According to God’s Timing

As we begin to reach out to friends and family, we are confronted with many questions: will they be open to studying the scriptures? Will they be able to confront important issues in their life?  Can I adequately convey God’s love to them? If so, how long before they decide to make Jesus their Lord and Savior? The answers: God knows!

During the middle of 2007, myself, Marcus Wallace, and some singles began to study the Bible with a young man named Branden Benson. He was introduced to the church by Jeff Henderson, a friend from his high school days. He began to attend church, get integrated into the singles, and study God’s word. He was inspired by what he saw and read, but didn’t feel like he was ready to make a decision at the time.

Over the next year, he attended occasionally, and kept in good contact with the church through many relationships in the singles ministry. In the Spring of 2008, he decided to come back and begin studying the Bible again in earnest. God  blessed Branden with a Princeton education, a good job, and a supportive family. Still, he realized all of that meant nothing without a saving relationship with God. After months of studying and changing, Branden was baptized on October 27 in the icy waters of Puget Sound!

That was one night nobody will forget. Surrounded by friends and family, Branden pledged his life to God. It was incredible to hear touching words of gratitude from his father, as well as Branden expressing thanks to God and his friends for showing him patience on his journey to a relationship with God.

As Branden was baptized by his close friends Derek Scholz and Todd Stickler, we were all reminded that God’s plan of evangelism includes our tireless effort in reaching out to people and showing them the scriptures. We should pray earnestly for them, serve them, and show them unconditional love. However, we can’t control the timing of people making decisions to turn their life over to God. I was reminded of this when I asked Branden the question, why did you decide to become a Christian now and not last year? His answer: I feel like now I was ready to make the decision to make Jesus my Lord. I think God knew that!

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