I watched a Louis Theroux episode, where he went to go find out what born again Christians in America are like. The episode didn't fully explain what one is, and I was left a little confused. Before watching this I had never even heard of a born again Christian and I think it expected me to have already heard about them. To be honest I don't think it was serious and probably aimed to take the Mickey out out of how crazy they can come across.
I was left rather impressed by how these people came across though, they seemed like the most happy and peaceful people ever. I was amazed at how sincere and devoted to Jesus they where. I can't help but want to share the same passion they have for Jesus and life!
One thing that really sticks in my head was seeing people "accepting Jesus" and then start having some kind of mad fit after a priest touched their heads.
I was baptised and raised Christian until I was about 12, then I converted to wiccan until I was about 17 when I started following the bible again. Dose this make me a born again Christian or do I have to go through some kind of ritual? I don't go to church but I feel very spiritual and try to find the time each day to pray to god and thank him for everything he made.
If I am not a born again Christian, then how to I become one? Do I have to go to church or anything special?
Hi, it's great that you're asking this. As a new member you were probably uncertain which forum to post this in - it can be frustrating at times. But in posting in this forum, you will get many replies based on lengthy theological points, when what is needed is a response from the heart and not the head, mainly from members' personal experiences and not so much from the Gospel According to John.
The Good News I wish to pass onto you is that God speaks to individuals who reach out to their Father in Heaven, as an infant who reaches his arms up to his earthly parent wanting to be picked up and held and comforted.
Being born again requires us to want to change, to want a new life because we realise that our current life is a total mess and that we cannot do anything by ourselves to have a better life.
Who knows how these things are supposed to work? There isn't necessarily a sequence of events that is followed everytime in a set order.
I was born again when I was 15. The only preaching of the gospel I encountered was when I was about 10 and Gideons visited my school and handed out a free pocket New Testament to each of us, back in 1980. I read it, believed and prayed the Sinner's Prayer at the back. Before this point I had been living a terrible life because of things done to me, things I had done and the secrets I kept and so I was open to the gospel.
I felt a change in myself and started to feel positive about myself. However, I didn't know what to do after that. My parents weren't Church goers and there was no further contact with the Gideons. The opportunity to be born again was lost. Simply believing in Jesus is not enough - even the Devil believes Jesus is the Son of God. I should have given my life to Jesus through Total Immersion Baptism. The problem was that the Church in England at that time generally didn't believe that children could be born again. I don't know if Gideons believed this too or if they were prevented by the schools to follow up on their one-and-only visit.
But God didn't wait for the Church in England to wake up to the fact that children could have a personal relationship with Jesus independent of their parents. In my hour of need, age 15 in 1985, God reached down and sent an angel who scooped me up in his arms - literally. I felt the angel's arms around me and he comforted me. He stopped my crying by filling me with an overwhelming peace. In a light from Heaven, the angel spoke to me in a soft voice - he told me to follow Jesus.
Revival came to my local Church of England Church. Already, when I arrived that Sunday morning, Jesus had been at work, reviving individual disciples there. I arrived unannounced - invited by God and welcomed by the person on the door. But it was an 'ordinary' Holy Communion Service, not a Seeker Service or an Evangelism meeting. All eyes were on me - the church wasn't used to strangers just turning up, especially not unaccompanied children. I sat down in a pew at the back, without fuss. The church building was familiar to me since my junior school attended Harvest Festival and Christmas services. Each of us were given an Order of Service book and in recent years Holy Communion Service in the Church of England had been simplified which meant anyone could follow it, even a new person.
I followed the service in the book, sang the Nicene Creed to God for the first time and sang hymns and songs. I went to accept the blessing from the priest at the altar. At this point I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders and wept as I felt transformed. I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, and made a public declaration through the service and when the priest laid his hand on my head, he confirmed my faith, allowing for the Holy Spirit to enter me. I had been born again. But the Church wanted the Bishop to confirm my faith.
It wasn't until 8 years later that I was baptised through Total Immersion. But it didn't happen in any orderly manner. And I was born again long before I was baptised as an adult.
At 15, I knew I was a Born-Again Christian and I knew that, except for one or two people there, the church members were not Born-Again. However, through the South Yorkshire Crusade Choir, I was able to meet a few Born-Again Christians.
But not everyone who claims to be Born-Again is Born-Again and - despite what Pentecostal Christians say - speaking in tongues is not necessary to be Born Again. I have never spoken in tongues and it's not something I desperately seek and I don't feel terrible for not being able to speak in tongues.
I hope this helps you a little.