Baptist Testimonies

I collected these Baptist testimonies and conversion experiences from various forums and church websites.  Links to sources are provided with each testimony.

"On a Wednesday night my dad was preaching at our church. He preached about the rich man going to hell. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit dealing with me once again. I felt so guilty and ashamed for rejecting Christ for so long. After the message Bro. Byron Shive came to me and encouraged me to pray. I went to the front of the church and began to pray. I repented of my sins and asked God to please forgive me. I remember getting to a point where I wanted to be saved more than anything else in the world. It was at that point that I felt peace flood over my body. I asked God if that was it. The peaceful feeling seemed to intensify. I knew I was saved and began to rejoice. This personal experience with God is what will take me to Heaven."

-Josh Elliott's Salvation Experience

"As soon as I knew God had to be first in my life, all the pain and shame I felt was gone. I felt such a peace. It was a new feeling to me. Brother Don Watts asked me if I was saved. I said 'I think I’m saved.' He said you have to know if you are saved. I began to pray again. I was scared I was wrong. I didn't want to take any chances. When I prayed this time, I didn't feel the same as before. I heard a very sweet voice as I saw a bright golden light say to me 'I have saved you.' I had no more doubt that I was saved that evening on November 20, 2002. I joined Southside Missionary Baptist Church the following week. God is an awesome God!"

-Karleen O’Flynn's Salvation Experience

"The Lord saved me when I was a 16 year old boy at home in bed. It was on a Tuesday night about 9:15 PM. I had been under conviction for almost two weeks. But that night the peace of the Lord came into my heart and that trouble and sorrow was gone. I had never known such peace and joy before Jesus saved me. The next morning was the prettiest morning I had ever seen. And it was all because of what Jesus had done for me.
Praise His Holy Name."

-Joe Whitley's Testimony, p. 20

"I was sixteen and Dillon was preaching about being saved or go down and all I thought about was that I wanted to be the one to go to heaven, and I prayed. I told God I would give up everything if I had to. And when I did, something inside me told me I was saved. I felt that everything bad disappeared. Peace was all I felt. It was all I wanted to feel. I felt a transition. The Lord had touched me, and I’m happy and free!"

-Maranda Herlein's Salvation Experience

"I realized I was lost when I was 16. I was under great conviction but put off going to the altar. Brother James Abbott was preaching on Friday night and I felt as though he was preaching only to me. God's amazing grace got hold of me and led me to the altar that night. I asked the Lord, 'Please, please, save me. I don't want to go to hell.' It seemed like I could see a light from heaven that filled me with sweet peace and my burden was lifted. I know God saved me and I'm glad I opened the door to let Him in."

-Shirley White Carroll's Testimony

"I was saved many years ago in a small church down on my knees. I prayed the sinner's prayer and asked Jesus to come into my heart and soul. He saved me. I know because a warm, peaceful feeling came over me and I was very happy in the Spirit of the Lord."

-Paulette Lambuth's Testimony

"On Tuesday, June 27, 2006, I was driving, on my way to work, and tuned on the radio. I tuned in on a station and they were playing one of my favorite gospel songs. I knew in my heart that I wasn’t saved and that if I died I was going to Hell. I started praying. Later on that day while I was at work, I still had that bad feeling. I started to pray again and just as soon as I started praying, I had a great feeling come over me. I had peace in my heart, a feeling I’ll never forget. I knew then without a doubt that I was saved and that when I die, I’m going to Heaven."

-Genetta Hill Rushing's Testimony

"After several years of living with the knowledge that I was lost and bound for eternal damnation, I attended several churches where people prayed for me. I never went to the mourners' bench until February 14, 1967 at Enon Missionary Baptist Church in Macon County Tennessee. My heart was so heavy and I was troubled. After pleading my case to the Lord, repenting of my past sins, the Lord gloriously saved my soul. That was the most outstanding day of my life even to this day. I know that the peace He placed in my heart that day will land me on that bright shore of Heaven. Glory to God in the highest."

