Your story

[Goose]

I would really like to hear how some of you became a Christian.

And also how you came to take an interest in apologetics.

[otseng]

I became a Christian during my freshman year in Georgia Tech. It was during a campus outreach and they did a seminar on rock-and-roll music. I didn't really listen to R-n-R music (I listened mostly to jazz), but I guess I didn't have anything else to do that night, so I went. (Or some Calvinists might say I was preordained to go that night.) That night, they talked about backmasking and convinced me that the only logical explanation was a supernatural explanation. So, that night my foot was in the door.

The following fall, I didn't have a place to stay on campus, so the same group of people who put on the seminar invited me to stay in the house with them. Rent would only be $150 a month. And so I accepted. That was when I was thrown in the door and found out what true Christianity was all about.

These guys blew away my preconceived notions of Christianity. I had thought Christianity was irrelevant, boring, and just for the ignorant. Well, two of my roommates were getting graduate degrees and both had 4.0 averages during their undergraduate at GA Tech. Not something very easy to do.

We served one another. We all ate together 5 nights a week. We cooked for one another. We were very involved in Bible studies, outreaches, prayer meetings, church, conferences, and even mission trips. They introduced me to racquetball and working out. It was a great period in my Christian life.

My interest in apologetics started when several of us roommates went to go hear Walt Brown speak during my sophomore year at Tech. I had problems with the worldwide flood before then. But he presented a plausible hypothesis to explain it. And it got me on the track of reconciling science and faith. And since then, my interest in apologetics has mostly been through scientific evidence, rather than theological or philosophical arguments.

[achilles12604]

I would really like to hear how some of you became a Christian.

And also how you came to take an interest in apologetics.

No matter how long I'm on this site I am always finding now interesting posts.

I was raised in the church. When I was in high school I started to not care about God. I was having a good time doing what I wanted to. I went to college and was having a blast. No I don't remember what I was doing. . .

In Feb 2004, I was suddenly called up for Army duty in Iraq. I decided to get married to the girl I was dating (for 6 weeks ) and then I went to Ft. Carson. While there I began reading "left Behind". I found it to be a good story although I never took it litterally. It did however spark an interest in Revelations and end days. I began to study them. I then read "The Case for Christ". This book launched my love of logical debate and apologetics. Over the next year or so I was asborbed by God. I was a totally different person than I was during college just a few months earlier. I was different all the way down to my desires. I learned first hand how powerful the holy spirit can be over a person's decisions when that person deliberately desires and tries to match up with God's will. Like anchoring a raft to a full sized boat, my will was brought on board.

When I returned I went through a rather rough patch (divorce, cheating spouse, single parenting, etc). But through it all I maintained a love for apologetics. Once I was re-established on this half of the world and back to work, I began to take my new found apologetics to forums to debate with atheists. At first it was a total failure. I ran into site after site where it wasn't debate they wanted but rather simple bashing of anyone they didn't agree with. But eventually I found the Happy Humanist on another site and he suggested this one. And here I am.

My personal walk runs hot and cold, but in general my faith is solidified by the facts I have learned. Interestingly I have also learned that these facts are hollow an empty without continuing the daily relationship with the Lord who caused them to be. I've also learned that apologetics will probably never win souls. It is a discipline of the mind, not of the heart. Therefore it will probably not affect hearts. It has its uses especially with regards of defending new and weak faiths from attack. But mostly it simply secures mine.

[Goose]

I've had two people ask me to share my conversion story in a another thread. So I thought it more appropriate here. So here goes.


I was nineteen almost twenty years old when I became a Christian. I was living a dream playing semi-pro ice hockey, travelling, going to college part-time, and had it pretty good. I was familiar with Christianity as my parents went to church fairly regularly. However, they didn't push it on me. In fact, they never made me go to church nor forced me to do anything religious, they only asked on occasion. I usually declined. I always thought there was probably a god or God or "something" out there. But I didn't really care either way. I was by no means a Christian. Actually, truth be told, I wasn't interested in Christianity at all. It seemed boring, outdated, a little corny, and would have required me to change a lot of things in my life that I didn't want to change. I was involved in some activities that I'm not proud of today. But, that was part of the life style and crowd I was with. Things were pretty good as I said, but looking back I do recall feeling a sense of emptiness, maybe unfulfilled would be a better way to describe it. I was satisfied to some extent, but not joyful. I wanted something more.

