A Matter of Head AND HeartMy name is Joseph M. Cripps. You can call me Joe. I am a forty four year old man. I was saved by the Grace of God, and Brother Johnny Campbell.
I was born and raised Catholic. I was a real trouble maker in school, and on the street. When I was in a Catholic school, my mother had a path to the school, because of the trouble I would get into. One of the Sisters would hit me, but I would just hit her back.
As the years went on, I would stay in trouble. But, the Lord would keep me from going to jail
I had an older brother that I looked up to, and always wanted to be just like. But, on November 25, 2001 the Lord wanted him to join Him in heaven. My world fell apart! I soon found out that my brother had gotten his heart and mind right with the Lord before he went into the hospital.
I had a wicked mouth, which made Satan happy, because he knew I was working for him.
I am a volunteer fireman. My Chief, good friend, and Pastor, John Leviner was coming to see me after my brother passed away. Pastor John asked me a question. He asked me if I were to die today, would I go to heaven? I told him that I had no idea. He then asked me if I wanted to get saved. I told him that I didn’t know. We talked a little longer, and Pastor John asked if I would come and visit his church. I told him I would think about it.
So, after the first of the year (January 6th to be precise), my wife and I went to church. Pastor John asked me to come up to the altar. Now, being a Catholic for over forty three years I didn’t know what I was feeling, so Pastor John, my wife, and I went down stairs. So, on January 6, 2002 I thought I was saved.
I had never been to a Revival meeting before. I was told to come and hear Brother Johnny Campbell preach. I was the owner/operator of a tractor-trailer, and was out west. I tried to get back home, but didn’t make it on time. I missed the Revival meeting. But, some of the fine people of the church got me the tapes of the services.
It was time to head out west again. I started to listen to Brother Johnny Campbell. He stated that to be truly saved that you have to have your heart and mind right to ask the Lord to save you. That’s when a funny feeling came over me. I played the tape again to make sure I was right about what I was hearing. I then stopped and called my wife, and told her that I wasn’t truly saved. She told me that I was. I told her to listen to Brother Johnny, and that I was not saved, because on January 6, 2002 I only had salvation in my mind, and not my heart too! She told me I was crazy.
I just had to hurry up, and finish my trip! I was able to get back to church on March 3, 2002. After Pastor John finished his message he made the altar call, and I walked up, and got my heart AND mind right with the Lord!
I still listen to Brother Johnny Campbell. I’ve found that the Lord is the greatest thing that ever came into my life. I don’t know how I made it through my life this long without Him. But, by the grace of God, and Brother Johnny, I will not let Satan have the pleasure to have me.
In late April I told my wife that I wanted to stop driving long distance, because I could not do that and also be in church. We decided that we were going to hire someone to drive the truck, but the Lord told me to sell it so I could be in church!
I had heard that Brother Johnny Campbell was going to be in town. I told my wife that I wanted to meet him. So, on June 10, 2002 I finally got to meet Brother Johnny at a Revival meeting! I had never been to a Revival meeting before. I went, and felt I was not dressed right. I then told my wife I was going to buy a suit, and also I would be in church every time the doors are open, because I just cannot get enough of the Word of God!
There is one thing I would say when Satan would try to get me; “Satan, you have lost the battle. You have lost the war. Now, I’m proudly serving the Lord!
I hope that anyone who reads this, and is not right with the Lord, that they get right! Because, when you do, you’ll be like me The Lord saved me! He is faithful and just to save you, and He will!
May God bless all who read this testimony? Just let the Lord into your heart AND mind! You will not be sorry. If the Lord saved my sinning soul, just let Him save you.
Joe Cripps
From the K.K.K. to the Only Way
Dear Brother Johnny,
My name is _________, and I have a testimony so similar to yours that I thought
I might be of some use to you in your ministry and I wanted to make myself
available if you thought I could help.
Let me tell you how I got involved in the Klan, how I got out, and how the LORD
is calling me to speak out against racism (in a nutshell).
I was brought up by two loving people who adopted me because they couldn't have
children, and I thank the LORD everyday for them. I was introduced to racism in
a way that my parents probably thought was innocent, for they themselves were
not racist and did not believe in racism. See, my grandmother was a very old ,
old-time Indian woman who used the term "nigger" because she grew up
in a time period where that was an acceptable term to describe black people.
Hence I was subliminally desensitized to the concept of people other than white
or native american as being less than human.
