How and when did you become a Christian?

[SandRose]

[FONT=&quot]I've been wondering a lot about individuals' experiences when it comes to religion. Were you raised Christian, or did you convert later in life? Was there a special person in your life, or a line of reasoning / evidence, that convinced or motivated you to arrive at your current beliefs? Any other experiences or details you want to share about the path you followed -- certainties, revelations, doubts? I'm very curious about your stories, and would be interested in hearing what you guys have to share.

I'm not sure if this is the best board for this kind of topic, but since I'm rather new to CF it seemed like an okay place for such a discussion. Looking forward to hearing from you guys
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[Rafael]

I ws raised in a home where we went to Church, but I fell away from Church after college, thinking I knew it all. Life taught me differently, and the lies I bought into while in school were actually convenient to my nature of laziness - to really go after and seek the truth with diligence for myself. The more I looked and examined in scinece, archeology, and even the history of man, the more I saw God not only looking back but speaking very loudly through the the life given me.
My first prayer was me telling God that I really didn't know how to believe in Him at all, as I had reinforced the lie in my life for so long that it was deep within my being that I knew little about. We are complex and wonderfully made, as the Bible reafirms, and knowing how to change a spiritual condition is beyond the natural man. So I bended my knee, gave up my pride and arrogance, and asked God for help. It came in all ways through the years since my late twenties until this day.
I look at the world today, and see more than ever that the time draws near for the return of Jesus, as the prophets foretold. Jerusalem is surrounded by enemies to God's two witnesses on earth and the wars and rumors of wars could not be much higher in number. Information goes to and fro in seconds these days, as the angel told Daniel it would, and the gospel is being given ample opportunity to be read and examined closely by the true seeker. Those who prefer darkness and rebellion will certainly reject the constraints of love that require sacrifice and commitment, but those who only want the truth nomatter what, will enter in without prejudice, giving thanks. It took a while for me to be broken to the truth, and it is not completely done, yet, but if me sharing in brokeness in life brings me close to Jesus and His great love for mankind, then so be it. I will follow as He gives me strength.

 

[desert_island_1]

I accepted Jesus around age 6 or 7. I cannot exactly remember when. I was in children's church. I actually started living for Christ around age 13 or 14. I was flung into a public school at age 13 and realized that if I did not stand up for my faith, what faith I had would crumple. Well, here I am 4 years later still living with God 'poking out of me, not just inside me'. (That is how I heard it explained by a little kid and I really liked it, simple but true)

Kristy

 

[WashedClean]

You can read my testimony in my profile. Basically I was raised in the church, but didn't know I had to personally make a commitment to Christ for myself. I thought we were all saved because "Jesus died for the sins of the whole world".

It wasn't until I was reading a book that clearly explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ that a lightbulb finally went off and I understood that I was separated from God and needed Jesus to bridge the gap between us.

Prior to that I did believe in God, but did not know him personally at all. He was totally mysterious and I had no idea that he could be known intimately.

 

[heron]

I spent about a year in the 11-12 range exploring -- I wondered about how big the universe was, and how it could have started. The narrowest I could bring the logic down to was a supreme being. It wasn't totally resolved, but I got as close as I thought I could.

At the same time I was starting to pray more, I was also exploring fascinating phenomema -- levitation, e.s.p., tarot, and ventriloquism (lol, the lost wing of the occult :lol.

Who knows what kind of supernatural activity was going on in the heavenlies then!

I had just finished confirmation class at a church that didn't quite teach about God. Everything was memorized, but nothing held meaning.

Suddenly everything came alive when a Sunday school teacher put it on a personal level.

