[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference yukon::christian_v7

Title:The CHRISTIAN Notesfile
Notice:Jesus reigns! - Intros: note 4; Praise: note 165
Moderator:ICTHUS::YUILLEON
Created:Tue Feb 16 1993
Last Modified:Fri May 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:962
Total number of notes:42902

727.0. "Little Cub Scout Survey for Christians" by CSC32::P_SO (Get those shoes off your head!) Fri May 12 1995 08:35

    Hi all,
    
    Nathan has been working on a Religious Award Emblem for church
    and Cub Scouts.  Part of one of the lesson projects is to 
    interview an adult and find out how they came to know Christ.
    We thought it would be fun to find out about a lot of different
    experiences, so Nathan asked if I might ask here.  He has prepared
    some questions and, if you have the time, I would appreciate it
    if you could take a few minutes to answer them.  Feel free to 
    answer them in mail and remember that this is for a child so
    you can keep your answers as brief as you would like.  Thank you
    so much for your help.
    
    Pam
    
    
    
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?
    
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
    
    
    Thank you for your help,
    Nathan (via Mom)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
727.1okay, here goes!CUJO::SAMPSONFri May 12 1995 09:0645
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
Seven years old.    

    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?
	Did someone tell you or did you figure it out by yourself?
I heard about Jesus mainly in Sunday School.  My mom took me to a
revival service when I was seven.  The preacher explained the way
of salvation and seemed to be talking directly to me.  I was the
only one who came forward, and prayed to receive Jesus.  I was
warned that I might have good emotional feelings about it that
wouldn't necessarily last, and that there would be doubts and fears
from time to time.  So, I was prepared for these events before they
happened.

    3.  Were your parents Christians?
Yes.  My dad does not say much about his faith, so
it can be difficult to tell where he stands sometimes.

    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
Presbyterian (EPC; Evangelical Presbyterian Church).

    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
I was a generally happy kid, but lacked discernment of right vs. wrong
actions and attitudes.  Even after receiving the Lord Jesus, I went on
ignorantly doing wrong, but the Holy Spirit was there to convict me of
sin and lead me into the righteousness of Christ.  I lacked depth in
the knowledge and understanding of the Bible (still do!), which the
Lord has done a lot to remedy by sending Christian friends to disciple
and teach me.

    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
Yes!  My spiritual life actually *began* when I became a Christian.
Since then, my commitment to him has been renewed and strengthened
many times.

    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
Lots of 'em!  John 3:16?  Favorite passages would include
I Corinthians 12 thru 14, and the last several chapters of
the Gospel of John.

    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
Our kids ask some really "deep" questions about God, which we try to
answer.  We read them Bible stories, and pray with them.  We take them
to Sunday School.  Most of all, we want to be the kind of parents that
Jesus wants us to be.
727.2PAULKM::WEISSFor I am determined to know nothing, except...Fri May 12 1995 09:5363
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

I can't point to a specific day.  I was raised in a Christian home, and just
always seemed to know that Jesus was there and that He loved me.  I wandered
away for a bit in my late teens/early twenties, but have been back with the
Lord ever since (I'm almost 36).    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?
    
See #1
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
See #1
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
I go to a Presbyterian Church now.  It is very Christ-focused and Bible-
focused.  The services are kind of a mix between traditional services and
more contemporary services.
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
Well, before I grew deep with Christ, my focus in life was constantly
shifting, and my thoughts were always turned toward things that don't last.
Some of those things were OK things, like a new house, and some of those
things I thought about weren't good things to think about at all.  But I
hardly ever thought about things that will last forever.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
My focus is almost always on things that will last forever, now.  On people,
on love, on forgiveness, on grace, on telling people about the One who can
save them from themselves.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
I Cor 2:2 "I am determined to know nothing, except Jesus Christ and him
crucified."  I have the first part of that verse as my personal name that
goes out on every note and every piece of mail I send here at Digital,
including all my work-related mail and notes.  Nobody has come by yet to ask
what the 'except' is, but I look forward to telling them!
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?

Well, we go to church, of course.  And we GO to church.  Though a lot of
people in our church lately have begun to come to one service while their
kids go to Sunday School and go home, we always go to both.

As I'm writing this, I note that we've gotten out of another habit that we
had.  We read the Bible every day to our kids.  We have a One-Year bible,
that has a one-page story for every day of the year.  We always used to read
it at bed-time.  But as our kids have gotten older, bed-time has changed, and
we have't been doing it this year.  We had read all the way through it three
times already.  Our kids know the stories in the Bible very well.

And we pray with our kids.  We always pray at dinner, and we pray with them
at bed-time.  I get up in the morning early and pray, and sometimes one of my
kids will come downstairs and sit with me, and I'll pray for them.

