Amazing Rando
September 12th 2004, 09:08 PM
As part of my Christian Tradition course, I was required to write a "faith streams" essay, in which I was to explain my faith journey with particular reference to the different Christian faith traditions in which I have been nurtured.
I'd like to use this thread for people to post their own "faith stream" essays. Tell us about your faith journey thus far. Tell your story! :smile: In particular, what faith traditions have had an impact on you? Please also interact with the stories of others in a meaningful (but not critical!) way. This is to be a "building up" thread, not a "tearing down" thread.
To get the ball rolling, I'll post the story that I wrote. Feel free to comment on mine as well as to tell your own story!
Christian Tradition I
9-12-04
Faith Streams Essay
I was raised in a United Methodist church outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My parents were married in that church, and my brother and I were baptized (as babies) in the same church. I was confirmed at age 12 after the standard confirmation class undergone by all young people in the Methodist Church. The only problem was that none of it stuck.
For the first 19 years or so of my life, I did not live my life as a servant of Jesus Christ. I lived as a servant to myself, and that’s about it. The faith that my parents tried to instill in me and the beliefs of the church that I grew up in just did not make a great impression on me for most of the formative years of my life. I might have said that I believed in the God of the Bible and the other associated doctrines that go along with him, but my heart just wasn’t in it and my actions didn’t demonstrate the radical life-changing faith of Peter, Jesus, and Paul. In fact, I was a very ugly person on the inside, especially during my teen years. In retrospect, I suppose I was a “whitewashed tomb.”
This changed when I got to college. I began to examine for myself the historical evidence for Christianity through coursework for several college classes, and it was through this basis that I came to the conclusion that the Christian claims rested upon a solid bedrock of historical fact. I don’t remember a specific moment when I became “saved” or anything. Coming to grips with the love of Jesus Christ was more like a process for me than an “aha!” moment.
One key to encourage my growth as a Christian was the diversity of worship experiences that I’ve encountered. I spent six months in Australia in 2002, and they were some of my most productive and valuable in terms of spiritual growth. I got involved in my first small-group Christian fellowship and befriended many Christians in the process, learning the importance of fellowship in the life of the believer. During my time there, I worshipped in an Australian Baptist Church on Sunday evenings.
Another profound experience I had was the two months I spent on my own doing an internship at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego during the summer of 2003. It was there that I learned to trust God for everything and to lean on his providence. It was an amazing time of personal growth as well as maturing in my relationship with Christ. During my time there, I worshipped with a Presbyterian church. They were not your average “stodgy” Presbyterians.
These folks were truly alive with the power of the Holy Spirit. The first unusual thing about the church was that it was a church plant in the middle of the historical Gaslamp District of San Diego, a place that was remarkably underchurched (according to statistics comparing population density to density of established churches). The mission of this church was to grown in strength and wisdom until it was large and strong enough to separate into two congregations. The plan was to split like an amoeba as much as possible, planting more churches throughout the region in order to reach more souls for Christ. I found that model to be quite an attractive means of discipling. The second unusual thing about this church was the fact that they worshipped in a movie theater! Yep, I thought that was pretty cool too!
Another tremendous experience that has truly helped me grow as a disciple of Jesus and in my understanding of the various faith traditions within Christianity has been my involvement first as a member and now as a moderator on a Christian discussion board, Theology Web (http://www.theologyweb.com). Tweb, as it is affectionately known, is a gathering place for all types of people, from atheists to Jews, to Mormons, to people of indecipherable faith backgrounds. But the most enriching part of my interaction on Theology Web has been my conversations with Christians of different faith traditions from my own. I’ve discussed doctrine and church history with Lutherans, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Methodists, Baptists, non-denominationalists, fundamentalists, liberals, you name it! And the more I talk with them, the more I’m challenged to understand just what I believe and why. I’m of the firm conviction that all orthodox Christians are on the same “team,” so to speak, and that we all serve our Lord, Creator, and Savior. Even though we may differ on the secondary issues, on the essentials, we’re united in one Body.
Where I am now is an interesting question. The more I learn about Anabaptist and Mennonite theology and practices, the more enchanted I become. I’m currently affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but that may change in the future. My wife Lori and I are going to give the Mennonite church a good hard look during our time here to see if it is for us. Thank you all for being such an amazing community of faith! I’ve learned a lot from you already, even though I’ve only been here a short time.
