When he was ten years old, James converted to Christianity in a Southern California Baptist church. After graduating from high school in 1987, James enrolled in Texas Baptist College. Seven harrowing years later, James escaped that cult-like environment with his spirituality and sanity intact. This is his story--a story of struggle, courage, faith, and perseverance. It will make you laugh and cry, make you angry, make you cheer. The Texas Baptist Crucible illustrates the ugly side of legalism, misguided zeal, and misplaced priorities. But it is also a story of grace, and how God often takes us through difficult paths so that we will learn to appreciate what real grace is all about.