OK guys. Getting kinda quiet here.
What y'all got?
Well, taking the cue from your post to Amy ...
I was born in the Midwest about 60 years ago.
My family was primarily Baptist ... and many of us attended the same smallish Baptist church (150-200 members). I grew up in the church, attending Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at the local Church of Christ, and became a confessing believer (got baptized) when I was around nine years old. My church had lots of good-natured activities, pitch-ins, picnics, and a fairly lively Youth ministry.
While in my teens, I had a friend who was a Jehovah's Witness, who caused me to be fairly open-minded about my faith, though I held to it tightly.
I continued to attend the family church, eventually joined the church choir, through my love of music. Upon my attendance at an out-of-state college, for the first time I found my Sundays free, in that I chose not to attend church while at school,(though I would attend when I was back home). At some point, a friend of mine at school joined a church in the town where I went to school, and I accepted his offer to visit.
The visit was nice, though I noted that when they sang the old hymn "When we all get to Heaven", .... they had changed the words to "When the SAVED get to Heaven." At the end of the service, I was introduced to the presiding minister and his wife, who invited me to attend a Bible Study where I could learn how to be a christian.
At that point, I happily informed my new friends that I already was a christian ... and was surprised when I immediately got push-back, ... that all of the denominations were wrong in their teaching ... and that the only way I could be saved was to join "their group". Well, I pushed back as well, and said that I had been a believer/christian for at least 10 years by then, and defending my church practices against the charges of "using instruments in the church services", refering to our ministers as "Reverend", etc. I walked out of that church service and 30-40 minute post-service confrontation still holding desperately to my faith, wanting to ensure that I hadn't been just fooling myself over the past ten years.
One thing that was said to me that night stuck ... "that I believed what I believed ... because I was taught it (i.e. I hadn't really done my own independent study). So that night, I determined to discover the truths of my faith ... from scripture (as I had been taught). Since then, I have read through the bible a couple times, and have read countless books on christian history, belief, and practice.
I still attend my hometown church, though I am more apt, these days, to refer to myself as a Christian, than as a Baptist. In addition to participating in the Music Ministry, I also have served, or continue to serve, as a Deacon, Bible Teacher, Benevolence Ministry leader, etc. The church is struggling some now, and having difficulty in attracting younger attendees ... while the older members pass on from time to time.
I have grown as a christian, and continue to grow, and like to interact with those who are active in their christian faith, as well. That's why I participate here, ... in Christians forums. I have been active on similar forums since the year 2000 or so.
I am more ecumenistic than not, ... believing that the church is at its best when it is demonstrating the LOVE of Jesus.
And with that sentiment in mind, ... God's blessings to you all ...
