HOW IN THE WORLD DID I GET HERE?

By David Schnittger

EDITOR’S NOTE: September 1, 2015 was the launch date of Southwest Prophecy Ministries. In celebration of our first anniversary, I am publishing on the Front Line, yesterday, and today, articles that are autobiographical in nature.

Have you ever taken an unexpected turn while you were traveling and found yourself completely lost, in a neighborhood that was totally foreign to you? I know I have, and while it was temporarily frustrating and disorienting, I always managed to extricate myself and get on familiar territory once again.

It is much more frustrating when you find yourself at a place in your work or family life that is totally different from where you thought you would be in life. For some you would have never envisioned yourself doing what you are doing, or living where you are living. In moments of reflection you may ask yourself, “How in the world did I get here?” That has certainly been my experience.

Let me share my story briefly so you will gain some idea how I, a career pastor, am now leading a “mom and pop” radio and internet ministry. At the outset let me say, “This was not my plan.” I became a Christian at age 14, saved from a fairly nominal churchgoing family. In other words, my parents did not raise me to be a pastor. However, within a month of my conversion, I sensed God calling me into the ministry. In the Baptist church I was attending, they referred to it as a “call to preach.” As a new Christian, I assumed that “call” meant that I was supposed to be a pastor all of my adult life. So, I set about getting trained to do just that. I envisioned that I would pastor the same church all of my life, or at least until I lost my voice or mind, whichever came first.

After I graduated from high school and got a couple years of liberal arts training in college, I attended Moody Bible Institute, where I majored in Pastoral Training. Of course that’s what I did because, after all, I was “called to preach.” When I graduated, apparently there were not many churches that heard my “call to preach” so I ended up doing radio work at Southwest Radio Church and missionary service with Child Evangelism Fellowship for the next several years.

After I got married and had a couple children, I decided I needed more training in order to convince churches that I was, indeed, “called to preach.” So I packed up the family and moved half way across the country to attend seminary. By God’s grace, I earned a Master of Divinity degree. At that point, I became “hirable” as a pastor. I continued earning additional degrees while I was pastoring, and ended up with a Th.M. degree and a D.Min degree, all with a view toward fulfilling my “call to preach.” I ended up pastoring for about 25 years. Then, something unexpected happened that led to my present “calling” and hence my question, “how in the world did I get here?”

In February 2008, I was minding my own business, driving home from teaching a seminary class, when I happened to tune in to a radio program called “Coast to Coast with George Noory.” I do not usually listen to the radio, but it was late and I was tired. Mr. Noory had a guest on named Alex Jones. Mr. Jones was talking about how he snuck into a big camp out in California called The Bohemian Grove. He said that every summer for about two weeks male world leaders would congregate in the woods to discuss politics and worship a 40 foot owl god named Molech. Now, he had my attention! Mr. Jones went on to say that every president since Teddy Roosevelt had visited the Bohemian Grove, and that male prostitutes are flown in to “service” these world leaders. Jones said he made a film about what he saw that I could watch on the internet. It was called, “Dark Secrets: Inside the Bohemian Grove.” I watched the video and was especially intrigued by the footage of the “Cremation of Care” ceremony where hooded priests conducted a mock human sacrifice before hundreds of men dressed in black hoods.

After viewing this video, I started listening to Alex Jones’ radio program and reading articles on his website, Infowars.com. I learned about how globalists controlled both parties and were trying to bring down America in order to bring in one world government. Because of what I was learning about the globalist’s plans I started preparing for the hard times coming on America, by purchasing “guns, gold and grub.”

One day on Alex’s program I heard a film maker, Jason Bermas, talk about a film he had made called, “Loose Change: Final Cut.” It was a documentary on 911. I ordered the DVD and watched it. It presented evidence that 911 was an “inside job”, perpetrated by our federal government as a pretense for Mideast invasion and to take away our domestic liberties. As a loyal Republican and Bush supporter I felt so betrayed at the murder of 3,000 innocent human beings that I literally cried out in rage. I realized that I could never view our federal government in the same trusting way ever again.

Sometime later, I shared with the youth pastor at the church where I served as the associate pastor what I had learned about 911 from this film. He debated my views, then “ratted” me out to the elder board. Subsequently, I was fired for what the elder’s labeled ”job performance issues.” I found out later, when the elders blackballed my job prospects at other area churches that the real reason I was fired was “for my views on 911.”

Since I was now unable to find pastoral work in established churches, I started a church in my home with others who were aware of the conspiracy to bring in a New World Order. We enjoyed rich fellowship as we discussed what was really going on in America, and how to prepare for what is to come. I was also doing substitute teaching in public schools to make ends meet.

In March, 2013, about six months into our ministry at Liberty Bible Fellowship, my wife and I visited Oklahoma City for her father’s funeral. On the last day of our visit, I decided to make a courtesy call to my former boss at Southwest Radio Church, Noah Hutchings, who was 90 years old at the time. Noah unexpectedly invited me to attend staff devotions that morning, which I happily accepted. Afterwards, Noah asked me to tape a radio broadcast with him. Again, I was happy to please my old friend. Then Noah asked me to write the next issue of The Prophetic Observer. He asked me to write an article on gun control. I wrote an article entitled, “The Line in the Sand,” which ended up selling 50,000 copies. After Noah read my article, I received a surprise phone call from Noah. He invited me to come back to work for Southwest Radio Church with a view to being trained in as his successor. He said, “There is no one I would rather have succeed me than you.” In the ensuing weeks, as Noah and I continued to interact about this, I prayed about it and consulted with family and trusted advisors. I eventually concluded that this was God’s will, so I consented. In May, 2013 I returned to Oklahoma City and resumed ministry at Southwest Radio Church. I was wonderfully fulfilled writing books and articles for the ministry, speaking at Prophecy Conferences as well as doing a multitude of broadcasts.

It soon became apparent that there were others in leadership that resented Noah’s choice as his successor. As Noah declined in health and mental capacity, this opposition became more and more apparent, culminating in a coup d’ e´tat in March 2015 that took out Noah, his entire immediate family and me. On the day of my ouster, I received a phone call from the leaders of two Christian media organizations encouraging me to start a new ministry. One of the calls was from Doc Marquis. The other was from Bob Ulrich, Chief Operating Officer of Prophecy Watchers. Much prayer and deliberation brought together the initial collaborative team of Doc Marquis and Carol Rushton, Noah’s oldest daughter, to launch Southwest Prophecy Ministries on September 1, 2015. The purpose of the new ministry was to continue the dual emphasis on Bible Prophecy and Liberty that Noah Hutchings championed during his 64 years at Southwest Radio Church. Because of financial limitations, Doc and Carol have followed other pursuits in the year since our launch but we continue to collaborate and fellowship as friends and co-laborers in the Gospel.

As Southwest Prophecy Ministry begins its second year of ministry, I look back and see the Lord’s hand of protection, direction and provision every step of the way. I sometimes wonder, “How in the world did I get here?” When I do I remember a couple of my favorite Bible verses: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). While that is undoubtedly true, I am encouraged by the following verse: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delighteth in his way” (Psalm 37:23). How in the world did I get here? I believe it was the Lord Himself directing my steps and I am trusting He will continue to do that in my life . . . and YOURS!