We play Bible games, too.  Like Bible Trivia, or Bible Pictionary.  Learning
about God can be fun!
727.3BBQ::WOODWARDCbetween the Glory and the FlameFri May 12 1995 10:0788
    My turn (Hi Nathan - my little boy's name is Nathaniel or Nathan)

    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

	it was January 1990 - so I was 30 years old
    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

	I went to Sunday School when I was little - but only so mum and dad
	could sleep in on Sunday.

	In 1989 (just before I got saved) I joined the company your mum
	works for (but in Australia). I was not a happy person, and I
	wanted to share my unhappiness with people I thought had caused
	that - Christians.

	Through the love and prayers of two wonderful people (Irena
	Pulkstenis and Steve McConnell) both in New Hampshire, USA - I came
	to know the love of Jesus. I have never met Irena or Steve face to
	face, but I hope to one day.

	Oh, there were lots of other people praying for me too :')
    
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?

	no :'(
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

	my current church (my family has been members there now for 2
	years) is a Presbyterian Church by denomination.

	we believe that Jesus is God's Only Son, that He was born of the
	virgin Mary, lived life as a man, suffered, was tortured, died on a
	cross, and was raised again by the Power of God on the third day,
	and ascended into Heaven. We believe that it is *only* through
	believing in Jesus that we can come to know God in a personal
	manner, and that He has promised us Eternal Life because we believe
	Him and love Him. (there is lots more - but those are the important
	bits)
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

	in two words "a mess". I would like to go through it, but I don't
	think I could explain it to you - you see, I'm not sure if I
	understand it myself!

	I was not happy - in fact, I was very sad. And as I said above in
	question 2 - I blamed Christians for the hurt and anger that I had
	inside me.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

	Yes. Although I sometimes still get sad - it is not like the deep
	sadness that I used to have. I know that God is with me, every day.
	Even when I am not very good.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

	Yes. At the moment it is "Jesus wept." John Ch11, v35.

	I have been doing a lot of crying recently - as God has been
	working in my life. Recently (this last week or so) this has
	stopped, but I think this is because of sin in my life that I do
	not want to give up.
    
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
	We have 2 boys - Joshua is nearly 5 (in July), and Nathaniel is
	just over 1 year (February).

	We have told Joshua about Jesus' birth, and at Passover we have
	told him about Jesus dying, and coming to life again. He doesn't
	yet understand just *why* Jesus had to die, but we will explain
	that as he gets older.
	
    
    Thank you for your help,
    Nathan (via Mom)

	You are *most* welcome! God Bless you. And you had better get those
	shoes off your head! :') :'D


727.4AMWS06::THELLENRon Thellen, DTN 522-2952Fri May 12 1995 11:4964
    Nathan,

    Here are my responses:
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

        I asked Jesus into my heart in October of 1979, so I was 26 years
        old.
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

        At the time I was dating the woman who is now my wife, Cathey.  She
        told me about Jesus and arranged for a meeting with the Pastor of
        the church she was attending at that time.  I had nothing to do
        with church or God at that time in my life and yet I agreed, quite
        willingly, to the meeting.  Looking back I can see God's hand at
        work in my life.
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?

        I was raised in a Catholic home and although my parents knew who
        Jesus was and could recite that "He died on the cross for our
        sins," I don't know if they ever asked Jesus into their hearts.
        Talking to them about this was very difficult because it was a
        conversation that they essentially did not allow to occur.  They
        are both dead now and I can only hope that their knowledge of Jesus
        was deeper than they allowed it to appear.
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

        We currently attend a Presbytarian church (PCUSA), although we have
        attended Independent Baptist and American Baptist churches in the
        past.  Our choice in churches is not driven by the denominational
        name.  We seek where God wants us to serve and go.
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

        Not good.  I thought I was having fun at the time but looking back
        I realize that they were actually pretty miserable times.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

        Oh, yes.  I no longer have the desire for things of the past
        (although I occasionally struggle with some).
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

        Phil. 4:6,7

        Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
        petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the
        peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your
        hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?

        We have taught our daughter, Andrea, about the love of God and the
        gift of His Son, through whom we attain salvation.  She has
        accepted Jesus into her heart (about four years ago).

    Best wishes on your project.

    Ron
727.5BBQ::WOODWARDCbetween the Glory and the FlameFri May 12 1995 11:552
    Amusing,
	so far the 'Press-buttons' are batting 1000!
727.6ICTHUS::YUILLEHe must increase - I must decreaseFri May 12 1995 12:14108
Hello Nathan!

    Great to meet you!  I'm Andrew Yuille, and I live in England (the old 
    one on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, not the new one up north).
    I was born in 1947 and around 1956, and married in 1979.  Our four sons
    are now aged 24, 22, 21 and 20, and they have all asked the LORD Jesus 
    into their hearts, and were baptised some years ago.

    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

    About 9, but I've neveer been very good at remembering numbers or dates 
    - I could have been younger!

