From Baptist to Baptised!

I was brought up in church. It was a small Baptist church, which I attended with my Mum and older brother, from the age of 2. I saw it being built and I was there when it was nothing more than a tin hut, even back when we were meeting in the function room of a local pub!

We had the best minister ever, Ian. I'll admit that we were spoiled somewhat, in that he was so approachable and friendly (as any minister should be, but not all are). His family were wonderful and he was genuinely interested in the lives of his congregation. The church was a true family, I had more Aunties than I could count and I felt truly loved. I was around 8 when our minister felt God calling him to move. It hit my Mum really hard - he was her confidant, her crutch to prop her up when she was struggling.

We got a new minister, who was nice enough, but not very much of a "people person". His social skills weren't great and try as he might, he just wasn't very approachable - I do believe his heart was in the right place, though. My brother stopped attending when he was around 11 and the new minister told him off for not standing and singing. My mum and I carried on going, until we moved house and it got a bit more difficult.

I started to enter the ways of the world, drinking in my friend’s house on a weekend at around 14, skipping church and although I still believed in Jesus, I was edging farther and farther away.

My mum was ill and needed prayer. She was confronted by the prayer group at the church and told that she wasn’t to hold her own prayer meetings – if she needed prayer, it should be brought to the group. My mum was fragile and felt her shelter had turned against her. We didn’t go back to the Baptist church - my home.

We started going to another church, once labeled “Pentecostal”, now non-denominational, but still very Pentecostal in style! I love it there, I have friends who I dearly love, and feel happy there… I have grown so much spiritually, and have been baptised both in water and by the Holy Spirit!

I'll always love my Baptist church, and it will always be my home. I'm so grateful for the wonderful family I had there, I truly believe that without this upbringing, I would be a completely different person now.

In the past, I have been concerned that I am "turning my back" on the Baptist church, but it's not about the church, is it? It's about God! That place will always have a special place in my heart but I feel that if I am to move onwards in God's plan, I have to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. I have to be excited and bubbling over. I have to seek His Spirit, and at the moment, I've found a place that helps me achieve this!

- Lisa