History of Laymen United for Truth

Laymen United for Truth was founded in 1991 by Dennis and Mary Crystal, then residing in Yerington, Nevada. The necessity of starting this ministry eventuated after we, and 18 others, were put under censure in the Yerington, Nevada Seventh-day Adventist Church. Mary and I were very active in the church as I was preaching and doing the work of a volunteer pastor, even though there was no employment involved.

Were we accused of violation of any of the Ten Commandments? No! Were we accused of embezzlement or some public sin? No! Were we teaching some strange doctrine? No! We were simply put under censure for standing for the principles which the pioneers of the great second advent movement taught and believed for over 160 years. The exact accusation was "failure to respect properly constituted church authority." You see friends, sad but true, false teachers have permeated the church and have substituted "strange fire" for the pioneer truths.

Dear friends, the last thing Mary and I desire to be is disrespectful to anyone. However, the denomination has shown a clear pattern of apostasy from the truth and whenever anybody speaks up against this (as we are commanded to do in Isaiah 58:1) they are labeled as a "troubler of Israel." We derive our beliefs and teachings from God's word - the Holy Bible. I Timothy 3:15 defines the true church (and this holds true for 6000 years!) as the "pillar and ground of the truth."

Any church structure which puts man's ideas, practices, and policies above the plain principles of God's clearly revealed will falls under the condemnation Jesus spoke to the Jewish leaders in Matthew 15:7-9. Martin Luther in the 1500's made a call to repentance for many easily demonstrated errors in the Roman Catholic Church. In the book "The Great Controversy" page 45 we see the position in which he found himself. Actually, we all need to weigh the teachings and policies of any church against the scriptures. If you find your church or denomination in unrepentant error, then you will find yourself at the same crossroads Mary, myself and eighteen others found ourselves in 1991. "After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children's children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secure only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war."

I know these are strong words, but friends, if you are a true Christian "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12). God is calling for men, women, and children who cannot be bought or sold, but will stand firm on the principles of heaven.

Actually, in our case, our "crime" was standing for the principles of truth given to the pioneers of the great awakening which has been proceeding since the 1840's. So, Laymen United for Truth was founded in our living room with just a handful of faithful believers in 1991.

That first Sabbath when we were forced to worship in our home. We had quite a season of prayer at the end of the evening and we pled with the Lord to give us direction. Honestly, we had no thought of being put into this position. We thought the church would love the messages of correction (II Timothy 3:16) but we found out we should have looked more closely at verses 12 and 13 first!

It has been nothing short of marvelous how the Lord has blessed that first honest prayer from the heart to explain to us what had just happened but to give us the faith to go forward by his grace. He has been so good to us. From that humble and shocking beginning Laymen United for Truth has be actively engaged in ministry in the following areas:

1 - Worldwide evangelism and Gospel presentations with particular missionary efforts in Africa, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.

2 - Active prison ministry to the State of Nevada at Lovelock Correctional Center and Northern Nevada Correctional Center since 1991.

3 - Radio broadcast on KOH in Reno, Nevada. Television broadcasting in Reno on KTVN (CBS affiliate), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; and soon in Carson City, Nevada.

4 - Missionary outreach through the East African Mission Orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya. (http://www.eastafricanmission.org).

5 - Pastor for the Bonners Remnant Church in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

6 - Newspaper and literature evangelism. Correspondence Bible Study courses.

7 - Teaching healthy lifestyle at Cabinet Mountain Health Institute in Troy, Montana.

All we can say is praise the Lord for what he hath wrought! By God's grace we will continue to stay faithful to the messages of truth and stand at our post of duty to honor God and educate those who will listen to the truths for these last days.

Laymen United for Truth does not stand alone in this calling. We are supportive of the many little lights and missionaries taking their stand for truth all around the world. We gladly join hands as we desire to see the Saviour's prayer fulfilled in John 17:17.