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FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:
ELDER C. DWAYNE SHAFER
I was born into a PB family, with roots that trace back through the same lineage of CB Hassell. My father was not a Christian until I was 16, but my mother was faithful to take us to church.
I was baptized when I was 9 years old by Elder Afton Richards, but I cannot say whether or not I was regenerated at that time. I felt ashamed of my sin, but no lasting conviction of sin, and no change in my life internally, or externally. It was not until I was in medical school that I felt a burden of my sin, and found relief in Jesus Christ. I was converted at the age of 22, and I have felt His love every day since then.
I began exercising shortly after my conversion, but because of several moves associated with medical school/internship/residency, I was not ordained for several years, though many had come under conviction of sin and found peace in repentance under my preaching for several years prior to my ordination.
I moved to Stephenville, Texas in June 1989, and was called to pastor the church here in 1994. We have grown substantially in the size of our fellowship, but it was only over the past 2-3 years that I have baptized many. I reckon that I have baptized only about 50 souls in the 11 years since my ordination.
Interestingly, after we moved here my grandmother told me that her grandfather, Elder R.A. Biggs had been a founding member of this church in 1869, and was ordained here a few months later to become her second pastor. My grandmother's parents attended church here and were married in this county, but then moved away to raise their family. A few of my early patients remembered hearing Elder Biggs preach when he was an old man, and they were quite young (10 and 12 years of age).
I have chosen many difficult paths in life, and still struggle against the idea of self-sufficiency. I began working at age 13 and provided many of my own clothes and much of the other money necessary for my raising since that time. I worked my way through college, and chose very competitive courses of study both in college, medical school and residency. Most of my colleagues, and myself included, tend to accept credit for our individual successes because we worked hard, shunned many of the pleasures/comforts that our peers partook of, and we finished well in a contest where only 1 in a 1,000 can win. I struggle daily with this "boot strap" mentality, rather than giving God all the glory for where I have been brought. We are all Arminians by nature. I see manyfolks who believe in Grace for their salvation, but don't see the Grace in every other step of their life.
God has blessed my ministry, both in the pulpit and in the medical field that he has called me into. It is a joyful thing to point people to the Cross of Christ everyday. |
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