
and
soon
after
we
were
blessed
and
started
a
family.
Pauline
and
the
childrent
went
to
church
long
before
I
did,
and
Pauline
being
the
Godly
woman
that
she
was,
always
prayed
for
me
that
I
too
would
come
to
know
Christ
as
my
personal
Savior.
In
1958
I
did
give
my
life
to
Christ,
and
within
a
matter
of
months
He
had
called
me
to preach his Word.
In
July
of
1958
my
wife
and
I
organized
a
prayer
meeting
in
our
home
in
which
many
people
gave
their
heart
to
the
Lord.
Regardless
of
everything,
by
October
of
1958
we
were
established
as
a
church
under
the
name
of
Community
Fellowship
Pentecost Church.
Things
began
to
happen
fairly
quickly
as
it
soon
became
very
evident
that
the
hand
of
God
was
upon
this
little
groub
as
it
began
to
grow
until
it
became
too
loarge
for
our
living
room.
We
were
able
to
locate
a
litte
building
on
the
corner
of
18th
and
Geyer
that
would
seat
close
to
a
hundred
people,
the
building
had
been
used
by
another
church
that
had
out
grown
it
and
we
were
able to move in and use it.
From
that
time
on,
so
many
people
were
being
saved
and
rededicating
their
life
to
Jesus
that
our
congregation
outgrew
the
building
within
six
months,
so
we
began
searching
for
a
larger
building
and
found
an
empty
drug
store
that
was
located
at
12th
and
Sydney,
still
in
the
St.
Louis
area.
Before
long
it
became
necessary
to
move
again
and
find
another
building
that
could
accomodate our growing congregations.
God
helped
us
find
an
old
Presbyterian
church
at
1614
Menard
in
St.
Louis,
that
would
seat
over
400
people
that
we
were
able
to
rent.
Again,
the
previous
church
had
outgrown
the
building
and
had
built
a
new
church building for their congregation.
During
that
first
year,
and
after
much
prayer
we
decided
to
start
an
organization,
so
during
April
of
1959
the
Community
Fellowship
Pentecost
Church
becam
an
unincorporated
Association
of
ministers
and
churches,
having
adopted
the
organizational
name
of
Community
Fellowship
Pentecost
Ministers
and
Churches
Association.
We
had
633
people
saved
in
those
first
two
years,
during
that
time
I
only
had
about
one
revival
and
some
of
those
that
were
saved
and
filled
with
the
Holy
Ghost
are
people
that
are
still
pastoring
churches
and
preaching
the
Gospel around the contry today.
In
one
particular
vision
people
were
going
in
and
out
ministering.
After
I
got
into
the
evangelistic
work,
I
knew
an
old
preacher
in
Springfield
Missouri,
who
I
went
to
visit
with
at
his
home
one
day
and
he
told
me,
“
I
am
glad
you
came
along,
you
are
connected
with
this
vision
I
had.
I
was
just
sitting
here
and
GOd
was
speaking
to
me
about
a
place
where
people
were
going
in
and
out
and
ministering.
THey
would
go
out
and
minsiter,
and
then
they
would
come
back.”
This
was
a
confirmation
on
the
vision
that
God
had
given
me.
So
when
I
came
to
Doniphan,
that
is
what
I
started
doing
myself,
and
for
yours
I
ministered
out,
then
I
would
come
back
in
and
pastored
a
church
in
Doniphan.
I
did
what
I
call
the
Bee
Theory.
I
took
something
out
to
the
people,
and
I
brought
something
back
in.
That
is
how
the
campground
and
everything
else
has
been
built,
by
people
who
took
something
out
and
they
brought
to
build
the
Tabernacle,
the
Youth
Dorm,
and
everything
else
that
is
here.
Scripture
tells
us that without a vision the people perish.
In
1960,
the
Board
of
Directors
of
Community
Fellowship
Pentecostal
Minister
and
Churches
Association,
decided
to
hire
an
attorney
to
petition
the
court
for
us
to
become
a
Body
Politic
and
Corporate
by
the
Pro
Forma
Decree
of
Incorporation
in
the
State
of
Missouri.
