Here is the short version...
In my early years growing up I attended a (Arminian) Baptist Church, but mostly an Assemblies of God Church. In my early twenties, I attended a Church of God Church for a couple of years and moved on to a non-denominational Pentecostal/Charismatic Church and other similar Churches. I attended a Presbyterian based local college for a couple of years, and up to this point in my life, around 25 years of age, I had never even heard of John Calvin (I only heard his name mentioned by a girl outside of classes, of course it meant nothing to me). After college not working out so swell for me (and I should note just because the college is Presbyterian in it's roots, means very little, going there did not influence me towards Presbyterianism, however I took several courses which were helpful though indirectly), a year or so later, I became an active poster over at the CARM (Christian Apologetics Research Ministry) forum for a year or two. It was there that I really started engaging in systematic theology (I had read most of the Bible in college for a Biblical Survey course where we read and journaled, but I had previously read a good portion of Scripture, having made efforts to try and read it daily), it was there I learned I was an Arminian and had been for as long as I could remember. One of the "mean" Calvinists at CARM would intentionally infuriate me...let's just say his methods though flawed (using profanity in private), left an impression. However my real passion was for defending the faith, I spent most of my time engaging the agnostics and atheists at CARM. After some time of learning, as a "classical" apologist, I wanted to learn more about the different methods and approaches to defending the faith including presuppositionalism, so I did some searching and found logos had a deal on the works of Cornelius Van Til ($50 on CD-ROM), what better source than the "father of presuppositionalism". After I received the software in the mail, it collected dust near my computer for awhile. Back in 2002, I found myself experiencing doubt like I had never before, and quite honestly "classical" apologetics and Arminian theology were not enough, because I discovered serious problem with how I had been defending the faith, such as no way to link the classical arguments specifically to the God of Christianity, and even worse, no escape from relativism (though I rejected it as theory for all truth). I began listening to old recordings included on the Works of Van Til CD-ROM, and I listened for hours and hours, and though I could not understanding everything I heard, and still do not, by the grace of God, and God ministering to me through those old recordings, I started learning and opening up to the thought I could be wrong, that I had been wrong for so many years, it really made me shudder, shook me to the core. I remember praying about it, and asking for guidance and help, before I fully embraced Calvinism. It took some time to undo most, if not all, of the Arminian philosophy and assumptions that were so deeply ingrained in my thinking, in my worldview and interpretation, of everything that really matters the most in life. In summary, the internet, especially messageboards, an interest in apologetics, various un-named Calvinists (laying out many proof texts), agnostics and atheists for exposing the weaknesses of how I defended the faith, legalistic Christians and expectations of others and myself along with the knowledge of my sins all contributed to me becoming a Calvinist, with the LORD using Van Til's methodology to kill my lingering doubts.