In 1990 I was saved at Harbor City Baptist Church in Melbourne Florida. A few
years later my wife fell away from the faith and left me for a life of
fornication, drugs, and prostitution. Needless to say I was crushed and lost
faith because GOD did not bring my wife home. This began a two year period of
drug addiction and alcoholism that carried me to 4 different cities and two
states before I returned home to Florida.
My Klan involvement began in 1996 when the daughters of my new wife were raped
by their natural father. The courts didn't do a thing really to him, just gave
him a years house arrest. Needless to say I was infuriated and felt that the
courts protected pedophiles, sooooo....I went in search of help from a less
orthodox organization-The Ku Klux Klan. "Of course they could help me"
they said. Little did I know how deeply their help would affect my soul and that
in all actuality they would not help in the least and only cause emotional and
psychological damage to my children, my wife and myself.
I became immersed in the Klan and before long it was ALL I was doing. I was
spending 20 hours a day writing hate e-mails and taking care of the regular mail
and e-mail for the National Website. Before too long I was promoted to Grand
Dragon of Florida for my dedication, then a year later promoted to Imperial
Knighthawk. During this period I became aware of embezzlement by the then
Imperial Wizard Shane Crowe. I confronted him about what he was doing and
eventually resigned and took over half the organization with me. We then formed
the United Confederate Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, of which I was voted
Imperial Wizard. We had offices in 10 states and 4 countries worldwide.
In 1999 I became aware that my subordinates were plotting to have me removed
behind my back because I was deemed "too liberal" for the Klan. When I
found out about this I was so disgusted I resigned and cut all ties with all
Klansmen. I still had not returned to Jesus and I was in hell on earth from
guilt, confusion, and fear.
In 2000 my father became very ill and I knew that he was about to die so I tried
to become closer to him. His main concern was that I was no longer involved with
racism and I assured him that I wasn't. It seemed to put him a little more at
ease and it definitely showed me that if a man as great as my father was against
racism it was definitely wrong. That started the guilt that brought me heading
towards Jesus. 14 days later my mother called and said that she thought my
father had a stroke and probably wouldn't last the night. Right at that moment I
went to Jesus and asked him to either take my father home or heal him. Sometime
late that night my father went to be with the Lord. This event brought me to
believe that Jesus was no doubt real and listening to me.
For the next 10 months I immersed myself in drugs and alcohol to try and ease
the pain and guilt. I became increasingly angry and volatile and in December I
hit my wife and went to jail for domestic violence. That night in the prison
hospital (I am a disabled vet with serious medical problems and could not be
incarcerated in the gen. population) Jesus came to me and told me to surrender
all to him. I broke down and did exactly that. Jesus then swung open the doors
and set me free, both in body and in spirit. I was released the next day. I
prayed and prayed for the D.A. to dismiss the charges and praise Jesus he did.
I began going to Calvary Chapel, Merritt Island where I had attended from time
to time and received many blessings from the Holy Spirit. I began going to every
prayer meeting and study group there was, as well as all 3 services every week.
The tiny mustard seed sprouted and grew into a forest of faith. By May of this
year I had become known very well to all the Pastors and had gotten a reputation
for being a man of prayer.
I had never heard of Promise Keepers and had no idea what they were all about,
but one of the Pastors suggested that I go to the first PK conference of 2002,
which was last weekend. I agreed to go and started studying about Promise
Keepers and decided that it was definitely something I wanted to be involved in.
I knew that I was being called to service but I had no idea what my service
might be so I prayed that GOD might enlighten me to the
job he wanted me to
perform at the conference. Well he gave me enlightenment the first few minutes
of the conference.
I listened to and gave praise and worship to the sounds of Latino Christian
music, black Christian music, and white Christian music. That began to soften my
heart. I was no longer racist, but I still believed that there were different
races of people. The LORD quickly changed that. A black man who was a featured
speaker spoke of how there was no such thing as race but only different pigment
colors of the skin and it was suddenly very clear to me. I had been so, so
stupid. There was no such thing as race, only many humans of many different
colors and all of us were the same in the eyes of GOD. I cried tears of repentance
and when they brought out a giant wooden cross to the floor of the stadium the
last night of the conference the LORD spoke to me in a booming voice and said
"COME TO MY CROSS AND SURRENDER ALL!" That is exactly what I did. With
tears streaming from my face I ran to the stadium floor and raised my hands in
worship to the cross of Jesus. At that moment GOD revealed what my service would
be. He wanted me to use my testimony to speak out against racism and lead men
who were tormented by hate to the loving, forgiving, cleansing, comforting cross
of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
That's why I am writing you Brother Johnny. If you can use me or my testimony I
pray that you will contact me and let me know what I can do to help you. Your
page has been an inspiration and I pray that I can be of some assistance. Thank
you for taking the time to read my testimony and GOD BLESS YOU for the work you
are doing.
