|
|
|
Growing
up on a farm in
the hill
country of
Maryland helped
instill in me
many important
lifetime
habits. One of
those habits
being church
attendance. My
earliest
memories of
childhood
include Sunday
morning
services at our
local Lutheran
parish. There,
I was
sprinkled,
dedicated, and
received my
First
Communion.
Singing in the
choir, lighting
the candles and
mowing the
grass were
avenues in
which I
contributed to
my parent's
church.
As I grew into
adulthood, I
began to lose
interest in
church. To me
church was a
trial to be
endured and
relief washed
over me each
Sunday morning
as the service
closed.
I
|
|
|
|
always thought of
myself as a Christian
and hoped if I did my
very best I would go to
Heaven. Imagine my
surprise when my friend
Mike a born again
Christian insisted he
knew he was going to
Heaven. "Be careful,
Mike, God might strike
you dead for being
presumptuous." I replied
in ignorance. At this
time, I was twenty years
old and had explored all
options of happiness.
Cars, money, and
girlfriends failed to
satisfy me. I was left
wondering, "Is this all
there is to life?"
While attending Mike's
church, I heard the
pastor preach truths
from the
Bible
that I had never heard
before. He shared that
we all have sinned and
Jesus died on the cross
to pay the penalty of
our sin. Never before,
had I been personally
confronted with my
sinfulness and personal
responsibility of either
accepting or rejecting
Christ's shed blood as
the payment for my sin.
One Sunday evening
following the service,
Mike took me by the
pastor's home as I had
some questions to ask
him. The pastor kindly
answered each of my
questions from the
Bible. I then realized
that even though I was
religious, I was not
going to Heaven. Knowing
I must make a definite
decision to either
accept or reject what
Jesus Christ had done
for me on the cross, I
prayed and received
Christ as my personal
Saviour.
This life changing event
took place forty-two
years ago and I have not
regretted it since.
Believing that only true
peace and fulfillment
comes from knowing your
sins are paid for and
that Heaven is your
eternal
destiny
I have strived to share
this good news with
others. This has been my
goal as pastor of the
New England Baptist
Church of Medford for
the past thirty three
years. If you question
your eternal destiny or
if you desire more
information, please
contact
us. We would love to be
of a personal assistance
to you.
|
|
