Before Jesus Changed My Life
I was one of those people who was 'raised in the church'. I began attending with my parents at age 5. I have many fond memories of Sunday School, youth choir, and particularly, youth group. Some of the friends from those days are still close to me today. Looking back, I realize that I learned a lot about Jesus, but did not know Him in any real sense of the word. My faith, such as it was, was very much an Old Testament kind of faith. If I followed the rules, I would be rewarded. But what happens when we (I) fall short, as I always will?
How Jesus Changed My Life
Growing up in the church, I knew it was possible to learn from Jesus, but I didn't know it was possible to actually know Him. I really don't ever remember that even being discussed as a possibility. In the summer before I turned 16, I attended a youth group event at the Paramount Theatre. There were youth groups from all around the area, and the main part of the show was a Christian movie (I wish I could remember what it was, but I honestly can't). At the end of the movie, they conducted an altar call, which was something I had never experienced before. It wasn't long before I found myself standing up and walking to the front of the stage to respond to Jesus's call on my life. I accepted Jesus as my personal savior that night, and my 'Old Testament' faith based on rules was replaced by a 'New Testament' faith based on grace and His sacrifice, not my own actions. I left knowing my future was secure and that it had nothing to do with my performance (or lack thereof) and everything to do with His sacrifice. I fully believe that the Gospel is the living, breathing Word of God. It is both His story and our story. It is HIs unerring description of who He is, who we are, and what He desires of us. It encapsulates the entirety of His creation and how He intends it to be. It also gives us the perfect example of how we are to live, in the person of Jesus Christ. Scripture makes this clear, "In the beginning was the Word & the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) and "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14).
My Life After Jesus Saved Me
My life since Jesus saved me has had both ups and downs. There have been times when I have followed Him closely, and times when I have failed Him badly. He has delivered me from some of my largest struggles (self-centeredness, workaholism, and the lure of pornography). Probably the biggest change, though, has been moving from self-focused to other-focused. The summer after college graduation, I had an event that shaped my worldview second only in importance to my salvation. I attended a national youth event that talked about our responsibility to others - how, because we are Christians, we had a responsibility not only to Christ, but to those around us. It was the first time I had an understanding of the true breadth of what it meant to live as a Christian. That event had a profound impact on me. I came home and wanted to go to the mission field. It seemed like the only legitimate response to what I had heard. But the Lord had something different in mind. Instead of sending me to some far-off place (my view of mission), He sent me right back to where I came from, to my home church, with a new heart for those served by their newly-formed neighborhood outreach programs. He has also provided many other opportunities to serve Him and His people in a number of different arenas. In addition, through this work (and after 40+ years as a single person), He led me to a loving Christian wife, and has blessed us with two amazing children. I consider myself doubly blessed - I was given a time to live as a single person serving Him, then was blessed with family and a loving, committed partner to share His work. Not only this, I know I will be blessed yet again in the life to come, as I dwell with Him forever.