ESV: The search is over

After nearly thirty years of seeking my "perfect" Bible translation, I can now declare "Success!". As a new Christian in the late 1970's my first Bible was an NIV. A local pastor who was instrumental in my conversion recommended it and it was the "new, happening" translation which had great potential to become widely used by the Church, which it did. Then, just as I was becoming familiar with the NIV, I became involved in what would be considered the more "fundamentalist" wing of Christianity and was gently exhorted to use the King James Version. During those years my two main Bibles were a New Scofield Reference Bible and a KJV Open Study Bible. Also during the decade of the 1980's I became aware of and purchased my first New American Standard Bible, having learned of it being touted as the best "word-for-word" translation.

Moving ahead to the late 80's and the 1990's, finding myself in an evangelical church, I dusted off my New International Version and used it as my primary Bible for the next several years. I collected many different Bibles over the years....looking for that "perfect" one in size, feel, color, binding, and most of all...translation. I never was totally satisfied. Ultimately I always seemed to come back to the literal, word-for-word NASB, though I never found a local church where this version was used from the pulpit.

Then out of nowhere into my life in 2007 comes the English Standard Version. It had been around for six years, but I had not heard of it. I investigated this "essentially literal" translation and was blown away. Finally, a Bible had arrived on the scene that was very accurate like the NASB, but more readable, and had the poetic flow of the KJV. In the past year I have purchased five ESV Bibles, all in different sizes, shapes, colors and formats, and have already given one away. It is the version used by our pastor and appears to be used by the majority of our denomination. The English Standard Version is right on and I hope it becomes the standard for the body of Christ.

My spiritual journey (Part 10)

I spent the years of 2003 - 2006 basically wandering in the wilderness of sin and purposelessness. I might darken the doors of the church once every month or so. My life continued on in many interesting and exciting ways, but God was not a part of it. Finally, in 2007, being very depressed about things in general and feeling quite "lost" in many different ways, I started "attending" a church on the internet, "Live Church TV" I think it is called. That was ok, but there was no personal interaction. During that summer I started investigating churches in the area I had never checked out before or had not lately. I received a phone call from a good friend whom I had served with in church ministry in the past, who had finally become pastor of his own church and invited me to his first service. I am very happy for him. He has a nice, small, country church and I wish him the best. It was not what I was looking for personally, and it was a little too far to travel. During this time I found a post card that I had received some six years earlier, thanking me for visiting Grace Fellowship. I knew they had grown some and were meeting in a different place than before. I visited a Sunday morning worship service late summer 2007 and have been there ever since.

Grace Fellowship is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) denomination. They are theologically conservative and true to the Bible. They also practice "reformed theology", the teachings of the historic Christian church dating back to John Calvin, Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. I must admit that much of reformed theology is new to me, some of it very different from what I had been taught in the past, but it all seems familiar and right. As I jumped in with both feet, scripture passages that I had previously had difficulty with, began to make sense and become clearer. It's like being a brand new believer and being excited about new truth.....actually, old biblical truth with proper interpretation and understanding for the first time in my Christian experience. I can't read, study or listen to sermons fast enough as I hunger for truth once again. I have joined Grace recently and am already involved in some ministries. I am reading my Bible and praying again and I am very thankful that I have finally emerged from a very dark time into the light of His Presence.

My spiritual journey (Part 9)

The late 1980's found me back in my hometown in North Carolina, raising three kids with my wife and busily involved at a local Southern Baptist church. Ever since the beginning I was always looking for something else, not necessarily a denominational church...what I considered the "status quo". During my time in Christian radio I had the opportunity to visit many different kinds of churches. I was always impressed with independent and Bible churches, to name a few.

Around 1990, some serious problems began to develop in our church which made it very difficult to remain. Please understand, I don't take leaving a church or changing churches lightly at all. It's a very serious proposition. At this time, there were several families in the church which felt the Lord was calling them to something different, including my family. To make a long story short, after attending an independent church in an adjoining county, a group of us decided to start our own church which was called Carolina Community Church. One must believe the Lord was not in the effort as it never quite got off the ground and there was no man who felt called to be our permanent pastor, even though a good brother filled the pulpit during the short life of CCC.

A couple of years had gone by since leaving the afore-mentioned SBC church, and with no where to go, I reluctantly returned. Again our tenure there, although we were heavily involved in serving (AWANA ministry, Sunday school teaching, choir), was short lived. The church continued to have problems which I did not think I was to be a part of, and there was this deep yearning in my soul that I had not found my "place" yet. The early 1990's were very turbulent times for us with job changes, church changes, kids going through puberty, etc.

By the mid 90's our son, who was in his late teens by this time, had struck out on his own and had plugged in with the local Assembly of God church. Our background was not pentecostal, but this church was very moderate when it came to "the gifts" and such. I felt they had a tremendous ministry over all, and they were what was "happening" locally in Christianity at the time. I may have compromised some of my theology during our few short years there as we followed my son to that church, but it was a great time as we served the Lord and made good friends and met many wonderful Christians. Ironically, it was at this church I had my first exposure to some reformation theology and teaching which planted some seed for the future.

