Pathhead Baptist Church

Early in 1980 at the age of 38, there was a change in my life, - I came to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. The consequences of having Jesus as the centre of life means that the whole emphasis changes from being totally self-centred to having a perspective of Who God is and what He requires of us, His creation. This does not make Christians perfect but gives a heightened awareness of how our wrong doings offend God.

How did this change come about? At work, a workmate needed first aid for his eye and as the nearest first-aider I attended to him. During our conversation he said he had given his life to Jesus three years before. I somehow knew what he meant having attended a Baptist Church in St. Albans in Hertfordshire where I had been brought up, but I passed no comment.

Quite apart from this conversation at work my two children had asked why we did not go to church, both these incidences prompted me to take the children to the local Baptist church. We were then living in The Deepings in Lincolnshire. My wife showed no interest as she was, - and still is a Roman Catholic, - but did not object (at least at first) to my taking the children to the services. I must say, at this point, there was - nor had there been, - any crisis in my life. My marriage was stable, I was in a reasonable job and in good health, ... God simply chose the moment.

I told the man at work that I had started to attend the local Baptist Church and he challenged me directly as to what I believed. I replied that I believed Jesus rose from the dead and that there was some power there, he then asked why I did not ask Jesus to forgive me and come into my life. That was a 100% commitment and I was not prepared for that. However, a few days later whilst working overtime I put my tools down, left the factory and as I walked alongside the building I asked Jesus to forgive me and take control of my life.

How to describe the moment, … it was like walking to the edge of a high diving board, looking at the water and knowing there was no turning back once leaving the diving board, I ‘dived in’ and have never regretted that moment. There was from then no argument in my mind about God, His Son the Lord Jesus Christ or the work of the Holy Spirit.

Since that time I have found Jesus to be a faithful Guide and Friend, but above all the Sovereign Lord to whom I owe everything, for without Christ we are truly lost both in the sense that our direction is self-centred and our eternity is without hope.
Life as a Christian is not all plain-sailing, my wife found it difficult to cope with the changes in my perspective and actions. I was no longer addicted to cigarettes, nor did the idea of a night down at the Pub appeal to me. The problem has eased as she has accepted the changes though, after these last twenty two years, she still does not fully understand, which brings me to the point that no one can understand fully until they also surrender to Jesus.

I have through work, found myself living in Scotland and now attend Pathhead Baptist Church. It was a wonderful experience to walk into a Church where the Gospel is preached and find myself immediately at home in the company of others that to whom God has given a testimony of Saving Grace.

Through this testimony my prayer is, that if you do not know Jesus as Lord in your life you will be encouraged to consider your own relationship with God.