I went to an evening service at a small church because there was a girl that I had an interest in. She asked if I would come along. I agreed as she promised we could go out for a coffee after. I don't remember much about the actual service other than there was nothing particularly exciting. The singing was horrible, no alter call, no dynamic speaking. I don't remember anything about the message given. It was kind of boring really. I just wanted to get through it so I could go out with this girl.

The service ended and as I was leaving the pastor shook my hand and said, "nice to meet you, see you again." I don't really understand why but at that moment I began to cry. An overwhelming sense of what I can only conclude was God's presence struck me. It sounds strange every time I talk about this and I rarely do because I actually find it rather embarrassing; humbling is probably a better word. The pastor asked me if I was OK. And I said something to the effect, "I think so." But I couldn't stop weeping, actually it was getting stronger and more uncontrollable. This girl I was interested in was watching me sob like a baby for no apparent reason. She thought I was having an episode. The pastor took me aside into a room and we talked. The short version is, I gave my life to Christ.

I'm not an emotional person. That's my wife's biggest complaint; I'm not emotional enough. I don't cry enough she always says. Some will say that I had some indigestion, was pre-programmed, was emotionally battered and found comfort, I'm a little peculiar, too many hockey pucks to the head, or have some other explanation. Whatever. I believe, no I'll rephrase that, I KNOW I had an experience with God. It was powerful and like nothing else I had ever experienced.

I became interested in apologetics many years later when someone presented me with one of those "Oh, you're a Christian, I'll bet you didn't know this..." things and proceeded to throw at me a conspiracy theory. I spent the next six months in a state of spiritual crises. That's the only way I know how to describe it. I didn't know what to think. I was very confused and had some real sincere doubts. I quickly started uncovering things I had never heard about Christianity before. I had a sick feeling in my stomach for quit some time. I felt like I had been duped into becoming a Christian. I felt like I had bought into a lie hook line and sinker.

There were two saving graces in all this. First, the experience that I had at the church that night kept me at least interested enough to make sure. I knew I had experienced something. Second, I had enough common sense to check into these things that had been said about Christianity to see if they were valid. I wanted to get both sides and make what felt was a rational decision on the facts. I had decided I would renounce my faith if that is what the facts suggested I should do. In short, I set out to prove to myself whether or not Christianity was true. I spent that six months reading as much as I could into the wee hours of the morning. I was obsessed. I will be honest and admit there was a part of me that wanted Christianity to be true. But equally, I was very angry that I had possibly been "taken for a ride" by Christianity. I think that possibility aggravated me more. No one likes to be suckered. I can fairly say I wanted to know the truth. As I looked into it more and more I discovered the arguments against Christianity, though there were some decent and intelligent ones, for the most part were essentially based on a heavy bias, conjecture, conspiracy theories, avoidance of evidence, circular reasoning, a "guilty till proven innocent" approach, and a whole lot of smoke blowing. I found nothing that proved Christianity false. The evidence and arguments seemed to show Christian claims to be true. Christianity began to appear stronger than before as it with stood the onslaught of attack. I'm still a Christian and stronger for the experience.

[StephS]

I was raised in the Southern Baptist religion, but didn't actually become a Christian until I was much older. Certain circumstances in my life, however, led me to believe it was all a load of codswallop, so I abandoned organized religion for years in favor of agnosticism. Big mistake!

Recently, though, a friend told me about Joel Osteen, nationally known pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas and author of Your Best Life Now. While reading the book, God spoke to me, and I decided to rededicate my life to Him.

[PC1]

I just registered here today but I figure I'll share my story

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and have come to the conclusion that if it had not been for the sheer Christian love that my grandparents/parents and some others had, I don't know if my faith would be nearly as deeply rooted as it is today (maybe I'd even be a nonbeliever).