    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

    I had always been taken to church and Sunday School, etc, since I was
    very small, and knew in my heart that the Bible was right and true.  
    Even when I knew that the people telling me about it might not have got 
    everything wuite right!

    One day, in a church service, I was aware that just going along with 
    the family wasn't enough - I had to become one of God's family myself.
    That evening, when I said my prayers (I always said them before going 
    to bed, even before I was a Christian), I asked the LORD Jesus into my 
    heart.

    I didn't feel any different at all.  I was most disappointed then, and 
    all the next day.  The next evening I thought I'd have another go, so
    I did.  I knew a little voice in my heart saying "Its all right - I
    heard the first time".

    I have doubted 'me' since, but have never doubted the LORD.

    3.  Were your parents Christians?

    Yes.  My father was the pastor of our church

    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

    It's a Baptist church, but a lot of baptist churches here in England 
    don't believe the Bible.  For instance, that Jesus is God and man,
    rather than just a man (how does that leave any gospel - without being 
    God He couldn't have been perfect, nor saved us from our sins!)  So 
    saying that I go to a Baptist church doesn't necessarily tell you too 
    much!  My church holds the Bible as the infallible inspired Word of 
    God.
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

    Not excessively anything!  As I had 'known' and acknowledged Him as
    long as I could remember, it didn't differ much from what it was 
    afterwards.  At least, not as far as I could see from the inside, 
    where I was! 

    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

    I guess you mean here what I answered in #5 - did becoming a Christian 
    make me a different person.  Not so I was very aware.  But since then 
    - yes, my life has changed.  At certain times God has woken me up to 
    truths about Himself, or about myself, which have made me more aware of 
    eternity, how I live here, and what priorities I have.

    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

    Am I only allowed ONE?  How about :

	"We know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall 
	 see him as He is."
							1 John 3:2

    or
	"God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
							1 John 4:11

    or
	"...what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live 
	 holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God 
	 and speed its coming."
							2 Peter 3:11 

    or
	"Your eyes will see the King in His beauty"
							Isaiah 33:17


    .... and that's hardly starting!  ;-)  most of these yuo have to read 
    on to get the richness too.

    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?

    That's a tough one.  Most of them are onto teaching other kids now.  
    Dermot and Fergus help at two of the kids groups at the church (they 
    live at home), all of them are involved in beach missions (doing beach 
    games for kids on vacation, including gospel teaching), and Fergus has 
    been to Poland a couple of summers to help teach English at a church 
    there, and live the gospel to the students.

    Me, I try to answer any questions they have, but they get a bit tough 
    to chew on now.....

    When they were small, I taught in Sunday School (my wife does now), 
    and we have a reading and prayer all together over breakfast.  
    Sometimes questions come up there.

							God bless
								Andrew

727.7BBQ::WOODWARDCbetween the Glory and the FlameFri May 12 1995 12:3810
    Andrew!

    Baptist. Baptist!? nonononononono! try "Presbyterian" - didn;t you read
    the previous replies?

    oh well, there's goes the batting average ;')

    Thanks Brother,

		Harry
727.8CSC32::P_SOGet those shoes off your head!Fri May 12 1995 12:415
    I was just thinging the same thing Harry.  I had thought we had
    a pretty diverse group of people in here until we started getting
    Presbyterian after Pres....(oh however you spell it)   8*)
    
    Pam
727.9OUTSRC::HEISERthe dumbing down of AmericaFri May 12 1995 12:4245
    Hi Nathan!  I'm Mike Heiser from Phoenix, AZ.      
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
    
    I was 9 years old when I first accepted Christ into my life.  During my
    early teenage years, I fell away from God, but I recommitted my life to 
    Him when I was 17.
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?
    
    My Mom led me to the Lord when I was 9.  She had just been born again
    herself and shared the Gospel with my sister and I.  My recommittment
    at age 17 was done on my own after finally realizing that I needed Him.
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
    Back then only my Mom was, but now they both are.
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
    I attend Calvary Community Church in Phoenix.  It's affiliated with the
    Calvary Chapels.
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
    Before Christ I was serving myself, but as such things go, I was
    miserable.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
    A thousand times YES!  I cannot imagine a life without Him now.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
    Matthew 6:33
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
    All sorts of things.  Their favorite thing is learning about and
    celebrating the Feasts of Israel and all the wonderful object lessons
    God designed for children and families in them.
    
    God Bless You,
    Mike
727.10USAT05::BENSONEternal WeltanschauungFri May 12 1995 14:0550
    Jeff Benson
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
    
    I don't understand this terminology, "asked Jesus into your heart".  I
    might have understood it at one time but don't recognize it anymore. 
    What does it mean?  Where is this term located in the Bible?
    Just in case its the same thing, I became a Christian at 25 years old.
    But I didn't ask Jesus into my heart.
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?
    
