| Kingswood Baptist Church - Testimonies |
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| Baptism Service 31st January 20010 Testimonies Richard When I was a boy I never really thought about God. I was in the Scouts and used to go to church parade once a month, but the Christian side of it never really meant anything to me. We decided to go on a holiday to the Black Forest in Germany that was being organised by David and Christine, who run the Friday Club that the girls go to and Focus, which our youngest son goes to. We knew before that the guest house was run by Christians. I didn’t go to the Sunday service that is held there, but I came down early to breakfast on the Tuesday to go with the girls to the daily devotional time that Len, who runs the guest house, was leading. After that first time I came down to it every day and was the first one there! On the last day of the holiday we had a barbecue and Aldo gave his testimony. Afterwards, when everybody else was heading for bed, I started having a serious chat with Len. He gave me a New Testament and plenty to think about! When we got home, I said to Michelle, ‘Shall we give church a try?’ We found we enjoyed coming along and decided to do the Alpha Course to find our more. At the last baptism service I prayed the prayer of faith at the end of the service. Since then I have been reading Nicky Gumbel’s ‘Thirty Days’ and have got a new Bible from Michelle as a combined birthday and Christmas present. I have given up going to the pub on Sunday evenings and come to church instead. I’ve told people at work that I’m now a Christian. I pray in my head and find it best to get up before the rest of the family to read the Bible and pray. I want to baptised because, as Stuart said, it is the beginning of the journey. Michelle I’ve always believed in God and always prayed to Him. If I had a problem I would always pray for help. I thought everybody did! It just seemed the natural thing to do. I used to come to the parents’ evenings at Friday Club as a way of saying ‘thank you’ for babysitting all year! The parents’ evenings always have a Christian message at the end. The girls went to the Holiday Club at Northlands School, which was run by Steve Morley. I came to the parents’ evening at the end of the club and especially enjoyed the song that says, ‘Jesus says to me…I love ya!’ Some friends tried to persuade me to go down the pub with them instead, but I told them. ‘I’m not coming with you. I’m enjoying myself!’ which they couldn’t understand. We went on holiday to Germany with David and Christine and I really enjoyed it, despite being warned by my friends not to go (probably because of the Christian side of the holiday). I couldn’t wait to get back and tell people it was fantastic! It surprised me when Richard said he wanted to go to church. I was really amazed that I was accepted as I was and I was also surprised to find out that Christians are all normal! We did the Alpha Course, which was very helpful and I had lots of conversations with Jackie, who does registration at Friday Club. I’ve been reading the Bible and a booklet called ‘Every Day with Jesus for New Christians,’ which is great, was well as Nicky Gumbel’s ‘Thirty Days’. It has been a gradual journey for me and I am learning all the time. Richard and I have been together for 20 years in March and coming to church and believing in God is the only thing we have really done together, enjoyed and agree on!! |
