I am Richard Crain, Mission Pastor of Pilgrims' Way Fellowship. This
page is provided so you may become acquainted with myself as the minister
for Pilgrims' Way Fellowship. I will endeavor to relate my background
information, especially relating to spiritual matters.

     As I was growing up in Southwest Missouri, my parents regularly took me
to Sunday School and Church. For this manner of upbringing I am very
thankful. At the age of eleven I experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in
my heart as I became aware that I was personally accountable before God for
my life, my conduct and most of all for my sinful condition. I tried to deny
this within myself and hide from my true condition. Due to the continued
mercy of God and the sincere concern of his people I could not escape from
this reality and I began to seek and pray for the salvation of my soul. I
was not instructed to "repeat a prayer" or "believe in my mind", but I was
instructed that I must surrender and follow the Holy Spirit as he drew my
heart and that it was essential that I repent of my sins and trust the Lord
with out reservation. The burden and hurt of my conviction of sin would be
taken away and I would know for myself that I am saved. As I struggled in my
heart to call upon God to save my wretched soul, I found myself eventually
to be at an empty end. At that very moment I felt the Holy Spirit move
within my heart drawing me toward the Lord's will. As I simply and totally
surrendered in faith I experienced the darkening sorrowful feelings go away
and the sensations of joy, happiness and inner peace make an entrance within
me. I have found it difficult to express with satisfaction what I underwent
at that particular moment, but I know this unique occurrence had never
happened before and I have not experienced a weighted heart of dread, sorrow
and anxiety since. By this personal experience I am confident of my soul's
salvation and have an assurance for an eternity with the Lord.

    Later on, as a teenager, I received a very clear and plain "call" to
preach. This was experienced as I was praying. As I felt myself to young and
insufficient to the task I attempted to let this matter slide by. I found
that I could not escape from the Holy Spirit pressing this matter deep
within me. I ultimately yielded to the fact that it was God's will that I
engage in preaching His word and acknowledged this fact. After preaching for
a few years, I was ordained to the full work of the ministry in 1973. I
pastored Churches in Southwest Missouri from 1976 until 1993 when we moved
to Colorado. At present I am involved with Pilgrims' Way Fellowship in an
effort to establish a Missionary Baptist Church in Parker Colorado.

Richard Crain