20 years ago I started my journey on this Earth as a believer in God. I would say that I had always been spiritual because I had always believed that there was a force (if you will) behind it all, but before I became a believer “spirit” was just impersonal.
Early in my life I started using drugs, and fueled by psychedelic music and an urge to party, I ventured off about the deepest end I could have ever imagined. For some, drugs and music were an escape but for me it was a new reality. I can’t say there was a week in 12 years that I was not high, and I thought that being high was what life was all about.
I traveled all over the country following the Grateful Dead and seeing them play more than 300 times. To me living on the road not having any responsibility was the ultimate adventure and I was all about adventure in my early days.
I had lived my life for me for far too long and in the process had damaged myself mentally. Alongside me was my girlfriend, who I had drug all over the place and brought into the same dangerous lifestyle I had been living. 5 years we spent on our adventure until one day she decided she was going back home. She was going back to school and getting it right with her family. I on the other hand was not. I had a life and wasn’t about to quit it even if it meant being arrested, overdosing or just plain becoming a crazy person. This kind of lifestyle can spiral out of control very quickly.
After some time alone on the road I realized I wanted to be with her, so I went back home to Frederick MD and got a job and a band. Now The Grateful Dead had been a peaceful band (despite their name), but I ran into some friends that were into some really heavy, dark music and they were looking for a singer, so I accepted the job.
Now I was not only heavily on drugs but also the lead singer of a death metal band called Sorrow in the Sane. I became unknowingly more and more dark-sided until I had become a different person. In the midst of this new journey my then-girlfriend told me that I was not the same person any longer and she tried to leave me but I pulled my last card: marriage.
She accepted my proposal and her father accepted me as a future son-in-law under the condition that I meet his pastor and have the pastor do the wedding.
OK, I didn’t like it, but since I needed someone to do the wedding, it was a win-win, right?
RIGHT!
When I entered the house of the pastor I was met by a Spirit I had never met before. As we talked about marriage the subject changed to the Maker of Marriage, God.
Instead of being defensive I became intrigued because Jesus wasn’t a boring killjoy- He was the exciting God. As I learned more about this Jesus, I became aware that I was a sinner in need of a Saviour, and on my fifth meeting with the Pastor I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour.
My life changed, my desires changed, my direction changed, and my eternal destiny changed. Not a bad change, but the ultimate good change.
This is what happened: I realized I was a sinner and the Bible says that God being a Holy God could not allow me to enter His heaven with sin.
God not willing that I should perish or be separated from Him made a way for me to have my sins paid for and deleted.
God took on the form of a man robed in human flesh. Yes you have heard the story. That baby in Bethlehem born of a virgin. His name is Jesus. He is the man that died on the cross and He did it to pay my sin debt for me.
I realized I could be forgiven of all my sins by simply asking Jesus to come into my life and forgive me of my sins.
Jesus died on a cross and He was buried, but the most miraculous thing happened.
3 days later He rose from the grave! I knew in my heart that this really did happen and I believed on Jesus.
That was 20 years ago. I’m still with the woman I married and now have 6 children. I am a pastor of one of the Lord’s Churches and God has continually blessed me the entire time.
Back to the question, WHY AM I A CHRISTIAN?
Because I said yes to God. This is the best decision I have ever made.
What about you?
Feel free to reach out to me! I would be glad to answer any questions you may have. Of course you are welcome to come to Liberty Baptist Church in Rouzerville PA. We would love to have you.