My Testimony

When I was on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (now called Cru), I was trained to give my testimony. I could do a three minute version, a 5 minute version, and a 10 minute version. Which one I used depended on my situation. Here I’ll try to keep it simple and short.

I was raised in a Christian home. My family went to church every time the doors were open. I was in the youth group, Sunday school class, and the youth choir. I enjoyed the activities and had friends there. I knew a lot about Jesus but I was missing an important piece.

In June 1978, I attended a Christian choral music camp for a week at camp Jumonville. On Thursday night we were privileged to hear Jeff Painter in concert. Jeff is an amazing pianist, composer, and singer. I was enjoying the concert and then Jeff started to give his testimony. He talked about how it isn’t enough to know about Jesus. We needed to know Jesus personally. These were things I had never really understood. I didn’t know that I needed to personally accept Jesus in to my life. Up until this point, I was trying to do everything right. I was going to church and reading my Bible. I was trying to be obedient but it was all on my own effort. I had never asked Jesus to forgive my sin and I had never asked Him to come into my life. This night was the most important night in my life because I answered an altar call and went forward and confessed my sin and gave my life to Jesus. It was at that moment that I understood that I didn’t have to live the Christian life on my own. Jesus was going to be right there with me every step of the way.

So what changed in my life after I became a Christian? To be honest, you would not have seen a lot of change. I still participated in lots of church activities but they quickly took on new meanings for me. I had a peace in my heart that I had never experienced before. I really didn’t live all that differently but now I could draw strength from God. I had a hunger for God’s Word that I had never experienced before.

I graduated from high school and went on to college. I knew upon arriving at college that I needed to find some Christian fellowship. I met a girl who was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and she invited me to go to one of their meetings. I went and immediately knew that was where I needed to be. I was placed in a discipleship group and I started to really learn a lot about my faith. I was taught how to pray, how to study the Bible, and other basics of the Christian faith. I had a leader who held me accountable and that was really important to my growth as a Christian.

Jesus saved me and changed my life at that music concert. I knew at that moment that I was going to heaven. However, I still had a lot to learn. It is important that after you accept Christ that you don’t stop there but that you seek to know Him better every day.

I am not perfect. I still make mistakes, but I know that my heavenly Father loves me unconditionally and that when I confess my sin, He will forgive me. My Christian walk is a moment by moment experience. I love the Lord and my goal is to live my life so that it pleases Him in every way.

 

The Bible says:

“ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2Timothy 2:15

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:10