BAPTISMAL TESTIMONY

Christian Temple April 1995

I was born and raised Roman Catholic. I went to Catholic school from Kindergarten to 8^th grade. I grew up in a good home with three older sisters, and my mother was a very devout Catholic and a loving woman. As typical of Catholics growing up in the 1960s, we never actually read the Bible. Our knowledge of Christ came from the Catholic Mass and from daily catechism study. Having never actually read the Word of God written by His own hand, I assumed that the Bible was a collection of parables. Despite my "religious" upbringing, I veered away from the Lord about 20 years ago and did not go to church any longer. I questioned the existence of God, and thought if He was out there, He probably really didn’t care too much about what went on in our lives. I concentrated on being a "good person". I thought I was a good person all my life; I didn’t steal, didn’t do anything illegal. I knew right from wrong. I thought being good was enough to get into Heaven, if there really was a such a place. Nevertheless, I hoped that God existed, and I prayed to him at times, at least when I wanted something. When I didn’t get what I prayed for I thought he wasn’t really listening and didn’t care.

Throughout those twenty years, I now know that the Lord called and tugged at me, but I was a hard nut to crack. I had gone on to college and earned a degree in biology. I was heavily influenced by the secular humanism of higher learning, and to me science was the answer to everything. If science didn’t have the answer, then it just wasn’t possible.

I guess a real division occurred between myself and Jesus in 1986 when my mother died. How could God take this wonderful woman who meant so much to me and my family? I became angry with God and it lasted for a long time, although I wouldn’t admit it.

Fortunately for me, the King of Glory had great blessings in mind for me. He had chosen me - yes, me! - to be one of His chosen sheep before the beginning of time. I didn’t know it then, but one dark morning in early December 1994, Jesus called me home as I was driving to work. Every year for the past nine I have driven past Gorman Baptist Church in Durham on my way to work.

At Christmas time, they erect a display in their parking lot. It is a giant Bible about 10 feet x 10 feet and it stands on end with its pages open. I have driven past this every year at Christmas time and I have read it, yet like most things in my life I never actually saw it. This one morning, however, the Holy Spirit had different plans for me. As I passed by the church for the umpteenth time, I looked at the Bible display and actually saw what it said. It simply said, "For unto you is born a Savior, and He is Christ the Lord."; Luke 2:11. Instantly, I knew what it said. The Jesus I knew as a boy, the Jesus of manger scenes and early morning catechism studies revealed Himself to me as the Lord of the universe and Savior of the world. Savior of my soul. My soul!

It felt like a great bolt of lightning, an incredible surge of electricity, had passed through my body. Every fiber of my body was tingling, and I was swept away by emotion. So much so that I had to pull my vehicle over to the side of the road, and park. I couldn’t control this overwhelming feeling of warmth, of an inner fire. I now understand how the anointing of the Holy Spirit is described as fire lighting on men. I wept like a baby. And I prayed. Not for something I wanted, but for the salvation I needed. I prayed, "Jesus, forgive me, forgive me!" And a voice, whether inside me or out, I don’t know, said, "You know Who I am. Why have you been away for so long?" It was all I could do to get to work and get through the day. I called my wife and tried feebly to explain to her what had happened, but she didn’t really understand. (She had not yet become a Christian - but soon would, with an amazing testimony of her own!)

I was instantly changed. Not that I became Super Christian in that instant, (and I certainly am not one now!) but God had imprinted His law and His love on my heart. Suddenly, I could not learn enough about the Lord. Over the next few months I devoured the Bible and every Christian book I could get my hands on. Most importantly, I knew the Bible to be the incorruptible Word of God the Father. Not because other Christians said so or because of the apologetics writers I studied, but because God told me so by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Old habits and sins began to fall away, and worldly things began to disgust me rather than entice me. Thanks to the ongoing love and witness of a few Christian friends who had ministered to Roberta and me for several years, we began to come to Providence. Not that it was easy for me at first. Although Roberta had grown up going regularly to Protestant churches, to say it was different for me is an understatement! It was true culture shock! Although I trusted and believed in the Lord, it took me a while to become used to the "Protestant" way of things. Where were the statues? The candles? And what was all this joyous singing and smiling faces? And what was this adult Sunday school all about? I had never gone to Sunday school in all my life! I do not mean to disparage the Catholics, as I feel the reverence their services possess does offer a lesson to many Christians. Still, I must confess that a Catholic service was always filled with somber faces and attitudes, and here at Providence I couldn’t get over all of the joy.

