Our story, Roger & Linda Proffer:
In the fall of 1973, I went to the hospital because of a lung collapse. In a follow up appointment, I was informed that I had lung cancer and was given about 6 months to live. I was an aircraft radar technician in the Air Force, and I had damaged my lungs from working on open radar systems. Months later, Sunday February 3, 1974, I heard the message of salvation for the first time in my life. Dr. James Lougheed, pastor of the Flint Baptist Temple and Mack Taunton a singer and songwriter spent over two hours with me that night after the service telling me about Jesus and a new way of living. I finely prayed with them and at the age of 32 I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord, Healer, and Friend, changing my life forever. I never consulted the Doctors again over this issue, healed by the Blood of the Lamb. Linda and I had our first date at the Flint Baptist Temple and later we were married there.
I had several individuals asking me to go to Bible College, as I had already started teaching in the church, but I always had an excuse not to. I was visiting with my mother in the hospital one Saturday afternoon and heard the Doctor tell her that her condition was extremely serious and on Monday they would operate. Standing in the room looking out the window I surrendered and said I will go to college, only heal my mother. On Sunday they sent her home healed, and on Tuesday I found myself at the Flint Bible Institute. The Dean, Dr. Odell asked me what qualified me to enroll, and I told him of the deal that I had made with the Lord and what had happened, and he said I was qualified. I told him that I only wanted to learn the bible, I was not there for any degrees, and I would never become a preacher, so he mapped a course for me. The path included Christology, New Testament Survey, Old Testament Survey, Minor Prophets, The Book of John, and Manners and Customs of Bible Lands. Christology was extremely hard as I had not been in school in years, and because of the terminology, Linda and I had to look up every word in the dictionary.
In 1977, we sold our electronic business, and home, to start on a new adventure, to become missionaries in Mexico. The Flint Baptist Temple licensed us to the ministry, and we went to South Texas to learn of missionary work. We worked with the Bread of Life Baptist Missions, for a season and then with the Reapers International Baptist Group, Linda and I served on the Board of Directors and became the base of operation for the group as we had a home in Harlingen, Texas. In 1981 Dr. Don Lougheed, Senior Pastor, of the Flint Baptist Temple called us home to be Ordained into the Ministry.
A Missionary, Cliff Maxfield, to Michoacán Mexico came looking for me to help him fix his bus, he did not belong in our “camp;” he was from the Holy Spirit group. One day, Cliff invited me to a revival meeting at Lakewood Church in Houston, which changed our life and direction again. Dr. T.L. Osborn was speaking that night and because I had already read his book on “Healing the Sick” I listened intently. He prayed for me that night for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but nothing changed. The next morning while driving to a church in East Texas to preach for a friend and supporter, the Holy Spirit visited me, I pulled over, stopped the van, and spent some time with Him, how long I do not know. After that we visited Lakewood Church several times and Pastor John Osteen who supported us ask if we would consider going to Israel. I was not spiritually ready for this opportunity.
While visiting the Word of Life Church, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Pastor Sam Carr, called us out with a Word from the Lord that we were to start in a new direction, which was confirmed by the Word. From there we moved to Fort Worth Texas, I worked in the electronic field again, attending Calvary Cathedral in Fort Worth, Pastor Bob Nichols, and enrolled in his Bible school, to learn how to walk with the Holy Spirit.
Later we then moved to Sherman, Texas and became involved in a resort ministry started by Dr. Gordon Lilly, MD., and Dr. Clinton Burns. They ask us if we would join with them in their ministry. After a week of prayer, I ask for Dr. Burns to lay-hands on me to receive the Baptism of Fire spoken of in Matthew 3:11. At this point in our life the only thing we wanted was what the Lord had in store for us. We did not know what we were asking for, when he prayed the whole room exploded, and our path changed again.
In 1984, Linda’s dad visited us from Florida and invited us to return the visit, this started a new adventure. After moving several times, working in churches, Tarpon Springs, Odesa, Thonotosassa, Brandon, Homosassa, and finally in 1987 Crystal River. At this time, we were holding tent meetings an stated a retail store “Military Outlet, Inc.”
We joined with New Life Church, Dr Jimmy Dupree, where in 1993, and started doing mission trips to Honduras. Collaborating with a missionary, Frank Monterroso, we installed water wells and systems in several villages. While there we met a young lady named Jaida Tablada, who worked the counter at the Grand Hotel Paris, Honduras. She wanted to start a Christian Book store, we financed it for her and today she and her husband are pastoring a church, El Shaddai Ministerio Evangelistico, in La Ceiba, Honduras.
We pastored Grace Community Church, Hernando Florida from 1995-2000. The church was turned over to a friend who was using our tent for his church meetings. He is still pastoring it today with a new name, House of Power.
In 2002, I was invited to the Kings Bay Rotary Club, became the President in 2005. I involved them, in financing many water projects in Honduras and a firetruck to Mexico. I became District Governor “District 6950” for the year of 2013-14. Our club started a new project, “firetrucks to Guatemala” after Linda and I made a trip there and saw the need.
We had an old friend from San Benito, Texas, Benjamin Ojeda, who we worked with in tent meetings during our time there as missionaries, who started a Bible School, Entrenamiento De Fe, in San Fernando, Mexico. He was having problems with the government and needed a friend and prayer. I went to San Fernando, Mexico, met with the local Rotary Club, they introduced Benjamin and myself to the state governor, problem solved. We did not have extra income at the time, but we gave what we had, our truck, to help get it started. The Bible school today is in the excellent care of Pastor Angel & Candy Garza.
I was asked to teach in the Revelation School of Ministry the “Tabernacle of Life”, for the school year of 2019-20, they awarded both Linda and I the degree of Master of Divinity. I then spent the next year with them and received the degree Doctor of Theology.
I cannot speak of all the many miracles and wonders that the Lord has done for us, our life just keeps getting healthier as we grow closer to the Jesus. Entering a new season, more to come.