NORTHVIEW TESTIMONIES

Transcription

1 NORTHVIEW TESTIMONIES January 13, 2018

2 What is Baptism? Baptism is a teaching Jesus Christ gave the church to practice. He taught that each person who would confess their faith that He is Lord and Saviour must be baptized. When a person is baptized, it is an act that symbolizes what is already true of a person. When a person is put under the water, it represents that they have been united with Christ in His death for the sin of the world. When a person is brought up out of the water, it is a reminder that Christ was also raised from the dead to defeat death and sin. Because of this work, that only God himself can do, our relationship with God has been made right again and our sins are no longer counted against us. We also are baptized before others in order to have people observe, and be a witness to the fact that this person being baptized is claiming to be a Christ follower. Many of these witnesses will also take seriously their role to support and be companions with the one who was baptized, because they must follow Christ with others. This is where the church is vital. The church is an outpost for Christians where we gather consistently to worship God, and throughout the week we connect as friends who now share both the final destination and the journey to get there. Baptism - northview.org/statement-of-faith/ We believe that Christians should be baptized in water upon confession of their faith in Christ. We practice baptism by immersion, although we receive into fellowship those who have been baptized on confession of their faith by another mode. Baptism is a public declaration that the believer identifies with Christ and has become part of His body, the Church. Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:2-6; Col. 2:12-13; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 3:21

3 JANUARY 13, 2018 PAUL BOVENKAMP I was raised in a Christian family and I accepted Jesus into my heart as a young child. I did my best to be a good Christian until I was in my early 20 s when I started questioning my faith. I didn t understand how so many good people, who God created, could be sent to hell so I reject God. This rejection of God lasted into my mid 30 s. Around age 35 I got tired of rejecting God and renewed a faith in him. Without any answers to my previous questions, I stopped rejecting God and started pursuing him on faith alone. In my pursuit of God (which is really his pursuit of me), I ve found answers to many of my questions: my total depravity, his unquestionable righteousness. Bible reading is very important to me, because through it I learn more about God; strengthening my faith and drawing closer to him. The Holy Spirit uses scripture to shape my consciousness. I love the Gospel because it s only through Christ, and his righteousness gifted to me, that I am counted as righteous and reconciled to God. It s my desire to deny myself, take up my cross daily and to follow Christ. 1

4 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES ROSEANNA CULP I grew up in a small town in northern Alberta. My parents had their own issues and problems to deal with so I ll just say it was not a happy childhood, but God blessed me with a baby brother; he was my best friend and still is to this day. I remember my grandma, when I was able to visit her, took me to church and I absolutely loved it! I would pray to God often to take me away from home and to a loving family. I ran away a lot. Then in my teens I turned to drugs and alcohol to escape reality. I finally moved to BC to be with my grandma when I was 16 and pregnant. I continued to drink and do drugs, but started attending Northview and brought my daughter to Sunday school. God has blessed me with many miracles including taking me out of addiction and using me to help others. I sometimes have a hard time loving myself, and feel like I ve failed as a parent but I also know God s love, grace and mercy has never stopped. I used to feel that I need to be cleansed so I could become closer to God and renew my life; but 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we ve done wrong. I am now a new creation. Thank you Jesus! Today I have a very special loving relationship with both my mom and dad that is all due to the miracles that God has blessed me with in my life. 2

5 JANUARY 13, 2018 AMY DENIS It s hard to say where I was before God got hold of my life because I was only 4 years old. It was in my grandmas bedroom when my mom prayed the prayer with me to accept Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. I am so thankful to God that I had that opportunity at such a young age. I grew up in a Christian home. I was involved in youth groups, went on mission trips, had a Christian education and a large church family. The Lord has blessed me over the past 20 years with so many incredible spiritual highs. I have actively pursued Christ throughout my life and although there have been many lows, a ton of mistakes, and lost periods in my journey, I believe all of these experiences shape who I am as a Christian woman today. I am currently experiencing deep heart ache as some important people in my life choose to end their marriage; this has been especially hard as my husband and I celebrate one year of marriage. But because of my faith in the Lord and his GREAT love for me, I still have hope, peace and joy amidst these trials. A joy that can only come from him. The Lord has met me here, in my despair, and He wants to wash me in the water. And I am so excited to follow him and share of his gospel for the rest of my life. This is a symbol of a resurrection to a new life and my public declaration that my life is committed to Christ! For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him Philippians 2:13 NLT 3