    I heard Jesus' name from the mouth of a preacher at a Southern Baptist 
    church.  No one can figure out anything about God unless God reveals
    Himself to a person.  God is beyond being "figured out".
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
    Only my Mother.   As were my paternal grandparents who were very important
    in my religious instruction.
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
    I am a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church but have been a
    member of at least four different "types".
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
    Hopeless, confusing, despairing, perverted, sinful, pleasurable,
    prideful.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
    Well of course it has!!!
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
    No.  I like it all.
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
    Everything I can.  Specifically, I teach my kids the Westminster Shorter
    Catechism for Children.  Generally, I use every example from day-to-day
    living to teach my children.
    
    Thank you for your help,
    Nathan (via Mom)
    
    You're welcome!!!  Jeff
727.11BIGQ::SILVADiabloFri May 12 1995 14:5253
    
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

		18 was when I called out to Him, 22 when I let Him stay.
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

		While we were in Houston, we took a road trip to Austin
		to visit with a friends mother. She spent about 3 hours
		talking about religion, God, love, etc. We were enjoying
		every second of it. While I had 11 years of CCD under my
		belt, I had never heard the words she was saying. Under 
		the CCD it seemed like it was a one way conversation, while
		with her, it was a conversation.
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?

		They both believe in God, but they don't seem to rely on 
		Him for anything. They just think He is there.


    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

		Unitarian.    
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

		It was ok, but now it's GREAT! It's great to have someone
		like Him teach you, guide you, love you. What could be
		better? 
   
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

    		Very much so. The things I used to do had me with no
		real conscience, not really caring about the outcome 
		of my actions, whether or not I hurt anyone. All that
		has changed. I ain't perfect, but I am trying.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

		1 cor 7:25

    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
		Don't have any kids yet. But when I do, I will be
		teaching them about how Jesus loves everyone. To
		never think that Jesus would hate a sinner, just
		the sin. And allow my child to know that Jesus 
		knows what's in our hearts, and only He really
		knows our love for Him, only He can judge anyone.
    
727.12Jill's testimonyCSC32::KINSELLAFri May 12 1995 16:4176
    Thanks for doing this Nathan.  I've enjoyed this immensely.
    
            1.  I was about 8 years old.
    
            2.  I had been raised in church and always had heard
                that Jesus loved us.  I just never realized till
                then that he loved me specifically rather than
                us generically.
    
            3.  We had always gone to church and my parents were
                very active...even teaching Sunday School.  However,
                they were not christians until I was 6 years old
                thanks to a new pastor who didn't automatically
                assume that just because you were in church, you were
                a christian.  The changes in their lives were very
                apparent to me.
    
            4.  I was raised in the Evangelical Free Church, but
                currently attend an evangelical Southern Baptist
                church.
    
            5.  I'd have to say that I was always a pretty happy
                kid.  I had a very loving family who strongly
                believed in good morals.  I was raised to believe
                in God.  But it wasn't until that summer day when
                Mom and me had a talk about how God felt about my
                misbehaving (okay...sinning) that I realized that he
                wanted to have a relationship with me.  I was
                amazed, humbled, and immediately responded.
    
            6.  Mine was not a dramatic change since I had been
                raised in a home built on the morals set forth
                by the bible.  I would have to say that I saw
                much more growth in my adult life than I did
                at the time.  As I moved on my own is when my
                faith was truly tested.  Through the years I've
                moved from a childhood faith of doing what I had
                been taught to a richer understanding and establishing
                of beliefs as truly my own through studying God's word
                 and leaning on His guidance.  Thankfully, I'm still
                growing in my relationship with Christ all the time.
                It seems that through hard times, like my dad's recent
                death, I rely on God's strength and grace more and my
                faith is strengthened.  I used to be jealous that I
                didn't have one of those dramatic testimonies that we've
                all heard and perhaps some here even have, but through
                a friend who had one of them I finally realized what a
                blessing from God it was to be spared so much pain.
                Thank you Lord!
    
            7.  Oh dear.  I have so many favorites.  As God brings
                me to different landmarks in my life...it changes.
                My focus now is on knowing God's love, so my current
                favorite is:
    
                Ephesians 3:14-21  (I told you I couldn't pick one!)
                I'll just quote the middle part that is my focus though:
    
                "...And I pray that you, being rooted and established
                in love, may have power, together with all the saints,
                to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the
                love of Christ. and to know this love that surpasses
                knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of
                all the fullness of God."
    
            8.  Well, I'm single and don't have any kids of my own.
                But I have nephews and nieces and I work with kid's
                ministries at church.  I try to stress that being a
                christians isn't just going to church and behaving
                a certain way.  Being a christian is about being in
                a relationship with God which is possible because
                of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross for
                their sins.  Also that all the good deeds in this world
                without a relationship with Christ won't get them to
    	        heaven.
    
