Since the very moment of my sinful birth, my Christian family sought to counteract my ungodly nature with a strongly biblical upbringing. My first few words as an infant was not only “mommy,” “daddy,” and “yummy,” but phrases like “hallelujah” also garnished my vocabulary. As soon as my father thought I was old enough to intellectually comprehend the words of the Bible at around the 3rd grade, he started a 7-year-long, father-and-son daily devotion time with me. Looking back at those sleepy mornings and my dad’s teachings which I vaguely remember, I am extremely grateful that my father showed his love for me by taking me through this discipline with him.
As a child of parents who have given their lives to the service of Christ as missionaries, I spent the best days of my childhood within the church. Not only was attending church weekly a normal part of life, I felt I was almost expected to have a greater knowledge of Scripture and better behavior than other church kids. From a human perspective, nothing in my Christian upbringing could have possibly caused any sort of rebellion in my heart against God. By the time I reached my early teenage years, I still thought merely acquiescing to the gospel and not verbally denying Christ as Lord would rescue me from sin and God’s wrath—I never denied Christ to be Lord, yet I neither trusted Him as Lord. When my spiritual leaders weren’t looking, I defied God as much as a Christianized 14-year-old could without being completely given over to the depravity of the world.
I can’t recall the exact period of time or even any strong sentiments surrounding my conversion, but at some point in my teen years, my depravity became real and consequential to me and God’s grace took a hold of me. He showed me that my Christianized upbringing and my church attendance contributed nothing to make me more save-able. The only way for me to make a U-Turn from my speedy path to hell is by embracing Christ’s redeeming work on the cross—His victory over death and sin was the only way I could break away from the chains of my death and my sin.
After being baptized in high school, I eventually moved to Los Angeles to study at UCLA and started attending Grace Community Church. God deepened my faith and love for Him through the wonderful ministry of the college Bible Study. I even met my lovely wife at our Bible study! Today, we serve at a young-married fellowship group at church, where we are always challenged to love God and one another more deeply. I also began to attend seminary in August of 2010. Having been inspired by the ministry example of my father and many men in my life, I sensed that God has called me to full-time ministry in His church. Upon completing my training in 2013, my wife and I look forward to serving the Lord further in any capacity.
Looking back at the short 26 years of my earthly life, it is so evident to me that God has kept me from wandering away by tethering me, as it were, to the stronghold of His grace. My loving parents, my Christian upbringing in the church, my early exposure to biblical truth, the strong college bible study I attended, my friends and my brothers and sisters-in-Christ, my godly wife, my seminary training. These did not save me, but God was merciful to bring me to Himself and keep me for Himself through these of graces. He brought me to a saving knowledge of Christ by faith, and He continues to use these blessings in my life this day to mature me in Christ. Praise God for His glorious and amazing works in our lives!
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for thy courts above!
As a child of parents who have given their lives to the service of Christ as missionaries, I spent the best days of my childhood within the church. Not only was attending church weekly a normal part of life, I felt I was almost expected to have a greater knowledge of Scripture and better behavior than other church kids. From a human perspective, nothing in my Christian upbringing could have possibly caused any sort of rebellion in my heart against God. By the time I reached my early teenage years, I still thought merely acquiescing to the gospel and not verbally denying Christ as Lord would rescue me from sin and God’s wrath—I never denied Christ to be Lord, yet I neither trusted Him as Lord. When my spiritual leaders weren’t looking, I defied God as much as a Christianized 14-year-old could without being completely given over to the depravity of the world.
I can’t recall the exact period of time or even any strong sentiments surrounding my conversion, but at some point in my teen years, my depravity became real and consequential to me and God’s grace took a hold of me. He showed me that my Christianized upbringing and my church attendance contributed nothing to make me more save-able. The only way for me to make a U-Turn from my speedy path to hell is by embracing Christ’s redeeming work on the cross—His victory over death and sin was the only way I could break away from the chains of my death and my sin.
After being baptized in high school, I eventually moved to Los Angeles to study at UCLA and started attending Grace Community Church. God deepened my faith and love for Him through the wonderful ministry of the college Bible Study. I even met my lovely wife at our Bible study! Today, we serve at a young-married fellowship group at church, where we are always challenged to love God and one another more deeply. I also began to attend seminary in August of 2010. Having been inspired by the ministry example of my father and many men in my life, I sensed that God has called me to full-time ministry in His church. Upon completing my training in 2013, my wife and I look forward to serving the Lord further in any capacity.
Looking back at the short 26 years of my earthly life, it is so evident to me that God has kept me from wandering away by tethering me, as it were, to the stronghold of His grace. My loving parents, my Christian upbringing in the church, my early exposure to biblical truth, the strong college bible study I attended, my friends and my brothers and sisters-in-Christ, my godly wife, my seminary training. These did not save me, but God was merciful to bring me to Himself and keep me for Himself through these of graces. He brought me to a saving knowledge of Christ by faith, and He continues to use these blessings in my life this day to mature me in Christ. Praise God for His glorious and amazing works in our lives!
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for thy courts above!