6 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES NICHOLAS DENIS I grew up in a non-christian home. Although I had decent morals and people considered me a good guy, there was something missing in my life. Something that someone who comes from a non-christian home didn t realize was absent. My (Christian) girlfriend at the time, Amy, saw this and she suggested seeking out God. After days of thought and conversing we decided that I should give it a shot, on my own. Neither of us wanted for me to make such a grave decision just to please her. So we separated for a time as I pursued my spirituality. I knew absolutely nothing about God and faith. After about a month long journey, I wasn t quite ready to let God enter my life; not until one day, while sitting in church, I felt the Holy Spirit consume my being. At that moment I knew without a doubt that God was calling me. I accepted him into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. I have been a follower of Jesus ever since and eventually married Amy. Now, I see God s work in all aspects of my life. I carry less stress because I know that I have him to shoulder my anxieties. I feel incredible love in my life and more joy in the things that I do. I have more accountability as I rely on my Christian community. I plan to continue to seek the Lord in all that I do, keeping God in the centre of my marriage and applying his teachings to my everyday life. I feel like I m living a life with a greater purpose, as I am no longer living for myself, but for the Lord. 4

7 JANUARY 13, 2018 SCOTT ERICKSON I became a Christian with my parents at the age of four. I grew up in a Christian home with parents who loved God and we attended church each week. I ve always been in a Christian Bubble, attending MEI and TWU and thoroughly enjoying my time at each, but the God stuff became a bit of a routine. I struggled with feeling like I didn t have a story. While I m fortunate that no major negative event happened in my life to turn me to God in a more authentic way, it seemed to me to be a boring testimony. One experience that contributed to my growth as a Christian was when I took three months to travel in Australia and Thailand after my second year of university. It made me realize that the world is a big place and that we are so small. I saw God s beauty in so many ways on my trip and was stretched by new places, experiences, languages and people. I had to learn to rely on God for comfort when I wasn t sure what was next, and for companionship as I had much time alone with my journal and Bible. Since finishing school and getting married my wife and I have continued going to church. We have participated in some care groups etc. but with the busyness of life I often find myself distracted by other things and put God second. My wife is an excellent Christian example to our kids and I want this baptism to show them that I too am serious about my relationship with God. It is important for me to set the example as one of the leaders of our home. I ve always known that if you are a Christian, God calls us to be baptized and I ve put this off long enough! 5

8 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES STEVE FAST I grew up in a Christian home, mom and dad were excellent role models and very supportive of all of the kids. In high school I strayed from the Christian lifestyle, (partying, drinking, vandalism, etc.) In my earlymid 20s I recommitted my life. After this, life had meaning and purpose again. Recently a close friend of mine denounced his former Christian belief system and in doing so caused the rest of his friends, myself included, to take a harder look at what we believe and why we believe it. It has been a somewhat frustrating process, with doubt creeping in and searching for answers that satisfy, but as with all things that are hard, the results are worth all of it. Working and searching for understanding has only brought me closer in my relationship with God. I currently enjoy apologetics based books, videos and seminars. I also do daily reading of My Utmost/ Daily Bread at night with my wife and kids. Without Jesus everything is literally pointless, just waiting around to die. I no longer feel the need to do something meaningful with my life, no need to try and attach purpose to the things or events in my life. Everything with Jesus is already those things. 6