727.13Answers for Nathan's SurveyMTHALE::JOHNSONA rare blue and gold afternoonFri May 12 1995 16:5294
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

        I have known God - Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all
        my life - I grew up knowing God just like people grow up
        knowing the parents with whom they live.  However, all my 
        life has been a continual process of knowing and trusting
        the Lord more and more, just as over time, we get to know
        our friends and family in deeper ways than we did in the
        beginning of our relationship with them.    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

        My parents told me about Jesus (I like to call Him by His 
        Hebrew name now, Yeshua, which means salvation), and of 
        course I heard about Him in church and Sunday school, and I
        read about Him in my children's Bible when I was young.    
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
 
        Yes.    
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
        Now I go to a Messianic Jewish synagogue which is a place where
        Jews and gentiles (non-Jews) who have put their faith in Yeshua
        worship together in a Jewish way.

        I have gone to Lutheran churches, Presbyterian churches, a
        "non-denominational" church, Congregational churches, and 
        something called the Evangelical Covenant church.  I have 
        visited Catholic churches, Church of England churches, Baptist
        churches, Assembly of God churches, an Indian Pentecostal assembly,
        and probably some others as well.  That's because I have moved 
        around alot, traveled a lot, and have friends in all kinds
        of different churches.

    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
        I don't have anything to compare it with because there wasn't 
        really a before that I can remember.  However, my walk with
        God has not remained the same over the years, and I hope that
        my will, spirit, heart, and mind have been continually changing 
        for the better as I seek to know God and His will more and more.
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
        Same answer as # 5.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

        I find the whole Bible to be filled with wonderful ideas and
        revelation that are very important for me.  But I do have some 
        passages which have been extra special to me, and also some whole
        incidents - for example the time when Jesus is at the home of
        Mary and Martha, and Mary sits listening to him, and when Martha
        wants Jesus to scold Mary, he gently tells Martha that what Mary
        is doing is very important.   And I love the time when two of 
        Jesus's followers are walking back to their home after Jesus was
        killed, and they are very sad, Jesus comes along and walks with 
        them and explains from the Bible (which at that time was only what 
        you know as the Old Testament) about how the Messiah had to suffer 
        and die before being raised again, but they don't recognize Him until
        He says the blessing over the bread and wine at dinner.

        I will have to go home & look up the exact references for the 
        passages passages that have especially spoken to me because I am
        not someone who remembers numbers very well.  But here's an
        inexact list:
        1) the Jeramiah passage about God knowing His plans for the people,
           for their good and not for evil, 
        2) the Habbakuk passage at the end of that book about trusting in God 
           no matter what the circumstances, 
        3) the Micah passage that says that what God requires of His is to
           love Him and walk humbly with Him
        4) many sections through Isaiah 40 - 53 which are about the Messiah
        5) Psalm 19, Psalm 33, Psalm 100
        5) John 3:16 - for God so loved the world that He gave His only
           begotten Son ...
        6) The Corinthian's passage about how love acts - kind, patient, etc.
        7) The prayer in Ephesians that the people would come to know the
           dimensions of God's infinate love so that they would be filled
           with the fulness of God.  
        8) Revelation passages about the end of death, and tears, and sorrow.
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
        How He is God, how great is His love, how He died and rose so that 
        we can have forgiveness and cleansing from sin and eternal life, and 
        the way in which He wants us to live our lives right now while we are 
        on earth.
    
    Leslie
727.14BIGQ::SILVADiabloFri May 12 1995 17:013

	Jill, I REALLY loved your #8!!!!!
727.15CSC32::KINSELLAFri May 12 1995 17:058
    
    Good, I'm glad it spoke to you.  It's just something that is 
    key to me because of seeing the difference in my parents before 
    they confessed Christ as their Savior and Lord.  It's really easy to
    get lost in a church.  It's a place that most christians don't 
    think to look for the lost - the perfect hiding place.
    
    Jill
727.18AUSSIE::CAMERONAnd there shall come FORTH (Isaiah 11:1)Sat May 13 1995 07:3854
    Re: Note 727.0 by CSC32::P_SO
    
>   1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
    
    I can't remember.  It's been so long that I don't even remember doing
    it, but I'm sure I have.
    
>   2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
>       did you figure it out by yourself?
    
    I can't remember.  Perhaps Sunday School.
    
>   3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
    One says they are, the other doesn't.
    
>   4.  What kind of church do you go to?
    
    I go to a church called Epping Church of Christ, it's a small church in
    a suburb of Sydney, in Australia.  It's like a Baptist church.  As a
    kid I went to St Albans Epping, an Anglican (Episcopalian??) church.
    
>   5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
    I can't remember.
    
>   6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
    I guess so.  I've grown up for a start.  But as for changes that are
    because I became a Christian, I can't remember.  Being a Christian does
    affect how I do things; I'm sure that if I was not a Christian I would
    do things much differently!  Probably worse.
    