I'd like to use this thread for people to post their own "faith stream" essays. Tell us about your faith journey thus far. Tell your story! :smile: In particular, what faith traditions have had an impact on you? Please also interact with the stories of others in a meaningful (but not critical!) way. This is to be a "building up" thread, not a "tearing down" thread.
To get the ball rolling, I'll post the story that I wrote. Feel free to comment on mine as well as to tell your own story!
Christian Tradition I
9-12-04
Faith Streams Essay
I was raised in a United Methodist church outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My parents were married in that church, and my brother and I were baptized (as babies) in the same church. I was confirmed at age 12 after the standard confirmation class undergone by all young people in the Methodist Church. The only problem was that none of it stuck.
For the first 19 years or so of my life, I did not live my life as a servant of Jesus Christ. I lived as a servant to myself, and that’s about it. The faith that my parents tried to instill in me and the beliefs of the church that I grew up in just did not make a great impression on me for most of the formative years of my life. I might have said that I believed in the God of the Bible and the other associated doctrines that go along with him, but my heart just wasn’t in it and my actions didn’t demonstrate the radical life-changing faith of Peter, Jesus, and Paul. In fact, I was a very ugly person on the inside, especially during my teen years. In retrospect, I suppose I was a “whitewashed tomb.”
This changed when I got to college. I began to examine for myself the historical evidence for Christianity through coursework for several college classes, and it was through this basis that I came to the conclusion that the Christian claims rested upon a solid bedrock of historical fact. I don’t remember a specific moment when I became “saved” or anything. Coming to grips with the love of Jesus Christ was more like a process for me than an “aha!” moment.
One key to encourage my growth as a Christian was the diversity of worship experiences that I’ve encountered. I spent six months in Australia in 2002, and they were some of my most productive and valuable in terms of spiritual growth. I got involved in my first small-group Christian fellowship and befriended many Christians in the process, learning the importance of fellowship in the life of the believer. During my time there, I worshipped in an Australian Baptist Church on Sunday evenings.
Another profound experience I had was the two months I spent on my own doing an internship at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego during the summer of 2003. It was there that I learned to trust God for everything and to lean on his providence. It was an amazing time of personal growth as well as maturing in my relationship with Christ. During my time there, I worshipped with a Presbyterian church. They were not your average “stodgy” Presbyterians.
These folks were truly alive with the power of the Holy Spirit. The first unusual thing about the church was that it was a church plant in the middle of the historical Gaslamp District of San Diego, a place that was remarkably underchurched (according to statistics comparing population density to density of established churches). The mission of this church was to grown in strength and wisdom until it was large and strong enough to separate into two congregations. The plan was to split like an amoeba as much as possible, planting more churches throughout the region in order to reach more souls for Christ. I found that model to be quite an attractive means of discipling. The second unusual thing about this church was the fact that they worshipped in a movie theater! Yep, I thought that was pretty cool too!
Another tremendous experience that has truly helped me grow as a disciple of Jesus and in my understanding of the various faith traditions within Christianity has been my involvement first as a member and now as a moderator on a Christian discussion board, Theology Web (http://www.theologyweb.com). Tweb, as it is affectionately known, is a gathering place for all types of people, from atheists to Jews, to Mormons, to people of indecipherable faith backgrounds. But the most enriching part of my interaction on Theology Web has been my conversations with Christians of different faith traditions from my own. I’ve discussed doctrine and church history with Lutherans, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Methodists, Baptists, non-denominationalists, fundamentalists, liberals, you name it! And the more I talk with them, the more I’m challenged to understand just what I believe and why. I’m of the firm conviction that all orthodox Christians are on the same “team,” so to speak, and that we all serve our Lord, Creator, and Savior. Even though we may differ on the secondary issues, on the essentials, we’re united in one Body.
Where I am now is an interesting question. The more I learn about Anabaptist and Mennonite theology and practices, the more enchanted I become. I’m currently affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but that may change in the future. My wife Lori and I are going to give the Mennonite church a good hard look during our time here to see if it is for us. Thank you all for being such an amazing community of faith! I’ve learned a lot from you already, even though I’ve only been here a short time.