Once again it seemed paradise was lost as this church went through a tremendous upheaval when the pastor resigned to move on to a different ministry in Atlanta, GA. I almost felt like a "jinx" sometimes, because we would find a good church, then everything seemed to fall apart. The church made a 180 degree turn around and went off the "deep end" as far as I'm concerned when it came to things "pentecostal and such". Anyway, I realized I was not being true to my beliefs by remaining there and it would have been a matter of time before I moved on.

As the 21st century dawned I found myself wandering in a spiritual desert. The downward trend really began during my time at the AOG church. I wasn't reading my Bible or praying anymore. I had fallen back into many old habits of my past. I began to be involved in playing live music with some old (and new) friends and this drew me away from the things of my Christian faith in many ways (understand that was my fault, not the people I played music with).

During another period of visiting different churches I stopped in one Sunday night and worshipped with a small group of people called Grace Fellowship. At the time I thought they were an independent work. They were very small, meeting at a local motel in a conference room. It was nice, but I just did not feel led to get involved with a "struggling, new work". That was around 2001, and little did I know at the time we would cross paths again.

There was a church split at the AOG church mentioned earlier and from that, Central Carolina Community Church was born in January, 2002. I jumped in right away with my son and was one of the "founding" members. I thought they would be an independent church, but they hooked up with a denomination based in Chicago, know as the Evangelical Covenant Church. It was a good church, but personally I was still struggling spiritually, not close to God at all.

I was hoping to finish my story here, but it has stretch out longer than I thought it would. I will attempt to wrap things up and bring it all to the present day next time.

My spiritual journey (Part 8....or addendum to Part 7)

As with many new Christians I began my faith walk with a very intense interest in eschatology (study of last things). My interest grew exponentially when I joined the Christian radio network as premillenialism and the pre-tribulation rapture were (are) important doctrines to fundamentalism. Let me interject here that in the almost 30 years since that time, I have made the transition over to reformed theology, which, of course, changed my views on the Millenium and other teachings. I want to thank my fellow announcer and good friend from those early days, Rob Robinson, for encouraging me to study the scriptures on my own and think for myself. He challenged me to show him a "secret", pre-trib rapture anywhere in the Bible. When, after approaching the scriptures honestly, I could not justify such teaching, it started me on a path of investigation and discovery. It is exciting to continue to learn new things and grow in the Word of God.

My spiritual journey (Part 7)

Continuing my story, we pick up in 1980 as I begin my time (7 years) with Christian fundamentalism in general and Independent Baptists in particular. Being a new believer I trusted my fellow Christians and mentors at the Christian radio network to guide me in doctrine and the selection of a church home. We found a great church and made some wonderful friends (some life-long) in the Richmond, Virginia area. I know fundamentalist is a dirty word to many people, but all it means to those in the movement is that they believe in the "fundamentals of the faith". They are "bible believers". When it comes to that definition, I was, and still am one myself. The problem is that among the brethren in the fundamentalist movement are those who are very "legalistic". They are more concerned about following a list of "do's" and "don'ts" than living by grace through faith in Christ. They use the correct words, but live a dead orthodoxy. I'm sure at one point in time I was guilty of this myself. But the Lord has worked on my heart over the years and I pray He will continue to do so.

During the 80's I had the opportunity to study and grow in the Word and I'm very thankful for this. We also served in our local churches in many capacities. During this seven-year period in Christian radio, we lived in Virginia twice and South Carolina once. After a period of time I found myself not in agreement with some of the practices and philosophy of the radio network and felt it was time for me to part company. Please understand, they were great Christian folks and my departure had nothing to do with doctrine. Other reasons for leaving were (1) I wanted to be closer to my parents as my mother was having health issues at the time and (2) I had three small children I wanted to raise in the small southern town in which I grew up instead of the metropolitan area we were living in at the time. I've second-guessed myself many times on this move of returning to North Carolina as it eventually caused me to leave broadcasting altogether. I suppose it's best to trust God was guiding my steps and had a purpose in it all.

Sad state of affairs

It is so sad to witness the blindness of people. I don't mean physical blindness but that of the masses when it comes to what's going on in this country. People have been brainwashed by the media and blinded by their own pre-conceived notions of what's happening politcally around us. When you try to discuss serious subjects with a little bit of sanity you find messageboards all over the internet full of trolls just looking to argue for the sake of argument. The woods are full of self-proclaimed experts on everything....ie: a bunch of know-it-alls. I'm tired of battling these people. I've got better things to do....like go play my guitar.

Victory for independent thinkers

Last week North Carolina election officials announced the Libertarian party would be back on the ballot in the November elections. This is a great victory for those of us who want more to choose from than two losers. The two-party system is a bankrupt system and what is frustrating is the ridiculous requirements they create for third, fourth and fifth parties to get on the ballot. After the Libertarian party was once again unrecognized by the state (after their performance in the 2004 election), they had to obtain 70,000 signatures on a petition by June 1, 2008 to be reinstated. Last week the Libertarian party surpassed the number of signatures required by the state and now Libertarian candidates from president to local offices will be on the ballot in the Tar Heel state. If you are dissatisfied with the way this country is going and not impressed with any of the Democrat or Republican candidates, then consider making a real statement that Washington needs to hear with your vote this November. It is not to late to return this country to its former greatness, but it must begin somewhere...and that's with the individual in the voting booth. It's not only our privilege, it's our responsibility.