>   7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
    Moses saying "Oh Lord, please send someone else".  It's very funny.
    I use it when I think God is telling me to do something that I'm not
    sure I want to do.  Problem is, the next few verses show God saying
    that Moses had to go and do it anyway!
    
    (And my other favourite verse is "And God Sent Him FORTH", because I
    like and use a computer language called FORTH.  A computer language is
    something you use to tell a computer how to do something.)
    
>   8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
    I do not have kids.  My wife, Petria, teaches a kids club after school
    on Monday afternoons.  There are about 16 kids aged 5 to 11.  She and
    others teach about what Jesus did and said while he was cruising around
    down here 2000 years ago.  They also teach the kids by doing things in
    the way Jesus would do them, as a kind of example.
    
    James Cameron
    Sydney, Australia
727.19AUSSIE::CAMERONAnd there shall come FORTH (Isaiah 11:1)Sat May 13 1995 07:5110
    Re: Note 727.6 by ICTHUS::YUILLE
    
>	"God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
>							1 John 4:11
    
    Um, Petria tells me this is 1 John 5:11, because it's the memory verse
    for Kids Club right now!  It's good the Kids Club leader knows it, eh?
    ;-)
    
    James
727.20ICTHUS::YUILLEHe must increase - I must decreaseSat May 13 1995 16:127
Thanks James.  Like I said, I'm not too good with numbers ;-) 

But 1 John 4:11 is a good one too.  There's just so many, all strung
together. [like someone complained of Shakespeare, 'his plays are just a
lot of quotes put together'). 

							Andrew
727.21CSLALL::HENDERSONLearning to leanSat May 13 1995 20:0575


 Hi Nathan...may God bless you as you gather this for Cub Scouts!


    
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
    
        29.  I was saved in January of 1979.    
  



    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?
    
        I had joined a church when I was about 14 with my stepmother, but
        I never really heard much about needing Jesus Christ.  I began to 
        hear of him, in sermons, but never realized I needed Him until a
        man I worked with began to talk to me about him..it took 2 years
        for me to finally accept Christ.  That was 15 years ago!  I still
        remember laying awake at night when I first began to realize I needed
        Christ, and the joy I felt when I knew I was saved.

    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?
    
        My natural mother was (she died when I was 8). In fact, I still have
        the Bible that my grandfather gave her when she was a little girl!  I
        believe my Dad was, but after my mother died, he didn't come to church
        very often.    
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?
       
        I go to an Independant Baptist Church..
    
   
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?
    
        Well, I guess I was quite a ways away from living  a
        Christian life.  I knew something was missing,, and I
        tried to fill that "hole" in my life with things that
        I wished I hadn't.   



 
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?
    
        I don't do a lot of things I used to do, and I'm a lot
        happier, and I now know what life is meant to be.

    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?
    
        Right now its Philippians 3:13-14.
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
    
       My kids live with their mom, and when I see them I talk to them
       about the Lord, and take them to church, and do my best to live
       my life in a way that they can see Christ living in me.
    
    Thank you for your help,
   

     You're very welcome!

     In Christ,


     Jim
727.22CSC32::P_SOGet those shoes off your head!Sat May 13 1995 22:538
    Hi everybody,
    
    I am justing popping in while I pick J. up from work but I wanted
    to thank you so much for your input.  I printed out the replies
    that were here before I went home yesterday and read them to Nathan
    last night.  He was intrigued!  He loved it!  Thank you so much!!
    
    Pam
727.23GAVEL::MOSSEYMon May 15 1995 12:0049
    Hi Nathan/Pam!  I don't know if I'm too late in responding to be of
    help, but here's my story anyway!
    
    1.	I was 7 years old when I asked Jesus to save me.
    
    2.	My mother told me about Jesus and prayed with me when I 
    	asked Jesus to come into my heart.
    
    3.	Both my parents became christians when I was 6 or 7.  They accepted 
    	Jesus on Thanksgiving Day, 1975 or '76.  I became a christian
    	about 6 months after them because I saw what a difference Jesus
    	had made in their lives.
    
    4.	I currently attend a Nazarene church.  Over the years, I have 
    	attended many different kinds of churches, such as:  Roman
    	Catholic, Baptist, Pentcostal, Assembly of God.
    
    5.	Being that I was so young when I asked Jesus into my life, I don't
    	remember alot of specifics of how my life was different or changed.
    	I do remember feeling generally happier, feeling that Jesus loved
    	me and cared about me.  My parents were happier too.  I remember 
    	being conscious of trying to 'be good' because I knew that would
    	make Jesus happy and it made him unhappy when I acted mean or 
    	unkind to people.
    
