A few words about Christianity:

To begin with, when someone talks about Christianity, you probably think about religion. They are really two separate things. Religion is a bunch of practices that people do. Anyone can do them. Most people look at them as a way to earn their way to heaven. True biblical christianity, though, is a relationship with God. People with this relationship do the "religious" practices out of gratitude to God. See the difference? It's what is in your heart.

The Bible has this to say about those who think they can earn their way to heaven: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2: 8-9) It's not what you do, it's who you know

This doesn't mean that Christians aren't to do anything. On the contrary, "…show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:18). There is a difference between just "playing church" and taking action based on what you believe in your heart. The difference is your motivation. You either have selfish motives ("church is a good place to network", "I enjoy the social opportunities", etc.), or you go to church to worship God because you love Him, and you live the way you do because you have committed to do what God has said to do in His word.

So what do I believe? Well, here it is in a nutshell:

1. All men, no matter how good they appear, have sinned, that is, they have rebelled against God, and fallen short of His standard of perfection. (Romans 3:23)
2. God is Just, and has long made it known that the penalty for sin is eternal death in a literal hell. (Romans 3:24, and 6:23)
3. Man cannot earn eternal life. (Romans 2:8 and 9)
4. God sent Jesus Christ, His son, to Earth to pay the penalty for the sins of all who would believe in Him by dying on a cross. (John 3:16)
5. Jesus rose from the dead by God's power. Eternal life in heaven with God, and abundant life here on Earth is available to all who will confess their sins to Jesus, admit that they believe in Him, and ask Him to forgive their sins and be Lord of their lives (be in charge - that is, do as He says). The process of turning away from the way we were living to living the way Jesus said to is called repentance. (Romans 2:8 and 9 again, John 3:16 again, and Romans 6:23 again)
6. The bible is God's word, and does not contain any errors. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Is it real? I believe so. I have seen what God has done in my life. I had grown up in church, but was headed nowhere, with no direction or purpose in my life. I continued this path until on a co-op assignment in college, when I hooked up with a bunch of people who were having a real Godly experience, and living this "abundant life" that I hadn't really understood until then. I had asked Christ into my heart years earlier as a 10 year old kid, but had never made Him actually be in charge of my life. I made a commitment to get serious about my relationship with Him, and everything changed. I won't say everything turned around overnight, and there are always more areas that need work, but my joy of living has increased tremendously, and I am progressing down the road towards living out the kind of love Jesus taught us to.

More info. can be had at Grace Community church. Feel free to e-mail or call us there if you have any questions.

For those who are interested in scientific evidence of a literal creation and a young earth, check out Dr. Kent Hovind's website at www.drdino.com. He has a seminar that is mostly on-line now. Also see the Glen Rose, TX museum at http://www.creationevidence.org/.