Beyond Mormonism: An Elder's Story

Read the Abridged edtion.

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James R. Spencer joined the Mormon Church in the early 1960's after being discharged from the Navy. While serving as Sunday School Superintendent in a Mormon Ward in Southern California, he met Margaretta Spencer. They were married in the Idaho Falls Mormon Temple in 1966. Jim attended Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho and later Arizona State University where he studied journalism. He returned to Idaho and worked in the newspaper industry for a number of years. In 1974 he was "born again." His wife reacted to his conversion experience by asking him to leave their home while she sought a divorce.

The short version of the story is that "She threw me out, God threw me back in, and she kept me."

At this writing, the Spencers have been married 31 years, have three daughters, eight grandsons and two granddaughters.

Jim Spencer's Mormon odyssey is told in the book Beyond Mormonism: An Elder's Story, published by Chosen Books in 1984. In 1980, Jim and Margaretta entered full-time Christian ministry. Jim pastored Shiloh Christian Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho for 9 years. For the last nine years he has traveled to preach and lecture on the cults, the occult, and secularism. He is recognized nationally as an expert on the Cults.

Jim has written seven books