Thomas

Many Christians are converted to Christ in amazing ways, and have extraordinary testimonies, like the Apostle Paul who saw the risen Lord Jesus. But for me it was different, I was raised in a Christian family, the youngest of seven children, and I cannot remember a time when I didn’t love Jesus Christ.

I first remember hearing that Jesus had been crucified for my sin when I was about four, it really upset me, I could not understanding why anyone would want to hurt and murder the most wonderful person I had ever heard of. My mother explained it to me a bit more, and I quickly decided that I wanted to give my life to Jesus Christ. Looking back I know that my understanding of the cross of Christ was so simplistic, but it was sufficient. I knew that Jesus had died on the cross to take away my sins and that now I could be with Him forever.

Many people who are raised in Christian families backslide during their teens, this happened to all my family, but thanks to the grace of God all but one of my siblings now follow Jesus as their Lord and saviour. Although I did not backslide outwardly, my heart was not fervent or committed to serving God while I was at school. Hardly any of my school friends were Christians, so I grew apathetic to the gospel.

But then at about 16, I went to the Aberystwyth conference in Wales which introduced me to the glorious doctrines of God’s grace, and showed me the perfect authority of God in the Bible. By this God rekindled my desire to serve Him, and so, during my A levels I decided to study Theology in Wales after Sixth Form, where I met my Fiancé. Around this time I had started attending Montpelier Place Baptist Church and learning more and more from the Bible, and growing in commitment to God’s work in the Church. It was the combination of this Church and my choice to study Theology that showed me that being a Christian is all or nothing, and I wanted to give Jesus my all.