Well, I was brought up in a Christian home (my dad was Catholic, my mom Baptist). I can specifically remember from a very young age my dad reading the Bible to me and its a memory I cherish beyond words. My grandfather on my mother's side was the nicest man I think I've ever known. In fact, I have a miracle to share about his early life.

My mother is 100% Armenian, and both my grandparents on her side escaped the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks with their families when they were young children. Several of their siblings, aunts, and uncles perished in the ordeal, however. My grandfather, when he was no older than 5, was forced to trek with his family through a brutal winter in escape of the genocide. By the time his parents (my great grandparents) reached a place of shelter, they had lost several of their children. My great grandmother, not being able to take care of my grandfather, made the painful choice of giving him to a young Armenian man who was wealthy enough to care for him. When my great grandparents were finally able to flee to Ellis Island (in the 1920's I believe), they miracously ran into my grandfather there with the young man! They were overjoyed, and I have no doubt that God preserved for them my grandfather, their son.

My grandfather's character has been such an overwhelming inspiration to me. He was a humble man, but he loved his family and always did what he could to serve his local church. He was so nice, I can't even put it into words. My mom says he never once raised his tone to my grandmother, and even into his old age (his 80's) he was still so in love with her. Additionally my mom and dad, my other grandparents - they all radiated this character that I admire so much and wish I had.

In middle school I started attending a Baptist school. My first year, while the weakly sermons left me teary-eyed, and I believed in Christ, I don't think I really understood what it meant to follow Him. That changed with my 7th grade Bible teacher, Mr. Banks. The love of Christ that was in this man shocks me to this day. He would break down in tears almost every day in routine prayer, simply out of his love for Christ, His savior. That really stood out to me - I could see that there was something very special about him. Mr. Banks eventually offered us a plan on how to read our Bibles in a year. I think I was the only one to take him up on it, but I'm not totally sure. Needless to say, reading the words of Christ unprodded for the first time blew my mind. His love and all he did for me drives me to tears - especially when I hear those hymns at church. As the year progressed Mr. Banks offered a discipleship class every week on Friday, before school started. I would eagerly arrive every day, sometimes being the only one there, and be amazed at this teaching (we especially focused on John 15). Mr. Banks bought out of his own pocket discipleship books for us and homework lessons. It has left an amazing impact on me, one that has so signiciantly strengthened my faith to this day. Since I was going to a Christian school, my parents stopped making me go to church. Mr. Banks always said that church was an important part to the Christian walk (he even offered to drive me). Needless to say, out of foolishness I didn't go to church for years. In fact it was until last year (my freshman year of college) that I finally acted on those words ringing me and started going back to church and I must say, its been such a blessing.

I've always been interested in my faith and wanting to further Christs' kingdom. It was around the time I first entered college (a secular college) that my faith just got absolutely bombarded by atheist challenges. Up until this point, no one had ever tested my faith. I don't know why, but all of the sudden it was like a protective bubble around me popped - I was seeing my faith challenged on TV, in class, on the internet and in nearly every facet of life. It disturbed me, to say the least. While it rattled me, I was able to fight an uphill battle for about a year (thanks to apologetics), until I basically arrived at where I am at today, feeling nearly completely secure in my faith. I suppose thats where my interest in apologetics comes from. I see a lot of people who don't survive that faith bombardment for whatever reason and I want to help them in the way I was helped. To be honest, if I hadn't had the strong roots established in me as I described above, I question whether or not my faith would have survived that initial onslaught - and I thank God everyday for those roots.

[alexiarose]

Since I was 5 years old and there was a horrible thunderstorm that scared the wits out of me and the only thing that gave me comfort was a prayer mom taught me:
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
Beside me, guide me, through the night
And keep me safe til mornings light.

Any time I have doubts I remember her voice teaching me this. The peace it gave me then is just as strong as the peace is today.

