Timothy McKnight, Captain of the Watch
As a young boy, I attended church because my mom made me. By the world’s standards, I was not a terribly bad boy; however, mischief seemed to be my constant companion. I am the sixth child of a mom that, at the age of 45, discovered she was still of child-bearing age. By the time I was 7 years old, my parents had divorced, and my dad became a memory. He had chosen alcohol and the feelings it gave him, over his family. Consequently, I was raised as the favored child of an elderly, permissive mom and as an intrusion by her new husband for the remaining time I had at home.
The morning I accepted Christ, at the age of 12, I felt God speaking to me directly. For the first time, I heard that the payment for my sin was something I did not want to pay. I realized that I was a sinner, headed for hell, and I needed a Savior. I was crushed by the weight of my debt, the broad chasm between myself and my Creator, and my ridiculous, ineffectual efforts to cross that gulf. I went forward during the invitation and asked God to forgive my sins. I wanted Him to penetrate my selfishness and reign in my life as Lord. A new convert needs discipling in God’s truth or life-change is difficult.
In December of my freshmen year of high school, my dad died of complications of alcoholism. This is the moment I allowed the seed of resentment towards God to take root. To prove myself, to escape my present circumstances, and against my mother’s wishes, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. Relentlessly, I followed my pride into a life where God had no place. The consequences of these decisions changed me. While in the service, far from home, my mother succumbed to ovarian cancer. I allowed this second loss to fertilize the bitterness that was growing in my heart. I know now that I was searching for fulfillment and contentment in all the wrong places.
At the age of 36, God sent me a beautiful bride whom He has used to bring me back into sweet fellowship with Him. We found our church family, Bible Baptist Church, in 2009. It was through this ministry that my wife and I were both confronted with our sinfulness. The consistent and faithful teaching of God’s word through His servants in this ministry has forever changed me. Over the past 10 years, through regular and genuine repentance, God has dismantled the kingdom of self and its battlements that I had erected around my heart. He has miraculously healed me of the bitterness, pain, and resentment that used to guide my decisions. Now, by God’s beautiful and abundant grace, I am free to serve Him. Because He has so freely given me this joy and freedom, I want to spend my remaining days on earth living out a “thank you” life for Him. Mostly, I want other people to be released from the entangling bondage of sin. I want other people to see the joy and contentment that comes from a true relationship with our Creator.
"God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God."
— Harry Ironside
Nikki McKnight, First Lieutenant of the Watch
My formative years were overshadowed by physical abuse at the hands of my father who was entrapped by substance abuse. I escaped my childhood home at the age of 17 in the middle of the night, through an open window. During the day, I played the average high school student, and at night, I slept in my car in the school parking lot hoping no one would find me. After graduation, I left for college a bitter, angry, and rebellious young woman. This is how Abba Father drew me to Himself:
I was saved at the age of 28, as a young wife and mother of a two-year-old. I grew up in a home that practiced “churchiousity”, the religion of going to and talking about church and church programs. I believed that God was the Great Overseer in the Clouds; He had a scale, a tally board, and He was keeping count. I made sure to pay my tithe to the exact percent, go to church every Sunday, never say a curse word, read my bible as often as I could stay awake through a chapter, and on and on the list went. One afternoon, I was preparing for ladies' bible study, because "good people" do that sort of thing. In the introduction, the author described the peace, joy, and freedom that comes from a relationship with Jesus. Peace and freedom would never have been words I used to describe my "Christian" life. At that moment, the Holy Spirit illuminated for me that I have been working so hard to earn God's love, a love that He wanted to give me freely. I prayed for forgiveness and immediately the weight of sin was lifted. I can now sing with the saints, "burdens are lifted at Calvary!" Now, I know, through my personal experience, His peace and freedom!
I am a nurse by trade. I have been in the field of dialysis since January 2008. I graduated from East Carolina University in 2005 with my BSN. Three days a week, my mom would help me home school my children so I could continue to work. In 2018, she was murdered. Lying among the wreckage of this tragedy was my ability to work. Now, I am a stay-at-home mom. Learning that job and figuring out how to walk through this world, without my mommy, has taught me much about my all-sufficient Creator. One year after her murder, God had healed my heart enough to empower me to visit her murderer in jail. I was able to tell him that I forgive him and share the gospel with him. At this point, he does not demonstrate any remorse. He agreed to participate in a Bible study with me if I bring him snacks, so I visit him each week. Please join me in praying for his salvation. God is using this experience to draw me even closer to Himself as I learn to lean on Him for strength to accomplish His will despite my own feelings.