-Tom Howard's Testimony, p. 24

"I finally did what so many people had been praying for. I cried out to God and said, 'God, I don't know if you are real, but if you are, I give my life to you. Please take my life, I give it to you.' In that moment, peace swept over my soul like I had never experienced. I experienced true joy and love and fell asleep in the spiritual arms of my Heavenly Father. The next day was a Friday. I had not realized that I had 'gotten saved', I just knew that I had prayed to God and that something was now different."

-My Salvation Testimony, by Nicole Muñoz

   "At the fall revival at Mazies Chapel during the third week in August, conviction fell upon me.  I was 12 years-old and it was on a Monday night.  This memory is so strong to me …. I was sitting in the middle of the church on the left hand side of the aisle.  The preacher had just completed his sermon on the Fire of Hell and was giving an altar call.  My heart broke, and I felt great fear that I had never experienced before...  I ran to the right side of the altar and began to pray with all my strength and poured out my heart to the Lord.  When I came to myself, I felt the sweetest peace in my soul.  The pain in my heart and weight in my chest were GONE.  I thought to myself: 'What happened - Had I fallen asleep'.  Before I could even rise up off the altar, the old devil said 'Boy, nothing happened to you'.  I left Church that night without telling anyone what had happened.
    For the next six years... I would try to pray and ask the Lord to save me...  I did not have a broken heart but I had allowed the devil to confuse me.
    At the age of 18, on another Monday night, I was determined to find an answer.  I was either saved; Or, I was lost and needed to be saved.  As I prayed at the same spot where the Lord had saved me six years before, I asked Him if I was saved as that 12 year-old boy.  The Lord by His great mercy and grace showed me what He had done.   I so vividly recalled that night as a 12 year-old boy.  The peace was so strong … I was not resaved or anything like that.  I was enjoying my salvation and was so happy.  I immediately rose to my feet and started to tell everyone what the Lord had done for me.  Praise the Lord!!!"

-Tony Johnson's Testimony

"The truth is that Jesus took me that day just as I was. My heart was heavy and I knew I was Hell bound if I did not listen to Jesus in my heart. Then for a moment it was just me and Jesus and that's all that mattered to me. No one else existed to me. I gave into Jesus with my whole heart. Full of faith and belief. My heart was all of a sudden light now and I didn't wrestle anymore with tugging in my heart. I knew I was saved and Jesus would take care of me while here on earth. Jesus saved me from this world of sin and hell. I placed my trust in Him on the back pew of the church. I then went up to the speaker and told him I had been saved."

-Jennifer Andrews' Testimony

"I screamed out loud, 'Oh, God'. In my heart, I was feeling 'Change me; do something for me if You are real; I can’t take this any longer.' It was complete surrender. I needed Him. He had to do something because I couldn’t do anything. Change and help had to come from outside of myself.
 At that moment, something happened. A supernatural event took place that is hard to articulate fully. I could feel a Presence beginning to start moving. The Holy Spirit was moving down and then back up on and in my body. I was completely cleansed and I knew it beyond any shadow of a doubt. Nothing could be added to what He did in my life. I felt like a newborn baby I was so clean.
 Peace and joy came over my soul at that moment, my heart and my mind like I had never experienced. I would laugh for about 20 minutes as I drove. Then I would cry for 20 minutes. But it was tears of joy and gratitude and praise. I was different. I was saved and I knew I would never be the same. I was truly ‘a new creation in Christ Jesus’. Old things had passed away and all things had become new."

-Testimony from tompopelkaministries.com
[unfortunately, this website is no longer functioning]

"As I prayed, a still, small voice impressed me to stand up and say that I was saved.
...This time when the Lord impressed me to stand up and say I was saved, something just came over me and the next moment I was on my feet and proclaimed, 'I’m saved!' and instantaneously I was changed. It felt as if my heart was transformed. I had never felt so wonderful and at peace. The burden was gone and again it was true, 'I knew.' Love overflowed in my heart and the tears were now tears of joy, not of repentance or sorrow. The act of standing up and speaking audible words was not what saved me, it was the faith it took to do it. Truly this was the greatest moment of my life and I have never been the same since that night. I have no doubt that this experience will allow me to live forever with my Lord in Heaven."

