Hey citygaters,
Our small groups have been going through a booklet called “how the gospel moves from friend to friend”. One chapter is on having a 30 sec / 3 min version of your personal faith story ready to tell others when the moment is right. Tony Johnson gave an example of a longer story (although that was his short version) of his encounter with Jesus – listen to some of it here. A couple of years ago I wrote down a short version of my own journey to faith in Christ, and I thought I’d share it with you to serve both as an example and hopefully, an encouragement:
My outlook
I vaguely remember going to Sunday school as a child, but as I got older (and supposedly cooler) the thought of going to church lost it’s appeal. Needless to say, there was now no reason for my parents to go either, and church became a distant memory for our family. Yet those early years in Sunday School were the reason I ‘kind of’ believed in God, sin, heaven and hell, and I began to shape my outlook on life, as well as what happens thereafter, on these beliefs. I was pretty aware of the fact that I sinned every day, and believed that if in the last moments of my life a prayer for forgiveness could be offered to God, He should let me into His heaven.. well, that life-insurance policy soon got shattered!
Strange encounter
I suffered from severe asthma as a young boy, struggling to breathe on regular occasions, and was familiar with the panic & fear of fighting for your next breath. One evening in my late teens, after not having an asthma attack for years, I woke up unable to breathe once again.. only this time it was worse than I have ever experienced! I blacked out, and when I regained consciousness I found myself against the ceiling, looking down at my body on the bed. To be honest, the thought of being dead didn’t scare me half as much as realizing that I forgot to pray and ask for forgiveness!! I was so pre-occupied with staying alive, that I never followed my escape plan. At that moment I woke up again, back in my bed as if nothing had happened.
Encountering Jesus
Was it real, or just a dream? I don’t know, but one thing I was convinced of: my salvation plan had no guarantees! That week I was invited to a Friday night youth meeting that strangely enough was part of the church I attended as a young boy. I listened that evening to the leader explaining how Jesus loves me, proving it by dying in my place for my sin, how He secured salvation for me who clearly had no such security, and how it was all available for free! As on my bed a few nights before, that evening my life ended and began afresh as I walked to the front in surrender to Christ.
A new me
I returned to school on Monday completely different to how I left it on Friday – everything had changed. Jesus has been at the helm of my life since 1994, steering me into a future that I could never have imagined for myself. Without Him, life is unimaginable.
Now write your own..
Vic
How the Gospel Moves from Friend to Friend Oct 2015 eBook