 

[rocklife]

my dad took me to church as a young person, while my mom was not a christian for 50 years of her life (she is now a christian), and I did not respect my dad at all when I found all his porno as young teen and also his meanness (he is just christian in name only, he admits he will not follow all Jesus' ways, he says that is being a monk and he won't do it-christianity is not being a monk, but Jesus requires 100%). My mother is from Okinawa, and they are more into ancestor worship and other things more than open to christianity. So I was also open to other things than just christianity, I looked into Buddhism, have been to buddhist temple in Korea, and looked at other things, also things with demons. none of that helped me much.

after really embracing a sinful and bad lifestyle for some years, that started to catch up with my conscience and really over burdened me. I went to doctors who did not help me, they told me stop taking marijuana, but they didn't say how I could feel better, marijuana just helped me dull the pain because I hated life so much, their medications did not work, and marijuana is not good either, judgment is impaired a bit when always stoned.

after my son was born, (which I did not want to be a mother at that time, but his dad lied to me about helping raise him), I needed a change from all this hated life and pointlessness. my partner at that time started becoming even more violent, so I moved and started reading the bible. thinking of death so much made me seek answers (my partner was threatening to kill me, he has tried to kill 2 others that I know of, so I take it seriously, plus he choked me and tried to crash my car with me and my baby in it- we got police intervention). I needed answers what is the point of living, just die and that's it? then I asked God for help and was going to do whatever it took to let God work in my life. I ask Jesus for help, and He cleaned my overloaded heavy conscience, that is very big evidence of His working in my life. doctors could not do that, but Jesus did. I was a thief and criminal, I had big depression from my sinful ways, but Jesus and God helped. so I have found meaning and purpose and life and good conscience with Jesus and God, He also gave me love and to love my family, which I didn't have much of that before. His Holy Spirit is wonderful help, just like Jesus says in New Testament. I recommend reading New Testament and Jesus to learn what christian life is supposed to be, unfortunately many churchgoers are not following New Testament, and we can see the fruit of that with the hypocrits, but even Jesus and New Testament warns so much about bad ones, we must learn what Jesus says is good, so we can stay away and not copy the bad, He gives many warnings in the New Testament, also He gives truth and wonderful life, even if it is hard at times, He does not promise easy life, but He offers eternal life and clean conscience before God. that is wonderful news in this evil world.

 

[Confess]

At one month old, I was born of the water and the spirit and adopted into the kingdom of God (IOW: I was baptized).

 

[SandRose]

I have to say, already this thread has gotten some great responses. Rocklife, in particular -- my heart goes out to you for what you went through. I'm glad you were able to make it through your depression, and that Christianity helped you do that.

Heron: I admire your curiosity -- there are so many fascinating things in this universe that we have yet to discover or understand. If I may ask, what exactly did the Sunday school teacher say that put everything on a personal level for you?

Confess: I have to admit I was hoping for a bit more... You described an event that took place when you were a month old, something weren't even old enough to remember. (I was baptized as an infant as well, but it did nothing to change my conscious decisions later in life.) What are some of your memories and experiences? What stopped you from disregarding the significance of a religious ceremony you were involved in as an infant?

 

[Confess]

Sandrose,

At one month of age, I became a Christian. God adopted me into fellowship with him.

I know that I was saved then because of the promises given in Scripture that Baptism saved me. All the rest are mere details of my sinful nature, my struggles in faith and my doubts. The time that I remember my most purest of faith was when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My family was basically apathetic to the faith, yet I wanted more knowledge and fellowship with God. So I stole bibles.

As the years went by, the faithlessness of my family wore me down and I adopted their faithlessness. When I got married, we attempted to become "good people" and decided that good people go to church.

The church we went to was very faithless and caused us to research what Christians believe. We were always going to Lutheran churches that did not confess what Lutherans believed. After many years of researching the other denominations, we found that what the Lutheran church confessed was what we found in the Bible. So our faith deepened and deepened to the point where I am now.

Today we attend a faithful church. Our children know A LOT of what is found in the Bible. We family devotions about 4 times a week. Our family is rich in the faith and I praise God for all he has done to bless me and my family.

 

[Emmy]

Dear SandRose, I enjoyed reading your replies, and like to join. I grew up in a country, where it was frowned upon, to go to church. I always was afraid of Godm as a child, but I adored Jesus. I heard His Parables at school, but believed He was a very good man. Many years after, when my family had grown up, and had time to think about life, I started to ask myself " What is life all about? why are we here? what is the purpose? and I started asking questions and searching for answers. Jesus found me, and from then I never looked back, my life had become worthwhile. I went to church, met very good Christians, and after a while joined the Salvation Army. I am a Christian, I love the Lord, and gladly follow Him. He taught me to love, and to care, He took away my fears and gave me His Joy, He took my lonely hours and gave me His Peace, He died for me, and I live for Him now.He is my Friend and my King, and He taught me to pray, to hope and to trust Him. I say this humbly and with love, SandRose. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. That was more than 35 years ago.

