Pastor and Mrs. Clifton D. Cauthorne, Jr.

Pastor Clifton D. Cauthorne, Jr., BA, MA

Pastor Cliff grew up in a church which taught that baptism, the Lord's Supper, church attendance, tithing, etc. are necessary to one's salvation.  In 1992, he went to Bob Jones University (BJU) in Greenville, South Carolina as a Pre-law major.  He wanted to go into politics to help save America, and he knew of BJU's reputation as a conservative, God-fearing school. 

Through the influence of BJU and Tabernacle Baptist Church of Greenville, South Carolina, Pastor Cliff realized that salvation is through Christ alone.  He also received the conviction that if America is to be saved, she must be saved through the preaching of the Cross and not through the ballot box.  Hence, after his freshman year, he became a Pastoral Studies major.

After earning his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Pastoral Studies at BJU, Pastor Cliff served as Assistant Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church of Graysville, Tennessee (1998-2001) and Victory Baptist Church of Pikeville, Kentucky (2002-2007).  Both of these churches helped to prepare him for his ministry in Appalachia.

Pastor Cliff's burden is to teach and preach the Bible as the final authority for what we believe and how we live.  He proclaims Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. 

Appalachia is a region of many religious traditions and churches.  However, neither one of these is able to save a soul from the wrath of God or reconcile a soul to God.  Only Jesus Christ, as presented in the Word of God, can accomplish this. 

Pastor Cliff invites all those with a similar burden to pray for the ministry at Calvary and to join with Calvary as she seeks to reach southwestern Virginia with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Heather Cauthorne

First Kings 18:21 says, "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Ba'al, then follow him."  Just like the people of Israel on Mount Carmel, one day I came face to face with a decision.

I grew up believing that the Bible is true and that Jesus is the Son of God.  I also believed that because I wasn't Jewish or Muslim, I was a Christian and had been all my life.

In high school, my curiosity drove me to ask questions and read the Bible. Somewhere, I had gotten the idea that the Bible was full of contradictions.  However, as I read, the Holy Spirit showed me that what I was reading was truth -- God's Words to humanity.

While visiting my grandmother one summer, I started attending Faith Baptist Church of Blairsville, Georgia.  One day, Pastor James Brock asked me how long I had been saved.  I said, "All my life."  He told me that a person had to realize that he was lost before he could be saved.  God used that in my life to make me realize that I wasn't right with God.  That summer, I struggled with God.  Did I want to give up my old ways, friends, and beliefs and become a Christian?  Could I just serve myself, or was I bound to serve some god? 

In the fall of 1993, God showed me that I was not autonomous -- I would either serve God or the Devil.  I knew that God is loving while the devil seeks to destroy all who follow him.  When I understood the truth of my situation, I turned to Jesus and asked him to forgive my sins.  This reconciled me to God.  I knew Jesus was the only way of salvation.  John 6:67-69 says, "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

God made me a new person. He used my Pastor's wife to fulfill the latter part of Matthew 28:19-20 in my life:  "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."  As I learned the basics of Christian doctrine and continued to read the Bible, I began to grow as a Christian.

God then directed me to Ambassador Baptist College (ABC).  I figured that if I was going to try to live to please God, I had better understand what He wanted me to do.  It seemed the best way to accomplish this purpose was to do an intensive study of the Bible.  I attended ABC for two years for specialized Bible training, and then I transferred to Bob Jones University (BJU) for a Christian liberal arts education.  At BJU, I majored in Children's Ministries. 

My life verse is Matthew 6:33:  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you."  Since college, God has allowed me to serve Him in North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and (currently) in Virginia.  God has also blessed me with a family that I thoroughly enjoy.  I trust that God will continue to work in my life, and I pray that He will use me in the lives of others.

Calvary Baptist Church is a fundamental, independent Baptist church located between Pound and Clintwood, Virginia in Dickenson County.