-Testimony from a member of Southside Missionary Baptist Church
[unfortunately, this page is no longer functioning]

"I poured out my heart and did not get saved that night. I continued to go to the altar asking the Lord to save me. I did everything; I tried every position, on the altar, under the altar, lying in the floor. I did everything that I had seen other people do in times past when they got saved.
Then one night I gave up doing things my way or someone else’s way. In so many words, I said, 'Lord, I’ve done everything I know to do. If I’m going to besaved, you will have to do it.' After that there was a space in time I'm not sure of. All I know was that there was peace in my heart. The fear and worry of hell was gone.
...The Lord showed me clearly that night that I was saved... Shortly after that, I joined the church and was baptized. We serve a God that lets you know you are lost and lets you know you are saved."

-Elder Barry Armour's Salvation Experience

"My spiritual birthday was on a Sunday in July. I think that I was around eleven years old, but I’m not one hundred percent sure of the age and the date. ...God was in control and that crowded Sunday Revival morning in July, the Lord decided to deal with me. I was burdened so badly and I knew that I was lost. I thought that I could push the pains away. My mom looked at me and asked if I was lost, and those few words were all it took to get me to move. I’m not sure how I made my way to the altar through all the people, but I did... My burden was so heavy and I needed relief. I ended up on the front bench of the Amen’s section of the church during a crowded Sunday Revival meeting. I knelt at the altar and prayed and prayed, begging the Lord to save my lost soul. I felt like I was praying at Jesus’ feet. I kept praying until I felt peace come into my soul, and that heavy burden was gone, and I knew the Lord had saved my soul. I stood up and told the church that He saved me."

-Tracey Choate Armour's Salvation Experience

"I was saved on the altar at Old Union Missionary Baptist Church in Warren County, KY. I usually sat in the choir loft and sang during the song service. Then, when the invitation to sinners was given to come to the altar and seek my salvation, I would walk down out of the choir and go to the altar. That Sunday night I didn’t immediately recognize that I was saved. I doubted my salvation because the devil told me I could NOT have been saved because basically nothing happened. I didn’t see a great light or angels or hear music, or anything. But praise God, finally on Thursday night Jesus broke through and showed me that I was saved! I was in the choir singing as usual when the preacher gave the sinner’s invitation. But that night they were singing, 'When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, I’ll Be There!' And suddenly I knew in my heart that (yes!) I was on my way to Heaven! I didn’t have to come down and go to the altar again, because I had been saved! I started shouting and praising Jesus because I knew I was saved!"

-Larry Galloway's Salvation Experience

"I was eleven years old when I got saved on a Wednesday night. A couple of hours before church we weren’t planning to go, but I felt something was going to happen and dad knew it too, so we went. At that service someone was preaching on salvation and hell. I knew I didn’t want to go there. I remember praying asking God how do I not go there. Right when Mrs. Cindy came and told me, 'If the Lord is telling you to do something, you do it right then,' it hit me that I have to give everything over to the Lord and ask Him to save me. Don’t know if I fell to my knees or if I chose to get on my knees, but I was there, and I heard people praying with me, telling me they can’t give it to me, I have to ask for it. I told God I would give everything to Him if He would save me. I even remember saying I would die if he would save me. Right then I felt peace wash over me. I wasn’t sure if I was saved until they started singing the Days of the Week song. The Lord told me,'You need to stand up on Wednesday.' So I did, and I felt peace and happy. That night I went to sleep and knew if I was to die that night, tomorrow, or the next day,or the next year, I wouldn’t have to worry. I knew where I was going."

-Alyssa Herlein's Salvation Experience

"I was saved in December, 1971, at age 13 years old... I became under conviction during that chapel service and several of us asked our teacher if we could go back to the sanctuary to pray. I went to the choir loft and began to pray for the Lord to save me. It seemed like only a short few minutes and I felt peace and knew the Lord had saved my soul."

