my faith
- I believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
- Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for my sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is my High Priest and Mediator.
- The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to my hearts. He convicts me of sin and draws me to the Savior. Indwelling my heart, He gives new life to me, empowers and imparts gifts to me for service. He instructs and guides me into all truth, and seals me for the day of redemption.
- Being estranged from God and condemned by my sinfulness, my salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's free grace. God credits His righteousness to me who put my faith in Christ alone for my salvation, thereby justifies me in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
- The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
- Jesus Christ will come again to the earth-personally, visibly, and bodily-to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20)
- The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to "Him who loved us and gave Himself for us." He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10)
Adapted from the Essentials of Our Faith, the confession of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
my testimony, God's work in my life
Growing
up in a Christian home, a church, and around faithful Christians, you would
think that I would have accepted Christ at an early age. While I was
baptized, marked by Christ, entering into His convental prescence shortly after
birth, my faith didn't become personal until much later.
Throughout school, I was always the quiet kid. Not popular, but not unpopular, it wasn't until high school that I branched out - thanks to the love and encouragement of a dear friend, Davonna. She encouraged me to be an individual and to open up. Showing her love to my entire class, God had a different plan for her. Two days after I turned eighteen, Davonna disappeared - later we would find out that she had paid the ultimate price as a victim of domestic violence. It wasn't until the last days of my senior year that her fate became known. The light that God had given me - the encouragement to step outside my shell - was now gone.
Coupled with financial issues that prevented me from going away to
college and attending the local Junior College where I was with people I
didn't know, I became quite angry with God. Adding to this were a
number of issues that made me keep God at a distance, in a box. And I
prayed. I don't know why, but I prayed. And God answered my
prayers by having me enroll at North Central College, which is a private
United Methodist college in Naperville, Illinois. Had I known
that it was Christian affiliated, i would have gone elsewhere!
I arrived on campus, grateful for the new start, and determined to make new friends. Being a transfer student, I was in the minority in the dorm I was in - it turns out there were just a few of us transfers and tons of freshman. I was on the one floor with the transfers while the other male floor was housed with freshman. Not seeing any activity on my floor, I ventured down to the freshman floor and met some new people - also looking to establish friendships. As we decided what to do, the suggestion to go to the concert on a hill by the fieldhouse. The bands were Christian as were many of my new friends, it turned out. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes played a major role in this endeavor and I was invited to come. When classes started the next day I went to Marketing class. I struck up a conversation with a girl, Emily, who had seen me at FCA, and the invitation was extended. She was nice-how could I say no. So I decided I would go once. I wasn't and athlete and I wasn't the type of Christian they seemed to be. I was happy to have God in my box, put away for when the bottom fell out.
The next Thursday I went to FCA, heard the story of a young lady who had
felt abandoned from God and who had attempted suicide. I felt an
instant connection to the feelings she had, realizing that Christians
weren't perfect. The worship leaders include one of the friends I met
in my dorm...a matter a fact a lot of these friends were there. But I
didn't consider myself an athlete. I didn't play Baseball, Football,
or participate in Track or Cross County - which it seemed most everybody
there did. I wasn't going to go back. However, the next day
Emily said she was glad I went and hoped I would come back.
The next Thursday I went back and God continued to speak to me. Then the invitation came, would you like to join a Bible Study. And I knew that at this point that I needed to live my life for Christ, said yes to the bible study, and let Christ take control of my life.
Over the next years I never really yielded fully to Christ, holding back, until a friend called me on the way I was living my life. Through the next years, I would have a journey that taught me a lot about Christ, leading me through times where I was tested, to a church that was on fire for Christ. As I continue, now a member of a Presbyterian Church, I am finally beginning to realize what it is to live for Christ, fully, everyday.
my church
I am proud to be a Christian in the Reformed tradition at a church with a Presbyterian polity, and a place where I have grown immesely in my faith. My home church is First Presbyterian Church of Aurora.
