A reluctant convert shares his testimony

By John Andrew Hunt                                  

I am eternally grateful to a friend who persistently invited me to his church for six months. He would say, if you only knew what we know, it would blow your mind!  You could say he used the curiosity approach.       

I was a reluctant convert. I would say to him what do you know?  His answer, I can’t tell you. You will have to come to church to find out. Eventually, I said to him. Well, I’d better come to your church to find out, because you won’t tell me. And I will find out for myself. 

I was only there for a few short weeks, and I saw that the people there were so happy, and they had something I wanted. Here, my strong feeling was that Jesus was everything He said he was, and all the answers in life are in Him. The pastor John Byrnes said to me. Andrew, I think you want to make a decision. I strongly said yes. Here I prayed the prayer of decision. I don’t fully remember the actual prayer at the time, but it was similar to this.

“Dear Father, I know I have messed up, and I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Christ died for my sins. I am willing to turn from my sins. I now invite Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal saviour. I am willing by God’s grace to follow and obey Christ as Lord of my life. Amen.”

This led me eagerly to my Baptism, which I invited six of my new church friends and six of my unchurched friends to attend.

I could not wait to attend bible study groups with social meals and fellowship. My enthusiasm level was high. I recall I wanted to desperately know more about Jesus and grow more in my new faith.

I was strongly encouraged by my new Christian friends through social gatherings and many phone calls. This led me to be involved with Scripture Union under their banner, and I was privileged to assist in Sunday school teaching at the Royal Adelaide Children’s Hospital for six years, 1979-1986. Later attended Tabor Bible College for two and a half years, and took several subjects for the Bachelor of Christian Ministry.

I am married to an Anglican Priest, Barbara, serving in full-time ministry and helping where I can in our lovely Church at St. Philip’s. My great joy is seeing our members growing in their faith and new people coming to faith. My own family has come to faith.

Our journey of faith has led my wife and me to be involved in pop-up shelters for the homeless. We have been privileged to work in Fiji on the Coral Coast by setting up three schools with library books, sporting equipment, etc, and writing equipment.  We have been involved with many other outreach programs in the wider community.

We have recently been encouraged by the good news that the actor Clint Eastwood has accepted Jesus Christ at the age of 94 years. A great testimony on the web for all to see, “I risk all to follow Jesus”. 16 minutes. (a must-watch).

Several life-changing facts I know in my Christian walks are:

1. If you put your faith in Jesus, you can be sure you are going to heaven.
   “Share the good news with everyone you come across.” (Dr. Billy Graham)
2. Jesus is always knocking at the door, promising to enter those who open their hearts to him, with a promise of an intimate relationship and eternal life (Rev. 3:v20).
3. “The only way to God is through the cross of Jesus. His purpose was love, his destiny was the cross, his reason was you”. “Believers in Jesus benefit from his death on the cross, through the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, freedom from sin’s bondage, and the promise of eternal life.”
4. Whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life. But whoever rejects Jesus will not see life. (John 3v36)
5. Age of grace ends at death. Believe in Jesus whilst you are alive. Make the decision now as our life span is unknown. 
6. The most important and best decision we will ever be called to make in our life is to accept Jesus Christ and be happy and on that depends everything.
7. “What no eye has seen, no ear heard, nor the human heart conceived for what God has prepared for those who love him”. (1Corinth 2:9).
8. Take hold of Jesus’ hand and never let it go.

The reason for my testimony is to pass on the Good News to you, which was given to me by a friend some 50 years ago. The reason for my testimony is to pass on the Good News to you, which was given to me by a friend some 50 years ago.

Countless people and generations have come to faith in Jesus Christ.

This is my prayer that you will be one!