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PERSONAL TESTIMONIES |
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If you have a
testimony that you would like to share in order to bring God glory, please
e-mail it to Kisha at
biblechurch@abingdonbiblechurch.org or call her at the
church office (628-2400). Kisha will then post it here on this page. Abingdon Bible Church has been my family
for all 17 years of my life. The genuine love this body of believers has for
one another sets it apart from any other church I have seen. Knowing Pastor
Paul’s and Pastor Greg’s desire to honor and serve the Lord whole-heartedly
and seeing this in their selfless commitment to teaching and edifying makes
Abingdon Bible Church the wonderfully special place that it is to me. Even
though I am away at college, I continue to thank God for His grace and loving
kindness He has shown by allowing me to call this church my family. -
Anna Moore
What does
Abingdon Bible Church mean to us? In
a word, “Family.” When we moved to Abingdon in 1981 from Michigan, this body
of believers became our family. Now that the Lord has moved us into missions
and away from here, we still long for our ABC family. The fellowship with
friends, service in the church, and ministry of the church are just a few of
the things we miss. But one day we won’t be longing for our ABC family
anymore, because we will all be together with the Lord in His home, in His
time. - Bob & Mary Kaiser Years ago,
our little modest church with about 10 people that was such a testimony to
me. Everyone brought their Bible and even read them. Just like today.
- Bonnie Rector French and
I came to Abingdon in 1985. We were expecting our first child, and wanted to
find a church home where we could grow, and one that would grow with us. My idea was to visit lots of different
churches. We visited Abingdon Bible Church once, and never left. We praise
the Lord for the teaching of the Word, the leadership, the worship, the
fellowship, and the youth ministries. It holds a very special place in the
heart of our family. - Laura Moore Thanks to
all of you who committedly serve at Abingdon Bible Church. You have meant so
much to our family. - The Bourquins We were
drawn to ABC because of the large number of home schooling families and
acquaintances who were members here, as well as the availability of the
accurate preaching and teaching of the Word.
- Mitch & Lisa Birzer We became
involved with Abingdon Bible Church through a “Growing Kids God’s Way” class.
We were fortunate to be mentored by Monty and Brenda Vernon. The relationships we developed with other
believers in our group made us want to stay at ABC. We have found ABC to be a
place for spiritual growth for our family. The leadership and caring
believers share our joys and sorrows. - Dana Smith
& Family When we
found ourselves searching for a place to worship, we came to Abingdon Bible
Church because we had heard good things and seen good things in the lives of
those we knew to be members. We
weren’t disappointed and continue to be grateful for sound teaching and
practice. We also can be confident, as we wanted to be better stewards, that
our tithes was going to what we believe was God’s work. We love our church family and we feel
loved in return. Could it be any better? - Don
& Pam May Abingdon
Bible Church has been and continues to be a place to worship, use my
spiritual gift, and to grow. It is a blessing to be among others who seek to
honor God in worship. It is a blessing to be allowed to teach young children
what I have learned. And it is a blessing to be part of a small group, a
place where I am safely vulnerable to others in the “priesthood of believers”
so that I can be held accountable to grow and mature in the Lord. I am
reminded of Malachi 2:7, “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve
knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction – because he is the
messenger of the Lord Almighty.” We are blessed to have many such priests at
Abingdon Bible Church. - Mary Prestowitz Shortly
after moving to Abingdon in 1999, we were invited to attend Abingdon Bible
Church by French Moore. Upon arriving at our first service, Pastor Greg
Alderman rose to give the sermon and Lorrie “gasped” as if passing a kidney
stone. But to my relief, she was
simply surprised by seeing her former Bible teacher from Roanoke at the
podium. She told me later, “This surely
is a sign from God that ABC is our church.” And so it has been ever since. We
thank the Lord for Pastors Paul and Greg, and our entire church family for
showing us the love of Christ. Love is the reason we will keep coming to ABC.
- Wallace Huff & Family “Dear
friends, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even
when they are strangers, you make the faith visible.” 3 John 5. We came to Abingdon Bible Church as
interns from Germany, because we are going to Ecuador with an American
mission board. There we will work together in an American team. So we needed
to learn more English and about American culture to understand each other and
build a stronger team. We gained these things, but we never thought we’d have
such a special time of learning experiences, refreshing and blessings. Thank you so much because your friendship
and encouragement have strengthened us. We hope to stay in contact.
- Theo & Silke Murer, with Silas & Laurika Drema and I came to Abingdon on January 3, 1992. We remember loading
up the U-Haul, loading up in Roanoke, and moving slowly down I – 81. We were
excited to begin ministry at Abingdon Bible Church. The church was taking a big step of faith by adding a second
pastor. In many ways, it was a step of faith for our family as well. During
the interview process, we really felt a connection to the people of ABC and
the teens that would be in the youth group. It seemed like an exciting
venture. Twelve
Christmases later, just a few weeks ago, I was standing on the stairs in my
home looking at the families of the choir that had come over for an “after
the Christmas musical” party. I saw
people who were more than friends, more than fellow church members, more than
youth group members – they were family.
Some of them had not been born when we came. Some of them had won our
hearts from the very beginning. But all of them are my family. We live our
lives together. We struggle together, celebrate each other’s joys, and help
each other bear up under life’s burdens. Someday, we’ll be thrilled beyond
belief with our eternal existence together. I feel like we’re somewhat
addicted to the people of Abingdon Bible Church. It’s a lot of the reason we came. It’s a big part of the reason we are still here.
- Pastor Greg Alderman God has
given me the opportunity to serve as a pastor of Abingdon Bible Church for
one-half of its history. This has
provided a secure place for me to grow in my knowledge of God and His Word,
and in my ability to serve Him and His body.
The church has been the spiritual family for me, for Trudy, and for
our children. Each one of us has been blessed spiritually. Josh, Betsy, and
Julie came to know Christ, were baptized, and grew under the influence of our
home and our church. Lifelong friends
and spiritual mentors have loved and encouraged our three children as they
have matured into adults. Thank you,
church family. Spiritual
hunger and responsiveness to God’s word, a willingness to grow and change,
patience with me, and persistence in God’s work has encouraged me. Your
willingness to embrace those of other cultures, to reach out to the world
through short-term missions, and to send our own into Christian service has
been a source of joy for me. Repeatedly newcomers share how they have been
drawn to our church by the faithful testimony of its members.
- Pastor Paul Bufford Abingdon
Bible Church hooked me as a kid like no other church has ever done! I
remember the years waiting in the ranks for the opportunity to move up to the
YOUTH GROUP! It was there that my faith was challenged, my needs met, and
friendships developed. But ABC did not stop there. After I graduated from
high school, they encouraged me as a young adult to attend Bible College,
where I trained for full-time ministry and it just so happens that I also met
my wife. Thanks for hooking me as a kid, challenging me as a teen, and
supporting me through Bible College. But most of all, thanks for giving me a
foundation for full –time ministry. - Ben Croghan
(Youth Director, Fresno Bible Church)
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