The Testimony of Pastor David L. Brown

My family was Methodist. We attended a small country Methodist church when I was a young boy. I had a Sunday School teacher named Vern Blankenberg. He was not satisfied with the Sunday School material so he told us to bring a notebook and out Bibles because we were going to study the Bible starting the next week. Sure enough the next week we began to study the book of Romans. I do not recall how many weeks into the study we were but I do remember getting the point of the lesson that we were all sinners and that sinners go to Hell unless they believe in Christ. As an 11 year old boy, I went home down right scared. I cried out to God literally in my bedroom one evening and told Him I did not want to go to Hell. I asked forgiveness of my sins and told Him I believed!

I do not remember exact times very well, but I know that the Pastor left the little country church. My parents decided to transfer to the city Methodist church. What a mistake. I starved spiritually. We got a steady dose of 60's civil rights, peace and good works "sermons." We had body dancers in tights "minister" to us in one service and rock bands in the basement for youth activities. It was at that point in my teenage life that God brought a real Christian girl into my life. I started going to the Baptist Church with her. Man was her church great. They preached the word, the Bible and my thirsty soul soaked it up. How refreshing. We dated, went steady and then broke up. I think folks thought that would be the end of me, not that we weren't "going together" any more. Wrong! I still attended. I was getting fed spiritually. I went away to the state university but attended a retreat the Baptist Church back home was hosting. There God really worked in my life.

When I got back to college, one day coming home from class I told the Lord, "I'm not sure what you want for me Lord, but I commit myself to you and will do whatever you want me to do." It was like a ton of bricks lifted off my shoulders. I was baptized biblically and joined First Baptist Church of Lake Orion, Michigan the summer of 68. I transferred to Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College that summer and decided to study for the ministry. God was good to me. I was so ignorant of the Bible but really learned a lot. But I struggled with the decision I had made when I was 11 years old. I settled the matter by my office desk September 13, 1971. I told the Lord, If I was not Saved when I was 11, Lord I want to be now. I believe you are the only Savior and if you are not already my Savior, come into my life right now. That settled the matter. No more doubts for me. It's great to be saved and sure!

There are some scripture passages that really helped make Salvation clear to me:

• SALVATION IS A GIFT & CANNOT BE EARNED
  Ephesians 2:8-9
  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
  

• CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION
  John 14:6
  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"
  

• I AM A SINNER
  Romans 3:23
  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
  

• THE PENALTY FOR SIN IS DEATH...SEPARATION FROM GOD IN HELL
  Romans 6:23
  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
  

• CHRIST PAID FOR MY SINS WITH THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD
  I Peter 1:18-19
  "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition by your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ [my emphasis], as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"
  

• I MUST PERSONALLY CALL ON THE LORD IN BELIEF
  Romans 10:13
  "For whosoever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved."