On May 22 as part of our Spring 2011 series on being Culturally Engaged, Matt Williams spoke about Personal Theology, specifically addressing eight aspects of sharing our faith. Over the next few weeks, different members of our staff will be addressing each of these eight aspects from their own personal experiences. Click here for other posts in this series.
Several years before, while in the military, I started to do a Bible Study with a friend. Sitting in the middle of the desert, in a tent, I was reading the Bible – as a historical document. Who were the Assyrians or the Babylonians? Even then I was missing the point. It was a historical commentary to me, a book to be read to see what had transpired in the past. My perspective was skewed and I missed the point at every turn.
On this June weekend, I was driving to a friend's wedding in western Pennsylvania. I started the traveling after work thinking it wouldn't be too long of a trip. Back then I had a four cylinder Jeep Wrangler without air conditioning. That first night I only drove for all of 3-1/2 hours, leaving myself an unexpected full day of driving the following morning. However, that day of quiet reflection was a turning point in my journey with Christ. It's amazing what can happen when the distractions of life quit being a factor. Here I was in the middle of the summer, no A/C, driving somewhere I wasn't sure even existed and God allowed me to look at my life with a critical eye. I could tell I was not doing things the way He wanted. I was having a sexual relationship with a girl from church. It had been going on for several weeks and the guilt was eating me up. Older members of the congregation would say how great it was that we were dating and all I could think was what a hypocrite I was. I pulled out my 3 pound cell phone (slight exaggeration but not much) and called her from the middle of West Virginia and told her I couldn't date her any longer and that it was my fault things had turned out like they had.
The next day was the rehearsal dinner. I had finally made it to the large metropolis of Seneca, PA. As I was driving back to the house where I was staying I had, the only way I know to describe it was, a vision. I saw Jesus, battered and bloody, abused and beaten. My whole life I had heard the story about how he died for me, but it is amazing how little those words can mean when you're reading it as a statement and not applying it to the brokenness in your own life. I started crying and had to pull off the road. All my life Jesus longed for me to come to him. He had freely sacrificed himself for me so that his Father could look upon me with love. Never before in my life had this truth pierced my heart. That kind of love is truly indescribable, but the image of what he endured for me is the constant reminder of the price He paid for me to be redeemed.
Jon Wilson, Grace Church Operations Manager
"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14
It was June 1999 and I had been out of the Air Force for three months and was getting used to being home again. I had started attending the church I grew up in but I could tell something was missing. You see, I grew up in the church but the truths taught there never reached my heart. I can remember when I was baptized at age 16 thinking how much of a hypocrite I was. The only reason why I got baptized was because I couldn't think of a reason not to. Instead of identifying with Christ in his life, death, and resurrection, I really had no story to tell of a changed like because I had no relationship with Him.
Several years before, while in the military, I started to do a Bible Study with a friend. Sitting in the middle of the desert, in a tent, I was reading the Bible – as a historical document. Who were the Assyrians or the Babylonians? Even then I was missing the point. It was a historical commentary to me, a book to be read to see what had transpired in the past. My perspective was skewed and I missed the point at every turn.
On this June weekend, I was driving to a friend's wedding in western Pennsylvania. I started the traveling after work thinking it wouldn't be too long of a trip. Back then I had a four cylinder Jeep Wrangler without air conditioning. That first night I only drove for all of 3-1/2 hours, leaving myself an unexpected full day of driving the following morning. However, that day of quiet reflection was a turning point in my journey with Christ. It's amazing what can happen when the distractions of life quit being a factor. Here I was in the middle of the summer, no A/C, driving somewhere I wasn't sure even existed and God allowed me to look at my life with a critical eye. I could tell I was not doing things the way He wanted. I was having a sexual relationship with a girl from church. It had been going on for several weeks and the guilt was eating me up. Older members of the congregation would say how great it was that we were dating and all I could think was what a hypocrite I was. I pulled out my 3 pound cell phone (slight exaggeration but not much) and called her from the middle of West Virginia and told her I couldn't date her any longer and that it was my fault things had turned out like they had.
The next day was the rehearsal dinner. I had finally made it to the large metropolis of Seneca, PA. As I was driving back to the house where I was staying I had, the only way I know to describe it was, a vision. I saw Jesus, battered and bloody, abused and beaten. My whole life I had heard the story about how he died for me, but it is amazing how little those words can mean when you're reading it as a statement and not applying it to the brokenness in your own life. I started crying and had to pull off the road. All my life Jesus longed for me to come to him. He had freely sacrificed himself for me so that his Father could look upon me with love. Never before in my life had this truth pierced my heart. That kind of love is truly indescribable, but the image of what he endured for me is the constant reminder of the price He paid for me to be redeemed.
Jon Wilson, Grace Church Operations Manager