I am damonous
I am
Rev. damon M appel

I have been an Ordained Minister since April 2020, and registered in the State of Ohio as a Minister since August 2021. Ordained through three national ministries, I have letters of good standing in each. (Credentials at bottom of page.)

Born and raised Catholic, but very much a ‘lay Catholic’, religion was a curiosity in my teenage years, not a necessity by any means. In 1993, I’d become fascinated with American history, and started to become aware of how far we had let our Country stray from the ideals of its Founding. I’d thought: ‘How could we have let it go so wrong?’ There’s a secular song that was popular at the time, by Kenny Loggins: “Conviction of the Heart”. While it’s theme is very reflective of ‘new age’ “one with nature”, it does make one think about our responsibility –our stewardship– over the earth that we have.  There’s a line “To know what it is to forgive, and be forgiven.” I’d been moved by the passion of that song, and all the things I’d learned, enough to be listening in the car and to pull over at the nearest church I came across. I walked in the front door, alone. No one there.  Went to the front and knelt: A heathen man, not knowing who God truly is, as I do today. And I prayed in tears anyway, asking that God might forgive us for how much we’d all done wrong; for what we let happen ‘on our watch’. Strangely, no one ever did come to meet me or say anything. I left a tithing and went on my way.

A short couple months later, some new people came into my life, also concerned about our secular society and government…but more than that: they were Christians. I don’t remember the exact day I understood. I just remember that one new friend was finally able to describe to me how Jesus was the only answer to all our sins.  How He was God in flesh, because only God was had the authority to take the punishment; to absolve our obligations.

It was then that I realized: The answer to my prayer in that lonely church had already been answered, long before: God had already forgiven all of us.  He just waits for us to realize it, and accept His gift of forgiveness.

I wish I could say my story from there was perfect. But, I hid my light under a bushel for a long time. I never lost faith, but I didn’t exactly let it shine, either.

In 2016, that was such a remarkable year. With the events that transpired, it felt clear to me that God was at work. That is why near Thanksgiving I laid the groundwork for my “I am Damonous” YouTube channel. Social Media is not the easiest of things to master, and if you look back at some of my videos, my growing pains are open for all the world to see.

There are other things that transpired in my life that took me away from what I should’ve been focusing on: The Lord’s work. It was in March of 2020 that ‘the change’ began. While others, including some pastors I personally new, decided to preach the ‘gospel of COVID’…I felt that that was the time for greater faith in our Lord Jesus.  I started writing “Daily Prayers” on Facebook for my friends and loved ones. I haven’t stopped writing them since (although, being human, I might lapse a day once in a while). And some people say, ” I like how you wrote that, Damon.” And I say, “I didn’t write it alone.”  The Holy Spirit is every bit as powerful as it is described in our Bible, friends. Embrace it; don’t deny it.

In October of 2020, I felt the need to do something more with my online ministry.  I thought I’d do something that was easy to do: Weekday Live Prayers on Facebook, every Mon–Fri at 7a.  Just a little something more to encourage people in the faith.

Where we are as a world today is no less dire than in March or October of 2020, but certainly not for the reasons of viral fear that has deluded the world. We are fast losing freedoms we took for granted, at every turn.

But, we need to remember, as in my confession of faith that I’ve shared with you: God has already forgiven all of us.  He has absolved us of our sins.  He has EXEMPTED us from the ordinances and liabilities that others are subject to.

That applies to us spiritually, as well as our physical interactions with the governments, rulers and executives of this world.  We are not of this world:  We are God’s children, His Holy Church. The Bride of Jesus Christ.

With your help, we will continue to build this church, resting its foundation squarely on the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His gospel the Holy Scriptures as assembled in The Bible.  We are not tax exempt at this time, partially for strategic reasons, but also because the Church of the Exempted is not an institution of the State.  The Bible doesn’t teach a “wall of separation between church and state”: only the Russian Constitution of 1977 does. All the greatest leaders in the Scriptures were men of faith.  That was their defining characteristic. Moses spoke with God directly, and parted the red sea.  Noah built an ark that others scoffed at, and kept his family alive for 40 days and nights at sea. David fearlessly fell Goliath with a simple stone. Not only did they do these feats, but they ruled a theocracy of Israelites, who were known for their peculiar faith and customs. In their strongest times: No separation between state and God.