[servant]

Hey all thanks for your stories. I think they are the best witness of God. My story is long so please don't feel bad if you don't want to read it.

servant wrote:
Ok I will give it a shot but I know you guys will most likely laugh it off. I was blessed to have grown up in a Christian home with a loving father and mother. I never saw my mother or father really angry, never saw them lie, say a curse word, drink alcohol, stay out with their buddies, smoke, etc. I remember the first time I realized my father was human is when he wept at his fathers funeral. I was about 10. The first time I heard my father say a bad word I must have been about 15 or 16. Was it God helping my parents stay strong and be good or were they just good. You have to decide yourself. We attended church on a regular basis and at the age of 10 on boys youth camp I accepted Jesus as my personal savior and repented of my sins. My teen and early 20’s were really all about ME and not about God. I wanted it to be my way. I stopped going to church because I did not want to be a hypocrite. I thought being a Christian was too hard and besides I wanted to fit in with what I thought was the cool crowd. I was introduced to tobacco, then alcohol, and then soft drugs, hard drugs followed, started to lie, steal, sex, etc. The crazy thing is not many people that I knew as Christians seemed to care to much. Of course I was hiding most of my devious ways pretty good. I knew deep down I should not be doing the things I was doing and felt like God did not approve but I kept making excuses and falling deeper away from his grace and will.

I started skydiving to escape the sin that had surrounded my life. I remember my first skydive and being scared to death. I mean I might die. Now the pain was not what scared me the most it was being out of this reality. Death. The unknown. A lot of things were going though my mind at that first jump and God was on the top of the list. Most people that don't believe will say that I was programmed that way. Most people long for something higher than themselves. Even people in the remote parts of the world have god’s they worship. I think the main reason is because 10 out of 10 people die. I know from experience that everybody that is looking at possible death is scared and most likely thinking, what if there is a God? I became a skydive instructor and never in my 6 years of jumping saw one person either Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, Bikers, Babes, Doctors, Professors, Lawyers, etc…not be scared on their first few jumps. It’s one of the things we all have in common, the will to live.

I had stopped doing drugs and was only partying a little. Skydiving was my life. I was jumping like a fool. I almost died at 100 jumps. I was only about 8 seconds from the ground with a full blown main parachute malfunction. Somehow I survived. College became a bore and I decided I did not want to sit in some class room listening to some person that was not really out living life. I took what I thought was going to be a part time job working at a large shirt warehouse company. It turned into about 8 months. While I was working at the warehouse and when I say warehouse I mean (WAREHOUSE), it was about 200,000 plus square feet. The largest warehouse I have ever seen. No windows just a big, big building. Anyway, about six months into working there a Jehovah Witness starting witnessing to me late on a Friday. Let me tell you those guys can do some witnessing. I mean he knew everything about the Bible, or at least it seemed. Well when he started telling me that only a few people were going to get into heaven I was like, what that don't sound right. The conversation started to get more intense. We had stopped working and were at the very back of the warehouse. It was almost time to go home for the weekend. Then he dropped the bomb on me. Jesus Christ was not God but only a man. The Trinity was a sham and so on. Well something inside me just started to move. It was like a large wave about to come crashing down on the beach. I can not explain it really. I started saying no, no; no you’re wrong I'm almost sure. He had scripture he quoted. Something inside me said no, no, no you’re wrong. I mean the conversation suddenly got heated.. I finally said I don't know where in scripture it proves you’re wrong but your way, way off base here. Jesus Christ was not just a man. That’s when it happened, BAM. All the power in the whole plant went down. I mean dark, dark city. No windows mind you in a 200,000 plus square foot warehouse. It was only down for about 5 seconds and when the light came back on his face was as white as snow. I know mine must have been too. I said your wrong, God just did that and I'm going to find the answers, I turned and left and the bell for the end of the day went off. Coincidence most people say, I am not so sure. I did find some answers but I was still along way away.