I have had nine opportunities to go on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic. God has used those experiences to change my heart. I now understand how the prophet felt when he penned Lamentations 3:51a, "mine eye affecteth mine heart." During our trip in 2017, due to an unexpected free day, I hitched a ride with a local missionary to help her for the day. She drove me to a small classroom in a white-washed school for underprivileged, special needs, and deaf kids in a town called Quisqueya. This spot is my Mount Sinai. I did not see a burning bush; however, God did use my experience with these children to show me that He has prepared me to reach people like them. God showed me that there is something I can do to reach this essentially unreached people group.
"I believe that in each generation God has called enough men and women to evangelize all the yet unreached tribes of the earth. It is not God who does not call. It is man who will not respond!"
— Isobel Kuhn, missionary to China
I cannot continue to stay in my comfortable house, building my life, while souls are perishing without a gospel witness. In 2017, we sold our house and are currently living in a 5th-wheel camper to ensure we are debt-free in preparation for the mission field. In 2019, I completed my Bible education with a master’s in ministry. After all He has done and is doing for me, I want to live out a “thank-you” life for Him. God has been so gracious and patient with me as I strive to reflect Him through this broken vessel of clay.
Lorelai McKnight, Chief Warrant Officer
I am 15 years old and going into 9th grade. I was saved on my front porch when my Yaya shared the gospel with me and told me how to accept Christ as my Savior. I am not perfect, but now I know I am set apart for God’s special purpose. I am His child and will go to heaven someday.
I enjoy reading, crocheting, painting, and playing in the dirt and pond with my brother. I am excited and nervous to move to the Dominican Republic. I know God has a special job for me to do.
Sam McKnight, Warrant Officer
I am the youngest member of The Watch, born in 2013. I trusted Jesus with my soul on Father’s day of 2019. We were driving in our van, and Lorelai told me that all people are born sinners. I knew that I have lied and disobeyed. She said that my sin would keep me out of heaven but Jesus paid my penalty. Lorelai told me that if I believe what the Bible says and accept Jesus as my Savior, then I won’t have to pay the price for my sins. I prayed to God, agreeing with His Word. Now, I am a child of God!
My favorite toy is anything Lego. I LOVE to build things, and I LOVE to break things apart. I enjoy a barely warm cup of coffee with Mom as long as she adds lots of sugar. My responsibility is to make sure my family is always laughing. I am excited to see my friends in the Dominican Republic that I haven’t met yet. I am glad to be a part of the Morning Star Watch; I like looking for Jesus to come back and helping others to know Him too. I wonder what the Dominican Republic will be like? And, yes, that is a dead bat hanging around my neck.
This is our sending church; we joined with this body in 2009. It was through this ministry that Nikki and I were both confronted with our sinfulness. The consistent and faithful teaching of God’s word through His servants in this ministry has forever changed our family. My wife met Christ through the outreach of this church body. God called us to full-time service for His kingdom advancement while sitting in these pews. This is our base camp.
Bible Baptist Church, Base Camp
Eric and Juana Quinlan
This is Pastor Eric and his wife, Juana. They are Independent Baptist Missionaries to the Deaf with Harvest Deaf Ministries. The Lord has called them to the Dominican Republic to bring the Gospel to the deaf in a way that they can understand. In 2008, he planted a church, Iglesia de Convertidos a Cristo a los Sordos, the first Independent Baptist Church for the deaf in the Dominican Republic. It is from this work that he has reached out to the deaf in the country through varying outreach programs, including evangelistic meetings, outreach to the schools for the deaf, Vacation Bible School, Summer Youth Camp, and many more.
Pastor Eric’s vision is to start equipping the local hearing churches to reach their deaf neighbors. To this end, he has prepared a curriculum to aid in this process. They have been praying for God to send someone to help them to expand this ministry. We believe that God is sending us to partner with the Quinlans to fill this need.