About

These are all true stories of real places and real people. Places I have visited. Some are churches that my dad, myself or other family members pastored. Others are where my father or myself have preached revivals. I have been there myself, is what I’m trying to say.

My dad, Carl J. Ballestero pastored for 25 years and evangelized for 25. I grew up traveling. I attended 26 schools and lived in 22 homes before I married. My Father started 6 churches. My children have started two. I started one. So it’s easy for me to say, “Home Missions pastors are my Heroes.”

It’s been my blessing to have preached over 900 revivals (or series of services) in my life. At this writing, I am still a full time evangelist.

If an evangelist is too “big” to preach in a little church, he is too “little” to preach in a big church. Dad told me to never pick and choose where I went because of the size of the church. “Just go”, he said. I have followed his advice, and God has always blessed me.

Some names of the people or towns may have been withheld, or changed, nevertheless, the events happened as told. These are stories without varnish. Some of them have made me laugh, others made me cry. Some have just made me shake my head. But that too is Home Missions.

These chapters are about the lives of Home Missionaries. To me, Home Missions pastors are the modern day Heroes of the Faith. They use for leaders and workers in their churches some folks than may not make “3rd string” in a large church. But God blesses them just the same. Home Missions is where every church got it’s beginning. “Despise not the day of small things.”  Zech. 4:10.

Home Missions is, “Experiencing The Grace Of God On The Ground Floor!”

Martyn Ballestero Sr.