Fellowship Memphis

It was a simple decision to accept Christ as my Savior. I grew up in church and remember inviting Christ into my life. I was excited about being baptized; it was a sign that I loved the Lord and was a part of a new community. I loved going to church and, as a teenager, I prayed and spent time with the Lord.

My senior year of high school, my family moved to Naples, Italy. For the first time in my life, I was not required to attend church, mainly because we did not belong to a specific church. We visited several, but none became our home. Some “church folk” challenged my salvation, while what felt like a cult group tried to indoctrinate me through “Bible study.” With the help of the Lord, I saw major issues with this group and separated myself from them. Then I began to distance myself from church. Distancing myself became easier when I returned to Tennessee. I occasionally studied and prayed, but was mostly disconnected from the church body which dulled my passion and enthusiasm for the Lord. After a few years, I attended a new, hip hop-style church in Memphis. I joined ministries and led a small group; however, I was disappointed in some of the leadership and people.

Nevertheless, I visited several churches, looking for an integrated body and different worship experience; but I still felt lost and disillusioned. Eventually, I stopped attending church, praying, and studying. I still believed in Jesus and the Bible, but was fed up with church and church folk. A friend asked me to attend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). I attended but quit after a few sessions. It was rigid and felt like the “church” experience all over again. I tried it again the following year and shared that I was looking for a church. One person from the group invited me to their church: Fellowship Memphis. I visited and things began to change for me spiritually. Fellowship Memphis’ services and podcasts, along with BSF, challenged me to have a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Meanwhile, I had several seasons of deep anxiety and depression. These sufferings strengthened my relationship with the Lord and revealed His movement in my life. My faith is not built on what I see in Christians or the church building, but daily prayers and study.  I renewed my commitment to the Lord earlier this summer, since that time, I seek the Lord in my daily activities. Most of all, I have a renewed sense of joy about my life and future. I realize that all Christians are a work in progress. My prayer is that my life draws others to know God, that I am filled with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), and that I please my Savior in every way.