I stayed on at the shirt plant for another couple of months and decided I had to do something else. It just got to be to boring. I got my firefighter certificate but after pulling some calls that got boring too. There are just not that many fires around mostly just car accidents. I started brain storming of how I was going to make a living and retire early. I had just helped my father build his dream home on this private competition ski lake and he was letting me live there for free. How could I make some good cash within a reasonable amount of time? Become an over the road truck driver. A truck driver you might say. Yeah I had it all figured out. See I figured I could make about 70k to 100k a year driving like crazy. My plan was to drive for about 5 to 8 years. I figured living at home and living on the bare minimum on the road I could accumulate at least 500k to 750k if I worked my butt off. Once I had enough money I was going to quit and start some kind of small business. It made sense to me so off I went driving across the country. I had been driving for about two weeks straight and I was in Indianapolis when I received a message via satellite that I needed to call home there was an emergency. I called home and my neighbor answered the phone. She would not tell me anything other than my father had been in a car wreck. I knew something was wrong but really had no idea how bad it was. I gave her my number and waited for a call back from someone who knew more. When I answered the phone and it was my pastor (which by the way I had not talked to in about 7 years), it was like someone had punched me in the stomach. I knew my father had been killed.

I caught the first flight home but I have to admit I almost didn’t go home. I almost decided to just disappear into this great big, big world. But I did go home. Once I was back everyone was trying to make sense of how the wreck happened. It appears from the state trooper’s accident report that my father was traveling on Highway 101 going to work early Friday morning around 5:30 AM. It was foggy and it appears he was doing the speed limit or slightly under (55) on a two lane highway. He came over a hill and encountered a logging truck that had gotten stuck across both lanes of the highway. There were no markers on the road indicating they were logging and the tractor trailer had no side lights lit. The cab of the truck was facing the same direction my father was heading and he didn’t see the truck until oh about 50 feet give or take some. Blunt trauma to the head is what killed him. He died on impact. He had a large burse on his forehead, a bad burse to the back of the head and two crushed knees. My dad was tough and strong. A competition water skier, health nut who loved to teach people things, like water skiing, snow skiing and cardio classes.

My first thoughts when I got home and went to the place where the wreck occurred, was this should have been me. See just a few months before the wreck I had been traveling this same road back and forth from work. At nights when I would get off work and sometimes early in the mornings depending on what shift I was working it was common practice for me to push my Mazda Rx-7 down the same 2 lane road at anywhere between 80 and 110 mph.

I remember thinking I don’t understand but I trust the Lord. My father worked very hard to live a life that modeled what he thought being a Christian should be. Loving my mom, loving his children, loving God, going to church and being involved, being humble, self control with his actions and words, etc. I remember almost filling a little jealousy because he was with God and I had to deal with life without him. Something over came me about the assurance of where he was at.

On the third day after my father had been killed I was coming home from the gym on the same road he was killed on. I stopped and talked with the first responders that pulled the wreck. The first responders were pretty sure he died instantly because of the lack of blood. His heart stopped almost immediately and there was no bleeding. I remember thinking my father met Jesus at the same moment his heart stopped. The first responders said my fathers work van was in a junkyard off the same highway he was killed on. So on the way home as I was passing the junkyard I caught a glimpse of my dad’s van. I made a U-turn and pulled into the parking lot. I needed to see and feel the last place my dad had been. Well getting out of my truck was quiet a chore. I could not move. I was praying please Lord, please Lord give me the strength to go over to the van. I made it outside my truck but still could not move. It felt like I had concrete blocks strapped to my feet. It was misting and I had my eyes closed head raised towards the sky crying out to God please oh please Lord God Almighty give me the strength to walk over to my dad’s van. I don’t understand but Jesus I believe you are the one and only God and my dad is with you, please give me strength to get to my dad’s van. I opened my eyes and the biggest most detailed beautiful complete rainbow was right over me. It was brilliantly shining God’s mercy like I have never experienced. I felt my strength come back and I started laughing and praising him. I remembered Noah in Genesis and God’s covenant with the earth and all living creatures and how he placed a sign in the sky, the rainbow. Genesis 9:13. I was able to get closure in that junkyard and God gave me a wonderful gift that day.