Gradually, I began to enjoy Providence more and more, and began to participate in ministries. Before I knew it I was in the Choir, and in the 1995 Christmas pageant. I had also, by the grace of God, been invited to join Men’s Bible Study Fellowship and study the Word of God every Monday night under Joe Knott. What a blessing this was, and continues to be! I have always been an impassioned student of knowledge, studying subjects like history and science and with a desire to be a teacher. So when I was able to study real knowledge - that which comes from fear of the Lord - I became an even more zealous student. Eventually, the Lord enabled me to put my desire for His Word to ministerial use by allowing me to teach His Word as an Adult Sunday school teacher. (Yes me, the former Catholic!) Of course, I cannot teach many long-time believers anything; but the Lord can. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He uses me as a tool to get His message across.

I’ve been places I shouldn’t have been in my life, and I’ve done things I shouldn’t have done. It doesn’t matter to Him. He says come as you are. No matter who you are, no matter how good or bad you think you are, you cannot accept Jesus and remain unchanged. Where I thought previously I was good enough, I know I was a sinner. Before I thought I was strong, but Jesus shows me I am as weak as a baby. Before I thought I was righteous, but it was only human arrogance. These things began to change when I accepted Jesus. I now know that the wisdom of man is foolishness, and the only Truth and strength are in the Lord Jesus. All the confusion, all the worry, all the drudgery of day to day existence, stopped when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Most importantly, everything makes sense. Not that I understand all things, for I certainly don’t; but I know that God has a Master Plan and that there is a reason for everything. Where I previously feared death, there is no fear, only desire to spend eternity with my Lord and Master. Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and I now strive to be like Him every day, though of course I fall way short. But I know, whenever I do fall, the Lord Jesus will be there to catch me.

Christian Temple

BAPTISMAL TESTIMONY

Roberta Temple April 1995

I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior in December 1994, very shortly after my husband Chris did. Before I accepted Jesus into my life, it was full of problems. I was living in darkness, and I had no answers, no solutions, and no hope. I felt as if I were drowning in a sea of hopelessness, in up to my chin and sinking fast. Fortunately, good Christian friends of mine were planting the seeds of hope and praying for me for years, even before I knew that God was working in my life.

When Chris called and told me of his amazing experience on his way to work, my initial feeling was one of confusion. What was he talking about? Over the next few days as I saw him changing before my eyes, I began to worry. I even confided in a couple of my (Christian) friends that he was acting "weird". I saw the change, but was scared, and didn’t understand. What did it all mean?

Shortly afterward, I needed to take a trip for the company I was working for at the time. After a couple of days, I was scheduled to return home from Charlotte via Greensboro, on a commuter plane in bad icy weather. I didn’t know it then, but God was about to work the same miracle in my life he had worked in Chris’. I had a very uneasy feeling as I was getting ready to board the plane for home that day, and The Lord had me change planes at the last moment to fulfill His purpose. I thought it was just intuition on my part that told me to switch planes and take an earlier flight.

I got home earlier than expected that day, actually beating Chris home from work. When Chris came home, I greeted him in the driveway and he gave me a great hug, saying how thankful he was that I got home early in the bad weather. We walked through the front door just in time to catch the news that happened to be coming on the TV. The anchors were just coming on with the late-breaking news of the crash of a commuter flight heading from Greensboro to Raleigh. This was the flight I had avoided by rescheduling to an earlier flight. I collapsed in a heap of emotion, and Chris had to hold and console me. I thought how lucky I was, and didn’t give God the credit He deserved for saving me. I didn’t understand yet, but He had saved my life, and more importantly, was soon to save my soul. I shared this brush with death news with the same Christian friends who had been planting the seed of Christ in me for several years. Two of those friends were (Rev.) Eddie and Rita Rackley. I had been acquainted with the Rackleys for several years because Rita worked part-time with me in the store where I was manager. In fact, on occasion when Rita was working and Eddie might stop in to say hi, I fled the area because I was afraid of "that Christian Minister", despite the fact that I really liked Eddie, and was drawn to both him and Rita by the Holy Spirit.

Eddie had expressed a great interest in my story, and a short time later, Eddie called and asked to come by and talk about what happened. Everything inside me wanted to yell "NO", because I knew he would try to get Chris and me to "go to church", but Jesus had me say yes. Eddie and Rita came over to our home (Chris was not home at the time) and after witnessing to me, they prayed with me to accept Jesus into my heart. I cried tears of joy as I felt the Holy Spirit enter my heart.

I was changed. Instead of hopelessness, I now had great hope; the Greatest Hope - Jesus Christ. The usual problems and worries of everyday living were taken away from me, washed away by the blood of Christ. My life began to have a purpose, and meaning, and peace came upon me beyond all understanding. Yes, I still had problems, and I still do, but I do not despair, for the Lord walks with me. He takes every step with me and His hand holds mine. I have felt His nail-scar s, and I know the pain He went through. I understand it was all because of His undying love for me. How could I not love Him back?