9 JANUARY 13, 2018 DANIELLE FAST I grew up in a Christian home and I accepted Jesus into my life at the age of 6 at Awana. I always felt like my life was pretty good. I had a family that loved me and great friends. In high school I went to youth group and went on many youth retreats where I would often ask God back into my life, but I always felt that a true relationship was missing. I didn t take the time to get to know Jesus. It was in my late 20s I truly realized how much I needed Jesus in my life. I realized that I couldn t do this life on my own and I didn t want to either! Having Jesus in my life feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like a happier person on the inside. My attitude toward things is better. I have a peace in my life like I ve never had before. I have three beautiful boys who I want to be an example for. I love them so much and want them growing up knowing Jesus! Not to say I don t still have my struggles, but having Jesus is my life makes things easier. I still have so much to learn on this journey but I m so exited about it. A couple of my favourite versus are Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation -whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life -of whom shall I be afraid? And Romans 10:9-10: If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 7

10 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES GARRY FAST For my first 59 years I resisted Christianity and I felt ok about that. For most of those years there were Christian people close to me. I didn t look down on others for their faith, but it just didn t work for me. It felt like it lacked proof. As time went on I found myself being in situations where I was the only non-believer. I began to observe the Christian men I knew, and I noticed that they had an air of strength, confidence and contentment, and they were comfortable in sharing their thoughts about their Christian faith. On the outside I looked just like them, but on the inside, I knew we were different. Something was missing. I began to recognize that even though I didn t feel ready to jump into Christianity, everywhere I looked, there were things I could not explain, and God was starting to make sense. I felt like Christians were really rallying around me. I was frustrated by the fact that this faith thing was so good for them, but difficult for me. I wasn t sure what to do, and called on a pastor for guidance. When I made that call, I knew that my shield was down, and if this pastor came to our house, he wasn t leaving until he, God, and I got things sorted out. After several hours of conversation that evening, there was one sentence that spoke to me you simply need to have faith. I have heard these simple words many times, but this time they seemed to make sense and I was able to accept just that. At that moment, a burden was lifted. There are now new challenges in my life: studying and understanding the Bible, praying and sharing struggles and concerns with God, and accepting that God has answers to things I never imagined. I am very thankful for the support, guidance, and encouragement my wife Shelley has provided to me. Her prayers of the last 30 plus years have been answered. 8

11 JANUARY 13, 2018 DANIEL GAUTHIER I was born and raised Catholic. My mom was very heavily involved in our church at the time and when I was seven I became an alter boy. However, as I grew up, I decided that I did not want to continue going to church. I stepped away from my Catholic faith, only returning to Mass during special occasions, such as Christmas, because my mother asked me to attend. My sister- in- law introduced me to my would-be wife. My wife grew up as a pastor s kid and was involved in her church when we met. As we grew closer, I saw that there was something different about her and her family. I was intrigued and as we continued to date we would have lengthy conversations about her faith and who Jesus Christ is. Through her I met many other people who followed Christ. I saw and felt what they believed and in December of last year I asked Jesus into my life. Since then I have been on a journey of discovering who he is and how he affects my life everyday. I find myself continuously asking him to guide me in my day to day life. I bought my first Bible and I love to write down the verses that are preached about in the sermons. I will go back on my own time and reread them and reflect on what God is saying. I continue to discover who Christ is and to grow in who I am through him. 9

12 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES SARB KHOSA I was a mess before God got a hold of my life. There were many situations, attitudes and responses that were common to me before I became a Christian. I stopped going to school, I had no job, and I was hanging out with the wrong people. My mind and body were not healthy and I was chasing after things that only ended up in death. God worked in an amazing way in my life to bring me to himself. I was dating a guy who lived next to Northview. I did not have my N, so after a visit to his house I would walk to Northview and wait for my ride. Things didn t work out between us and I was heartbroken. I started to fight with my parents and I was taken away from them for six months. I was tossed from house to house and I ended up in the hospital because I was not healthy. Finally I was back with my family and I started to go to church because I lost my friends. Slowly I got connected to a community group in summer and my life started to change. I went back to school, I had goals, friends, life, and I had a job. My body and mind were heathy and the devil no longer owned me; Jesus did. My situation, attitudes, and responses changed in a positive way. I see my future filled with love, joy, friends and family. Most importantly my saviour Jesus is with me. I love Jesus so much! 10