-Susan Wright Hick's Salvation Experience

"When I was 47 years old, God came looking for me... Through some solid preaching of his Word, the Holy Spirit of God began to deal with my heart... All of this led me to pray and to tell God I was sick and tired of my way of doing things, and I really wanted to go his way. I told him I was sorry for my whole life of sin and refusal to let him be God. I asked him to forgive me. I believed in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and his resurrection. I knew Jesus was alive and that he was wooing me to follow him. I gave him the keys to the car and said that I would ride in the back from now on. I gave up my self-reliance and submitted myself to Christ.
...It took a couple of days, but I then realized I was different. I knew that something had changed, and it seemed to have changed from the inside-out. My wants and desires were different. I began to want to talk with God and study his Word. I soon was feasting on his Word, keeping a journal, and dealing with real life situations by seeking God and his will and guidance... I have true peace, true joy, love for others, and it’s all because of Jesus. He sought me out, forgave me, and changed my life. Thank you God!"

-Robert L.'s Story

An atheist girl is saved at a Youth Camp:

"For the invitational he asked the pianist to play the hymnal, 'I surrender all'. As I stood there with my head bowed, I could hear the words to each verse in my mind, being that I had heard this song so many times since I was young. The words convicted my soul and tears could not be held back. I had no where to go except to the alter. I knew what I was and I knew who He was. I got down to the alter and my pastor came over to me and was saying some stuff but I wasn't paying any attention to him. It was between me and God. I repented of what I was and said in my heart, 'I surrender all.'
Immediately the weight of sin was gone! Instead of guilt I had peace in my heart like I had never known before! I was innocent as a child! I could communicate directly with God and ask him anything! And he would answer! No one needed to explain to me how God exists because he now existed inside of me!   ...It was great! All these hymns that I had heard so many times before took on new meaning! For the first time I had sat down and read the Bible and understood what it was talking about. Tears came again as I saw what he did for me!"

-from OnlineBaptist.com user JJJ4given

A Baptist preacher realizes he was never saved, and tells of his journey to being saved.  This is part of a much longer story.  If you read his full sermon, you will get a much greater sense of the spiritual process he went through:

"I did not realize that I had missed Christ and had never been saved, and I was therefore always in search of something I knew I did not have.
...I was conscious of the fact that there was something missing in my life, but not one time did I doubt my salvation.
...I found myself crying unto God, 'Oh God, if I'm not saved, save me.'
...Slowly I was beginning to see that I was under judgment and going to Hell...

[Here, he tells of a long, painful struggle, full of pleading with God.  He is ready to give up his ministry.  He struggles for a very long time, studying, praying, trying to come to know God and be sure of his Salvation.  After many weeks, he finally has what he considers his true Salvation Experience.]

...It was Monday morning at the break of day, as I was riding on the train between Tallulah and Delhi, Louisiana, that the burden and guilt of sin weighed heavily upon my soul. I was lost and going to Hell, and I knew it. I walked from one end of the coach to the other end and fell down upon an empty seat, crying from the depths of my soul with all hope gone, 'Lord, I am lost; save me, or I perish!'
...The battle was over; the Holy Spirit had at last brought me to the feet of a sovereign, eternal, merciful, pardoning God and made me to realize that He could save me or damn me. There I rested, knowing only two things – first, that I was a lost sinner condemned to die, a sinner whom God ought to send to Hell, a sinner who did not deserve to be saved, a sinner who, if God chose to send me to Hell, would say, 'Amen,' to his own condemnation, and second, that God could pardon me because Christ died for me. A quietness came over my soul, and a peace settled down upon me. There was no more struggle. My one hope was that Christ died for such a sinner, and I believed it. God's Word could not be broken.

[Later that day]

...The preacher had not been preaching very long when, to my utter surprise and gladness of heart, the Holy Spirit revealed Christ definitely to my heart as my Saviour and Lord.
What a moment when God chose to reveal His Son in me! I sat there in amazement and wonder. I would say to myself, 'Is this salvation?' I had made sure that, if and when God saved me, no doubt I would shout all over God's creation; but there I sat not saying a word. It was so different from what I had expected. It was the quiet revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to my heart and life as my Saviour and Lord. The Holy Spirit had brought me to rest upon Christ and to commit everything into His hands, and now He had revealed Him to my heart as the One who had died for me – my Substitute, my risen Lord."

-"How and When God Saved a Baptist Preacher", by L. R. Shelton, Sr.