You would think that with all the indoctrination of God I’ve had and these two powerful coincidences of nature and universal laws (I call them miracles) I would be set ready to follow the Lord and never look back. Well that did not happen. Shortly after my fathers death I started wanting things my way again, started with tobacco, then alcohol, back to drugs, etc….I mean did I believe? God says not to do those things. I said the words Jesus and saw the signs but still wanted to live my life my way, the world’s way. I got married shortly after my father died and my wife and I started trying to go to church. I had a pornography problem and that did not sit well while I was in church. Man I felt uncomfortable. I could feel something in the pit of my being telling me that I needed to confess and rededicate my life back to the Lord. Well needless to say church did not last to long as I did not need some God telling me that I should feel guilty. I was honest with my wife and she almost left me. Thank God she stuck around. I received an opportunity to start a business in another state from where we lived so off we went to live somewhere new. I really forgot about God for 2 years. He stopped tugging on my heart and left me alone.

I never really talk about the day I saw the rainbow much anymore because it’s hard for people to understand. Rainbows are always in the sky after it rains no big deal right? Well let me share a shorter story with you. January 5, 2007 at about 3PM I was on the phone with my wife and running late for a real estate closing. I was at my home and when I got into my Jeep to leave the bottom fell out. It started raining so hard I could not believe it. I had never seen it rain so hard. I could not see more than about 10 feet in front of me. Well, I was late and I did not have time to worry about getting killed so I whipped my Jeep out onto Highway (221) heading back towards the city and took off. I hadn’t made it 20 feet when all the sudden I was blinded by the most brilliant light I had ever seen. I told my wife “I’m blind, I’m blind I can not see”. Then slowly things started coming back into focus and I could see what looked like rivers of water coming down Highway 221. It was the sun breaking through the clouds. I was hoping it was Jesus (must have been the indoctrination). Then all the sudden a thought went threw my brain, I forgot the file for the closing I’m running late to. So I quickly got into the turn lane and pulled very quickly into the grocery store still having my wife on the phone. I was only about 200 to 300 yards from my house and turning back towards my home in the parking lot when I saw it. The second most brilliant complete rainbow I have ever seen and I just completely stopped. It took me a second but I quickly realized that the left side of the rainbow was ending or starting from right in my house. I was lucky enough to snap two photos before it faded into the mist. I thought it was amazing but really didn’t think to much more about it. Later that night God woke me up from sleeping. I went to the couch in my living room at about 3AM and I was in deep prayer, He told me now is the time to grow up and stop being a child in Him. I said I’ll do whatever you want Lord, anything. I’m tried of running in front of you I’ll do anything you ask me to do. He said I want you to rededicate your life back to me. I said I’ll do it Lord, I’ll do anything for you. Just for the record it was not an audible voice.

That was early Saturday morning and when I got up I told my wife and her parents. I tried to find a minister at a church close to my home Saturday afternoon but God had other plans for me. I felt lead to go and tell my story to a previous client I had worked with. Sunday morning I made it to church first thing and spoke with the first minister I found.

Since that Sunday God has been working miracles in my life. I’ve found a freedom and peace I never thought was possible. I still feel somewhat ashamed that it took so long for me to come back to the Lord. But the Lord is faithfully healing my heart and releasing me from any thoughts of my unworthiness to be forgiven. I have come to understand that God is Holy and can not allow sin into His presence. I have come to understand just like I would be held accountable for being a liar, thief, murder in a human courtroom how much more so would I be found guilty in God’s Holy courtroom. I for the first time understand why Jesus had to die.

Well that’s my testimony of why I stand on believing in God. I pray that someone viewing this story will understand that Jesus loves them. He died a nasty death 2000 years ago and is alive today regardless of what the skeptics say. He loves you so much He will allow you to never find Him and live for the world if that’s what you want to do. He will never force Himself on anyone. He stands with open arms waiting on anyone who dares to believe in the possibility of Him. I hope all even the skeptics have a great Christmas or Holiday whatever you want to call it. Please, please be safe on New Years. God Bless.

I have seen God touch my life and many lifes around me. How could I not want to try and defend God after all that.