Pastor Michael R. Hamilton

I was born and grew up in Vero Beach, Florida. While attending a little Baptist Sunday School in the summer of 1962, I came to know the Lord as my personal Savior. I have warm memories of Sunday School, and I still have that old Sunday School Bible presented to me in 1962.

Unfortunately, I eventually stopped attending that little church (Can we ever remember why we stop going to church?). Somehow I never went to another. I graduated high school in 1971 with few goals other than to finish school and go to work! Concerning spiritual matters, from a practical point of view, I was no different than an unbeliever. I became an alcoholic. I sank into other immorality. I was like an airplane in a tailspin, plummeting toward certain destruction. My life was the personification of disobedience toward God. It is hard to describe the emptiness and loneliness that was within me. Even though I sought them diligently through the things of this world, I had neither joy nor peace. I was living a life totally independent of God. What a perfect formula for ruin! It seemed as if there was little hope for this converted Sunday School boy.

In my early 20's, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy for a change in my life. The truth is, life only got worse. I often thought, "Surely life can't get any worse than this!" While stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, I married my wife Maureen. I soon discovered her life was just as hopeless as mine. Marriage didn't seem to help either of our problems; we were both still miserable. While living in Maryland, we finally realized what was missing in our lives! We found a good, Bible-believing church, and very quickly things began to change in our lives. We helped in any ministry we could, and our young children were right by our sides and helped in everything we did. Life became exciting and complete!

In 1985, I moved our family from Maryland to Rhode Island. We served in good churches here for many years. During these years we saw many great things happen. However, the greatest thing we experienced is when the Lord called me to preach! Eventually the Lord brought us to The North Tiverton Baptist Church.

What about the rest of the family? Both of our children attended Bible college. Our daughter married a wonderful, godly man, and they are preparing for future missionary work in Tanzania. Our son also has a special, godly spouse. They are preparing for missionary work in Ontario, Canada.

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