When people experience the grace that God offers us through Jesus Christ, it’s worth celebrating. Check out Tim’s story below and join us Mission Weekend to witness his (and many others’) baptism as we join together to celebrate the mission God has of drawing men and women to himself:
I was raised in the church, as my parents were both involved in the church. I went to Sunday school, sang in the choir, went to youth group, on retreats, etc. With all that, I understood the “rules” to live by, felt they were reasonable, and agreed to live by them – at least when I felt like it. But being a “rule-follower” was about as far as I got.
I grew up, life went on, and I managed to get by pretty well on my own – or so I thought.
A number of years ago, life got very difficult, out of my control. My family life was not at all what it should have been, and I found myself acting in ways I did not want to act. I was completely lost and felt completely powerless. I was scared, and I was angry. I began earnestly searching for peace from the life I’d built, and this is where my real journey began.
My growth started with Dave Krueger and Men’s Fraternity. Those three years really opened my eyes to how a Christian man should live and lead. This brought with it a great deal of guilt in realizing how badly I had failed in some important aspects of my life. But my breakthrough came at a Men’s Fraternity weekend retreat. I came to understand, appreciate, and love the difference between the “religion” I had been practicing and the grace that Jesus offers us all.
I was touched deeply. I found the peace I was looking for because I was able to finally accept Jesus’ forgiveness for the life I’d led so far. I was able to face the challenges of life in a new and refreshing way because I understood that life isn’t about me, that I’m not alone, and that God is in control. I was able to see each person I met as one of God’s creations. That’s when I really gave my life over to Jesus.
One of the most rewarding moments of my life came a while after that when my son asked me what I had been doing. I asked him why. He said that he and his sisters had noticed a significant change in me, a very positive change, and they were wondering why. I told him of my journey thus far. My journey continued, influenced by many here on staff and on the worship team, along with a group of men, many of whom are here today, who, as iron sharpens iron, helped me grow more. So I am here to declare my love for the Lord, and I am looking forward to walking with him further.
Baptism at Grace
During all worship gatherings on Baptism Weekends, we celebrate the very reason we exist as a church: Christ’s mission to make disciples, baptizing and teaching in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28: 19-20). We share testimonies of how Jesus changes lives now and for eternity. And the best part… we baptize with a joy that’s out of this world!