13 JANUARY 13, 2018 ZION KOOP When I was 10 I prayed that simple prayer on the last day of Bible camp. Unfortunately in the years that followed I was not living for God. I went to church each week but didn t understand what being a Christian actually meant and looked like. I was mean to my sisters, I watched porn online, I even hit a boy at school. There were many times when God s will just didn t cross my mind. In 2012, my family moved to Guatemala. It was supposed to bring us all together and provide an amazing life experience...it ended up tearing us apart. I got bullied in school and in the market. My parents divorced, and a lot of other stuff happened that has stuck with me and shaped who I am. Life as I knew it changed drastically after that. But without that challenging year, not only would I not have gained an appreciation for everything I have, I would not have seen how God can turn a year of pain into plenty of opportunities and positive situations. Now I see that all the good in my life is a blessing from God. I have a fantastic job, I have friends who care for me and a family who loves me. I live in a country where I can publicly express my beliefs without fear of persecution... I am so incredibly blessed. As I continue to grow and mature in my faith I can see God s intervention. There are still days when I sin but the more I seek out his word, spend time with Christian friends, and put God first in my decisions, the closer I am to him. God has a hold of me and nothing can change his love for me. I am putting God in full control of my life and look forward to the future as a disciple of God. 11

14 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES ANTHONY MOORE In 1995 my life was spinning out of control due to alcohol. Through a pastor of a local church I made the decision to change my life with the help of the Lord. It was not easy making the adjustment, but I struggled and persevered with help from various people. In 2001 I entered a Bible study with the New Dutch Reformed Church. This started my walk with the Lord and it convinced me that my life was needing a change. When I finally accepted Christ, I noticed little coincidences were happening all around me that no one else was noticing. I determined that I was being directed and led by the Holy Spirit. This gave me a renewed sense that I was blessed and chosen to continue this path. The coincidences were happening so often and I could see how they directed me more towards a life with Christ. Speaking with my pastors, they too came to see that not only was my music ministry increasing, but my personal ability to serve the Lord through the community was also blessed. My charitable offerings have helped the poor in the community and I will continue to help those in need wherever the Lord leads me. I stay immersed with the Lord through Bible study and conversations with many pastors and learned people from Northview. I believe wholeheartedly that my life has been blessed and directed to follow a Christian path. I am thoroughly convinced that Christ has entered my life and wants me to share the abundance of the Gospel with other like-minded people, and those whose lives have not been enriched in the Lord. I do this through my community charitable services and my commitment to attend and volunteer at Northview. I praise God in the evening, at the end of my day, and in the morning before I start my day. I am truly blessed. 12

15 JANUARY 13, 2018 CALEB REARDON I have always been a Christian (since age 8), but there have been times that I have drifted away from God. In the last 10 years I have spent much of my time avoiding or ignoring God. In that time I felt lost. I did not have someone watching over me. I did not have our Father to rely on. I felt that my life drifted away, and I felt God calling me home again. In the last three years God has ignited his Spirit in me, pulling me to come back home and leave the sinful life I had in the past. He has brought me back to his presence, back to the amazing unfailing love and forgiveness that fills my heart today. He did this by speaking to me. I could feel my life building with stress and anxiety, then a calm voice spoke and said Come. So I am trying to come to him. Leaving my sinful ways in the past has been a challenge, but I hear God s call and I will continue to follow him. I know that I am a sinner, but I know that God is good, and I want him over anything else. Currently I am taking steps everyday to grow closer to him, and to proclaim to everyone that no matter how much shame or guilt hangs over you, God loves you. My fiance and I are making this journey together, leaving behind our old sinful ways to pursue God at the heart of everything we do. 13

