Post by Sarah on Apr 8, 2007 10:10:26 GMT
This is a copy of what I said at my baptism:
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I’ve been a Christian all my life, or what I thought was one at least. Growing up in a Christian family and attending church every sunday had left me with no doubt that God existed. That’s something I’ve always known. But I never knew what that meant until more recently.
I used to attend a small-ish village church near to where I lived, which was very traditional. Although I enjoyed the sunday school there, it was always more fun, games and biscuits than anything really serious. I moved to California when I was a little older, about six, and I finally saw more of what being a Christian was all about. The people there were alive in some strange way that I hadn’t really seen before. It confused me, so I ignored it. I learnt more, but sunday still became only a time to see friends, and I looked forward to the play time afterwards more than the sunday school part itself.
Moving back to England again when I was about ten and switching churches to here gave me a massive shock. This church was alive too, and this time I was a permanent member of it. But yet, again I put it off.
The breakthrough came when my Children’s Church leaders, Mark and Emily, invited to come to a Christian children’s summer camp at Wimbourne. On the final day during the main meeting there was a talk about the real meaning about being a Christian, and that was asking Jesus into your life and letting him take over. I’d never thought about it that way before. Those who wanted to do that were invited to sit down and we were prayed for. Without warning I burst into tears and someone nearby told me that that was the Holy Spirit. When I came out of the meeting I felt like a different person. I felt taller and everything looked brighter. There was a feeling that someone was with me.
I returned to more summer camps and every time experienced a spiritual high. But there was something that I never managed to make stay with me as I went back into normal, everyday life. Religion and school never seemed to mix for me.
Last summer I eventually went to Soul Survivor. I’d never known such an intense week before, absolutely packed with teaching and worship. Although by this time I was completly and utterly convinced of the Truth, seeing so many people my age who believed the same thing was staggering. It made me think about my school - why couldn’t what was happening here happen there? I saw waves of the Holy Spirit making people all around fall over or shout out. One night we saw hundreds turn to Christ and on another people instantly healed. If I had any doubt left, Soul Survivor took it away.
When I returned to my school, something was different. I wanted people to know that I was a Christian. I no longer felt ashamed to say it. Me and some friends now run the Christian Union there, which seems to be expanding.
Seeing the last baptism here made me wonder why I hadn’t done it yet. And now that I know that Jesus rules in every part of my life that he can, now is the time I am ready for it.
---
I’ve been a Christian all my life, or what I thought was one at least. Growing up in a Christian family and attending church every sunday had left me with no doubt that God existed. That’s something I’ve always known. But I never knew what that meant until more recently.
I used to attend a small-ish village church near to where I lived, which was very traditional. Although I enjoyed the sunday school there, it was always more fun, games and biscuits than anything really serious. I moved to California when I was a little older, about six, and I finally saw more of what being a Christian was all about. The people there were alive in some strange way that I hadn’t really seen before. It confused me, so I ignored it. I learnt more, but sunday still became only a time to see friends, and I looked forward to the play time afterwards more than the sunday school part itself.
Moving back to England again when I was about ten and switching churches to here gave me a massive shock. This church was alive too, and this time I was a permanent member of it. But yet, again I put it off.
The breakthrough came when my Children’s Church leaders, Mark and Emily, invited to come to a Christian children’s summer camp at Wimbourne. On the final day during the main meeting there was a talk about the real meaning about being a Christian, and that was asking Jesus into your life and letting him take over. I’d never thought about it that way before. Those who wanted to do that were invited to sit down and we were prayed for. Without warning I burst into tears and someone nearby told me that that was the Holy Spirit. When I came out of the meeting I felt like a different person. I felt taller and everything looked brighter. There was a feeling that someone was with me.
I returned to more summer camps and every time experienced a spiritual high. But there was something that I never managed to make stay with me as I went back into normal, everyday life. Religion and school never seemed to mix for me.
Last summer I eventually went to Soul Survivor. I’d never known such an intense week before, absolutely packed with teaching and worship. Although by this time I was completly and utterly convinced of the Truth, seeing so many people my age who believed the same thing was staggering. It made me think about my school - why couldn’t what was happening here happen there? I saw waves of the Holy Spirit making people all around fall over or shout out. One night we saw hundreds turn to Christ and on another people instantly healed. If I had any doubt left, Soul Survivor took it away.
When I returned to my school, something was different. I wanted people to know that I was a Christian. I no longer felt ashamed to say it. Me and some friends now run the Christian Union there, which seems to be expanding.
Seeing the last baptism here made me wonder why I hadn’t done it yet. And now that I know that Jesus rules in every part of my life that he can, now is the time I am ready for it.