 

[solarwave]

Well I was raised as a christian, so as soon as I was at an age of understanding I became one. I havn't left my beliefs, though it was when I was around 13ish(when I chaged churchs) I became a stronger christian, and have got better ever since.

My story isn't the best, others can do better.

 

[heron]

Heron: I admire your curiosity -- there are so many fascinating things in this universe that we have yet to discover or understand. If I may ask, what exactly did the Sunday school teacher say that put everything on a personal level for you?

Hi, Sandrose. Glad you're here!

(The board is doing some strange things right now, so I hope this goes through as expected.)


We thought that it was going to be a boring class -- she seemed quite old and we had our preconceptions. And we had just been through two years of Saturday mornings memorizing all sorts of doctrinal things, so we expected higher level memorization.

She said, "Let's put all the books away this year-- not use Sunday school material unless we need it."

Then she just started asking questions.

I don't remember her giving any answers... we knew it all in our heads. She just threw out questions one at a time, like "where did God come from," and let us talk.

 

[indagroove]

I do not remember going to church as a child.

I was born again late in life when God revealed himself to me. He reached down and lifted me out of the gutter, showing me what true love really is.

 

[Jo1]

Hi you can read my story here http://www.christianforums.com/t4671903-im-healed.html

 

[jesusfreak220]

When I was a baby, my grandma took me to church. She held me in her arms during the sermon, not putting me in the nursery. I was dedicated when I was very little (couldn't talk yet and I learned to talk early) and I kept going to church now and then til 5th grade. Then I started going more regularly (because I lived next door instead of 30 minutes away) that year but fell out of the faith in middle school. I studied Wicca, cast spells, played with Tarot cards.

Then I went to camp with my friend. I wasn't saved, didn't know I had to do anything to be saved. I just thought I had to go to church and believe. Well, I didn't get saved that year but the next year, I did and I just felt... so light, so free, so dizzy! lol My friends were crying and hugging me and they were so happy for me, I remember that really clearly. I swore I was going to live for God.

Didn't happen. My faith weakened in the "real world" and I swore, I took His name in vain, I lied, I hurt myself for 2 years, I was a horrible daughter. 6 months ago today, was the last time I hurt myself. The next day, I went back to that camp and the next week changed everything about me. I now live for God.

I have lost friends because of it, commiting to Christ does not mean this life will be easy but it does mean that you will have continuous support. I was baptized on the tenth of December in the same church my gram used to take me to. Every day, I grow in the Lord and I want to tell everyone in the world about the Savior of the World. He died for you, He loves you more than you'll know. And I'll shut up now before I launch into a sermon.

 

[Key]

for almost 32 years, if you told me about God, I would have said "When I get there, I'll send you a post card from Hell" (Along with all the other stuff that comes with that type of mentality).

Then one day... God called... and I answered....

Been a Wild Ride....

God Bless

Key

 

[SandRose]

I'm impressed with how many detailed and thoughtful replies this topic has gotten -- I've enjoyed reading your stories. I hope no one takes it personally if I don't respond to each individual post, but rather ask a few scattered follow up questions about details that piqued my interest.

My family was basically apathetic to the faith, yet I wanted more knowledge and fellowship with God. So I stole bibles.

Wow... was that really the only way you could get a copy of the book in your home? Where'd you steal them from? Also, what was the basis for your decision that good people go to church (and how would you define "good" in that statement)?

Solarwave: Lol, don't worry that you story isn't long or dramatic enough. What happened when you changed churches at 13ish?

Indagroove: How old were you when you first became religious -- what were the circumstances surrounding the change?

for almost 32 years, if you told me about God, I would have said "When I get there, I'll send you a post card from Hell" (Along with all the other stuff that comes with that type of mentality).

Then one day... God called... and I answered....