16 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES JORDAN STYLES I was lead to the Lord by my parents when I was very young. Grew up in a strong Christian home where I came to the understanding of who God is and the sacrifice Jesus made for me. As I grew, my understanding of my inability to live a full life without Jesus became clearer. There have been faith highs and lows throughout my journey and my willingness to obey God s direction in my life has not always been present. The busyness of work and kids can be very distracting and I sometimes lose track of the blessings that I have and what is truly important. But, my wife and I enjoy the challenge of raising our three children in a way that I believe honours God. I know how much I need Jesus; I can t do life on my own. I plan to continue with regular church attendance, studying my Bible and meeting together with Christian friends and family to help me on this journey. 14

17 JANUARY 13, 2018 VANESSA STYLES I didn t grow up in a Christian home or with Christian influences in my life. My parents divorced when I was twelve and I moved to Manitoba with my dad and brother, leaving all I knew, hurt, confused and lonely. I found a great group of friends in my new small town, who were involved in youth and church. I had found a safe place and felt it was Jesus I needed to make my world make sense and be my refuge. So I accepted Jesus as my Savior at a youth night. As the high school years went by my friends changed and no one was a Christian at home so I got lost in the hustle of life. After I graduated, I moved back to Abbotsford to live with my mom, reconnected with my now husband, got married, and had kids. Living a good life but not one with Jesus at the centre. Yet knowing it was Jesus I needed for me, my marriage, and raising my kids but not knowing how to move that from my mind to my heart. This fall I got involved in the Women s Precept Bible Study at Northview. Reaching the end of myself, I went to that first class at a crossroads in my life and surrendered, asking Jesus to meet me where I was; and he did. He opened my eyes and my heart and washed me with his love. I recommitted my life to Jesus and have a love for my Bible, a yearning for his word, and to know my Savior and his character. I have a long way to go but I have a hope, a belonging, and a peace in my soul. 15

18 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES ROBERT TAYLOR I grew up going to church but did not have an understanding of what it meant to be saved. I called myself a Christian because I attended church, but I did not have a relationship with Christ. I attended the University in Ontario and it was through the grace of God that I met certain friends who started to talk to me about what it meant to accept Christ. They were also able to show me all the areas in my life that were not satisfying to God. Through prayer and reading the New Testament I knew in my heart that I believed in Jesus Christ, and I gave my life over to him. Since then I have been growing in faith and I thank God that he opened my eyes to the sin in my life and gave me a Savior such as Jesus Christ. I am reading my Bible daily and attend a community group. I am being baptized as a sign of cheerful obedience to my Lord Jesus Christ. 16

19 JANUARY 13, 2018 IRENE WALBERG Life is a journey and my walk with Christ has been an interesting one. I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home with two loving parents. They read the Bible regularly and prayed everyday. Such good examples to me. As I grew into a teenager I continued with youth and church but didn t feel close the God. Then Ron (my husband) came into my life and he had a strong relationship with God. He encouraged me and right after highschool we got married. By age 21 I saw my life could only get better if I served God. I then made a public profession of faith in our old church. I had one special person in my life who mentored me and showed me what true faith was. Her name was Joanne Bosch. I spend a lot of time with her in prayer and Bible studies. Today I choose to be baptized to let everyone know that I am a believer and want to do what Christ asked us to. Believe and be baptized. 17

20 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES RON WALBERG When I was very young my mother thought it would be good to attend a local Lutheran church in Surrey. I was baptized there as an infant and attended Sunday School until I said I didn t want to anymore. It had little meaning to me. When I was 15 I befriended a group of kids from Agassiz. They belonged to the Agassiz CRC. I recognized a real difference in them that I liked. That is when my real walk with Christ began. In my youth my wife s aunt and a Chilliwack pastor really encouraged me in my faith. My parents were non believers. Now I believe my relationship with the Lord is about knowing him and serving him. Small groups in church are a vital part of my walk and being baptised now is me telling everyone that I want to serve him only. 18

