How I became a Christian and other thoughts

Hi, thanks for checking this out.

Every Christian has a unique account of the events in their life that lead to them putting their faith in Jesus Christ. Though some fundamental aspects will be the same for everyone, it seems to me that God deals with us as individuals, according to our own personalities. Because we're all so different, in culture, belief, temperament etc., our experiences of His dealing with us will be quite unique too. This is my own experience ...

My own story

I was brought up in a Christian home, going to church, and learning the basic facts about Christianity. I was confirmed and tried to follow God. But being brought up in a scientific-rationalist culture, and studying science/engineering at university, my 'faith' was confined almost entirely to the realms of intellectual argument and analysis. Though I knew that if you subject the claims of Christianity to a critical analysis, it is very difficult not to conclude that they are true, it made very little real difference to my life.

For instance, I was not bothered when I forgot my bible at home for one term! I rarely read it or prayed, except at church, thinking these things were for 'super-religious' people, and not necessary for the ordinary person like me. But I often felt unsatisfied with this state of affairs.

Later, I met a Christian who I respected because of his intelligence and knowledge about Christianity. He was also involved in scientific research and I could relate to the way he thought. Though I didn't know it, he also had something else - a personal knowledge of God and of his Word, and that made a difference in his life.

We studied the book of James together. It hit me hard that I was just like that 'double-minded' man referred to there, since I knew I wasn't all for God - I wanted to "have a good time" too. I had a hidden agenda. I thought that if I committed myself completely to God, then I would only lose. I could only see what I would have to give up and change, and I thought it was too much.

But God did speak to me through this, not to my intellect, or in audible words, but to my heart. So I asked him to be Lord, not in theory, but in reality and in all areas of my life. In a short period in summer 1992, my life was transformed, and filled with a daily joy of knowing my Lord for myself. My focus changed from my needs, to wanting to please God. Consequently, I found myself changed from the inside out, i.e. my desires changed, not that I was just following the rules. I did feel totally fulfilled and my thinking was transformed.

Life as a Christian - step 1

The following year was one of rapid change. First of all, I started reading the bible and that in itself had the biggest impact on the way I understood things and my progress as a Christian. I found that prayer 'worked' too! Our weekly prayer meeting was the highlight of the week - when we saw prayer changing things, both in ourselves and in the world around us.

I was astounded. I had discovered by getting on board what one can never know from the outside. Though becoming a Christian is definitely not 'shut your eyes and believe', it does require a step of faith. Until I was encouraged to make that step, it would not work.

Having made the step, I found it just as I'd been told it would be. I did not feel I had lost anything, and I knew I had gained a lot! It was exactly as God has promised - that if we trust Him first, above all else, He will provide for us - so I should not have been surprised!

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you", declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29 vv 13-14

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"
Matthew 6 v 33

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"
John 10 v 10

Further thoughts on "life, the universe and everything"

On reflection, this makes so much sense, because I now see how this was the way God designed us to work best - in a proper relationship with Him.

My experience also helped me to recognise that the real issue in deciding how to respond to the claims of Christianity is mainly to do with the challenge of changing our lives, rather than whether it is true or not! So when we do consider these matters, we should be careful we are being objective, confronting the matter for what it is - a call to change from a view of the world which revolves around self, to one which revolves around God.

It seems to me that there is a great need in our modern world to start facing up to real issues and carry things through to their logical conclusions. Many deny the existence of God, or even if they acknowledge that there is a 'creator', believe that humankind are merely a chance product of natural life which itself arose by chance.

If this is the case, a person is simply a collection of atoms and emotions are ultimately nothing more than programming to make sure we propagate. Therefore, it should not matter how we treat one another and there can be no such thing as right and wrong. Killing another human being would be a meaningless fact, as insignificant as pulling a petal off a daisy. Yet even the smallest child recognises the existence of standards in the order of things, that one thing is right and another is wrong. So something does not tally! It can't be!!!

I believe that the Christian story does provide answers to these questions, and answers which are relevant to all human beings from the illiterate tribesman to the most sophisticated modern man. The answers cross all cultures, races and standings in the world, and this is born out by the fact that the gospel message has been found to be highly relevant to the lives of millions across the world.

In fact, the thoughts I have written here pale into insignificance when I read of the incredible work of God in different parts of the world. Our workplace CU support the work of Rolland and Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries working with street children and orphans in Mozambique.

The weekly emailed prayer updates take us to another world, where those who have nothing and have experienced overwhelming suffering in worldly terms, especially in the aftermath of the recent floods, experience deliverance and incredible joy in knowing our Lord. Time after time we read of lives turned upside down by the Christian message.

We read of people with a hunger to know about God, such that they would ignore desperately needed relief supplies of food for the sake of getting hold of Christian tracts, which they see as more valuable. We read of people who all there lives have been prisoners to fear, superstition and witchcraft set free and so grateful. We read of children who have nothing brought in off the rubbish dumps worshipping the Lord with abandoned joy.

And this situation is not confined to Mozambique! A visiting speaker at Cranfield Christian Union from the Mission Aviation Fellowship told us of similar experiences when delivering relief supplies to refugees from southern Sudan whilst in Northern Uganda. Moving amongst the destitute and hungry refugees, people were constantly coming to him to ask for one thing - bibles, the word of God.

Then I hear from a college room-mate who is now a pastor in a large church in Nigeria, of how hundreds of thousands of people come to the monthly all-night prayer vigil held in his church. These people are eager to seek God and lives and situations are seen to be changed through the power of prayer.

Here in the West, there is limited interest in the things of God and priorities are different. But maybe we can learn from others, each of whom is known and loved by God to the same extent as any high-flying professional in the capitalist West. I believe that deep inside, we all have the same needs and concerns - a need to know that we are known and loved by the creator of all things, and a need to know why we are here.

There's lots more I would love to say, but there's a limit to what one can do in a few lines of text. Which leads us to....

Further steps

I have made no attempt to set out the gospel message itself here, but just wanted to put in writing my own experiences and thoughts about these important matters - the meaning of our lives! So if this testimony has raised any questions for you, please check out the other links on my site for more info, or send me a mail.

Stephen Welch, July 1997, updated November 1998, April 2000

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