New Believer #3

For this interview I chose someone from the freedom house. I love the ministry and I love the people that it builds, so this was a great way for me to get in it and see what's brewing in one of those guys. This man's journey to faith in Christ started with a near death experience. He was going through some extremely tough times and needed to fix himself up, so that's what he chose to do. Hope, he said, in the one and only thing he hadn't tried yet, led him to where he is now: getting clean and staying peaceful. His family was the thing that most helped his ability to make that final step into commitment-land. His sister and her husband in particular, he said, was the biggest part. Those two go to FVWC, now. Peace, which is one of my favorite things to hear about in accordance with God, is what he says the best thing about being with God is. It's what he fought for through all his crap and continues to fight for. The most challenging part, which makes sense for him, is self-doubt. Self-doubt and the what if's that we all ask. These really binded him. His family has been his biggest help it seems, because that's not only what got him into Christ more, it's what got him to stay with and grow in it the most. Advice that he would give isn't too surprising, he says people need to listen, and gain that new perspective on situations that comes with it. That might have a bit to do with self-pity, but it still brings a valid point. He's a very good guy, from what I can tell. He's also doing a lot with the freedom house ministry that is helping what I do on Wednesday nights easier, like putting a light in the back of the stage in with a few other guys, and just cleaning and the basics. He does a lot and I think it helps to distract from what he got out of, and gets him focused on the amazing things that he got into.

Unchurched interview #4

Once again, as I feel it should be, I used one of my friends from school for this interview. She's a very opinionated person who enjoys sharing it, so here goes. She, like many others, believes that needs to be more places for people to go, because of the stuff people get into when they're bored. This could be a view on her life as well as her friends, which are also mine (the friends) and going through some scares now. Although this may be true, I feel like people should take responsibility and make something for themselves to do that isn't deconstructive. When she was asked about whether or not she was actively attending a church, she said that she used to, but her pastor died of cancer, and from talks I've had with her, I think it discouraged her to see that happen to a pastor very much. This was a Methodist church. She stated that things that interest her, which I've known and seen to play out extremely truthfully, were music, theater, and being able to communicate with friends. These are HUGE parts of her life, and I've seen her work on all of them to no end. Reasons that she thinks people go to church aren't as typical as most. She knows that people, including her, are afraid of being judged there, and that she might be seen as an outsider, but the one that surprised me is that she wrote they might not know enough about faith to go to church, and therefore wouldn't be interested. I know her to have a lot of faith in what her beliefs are, but that's simply because she doesn't think that people are sincere in churches and doesn't think that people have tried to test God with God coming out as the right way to go. Churches, according to her, should be fun, modern, but still get their ideas across. People who listen and are open are a big part of how church SHOULD be for her to go to them. She feels pastors could accept everyone, and don't let how people have acted affect your current opinion, no matter what you believe differently.

New Believer #4

This new believer is a recent addition to the faith thanks first of all to God, obviously, and second to God working through Jordan Britton. His name is Keith Jackson, and he's going to be a seriously strong man. I sent him this interview via e-mail, and I thought the best way to give you what he thought would be to simply copy and paste, so that's what I did. I, personally, feel that he is an amazing teen and will do some amazing things due to God's want for his talents and gifts. He's got some serious future ahead of him, I only hope I can be involved.


Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ?
1. I have been in and out of faith. When I had him in my life things were great I felt at peace, but when behind closed doors I went back to my old ways. Now that I realize what I have done and there are people who will help me I have been living for Him for the longest I ever have.




What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?
2. My friends definitely helped the most. Just seeing the ones who were without God it didn’t make sense any more to me to live like that and I wanted to change. There were people who helped me do that.


What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?
3. The best part is, knowing that I have someone to confide in; always no matter what happens. It feels like a safe haven that will get me through anything and it feels like I am actually free.
(from Luke - I love this, this is really what God gives and it shows so brightly)

What has been the most challenging part of following Christ?
4. The hardest part is being around those friends who don’t believe as much as I do. I wanted to change and I did, but sometimes they don’t think it’s the same person. And it just splits you, but it helps to confide in God.


What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?
5. My friends that believe and my family have helped the most. I can always count and fall back on them when I need to and they’re always there for me and I would do the same for them.




What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?
6. You got to just get God in their life and show them that He is going to help and will save them if they follow Him. It’s easier said than done but that is all it took for me.

Dave Ramsey - Town hall for hope.

This, well known to anyone in Freedom Valley Worship Center's area or the Fox News Business Network, was a large event put out for the public as free and helpful to anyone going through a tough time financially, especially if the hard time had to do with the economic crisis which the country seems to be slowly growing out of. Dave Ramsey, financial guru, was the speaker who would answer people's questions on money and everything involved in this simple thing that has become so complicated over the years. He had many fantastic quotes that could make up an entire paper like this one I'm writing. These quotes ranged from funny and useful to painfully true and anecdotal. Some quotes were often used, like "I don't play with snakes, they bite.", and some quotes were only used once but had equal impact, like "When the tide comes in you can tell who's been skinny dippin'." I agreed with so many points that this man had to say, like his points about government getting involved in the economic depression. He says that it would be made worse by government mismanagement. I loved his point of view on companies that do poor business should close, like the big companies that were bailed out by the government. Suffice it to say that I agree with him on nearly everything. A for more quotes, however, for the good of the world.



"Failure brings clarity." - Dave Ramsey

"A little desperation is good for the soul." - Dave Ramsey

"You can pray while you're workin'." - Dave Ramsey

"Work like it depends on us, pray like it depends on God." - Dave Ramsey

I don't do business with big banks because they have no soul." - Dave Ramsey

"Thanks for reading." - Luke Stoltzfoos