    6.	Yes, my life changed when I became a Christian.  For several years
    	I tried to live as I thought Jesus would want me to live (being
    	kind, obidient to my parents, witnessing to kids at school) but
    	when I got to junior high/high school, I let my relationship with
    	Jesus 'slide'; I didn't make Him a priority anymore because I felt
    	alot of pressure from kids at school and I had been hurt by some
    	people.  In spite of me sort of turning my back of Jesus, He didn't
    	turn His back on me and I still felt His presence in my life.
    	The Holy Spirit definitely protected and kept me from some bad 
    	things I could have done during that time.  Over the course of 
    	several years, I slowly came back to the point of trying to put
    	Him first in my life and trying to determine His will for me.
    
    7.	One of my favorites is Psalm 139, especially verses 13 - 16.  I
    	also like the passage in Jerimiah that talks about God's plan
    	for His people and the one in Ephesians that talks about God's
    	infinite love for us (the same ones Leslie and Jill referred to.)
    
    8.	I don't have any children of my own, but I do have a nephew and
    	I try to show him the love of Jesus through poems I write for him,
    	and gifts I buy him, such as a Bible, christian story books, etc.
    	He's only 1 1/2 yrs. old, but I hope as he grows older I will be
    	a good example of a christian to him.
      
727.24CSC32::P_SOGet those shoes off your head!Mon May 15 1995 12:078
    Thanks Karen,  Nope, you're not too late.  It will be about 1
    month before the project is totally complete.  
    
    I'm so glad I put this note in here.  Everyone's responses have
    blessed me greatly!
    
    Thanks,
    Pam
727.25ODIXIE::SINATRAMon May 15 1995 12:4044
    Hi Nathan!  My story too...
    
    1.  I can't pinpoint a specific time that I asked Jesus into my heart.
    He seemed to have my heart from the beginning. It was truly as if He
    was always there, and the truth of the Bible and of His words were
    readily apparent.
    
    2.  It was probably in Sunday School, although it may have been even
    before, through my parents.
    
    3.  Yes, they were very committed Christians, active in the church, in
    leadership roles, as teachers, choir members, etc. My grandparents were
    also Christians. I mention this because I was blessed to have all my 
    grandparents in my life until my mid-to-late twenties, and they were
    instrumental in my up-bringing and as Christian role models.
    
    4.  I was raised in the Presbyterian Church and have most recently been
    attending a Methodist Church. I don't pay much attention to
    denominations, only whether the teaching is strong and true to God's
    Word. 
    
    5.& 6.  I can't comment on this, since it seemed He was always there. But
    I will say this...I was an extremely shy and sensitive child, and my
    interactions with other children were difficult. I got picked on a lot
    and my feelings were often hurt, and I didn't know how to fight back
    very well. I think Jesus gave me firm ground to stand on during this
    time, because I knew that He loved me, and I knew what the Bible said,
    and that it was true, and I held tight to living as I knew He would
    want me to live, and He nurtured and cared for me. I did have a
    rebellious period in my early twenties, and I discovered then that life
    really is nothing without Him and turning around to Him was like coming
    home. I simply cannot survive apart from Him.
    
    7.  My favorite passage is Mark 12:29 - 31. Some other favorites are
    Mark 6:33; Psalms 23 & 91 and the entire book of Ecclesiastes.
    
    8.  I don't have children yet, but I hope to do as well as my parents
    did. Taking them to Sunday School and church, telling them from the 1st
    moment of their lives about Jesus and His love for them, and living my
    beliefs before them. 
    
     
    Rebecca 
    
727.26#7ODIXIE::SINATRAMon May 15 1995 12:423
    Oops! That should have been Matthew 6:33.
    
    Rebecca
727.27ICTHUS::YUILLEHe must increase - I must decreaseMon May 15 1995 13:277
	Notes discussing what 'Asking Jesus into your heart'
	means have been moved to 728.*


							   Andrew
							co-moderator
727.28AUSSIE::BELLCaritas Patiens estTue May 16 1995 04:1844
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

	I'm not sure, I grew up in a Christian Family, God, and Jesus were
always there.
    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

	From my parents.
    
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?

	Yes.
    
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

	Anglican (= Church of england)
    
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

	Don't remember
    
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

	Don't remember
    
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

	Phil 4:4 -- Rejoice in the Lord Always...
    
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?

	Everything when they are ready for it. Also we try to teach by example.
    
    
    
727.29AUSSIE::CAMERONAnd there shall come FORTH (Isaiah 11:1)Tue May 16 1995 19:247
    Re: Note 727.28 by AUSSIE::BELL
    
>	Phil 4:4 -- Rejoice in the Lord Always...
    
    Ah, let me guess, Purcell?  ;-)
    
    (A Choral In-Joke)
727.30My ReplyRUNTUF::PHANEUFBrian S-P Phaneuf, Client/Server EIS Consultant, DTN 264-4880Thu May 18 1995 15:3871
    
    
    1.  How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?

	It was on my 16th birthday - 30 Dec 1971
    
    
    2.  How did you find out about Jesus?  Did someone tell you or
        did you figure it out by yourself?

	A street evangelist - Arthur Belssit.
    
