ABOUT | The Early Days

Old Man Bailey's Journey

About/The Early Days

Old Man Bailey’s Unlikely Journey

       I haven’t always been a bearded, long-haired master cabin builder. My journey into the field of Civil War-era cabin and barn restoration has been exciting, unorthodox – and very odd! God does have a sense of humor. My purpose is to draw people to Jesus and, if I get the chance to teach them about how to build a house out of amazingly cool historic cabins and barns, well, that would be just fine with me.

       While attending “Corner Stone University” in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the 1970’s, I served as a youth pastor at two different churches. I met my wife, Lori, at a football game in 1980 and, we were married fourteen weeks later. At this writing we have ten children and twenty grandchildren and counting! I went on to graduate with a B.A. degree in Bible/Religion in 1982 and, soon started my own advertising agency. That makes sense – right?

       I loved advertising and especially loved running my own company. During my years in advertising, I launched Eating Greetings®, a regional greeting card line that featured national fast-food chains. I worked with many of these same chains organizing regional cross-promotions with my retail and entertainment clients. I wrote radio spots, produced commercials for television, and had the honor of running conservative political campaigns for candidates in both state and federal office. Does this sound like a good career track for someone wanting to become an expert in barn and log cabin construction? Just wait, it gets better!

       Over the next decade, Lori and I became heavily involved in the pro-life movement. We joined the picket lines in front of abortion clinics on Saturday mornings, and got involved in starting and growing Crisis Pregnancy Centers in Ohio and Indiana. One thing led to another and soon I found myself as the 1992 Republican nominee for the United States Congress in Indiana’s 9^th congressional district! I ran four times and won the Republican nomination twice. As a result of these VERY controversial congressional campaigns, I have had the honor to speak for the unborn at scores of banquets, rallies, special events, and at churches all over the Midwest region of the country.

       I wrote my first book, “Christian Politics Rocking America”, in 1993 and have been featured on ABC, NBC, & CBS national news broadcasts. When “Nightline” was a big deal, a whole show was devoted to our controversial campaigns for congress! I am not trying to be self-aggrandizing here, but am simply making a point. My citified life and career was not an obvious foundation for a blue-collar trade. So, what changed? Simply put, Lori and I moved our family to the country. We had 82-acres and a desire to teach our children a work ethic. With God’s help, including the angels HE sent, our family turned a Civil War-era barn into our home. The experience changed our lives forever!