Pr 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Profound statements:

"You can be baptized so many times that you know the tadpoles by name, but that won't get you to heaven."

"If I had a dog that dumb I would shoot it!!"

"I was born at night, but it wasn't last night"

"The Bible is a lifestyle book, it is supposed to affect your lifestyle"

Introducing Pastor Heatherly

Background:

Richard H. Heatherly was born March 16, 1936, in Robertson Country, Tennessee, to farming parents.  He received his early education in the county school system.  After serving in the United States Air Force and being honorably discharged in March of 1956, he was brought to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of twenty-one.  He surrendered to the call to preach in May of 1957, and was ordained by the Temple Baptist church of Manchester, TN. in September of 1960.  He has now and always been an Independent Fundamental Baptist in conviction, doctrine, and in practice.

Experience:

Brother Heatherly started and organized three churches during his ministry, and had the experience of pastoring Dr. John R. and Dr. Bill Rice in the early sixties.  He has pastored churches in West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Kentucky.  However, after having studied the doctrine of the New Testament church for years, he came to understand that the Lord only built one church, and it was a local tangible church.  Furthermore, he came to understand that the one and only New Testament church has become known today as a Baptist church in doctrine and practice, holding the ordinance of closed communion and no alien baptism.  Having come to this understanding, believing that the great commission is a church commission, and not an individual one, and that churches can only be started by a New Testament church and not by individuals.  He then understood that churches started without church authority and oversight, do not have New Testament authority to baptize and ordain.  Having come to this position known as Landmark Church position, he sought to correct his errors by requesting baptism, membership, and ordination from Brentwood Baptist Church of Roanoke Virginia where his long time friend Dr. Ken Johnson was the pastor.  He has done extensive evangelistic preaching, having conducted revival meetings in most of the central United States.

Education:   

For the most part of his early ministry brother Heatherly had little education.  He had neither the means, nor the encouragement to attend higher education, and therefore entered the military.  However, after having pastored for several years he realized his need for more education, and received his high school diploma from the state of North Carolina.  He then did extensive correspondence study at Faith Theological Seminary in Milton, Florida, earned a master’s degree in Religious Education, and was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the same institution in 1982.  He also holds a certificate in Effective Speaking and Human Relations from the Dale Carnegie Institute and an honorary doctorate of ministry from Western Kentucky Divinity School, a ministry of Little Obion Baptist Church of Wingo, Kentucky.