    
    3.  Were your parents Christians?

	No, they were (and are) *very nominal* Roman Catholics.
    
    4.  What kind of church do you go to?

	Currently, my family is attending a conservative, Bible-preaching, 
	Reformed Presbyterian Church (a *truly* difficult thing to find!).
	In times past though, we have attended primarily chrismatic churches.
    
    5.  What was your life like before you met Christ?

	I was into drugs, sex, & rock 'n roll (well, I *still* like rock,
	ala Petra, et al). Mostly though, I was *very* lonely. 
    
    6.  Has your life changed since you became a Christian?

	Besides going straight? You bet. Having given my life to Christ means 
	that He gave me His life - a good exchange - and that He is *always* 
	with me, because He loves me.
    
    7.  Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  What is it?

        "Create in me a clean heart, O LORD, and renew a right spirit
	 within me. Cast me not away, from Thy presence, O LORD, and take
	 not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me, the joy of Thy 
	 salvation, and renew a right spirit within me." Ps 51:10-12

	A close second:

	"If you falter in times of trouble, how little is your strength!
	 Rescue those being led away to death;
	 Hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
	 If you say `But we knew nothing about this.'
	 does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
	 Does not He who guards your life know it?
	 Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?"
							Prov 24:10-12
    
    8.  What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    
	The most profound and wonderous thing I know -

	"Jesus loves me, this I know,
	 for the Bible tells me so.
	 Little ones to Him belong,
	 they are week, but He is strong.

	"Yes, Jesus loves me,
	 yes, Jesus loves me,
	 yes, Jesus loves me,
	 the Bible tells me so."

    May the LORD bless your endeavors, Nathan.

    8^{)

    Brian
727.31Arthur BlessitOUTSRC::HEISERthe dumbing down of AmericaThu May 18 1995 18:495
    >	A street evangelist - Arthur Belssit.
    
    Anyone know what he's up to now?  Last I heard he fell into infidelity.
    
    Mike
727.32Re: ArthurRUNTUF::PHANEUFBrian S-P Phaneuf, Client/Server EIS Consultant, DTN 264-4880Fri May 19 1995 11:4715
   Re: <<< Note 727.31 by OUTSRC::HEISER >>>
                              -< Arthur Blessit >-

    >>	A street evangelist - Arthur Belssit.
    
    > Anyone know what he's up to now?  Last I heard he fell into infidelity.

    I have heard the same, but have seen no reliable verification thereof.
    Therefore, I do not broadcast the rumors - first to insure that I am
    not unjustly besmirching a brother's character, and secondly, to honor
    the memory of the man who lead me to the Lord.

    Love,

    Brian
727.33DECWET::MCCLAINFri May 19 1995 18:5554
    My turn, I guess.
    
    1. How old were you when you asked Jesus into your heart?
      	It was March 1st, 1990, so lets see... I was 14.
    
    2. How did you find out about Jesus?
    	A freind of mine asked if I wanted to go to a cub scouts type thing
    called "adventure corps" and a couple weeks later we were taken into a
    graveyard and were wondering about the people who were buried, you
    know, their lives, how they died, etc. Then the scout leader told us
    about God's wrath and Christ's atoning blood.
    
    3. Were your parents christian.
     	No, my parents were not christian. My father beleives there IS a
    God, but will not attest to any "religion"
     	My mother was not a christian until two years ago when I took her
    and my sister to my church with me. And there was a great party among
    all the angels that day, my mother and my sister came home.
    
    4. What kind of church do you go to?
    	I go to a foursquare church here in Seattle. It is focused on
    Christ,worship of Him only, prayer and evangelism.
    
    5. What was your life like before Christ?
    	I hated anything and everybody, including myself. I had
    contemplated suicide on many an occasion.
    
    6. Has your life change since you became a Christian?
    	(Actually I recieved my life when I became a christian, but that's
    another concept)
    	Yes! In more ways than I could have possibly imagined! We had been
    living in a low-income project and were on welfare. And with God's
    blessings on this humble servant of His, I am now on my own(for about
    three years now) and I am married to the most beautiful woman on God's
    green earth. On top of that, I have a great job, and on my way to a
    promising career in Law Enforcement.
    
    7. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
    	One verse that I have alsways liked and has always spoken to my
    heart in times of trouble and times of peace is Matthew 6:33 and the
    few verses preceeding it-
    	"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all
    these things shall be added unto you."
    
    8. What do you do to teach your kids about Jesus?
    	Unfortunately (or is that fortunately?) I do not have any children
    yet, only being married for a little under three months now. But when I
    do have children, I plan on being the best father I can be, because I
    have a great role model. And I hope I can live up to His standard.
    
    Hope I helped,
    
    Joe