May The LORD Bless You!
Crusader For CHRIST
Jesus Can Change
LivesBro Johnny, seven months ago my wife had given up on me and turned me over to God....... My two daughters would only cry and shake their heads when they saw me..... My oldest son would not speak to me and when I tried to talk to him we would fight... not argue......I mean fight....... My youngest son would come find me and beg me to come home...and then CRY himself to sleep ......he is 18 years old, and not a cry baby...... TODAY.... My oldest daughter is my heart and soul , she struggles but is doing her best to live a Christian life.... and she loves me. My youngest daughter came home the other day and told me had to write a paper in in school , "What is your greatest accomplishment?"....her paper was over 500 words long about when she got SAVED !!!!! ....and she loves me.
My oldest son has surrendered to preach, his first convert was his girlfriend, who he won to the Lord the next day, he is my confidant and my strength, when we talk we never fight cause we talk about the goodness of God, and he loves me My youngest son just called me from school, he is going to college and commuting back and forth, he just called to tell me he loved me and that he was sitting in his pickup between classes, READING HIS BIBLE!!!!!! PRAISE GOD!!!!! and he loves me.
My wife has once again become my best friend, we teach the Young Peoples Sunday School Class together and share everything that married couples should with each other.... She is my best friend, my lover, my companion, my partner...and once again SHE loves me.... But most of all... and because of HIM my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is Lord of my life. If not for the saving Blood of Jesus and his infinite capacity to forgive, I have no doubt that today I would be dead, so because of Him I can say saved or lost, Jesus can change lives.... but you must come to the place you are willing to surrender to him........ John Boone
Kicked In The Spleen
By GodBrother Johnny, And now as I update this crazy journal of my personal testimony, I can claim another step that God has taken. The newest member of this crazy universe of people that have effected my spiritual life is Johnny "The Baptist" Campbell.
I have never seen a tent revival but I feel that I got a quick glimpse of one with this wild man of God preaching, howling, spitting and saving souls as well as regenerating the already saved ones. Could this be in front of me now so that I would start thinking about what God wants me to do, once again? Could this be the next "kick in the spleen" from God? Could this be the next step that could finally lead me to take a leap of faith? I flat don't know the total answer.
I do know that on this particular night of October 7, 1998 that I got a call from Brother Johnny. He asked me "when was I saved" and I told him "I guess when I was 12". I still think that was the real time I was saved since that was the night as discussed earlier when I felt in my heart that Jesus was truly the Son of God and that He had died on that cross for my sins and that He defeated death once and for all by arising from that grave and now at that exact time, sealed me until the day of redemption. I can not break that seal and no one else can either. I took it a step further after being kicked in the spleen by God. I took it step further after hearing Allen Hatch and just await God to make it clear.
After Brother Johnny's call around this night, I couldn't sleep. I have been tossing and turning and thoughts about this journal flying through my head at the speed of light as the cells in my brain flash electrical impulses from one cell to another. And so I decided to get up an update this journal, besides my wife was trying to sleep and asked me to be still. Those impulses in my brain were so loud and making me toss and turn that I was getting in trouble right there. I felt that Brother Johnny needed a little more information and so here I am, continuing an ongoing process and awaiting for God to take his next step in the ongoing process of showing me what He wants of me. I am sure that excuses will still fly from my stupid brain and mouth. I just hope God will keep kicking at me and kicking at me because if it stops, Satan will surely never stop for he is the cause of my doubts and the real reason I have not been able to take that leap of faith.
This is an ongoing fight behind the scenes of visible universe. I am part of that fight as the unfallen angels and the fallen angels wrestle in the invisible universe for control of me. (Now how is that for theological thinking?)
Enough for now as I close until the next time.
Thanks again! In Christian Love, Don Roper
I Found Me A Good
'Ole Baptist ChurchGood news.... I quit going to the Charismatic (Pentecostal Church) and found me a good 'ole BAPTIST CHURCH tonight... Memorial Baptist Church, in Killeen, TEXAS. I went to bible study tonight, and boy was it a blessing. I also took my NIV bible back to the Compass Bookstore (bible bookstore) in Waco, TEXAS! I got me a good old "SPIRIT FILLED LIFE" KJV study bible.
