Willow Creek Baptist Church » 2006

Archive for October, 2006

Completing the Story

Posted October 29, 2006

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Speaker: Pastor Charles Pausley

Text: John 6:60-71

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mi6 Chuck DeCleene effectively shared his ministry of personal evangelism with the church family during the Sunday School hour, Morning Worship and Evening Service on October 22. He made personal evangelism seem not so intimidating and gave the challenge that God has called all of His children to spread the good news of the gospel—not in our own strength, but in the power of the Spirit. All are welcome and encouraged to try the approach Mr. DeCleene has used. Come at 6:15 p.m. on a Wednesday night and Pastor Cody and others will be happy to team up with you to visit newcomers to our area, making new friends and building relationships that may bring someone to Christ.

Testimony from Lynn Sicheneder

Posted October 24, 2006

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Lynn As a young man, age 19, a Corporal in the United States Marine Corp, being trained to work on the Presidents helicopters, I was in great shape physically. I thought life was all about me, being recognized for accomplishments, and making as much of myself as I could.

I grew up in my church believing that if I had done enough good to out weigh whatever minor bad was in my life, that I would merit heaven when I died. I was reasonably certain that the scale would tip in my favor.

Until the day that God had planned for me in a New River North Carolina gift shop. I went into a small shop to buy a gift for my Mom for Mothers day. A young Marine from behind the counter introduced himself, talked for a few minutes, and then asked me the question that I can’t ever remember being asked before that day. If you died today do you know where you would spend eternity? I told him I thought I would go to heaven, having lived a pretty good life. He opened his Bible and showed me that what I believed about myself wasn’t true.

Through a bout with cancer, God had worked in such a way that my heart was prepared to receive and trust the truth of His Word:

that I am a sinful man,

that living a pretty good life would not meet God’s standard,

that I fall short of God’s required holiness,

my relationship with Him was broken and I was His enemy.

But he also showed me that God loves me so much that even as His enemy, He made a way for me to come back into friendship with Him. This love that God has is so great that He would allow His perfect holy Son Jesus to take the punishment that I deserved. Because God is perfectly just, the punishment for sin had to be paid. Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to satisfy that requirement for my sin to be paid for. Jesus traded places, taking my sin for me, and giving me His righteousness in its place. I needed only to receive this gift of mercy offered to me by God Himself.

I bowed my head, knelt down before God, and acknowledged that I am a sinner in need of the Savior. I was sorry for what I had done, and asked Him to forgive me for my sin.

I wanted to turn away from sin and follow Him now. I called upon the name of the Lord to be saved. I confessed with my mouth that He is Lord, I believed in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead so I could be saved. I received Him, believed in His name, and He gave me the right to become His child.

Well I walked away from that appointment with God knowing that it was by His grace that I have been saved, not of my efforts, but a gift of God, so I could no longer think I would merit heaven by being good enough. I left the shop with two gifts that day, one for Mom, and Eternal Life with God for myself.

As time went on I came to realize that my life was no longer about me, but my purpose is to glorify God in everything I do.

I wanted to give Him my life and let it be used to make much of Him.