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One who de-converted from Christianity testifies how God brought him back

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Jerome, Aug 19, 2019.

  1. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    Joshua Sharp: "I de-converted from Christianity when I was 17 years old. Since then, I not only have returned to the faith, but also have pursued a calling to pastoral ministry"

    "The most important truth I want to drive home is this: God can and does bring his children back home....God does so in his own time and in his own ways, but there is no mystery that he can and does do it. I’m living proof. What will happen to people like Joshua Harris? I don’t know. But God does."

    "What brought me back? It’s simple: The Good Shepherd left the 99 sheep to find the lost one."

    "I plunged into bitter and loathsome thoughts....I grew overwhelmed....Eventually, I managed to choke out: 'God, I can’t keep going like this. If you’re out there, if you’re real and you care, give me something. Give me anything!'"

    "What happened next is an experience I still can’t describe fully....a quick summary: God called my name. John Wesley also has provided helpful language for my experience: 'I felt my heart strangely warmed.' In an instant, everything changed. I stopped crying, said 'thank you' to God"

    "My journey back to faith didn’t end there, however. I went on to attend Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. One of my majors was Christian studies, and I took numerous courses in theology and Bible. It changed my life. I also took New Testament History with Dr. Mike Fuhrman, Methods of Biblical Interpretation with Dr. Bing Bayer, Christian Doctrine with Dr. Don Denton, Philosophical Foundations with Dr. Zach Manis, World Religions with Dr. Kelly Malone, countless New Testament electives with Dr. Rodney Reeves, and many more classes."

    "God knew what he was doing by taking me to Southwest Baptist University. I still had my questions, and if God hadn’t brought those professors into my life, I almost certainly would have 'relapsed.' They provided solid answers to some of my questions, and they helped me re-frame my other questions so they no longer threatened the foundations of my faith in Christ. My experience under those men led me to recognize and pursue a call to pastoral ministry and advanced theological education. One of my ministry goals is to serve others in the way my professors served me."



    Hallelujah!
     
    #1 Jerome, Aug 19, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
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