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FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:
ELDER D. RONALD LAWRENCE
I was born in Harnett County, Erwin, North Carolina, August 1,1948. My parents, Stokes F.and Alice ClaytonLawrence, brought my brother, Gerald F.Lawrence, and I up in a Godly home and took us to church regularly among the Primitive Baptists. My parents were members of Angier Primitive BaptistChurch in Angier, N.C. in which my father was ordained a deacon in 1946 and continues to serve in that capacity at this present time. My brother and I united with the church in December 1967 after a soul stirring service that left me convicted of my sins but also showed me that I had a Saviour in the Lord Jesus Christ. My baptism, at the age of 19, took place on a very cold February morning with just enough wind to keep the lake from icing over. My fiancée, Karen Howerton, also united with the church on the day of my baptism and was baptized at our next meeting. Karen and I were married on June 23, 1968 and have been blessed with nearly 32 years of marriage. She has been an immeasurable blessing to me in my life as a minister's wife and also the mother of our four children. I have been blessed to baptize all four, threeboys and one girl, David, Timothy, Mark and Sarah. After graduating from North Carolina State University, I beganworking for The National Center for Health Statistics in the Research Triangle Park near Raleigh, North Carolina. Shortly after beginning, what I thought would be a life long career with the government; I began to feel a heavy burden to preach the gospel. I made my first effort at AngierChurch in March 1972, at the age of 23. I felt a great relief, but soon realized that the burden to speak in the Lord's name would not go away. After several more efforts, I was liberated by Angier Church in Decemberof 1972 and ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry on July 6,1973. I began at that time to pastor Gift Church in Coats, N.C. and served them until July 1979. I also served Newport River Church in Newport, North Carolina for one year from 1978 until 1979. My desire to establish a secular career began to greatly diminish and a burden to study the scriptures, preach the gospel, and serve the Lord's people increased greatly. In February 1979 Little Union Church in Lithia, Florida issued to me a pastoral call that left me in much prayer for a time of five months. After having sought the Lord's will, in this matter, I finally felt a peace ofmind that I should accept the call. My family and I moved to Lithia, Florida in October 1979 and I am currently in my 21st year of service to the church. The Lord has blessed us greatly at Little Union, having increased the membership from 36 in 1979 to a current total of 125. We also have been blessed to build a new sanctuary and remodel the old sanctuary into a very spacious and comfortable Fellowship Hall. It has been a great joy to serve the Lord's people for nearly 27 years. I have been blessed to preach to the Lord's children in 23 states and 236 churches during my ministry. |
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