Some of my personal testimony

(note: pictures used in this post are not mine. I have tried to locate open resource images. Ownership of these images can be located by right clicking on the image and clicking "properties" to find their information.)

This one could get a little bit interesting.

I grew up in the Episcopal Church, which is another name for the Church of England (Anglican Church) in the United States. I guess when you look at it...the Anglican Church was the State Church of early Great Britain, and so it was this church that the earliest settlers of the American colonies was fleeing. I know, an odd way of looking at it, but anyway...

I grew up in the Episcopal Church. At one point as a young teen, I had considered the Episcopal priesthood, as one of my favorite uncles, Uncle Al, is a priest (he has since retired, but once a priest, always a priest). I felt very comfortable in the Episcopal church, much like the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churchs, the worship service focused around litergy as a means of worship...singing hymns and anthems, reading passages of scripture and receiving the sacrement of communion...and of course sleeping through hearing a sermon by one of the priests of the church. It was comfortable, just about everyone I knew was in our church.

I had attended services in other churches. During my freshman year in college, I began meeting new friends. Friends who WEREN'T Episcopalians! This was all fine and good of course. I would go home on weekends (Ball State was among other nicknames called the "Suitcase College", because a good number of its students were from communities close enough that they'd go home on weekends...) and be back in my little safe zone.

I even had a response for those that asked me if I'd been "Saved"...I'd tell them, "Why yes I was, it was about 2,000 years ago..." From my experience, the Episcopal church's teaching doesn't so much focus on the personal relationship with the Lord, but rather to service to others by the body of the church--just my observation.

So anyway, I met friends of different faiths in college, I would go to some of their church services, and as often as not, they'd tag along with me to visit with my family on weekends and would come to church with us.

A funny brief story on that line...One of my college friends, Mark, was raised in the Friends Church--what is also called the Quakers (yeah, like the guy on the oatmeal boxes), and after having spent a weekend visiting with his family, a few weeks after, he came and visited with mine. That Sunday, Mark came with me to church at the Cathedral. After services, there was a coffee hour, a chance to fellowship with church friends before returning to that outside world.

Well, we were mingling with my friends, I was introducing Mark around, and just about every girl I would say hi to, would give me a big hug (and a couple of them a little peck ) and when I'd introduce them to Mark...well they'd give HIM a little squeeze as well! After we were back in the car and headed back to campus, I asked Mark what he thought about it. He asked me some questions about the service--which is VERY different from a Friend's meeting I had learned-- and then he asked me what I think had really been his biggest concern, he asked me, "Are the girls always that friendly??" I couldn't help but chuckle.

By the time I came through my Junior year at Ball State, I was a little more receptive of others speaking about their faith, and I acknowledged that maybe, just maybe the Episcopal church didn't have absolutely all the answers I was looking for. As God's timing would have it, it was also around that same time that I started dating a very wonderful woman. Very accepting, very loving, and very "Born Again" Those around here know her, she's my wife Beth. As boyfriends sometimes do, at her mother's invitation, I would visit with Beth's family on some weekends and go to church with them.

Mind you, I was used to church being...
Choirboys in robes..


Pipe organs..


and priests in vestments..



We went to Beth's family's church (First Assembly of God, Logansport IN) and found things like guitars, pianos and banjos and a set of drums!


and people raising their hands praising God!


And the other thing I found there...I could never find a good picture so I won't even try, but before I'd said a word to anyone, as I entered the sanctuary of that church, it was like stepping from a freezing cold blizzard into a house warmed by a roaring fire. The blizzard was forgotten and the warmth came straight to my bones. It was very different...but very much what I had needed but didn't realize.

So, in November of 1986, we were attending a dramatic performance at church. It was a play about what life would be like AFTER the Rapture...but this was NOT the 'Left Behind' books, but a similar concept. Church members played the parts of persecuted Christians as well as some really NASTY people who were hunting the Christians and the story told of the events of that time ... the gist of the play was how dire and necessary it was to make a decision to follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior NOW, while you still had the chance to MAKE a choice.

After the performance, the Pastor came to the front of the sanctuary and gave an explanation of what many of us know as the "Roman Road". How it is not by our own works that we get into Heaven, but it is by faith in Jesus, so that no man should boast...that it didn't happen 2000 years ago, that it is happening right NOW if you would choose to let God have control in your life. I was almost so much so aghast that it had been right there in front of me, that I sat there for a moment not knowing what to do. But God knew how to show me, the Pastor said, "Now with every head bowed, and every eye closed, I want you to consider what you've seen tonight. If the Rapture would occur now ... do you know where you would be? If you don't know I'd like for you to raise your hand, just for a moment, then I'll have you put your hand down..." I raised my hand.

The Pastor then explained that there were members of the church that would like an opportunity to pray with you (meaning ME), "And so again, with every eye closed, and heads bowed, if you would like to make a commitment to follow the Lord, to give your heart to Him, I will ask you to stand. Don't leave your seat, just stand up, and one of our church members will come and stand with you to pray with you." I stood. It may sound cliche' now, but my knees shook a little. I felt a hand upon my shoulder, and found that Kerry, the man who'd played the leader of the persecutors in the drama (and still in his frightful costume I might add!), was smiling at me. That evening, we prayed together...with Beth at my side and crying her eyes out, as I gave my heart to Jesus.

Life since then hasn't been perfect. As a dear friend once told me, "Watermelon still has seeds..." but by God's grace I am living my life to the best of my ability and in the love of my Lord!