What do you mean by that? What happened to make you change your mind?

 

[jak]

Hi, sandrose.
Nice thread. Thought I'd chip in.
I come froma place where Christians are only 2-3% of the population. My family is Christian but all my friends at school and elsewhere would be from other faiths. Besides, many of our people do not have a good idea about Christians becasue of the history of colonialism and wars of the "christian" west, and becasue they think that missionaries buy converts with money and things. We have had to face a lot of flak over such things.

My own family had a lot of problems in my childhood, which i won't go into...there was a lot of unhappiness and quarelling... which made me also miserable. End result: I began to think a lot about life and its purpose as a young teen...two decades ago.

I turned to God when I came to believe, through a local preacher, that God loves me, individually. Me! I'm precious to God...and when he came into human history, in the eprson of Jesus, while it was for everyone who would see it, it was also for me. It was amazing to think that perhaps God is truly concerned and loves me, and is delighted that i was looking for answers, looking for Him... and is there for me, will be with me, and help me to live in an ethical and good way. Problems would not cease (nor have they), but my fears and worries and sadness resolved into trust.

There were times though, when I'd doubt this whole faith thing. I'd fear I was making a fool of myslef, or turning bigot or superstitious like my friends around. The first time that happened, I read the gospels through, and that helped. This was just not a plausible made-up tale...why, I could do better! The story of a poor carpenter, turned preacher...and an amazing one!...who gets condemned to a humiliating death by a nation that existed in history, and then the wierd, wierd bit about the empty tomb...no other religion has such a queer basis. And who would stick to a crazy made-up story through stoning, and torture...only idiots!

No, i reasoned, that man did exist, and the tomb WAS empty...and what, then, should I think about the man who was in it? So i decided to remain a follower of Christ. I don't care too much about rituals..even Christian ones!!, or denominations or all the other frills we have added onto following Christ. But i read the Bible often, talk to the Lord often, try to live a good life, try to get involved with good causes, meet other Christians in the nearest church I am comfortable in, tell my friends about jesus when the talk turns that way, help out at the student union...

I hope that answers your question.

 

[AWorkInProgress]

hmm..

Try not write you a novel.

I came from a back ground where church was a big thing. Ultimately it was more tradition than accually being saved. Most of my mom side of the family have cases where they gone to church for years but never applied the teachings to their lives. So when I went, never really made sense to me.

Mom decided to move out to CT, from NY. We went to church but ultimately she let it go. I grew up a troubled and misunderstood child. Gone thru many stages of depression in my youth cause I was afraid, fustrated, and just didn't know how to ask for help. The school system here didn't know what to do with me since I have sorta a learning curb.

Played video games(nintendo to PC), got addicted to porn, and other problems. Kinda did my best to hide it all except the gaming. Got kicked out of the house once my mom got remarried, and I forced to grow up some.

Exposed to Talk radio, where people broke down difficult issues and discussed them from many angles. I found appresiation for my country and awesome men and women who serve it, learned how political system works and how goverment effects our lives. Also they talked and gave thanks to god ALOT. I put it in back of my mind that I wanted to study the bible to see what it was all about.

My addictions got in the way of that, ontop of a long distance relationship. After my relationship crashed and how saw how powerless I was to my addictions, I needed to change. Started reading the bible from Genesis on. About New testiment my stepdad gave me a NLT bible and I am still reading it.

There was a passage my step dad shared with me that became the floor plan to my salvation. It only worked when I over came my fears of god and allowed him into my heart. Before I was deathly afraid if someone looked into my heart and see all the crap on it.

Learning never stops and more I understand the more powerful I am to my old enemies(my addictions). Thanks to help of some my fellow brothers here(CF) I no longer have the personality problems and to Gardener for making me realize I need to become a man first.

Right now I feel like I am mopping up my old life, and starting to build a new one on rock.

Hope that helps you and God Bless,

J

 

[Key]

What do you mean by that? What happened to make you change your mind?

Wish I had more to give you.

Now I am here.. willing to talk to people.. that 3 years ago.. would have been nothing more to me then a thing to ignore or put down.

Been a Wild Ride... to say the least....

God Bless

Key