The
case
was
heard
on
July
1,
1960
by
Judge
Waldo
C.
Mayfield
and
the
decree
was
issued
making
Community
Fellowship
Pentecostal
Minister
and
Churches
Association
a
Body
Politic
and
Body
Corporate
under
Chapter
352
of
the
Missouri Statutes.
In
1962,
we
began
to
minister
revival
services
in
the
South
central
part
of
Missouri
and
moved
to
Winona
Missouri
and
hundreds
of
souls
were
being
saved
and
filled
with
the
Holy
Ghost.
God
was
moving mightily and blessing our ministry.
In
1965
we
held
a
revival
at
the
church
in
Doniphan,
Missouri,
where
the
Camp
Grounds
are
currently
located.
This
time
of
revival
packed
the
church
and
the
opportunity
soon
presented
itself
to
purchase
the
church
and
the
parsonage,
which
have
become
the
Headquarters
of
Bible
Way
Association.
After
much
prayers
and
confirmation
from
the
Lord,
we
decided
to buy the property.
It
was
also
during
the
year
of
1965
that
at
a
meeting
of
the
Board
of
Directors
and
the
Founders
of
the
Community
Fellowship
Pentecost
Ministers
and
Churches
Association
was
held
in
Poplar
Bluff,
Missouri.
During
this
meeting,
it
was
resolved
to
move
the
central
location
of
the
organization
from
St.
Louis
to
Ripley
County
Missouri.
The
petittion
was
made
and
the
dcree
issued
and
recorded
on
April
29,
1966
by
the
presiding
Judge,
Howard
R.
Maness
in
the
Ripley
County
Courthouse
in
Doniphan,
Missouri,
which
placed
the
Headquarters
and
central
offices
of
the
Association
in
Doniphan,
Missouri.
Over
the
years,
at
the
leading
of
the
Lord,
the
Association
was
able
to
purchase
additional
properties
that
it
currently
owns
where
the
Headquarters
and
Camp
Grounds
are
loacated.
In
the
early
1970’s,
I
began
the
task
of
building
the
open
air
tabernacle
that
served
for
the
Camp
Meetings
for
over
thirty
seven
(37)
years.
Much
of
the
labor
was
accomplished
by
me
personally,
but
as
people
began
to
get
into
the
vision
and
help,
we
have
been
able
to
build
other
buildings that we enjoy today.
Over
the
next
several
years
we
continued
to
go
out
and
minister
the
word
and
to
come
in,
as
the
Camp
Grounds
and
the
Association continued to grow and develop.
During
the
early
part
of
1974,
the
decision
was
made
by
the
Board
of
Directors
to
change
the
name
of
the
orgaanization
from
Community
Fellowship
Pentecostal
Ministers
and
Churches
Association
to
the
name
which
it
currently
has,
Bible
Way
Association.
This
decree
was
issued
on
May
7,
1974
at
the
Ripley
County
Courthouse
in
Doniphan, Missouri.
On
June
3,
1992
another
petition
was
filed
which
would
prove
to
bring
the
Association
to
our
present
standing
as
an
organization,
by
adding
doctrinal
authority
while
maintaining
its
orginal
validity.
On
July
7,
1992
the
decree
was
issued
by
Judge
Arthur
Cope
and
was
filed
and
recorded
on
Auguest 3, 1992.
Through
the
years
since
the
beginning
vision
and
efforts
Bible
Way
Association
has
not
only
provided
valuable
coverage
for
hunderds
of
churches
and
ministers,
but
the
power
of
the
ministry
and
its
anointing
has
influenced
and
touched
literally
thousands
of
sould
with
the
anointing
has
influenced
and
touched
literally
thousands
of
souls
with
the
anointing
of
the
Gospel.
