My Salvation Experience Essay

As of September of 2011, I will have been a born-again Christian for 41 years. My journey to faith in Christ began with the conversion of my father, Jack Baines, Sr. in 1967. Dr. Melvin Worthington was the pastor of the First Free Will Baptist of Amory, Ms and he invited my father to attend a Revival service in Tupelo, MS where his brother was the guest evangelist. The first night, my dad went to the altar and said he rededicated his life to Christ. However, the second night, he went forward to the altar and said he really had never been born again and that night he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. His life was immediately characterized by change and dedication to living for the Lord. As my father began to grow in the Lord, he also began to lead people to Christ and it started with his family. A he taught the Bible to us at home and lead our family to be faithful to attend the church, one by one my sister, brother, and I asked Christ into our lives. I was five years old when I was born-again. I was the typical kid who was not old enough to really experience a life of deep sin or rebellion but was just as lost and in need of salvation as anyone. One day my dad took me to the pastor’s office where I was led to Christ and soon baptized. The change in my life was immediately evident as I was assured that I would go to Heaven when I died and knew that I needed to live according to the teachings of the Bible. One of the major changes was the burden, even as a young boy, that I had for my friends and family who need to accept Christ. I became very diligent at a young age to tell people about Christ, be faithful serving in the local church, and developed a love for good preaching and teaching. I am so thankful even today that someone cared enough for my father and my family that they shared the gospel with him. This began a journey that would impact my life just a few short years later. My relationship has continued to grow and the personal relationship with Christ has helped me face every life situation. I am very thankful that becoming a Christian early in life spared me much heartache that may have come my way had I not been a Christian. I love to help lead children to Christ knowing that an early relationship with Christ will prepare them much earlier to live in this world.