I read the box you had on your webpage about information NOT being the same (REMOVED FROM NIV VERSION) in the KJV and NIV bibles, and boy did it change me! I looked the versus up in my KJV and NIV bible, and I saw that lots of things were missing in the NIV! I packed up that NIV bible, put it back in the box (NIV), got the receipt and took it back to the store! I got me a good old "SPIRIT FILLED LIFE" KJV study bible.
This is what I said to the OWNER of the store (in a VERY NICE way), "Say you got 2 copies of the Webster's dictionary. They are the exact same kind and model. But in one of these dictionaries, it's missing 3 pages. They aren't the same are they? Now imagine this 'SAME BOOK' with 64,000 less words in it....They aren't really the same are they?" She agreed with what I was saying, but didn't want to talk about it. I guess I hit a nerve with her.
I thank God again for such a BLESSING like you, that isn't afraid to tell it like it is...there should be more people like you in this world. Sadly though, there is not. I am considering going to Bible College next summer. I plan on getting VERY active in the new church I went to tonight. They got that 'ole time religion that believes in VISITATION, and going to see people in the hospital, and feeding the poor folks around here.
It is a sad world that we live in that the other churches are "too busy" to do this type of work, cause it is such a blessing to the people being visited/cared for, and a blessing for us Christians to be able to do it. Maybe I will make a copy of your "How to be a hero" sermon and mail it to some "dead churches" around here, cause there sure is a lot of 'em! "Amen Brother Johnny, AMEN!"
I will be praying for you and your lovely wife!
Yours in Jesus Christ, Brian Boggs
God, Why Do You Hate Me and My Baby?On June 25, 1992 my son Justin was born and on Nov. 1, 1993 he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Before we got his diagnosis, we were told that he was "developmentally delayed". He was 15 months old before we ever knew exactly what his condition was.
During the first 1 1/2 years of his life, I lived in a state of "Hell on Earth". I was a very angry person at that time. I hated to see children playing and doing things that typical kids do. I felt that Justin was some kind of punishment from God for me being a bad person.
And, to retaliate I hated God. I would lay in my bed and instead of saying prayers, I would curse God and tell Him that I hated Him. I remember telling Him that He had picked the wrong person and that I didn't think I could deal with Justin's problems.
Please understand....I was raised in church, I KNEW that you weren't supposed to talk to God like that and get away with it. And in my mind, since God had not sent down any lightening bolts, I figured He probably didn't even exist. Then, one day Justin scratched his eye with his fingernail. I totally lost it! I was so mad at God...not only had He given me a "crippled" child...He let him hurt himself too.
I challenged God. I told Him that I thought He was supposed to be a loving God, yet I had not felt any love from Him. That's when He spoke!!
Have you ever felt the wind on your face and it was a comforting feeling? Could you PROVE it happened? There is NO WAY that I can PROVE a feeling to you. All I can tell you is what I know in my heart. His voice was not a loud, booming voice...and it wasn't a whisper either. Just a calm steady voice that said, "If you will give yourself and Justin to me, I will show you what a blessing he really is".
Of course I knew WHAT I had to do, I just wasn't sure of HOW to do it. So, I got on my knees, crying, in my living room and told Jesus that I knew I was a sinner and I asked him to forgive me of my sins. I asked HIM to come into my heart and life and be my Lord and Savior. HE DID.
Then in April of 1994, Justin almost died. He was on a respirator for 3 weeks. The Doctors said he wouldn't make it. Well, he did!!!
And, one night in the hospital when Justin was his worst...my husband got saved. God has indeed shown me what a blessing He gave me. Justin IS a blessing and would not trade him for anything in the world.
In July of 1995, I had his brother Jordan. And he too has been a tremendous blessing to me. He is my "typical" child. He has helped me to see that there is more to life than CP...and boy did I need that! With Jordan, I can play "trucks" and patty-cake, peek-a-boo, and all the other things I cannot do with Justin. He plays in the tub and splashes water everywhere. And I let him because I know at least one kid who I know would love to have the freedom of movement to do that.
Justin does have fun...we read stories, Jordan and I and I sing to him. He wrestles with his Daddy and loves to look at the computer. Cerebral Palsy is not easy to live with...but it doesn't have to be the end of your life.
I know I haven't given you a lot of facts about CP...I hope my Testimony will help in that department. I really haven't said much about my boys. Mostly this Testimony is about how God changed my life so that I could be the Mommy I am supposed to be. My boys are very important to me. They are the most precious gift that God has ever given me!! And I hate to imagine what kind of person I would be without them!!!
-From Lisa L.