I was raised to believe that faithful attendance at church, participation in the sacraments, and efforts to live a morally pure life would be counted as credit in eventually determining my eternal standing with God.
For the most part, I did as I was told. I believed in the Trinity and that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I also believed that Jesus did His part for me and that I had to do my part for Him. I felt somewhat secure in my relationship with God because I was told that all Catholics would eventually make it into heaven.
When I was a senior in high school Billy Graham held a Crusade in Seattle. Because I respected Billy Graham, and because the Crusade was the first event to be held in the Kingdome, I decided to attend.
I enjoyed the music and what Billy Graham had to say. When the invitation was given, I told my sister that I was going onto the field to see what the view was like from the AstroTurf. (There was no way I was ever going to be on that field for any other reason. This was my only shot. I had to take it!)
I stood alone at the corner of the end zone opposite the platform where people were gathering. It was there that a young man (Roc Bottomley) introduced himself to me and started a conversation. As he explored my spiritual beliefs I told him that I was confident that I was OK with God because I was a member of a church. His response rocked my world: If going to church makes you a Christian, why did Jesus die on the cross?
A few moment later I learned why:
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5
Roc then had me read a short gospel tract. Nothing contradicted what I knew to be true. The prayer at the end, though, was different than the memorized ones I had been reciting my whole life. Roc asked me if I would read it out-loud.
“Dear God. I know that I am a sinner…” That’s as far as I got. Never before had I said those kinds of words to God. I had always confessed to a priest on the other side of the veil. I was overwhelmed with my conviction of sin and guilt. I fell to me knees realizing that I was a spiritual wreck – open and exposed before God and no one else.
“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” Proverbs 28:13
Roc helped me regain my composure and prayed with me. He helped me work through the commitment I needed to make as I surrendered to Jesus Christ as my Savior.
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. . . . Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9—10, 13
On the way home from the Crusade my sister asked me, “So, what happened to you? What’s going on?” I told her and she shrugged it off. A couple of days later my girlfriend asked me the same question. So did my best friends and my two brothers. Those who knew me best recognized an immediate change in my language and behavior.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Over the past forty-one years I have seen, and others have seen in me as well, a pattern of spiritual growth and fruitfulness. I have helped many people find Christ and learn to follow Him. God has taken me places I never thought I would see, and helped to do things I thought I could never do. Both here and abroad God is using me to impact people for the kingdom of God – something I would never be able to do or even want to do without His Spirit filling me, empowering me, and using me.