Baptism by and of the Workers

A few years after I professed, I asked the workers if I was old enough to be baptized. Around Boring, OR convention time, I was baptized in a creek near Boring, OR by Stanley Sullivan, a 2x2 worker. I had been baptized into the workers message. After that, I was then allowed to participate in the bread and grape juice when it was passed around in Sunday morning meetings. That step was exciting as a kid.

When I was baptized, they said "In the name of the father, son and the Holy Ghost" and then I was dipped in the water. But what really happened was that I was baptized into the workers way. Why do I say this? Clearly I was never brought into fellowship with Christians, but only with members of the 2x2 religion. The workers just used Jesus name. They don't believe in Jesus Christ and reject his law written on their hearts as described in Heb 8 with the will and testament of Jesus Christ.

As a child, I learned that the steps are: go to meetings, profess, get baptized by workers and then try to endure to the end.

When I was a worker, everyone who professed needed to be baptized. Even Christians who knew the gospel, had already publicly stated their belief in Jesus Christ and had already been baptized, were expected to profess and then be baptized by workers. It was clear to me as a worker that the overseers believed that Christians were not 2x2s.

As a Worker in 1990

In 1990, while a companion to Randy Russell in Albany/Corvallis Oregon, Will and Phyllis Smith came to meetings through a Maynard and Peggy Beattie. The two were Christians and had been divorced and remarried. They were trying to find a church that would accept them because they had divorced and remarried. Randy Russell talked with Howard Mooney (the Oregon overseer at that time) and got permission from him to allow this remarried couple to profess. The condition for them to join our group was that they had to profess and be baptized by us. Randy and I had a "visit" with Will and Phyllis. Randy told them the conditions for joining our "church". They agreed to the conditions. Randy preached about Abraham sent out a servant to get a bride for Isaac (common worker sermon likening the workers to the servant Abraham sent out). Then he tested the meeting. They stood to their feet to profess their agreement with the workers. Later they were baptized by the workers. This sent out a loud, clear message. No matter what people tell you, 2x2s do not believe other Christians are saved and need to initiate them into the cult through "professing" through a worker and baptizing them by a worker.

After I was treated horribly and left the cult, I learned the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Then I was baptized by water into the true gospel in about 2004-2005.

On about Nov 2nd, 2011 I was baptized with the Holy Ghost by Jesus Christ. This was something that I had never experienced before. I was filled with the Holy Ghost and many changes occurred in my life at a much faster rate. I began researching in the Bible to learn what this baptism was about.

Joh 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.