Yesterday, right after church, at 12:15, about 50 people witnessed the baptism of Inky-Lynn in front of the cross, outside on the east side of the building.
The gospel choir sang a couple of songs, the preacher prayed, and Lynn gave her testimony. Then she knelt down in front of the cross and was baptized by pouring. Three pitchers of water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. It was an awesome moment. During her testimony, I could hear people openly sobbing. I was one of them. Praise God for his ability to reach people.
Here is my question for you today. If asked, could you give a coherent, short explanation of why you are a Christian or how you became a Christian? It is a very important thing for us to be able to do. To be able give answer of our faith when someone asks. I think it would be an important exercise for all of us to work on telling the story of how we became a Christian or why we are a Christian. Maybe you can write down your story in a few paragraphs and post it as a comment to this blog.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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3 comments:
About 10 years ago when I started a new career in the Funeral Industry, I realized that there was a ministry that God had planned for me to do. I am able to connect those Professional Caregivers who are dealing with death and dying every day, and the funeral industry, who needs to do a better job being a helpful resource to grieving families. God has shown me ways to help the Caregivers to "renew" themselves, as well as Funeral Providers how to be a helpful resource to the grievers journey. I left the industry about 5 years ago, and God led me back into it last year, showing me that there was more to do here in this area. My own personal grief has shown me how faithful God is and now I'm strong enough to share that story and be a resource to others. Thank you God, for giving me the patience to wait for your answers! Blessings, Cara McElhaney
I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church. Every Sunday morning and night, there was an altar call/invitation preceded by a highly emotional plea from the pastor for us to seek forgiveness of our sins and consequently avoid hell. I was a child. I was scared. I tried the formulaic prayer I was taught to preach and went forward to make my salvation "public". Nothing changed. A few years later, I tried again. This time there were tears, so I thought maybe it worked! But again nothing really happened.
That cycle continued for years until, completely frustrated with the god I had been shown, I finally gave up on church altogether. This was when I was 18, as soon as I could choose on my own. I fled from everything resembling the church or Christianity straight into the arms of alcohol, drugs and you- name-it. Severe depression ensued. For two years or so, I was completely immobilized by guilt and depression.
After a while of not knowing where to turn or what to do, I opened the Bible to Matthew. Who is the real Jesus, I wanted to know. Was He like the men and women around me who would not forgive, would not show grace or compassion? The truth I discovered would change my heart and mind forever. Jesus didn't seem to want me to constantly feel guilt over my numerous imperfections. To the contrary, He spent far more time with people who suffered and dragged their way through life with tears in their eyes and dirt under their finger nails. Shockingly, the one group He seemed to revile the most were the pious, self-righteous individuals trying to convince others of their inadequacy.
I wanted to know this Jesus. I loved Him and needed Him right then and that made me a Christian.
I didn't change over-night into a completely new person, devoid of all my previous struggles. It takes time to grow. Christians aren't perfect -- we're just better off than we were, and I will be a work in progress until time to go Home.
So, now when I meet people who are hurting, I don't want to hard-sell them a box of Christianity. I want to show them kindness and grace. I want to lovingly point them towards the Man that changed my heart, and pray they follow. I believe that every soul on this earth is calling out for Jesus, and just needs to see past all the crap to who He really is.
I grew up in church but didn't grow up. I went to Sunday School and got confirmed, but wasn't living out that confirmation. I rebelled as a teenager and got involved in many things that I pray my children do not get involved with. Even then I believed in Jesus, and I even believed I was saved (and I was) but I was living a life that was as far from Christian as you can get. In the middle of my substance abuse fog I attended an Assembly of God service. There was an alter call. I have been in the Methodist church my whole life - I'd never seen an alter call. I don't remember why, but I felt compelled to go to the rail. The preacher touched my head and to this day I remember the sensation clearly. I believe the Holy Spirit was with me, but that moment is when I first was awakened to His presence in me. All children ask their parents where God is, and the common answer (the easy answer) is "everywhere". But I think that's the wrong answer. The Holy Spirit lives in each one of us, the Holy Spirit is God with us, Emmanuel. Some of us just choose to ignore His presence. I continued to ignore it years well beyond my "youthful indiscretion" days. But God didn't ignore me. He gave me strength to stop using drugs and people, He blessed me with loving parents who saw to it I got a college degree, He's blessed me with health, a job and wonderful friends. He gave me the 2nd most precious gift of all - my wife and children. Even when I started going back to church, I still didn't feel connected. I was a charter member of a church in Iowa, I participated in music ministry, I made some great friends. I grew - a little bit. We came to Woods Chapel 5 years ago and your mission, our mission, of connecting people to Jesus Christ came alive. A great Sunday School program is available for my family because His Spirit moved you to teach. This led me to Pam's Purpose Driven Life class. That book sparked something in me, it fanned a flame that had long been dorment. It made me want to use my talents, gifts and abilities to His purpose rather than mine. It gave me joy to study His word (something I had NEVER done before). I now have an appreciation for my blessings and a heart for others that I never had. I've grown more in my faith and living my life as a Christian more in the past 5 years than I had in the previous 39. I could have stayed the same. I could have shown up on Sunday, played my guitar and gone home to watch football. But God had much more in mind when we walked through the doors at Woods Chapel. I am thankful for the people of Woods Chapel. For Jeff, Luminate, Kris, Chad, Terry, Rich & Kristy, Bill, Craig, Brian, Aaron, Steph, Jeremy and every person that has given of themselves to serve others, which from what I've seen is pretty much everyone. God Bless you all.
Dave T
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