21 JANUARY 13, 2018 KATIE WARD I have been very blessed to have grown up in a Christian home. At a young age, I understood how great of a sacrifice Jesus made for us and I accepted him into my heart. Athletics has always played a major role in my life. I would either be on the field playing or practicing and having fun with my brother in the backyard. Growing up in the public school system was definitely challenging. As a Christian, I felt that I was in the minority. The majority of my friends were not Christian and as I grew older I grew farther and farther from the Church. By grade eight I was reluctantly attending church and would not even make an effort to go to Youth. In grade nine I switched schools and started to attend MEI Secondary. I met a great group of friends who had very strong faith and they encouraged me to have a relationship with Jesus. Attending a Christian school gave me opportunities to explore my faith and ask questions. I looked forward to attending church on the weekend instead of finding excuses to get out of going. This year I had the opportunity to go on a missions trip to Haiti with my school. By the end of the trip, I realized that the trip changed me just as much as it had changed the people we served and shared the gospel with. For the first time, I felt the joy that came with following Jesus Christ and it solidified my faith even more. As Christians, we are called to be baptized and I feel like this is my next step in my Christian walk. I am excited to publicly declare my faith in Jesus Christ and devoting my life to following and serving our sovereign Lord! 19

22 NORTHVIEW BAPTISM TESTIMONIES ELLA WICKENS I grew up in a Christian home with my parents, older sister, and younger brother. I have gone to church and Sunday school my whole life and accepted Christ into my life at the age of seven. Praying, going to church and reading my Bible was just part of my everyday life. But I only ever thought of it as a routine. When I entered middle school I really started focusing on what Jesus had done for me in my life. Because I go to public school, it is often hard to keep you heart, soul, and mind on the Lord at all times. there is always someone saying or doing something that I know God does not want me doing. But I have learned that with God s help, he can give me the strength I need to stand firm against those pressures. He has blessed me with such a great family, that has helped me grow in my faith, and an amazing church that gives me the opportunity to know and praise him. God has given me incredible youth leaders and amazing friends that have prayed for me and encouraged me through my walk with Christ and have shown me what it means to live a life for God. I also recently started going to the Women s Precept Bible Study and that has been amazing and exactly what I needed to grow with God. I now know that the next step for me is baptism, because Jesus says in the Bible to be baptized and show a public commitment to walk in Christ s way. I love him and want to be a disciple of his for the rest of my life. 20

23 JANUARY 13, 2018 TAYLOR WICKENS I was born into a Christian family where I was blessed to grow up knowing God. I accepted him into my life at a young age, but I never fully understood what that meant. My parents have been godly examples that have influenced my life and my faith, and I have learned a lot from watching them live their lives, daily, for Jesus. I started going to youth group and they talked about serving God whole-heartedly and I realized that I wasn t. That was the first nudge God gave me to let me know that something needed to change in my life. I prayed about it and developed a hunger and a thirst for the Lord I never had before and desired to grow closer to him. I began Women s Inductive Bible Study, which transformed my perspective of God and the Gospel. For the first time I understood what my salvation meant and how great the gift of grace is. I have been so incredibly blessed to have so many godly role models in my life that walk alongside me on this amazing journey. My youth leader, Aleah Teer, has greatly impacted my walk with the Lord. She has taught me how to stand up for my faith in a public school amongst non-christian friends; and most of all, how to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. I want to be baptized because I want to follow the God that gave me undeserving grace for the rest of my days. I am awestruck of the wondrous gift He has given me, so I want to give my life to him and serve him with my whole heart. Thank you Father, for choosing me. 21

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