Over
time
literally
hundreds
of
souls
were
added
to
the
Kingdom
of
God
during
various
revivals
and
meetings.
Camp
Meetings
are
always
a
highlight
with
souls
being
saved,
healed,
delivered,
and
forever
changed
as
God
ministered
into
their
lives.
Youth
Camp
meetings
have
produced
many
ministers
that
are
still
reaching
the
lost
for
Jesus today.
The
Association
has
fostered
the
beginnings
of
hundreds
of
churches
across
the
land
and
in
other
nations
as
well
as
founding
many
churches
through
the
years.
While
some
have
not
survived
the
years,
others
have
prospered
and
are
still
minstering
to
souls
in
their
communities
today.
The
ministry
of
Bible
Way
Association
has
also
reached
into
foreign
lands
where
churches
have
been
established
and
souls
have
been
saved
under
this
ministry
and
as
a
direct
result
of
this anointing and efforts.
In
September
of
1997
we
enjoyed
our
first
Family
Camp
Meeting
service
in
the
new
Sanctuary.
This
building
was
built
by
the
generous
offerings
and
labor
of
those
who
got
behind
the
vision
of
the
Camp
Grounds.
With
God’s
leading
and
guidance,
we
brought
Bible
Way
Association
through
its
final
transition
in
the
year
2002,
when
we
petitioned
the
court
again
to
amend
its
articles,
making
the
structure
even
more
secure.
This
decree
established
the
current
articles
upon
which
Bible
Way
Association
stand today.
In
2003,
we
were
able
to
open
the
new
Youth
Dormitory,
which
has
been
a
great
asset
to
both
the
Youth
Camp
and
the
Family
Camp,
and
we
have
been
able
to
continue
to
improve
the
building
as
the
needs
of
thos
attending
camp
meetings
have changed over the years.
In
2004,
Sister
Pauline
went
on
to
be
with
the
Lord,
and
I
began
to
wonder
and
pray
as
to
how
I
could
continue
the
ministry
without
my
wife,
the
helpmate
that
God
had
given me all those years ago.
However,
in
2005,
God
blessed
me
again
with
a
helpmate
that
would
be
strong
in
the
Lord,
and
a
prayer
partner
that
would
help
me
continue
my
personal
ministry
and
the
work
of
Bible
Way
Association.
Sister
Margaret
took
on
the
challenge
of
not
only
being
a
ministers’
wife,
but
the
wife
of
the
founder
of
Bible
Way
Association.
It
is
because
of
her
dedication
to
God
that
we
are
still
able
to
evangelize
and
spread
the
Gospel,
not
only
in
Word,
but
also
in
song,
as
we
continue
to
work
together
to
win
souls to the Lord.
Through
the
years,
there
have
been
many
efforts
to
change
one
part
or
another
and
take
the
Association
in
different
directions
according
to
the
incoming
theme
of
the
day.
However,
I
have
endeavored
to
always
lead
it
back
to
the
original
vision
that
God
had
given to me all those years ago.
That
vision
has
always
been
one
that
is
focused
on
spreading
the
Gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
around
the
world.
The
Gospel
that
was
planted
in
my
heart
has
not
changed
through
the
years
to
become
aligned
with
the
changing
tide
and
seasons,
as
so
many
ministries
have.
It
must
be
recognized,
that
even
as
God
never
changes,
so
his
Word
never
changes.
The
message
never
changes
from
that
which
glorifies
God
rather
than
man.
The
true
message
always
glorifies
God
through
Jesus
Christ
and
the
anointing of the Holy Ghost.
In
years
past,
many
faithful
supporters
and
helpers
understood
the
importance
of
the
vision
and
partnered
with
the
ministry
of
the
Association
to
build
it
to
what
it
is
today.
Many
of
that
generation
of
givers
and
supporters
have
passed
unto
their
reward,
but
the
labors
still
continue
today
as
new
churches,
ministers,
and
congregations
pick
up
the
mantle
to
see
God’s
will
accomplished in these last days.
