Where:
Mt. Diablo State Park, Danville, California (Lookout Campground)
When:
June 17, 2013
Who:
Carla Benejam, Barbara Cook, Jesse Cunningham, David Cunningham, Abraham Garabedian, Jeffrey Hoyt, Dennis Cook, Esther Hoyt, Natalie Hoyt, Nathan Hoyt, Bill Drake, Jane O'Callahan, Kathy ?
And,
the spirit of our beloved Vi Bundrick
My
testimony in the faith begins in my infancy. I was born and raised in a
Christ-centered, single-parent home. My mother raised me in a very
conservative church of Christ, and I was active, well above average, in
Sunday School, youth group, and other church activities. I was baptized
when I was nearly 12 years old, in 1986. From then on I was even more
active, even participating in youth ministry, learning to preach, lead
singing, etc. I was a “good kid”. Adults were impressed with me, and I
relished the attention. After graduating high school I went to Bible
college, and immediately got involved in a monthly preaching ministry in
a nearby church. During the summer between my 2nd and 3rd years of
college I got married, and took a regular part-time preaching position
at another nearby church.
I
was “living the dream” – 22 years old, married to a beautiful young
woman, and in a position of respect and leadership. But all was not
well. I was struggling inside with dedication to both my schooling and
church responsibilities. By the end of my 4th year of Bible college I
was several credits short of graduating with a Bachelor's degree.I had
fostered poor study and devotion habits, but I knew it was going to get
better. After all, I was a preacher, and preachers were by nature
spiritually dedicated people.
Over
the next six years I was in either part-time or full-time preaching
ministry, but I continued to struggle at every turn. My poor devotion
habits turned into spiritual neglect, which turned into shameful
personal actions. I began to realize that I was standing before the
church every Sunday, but Monday through Saturday I was living in
spiritual bondage. At the same time I began to see cracks in the
hard-line dogma that I had been brought up in. For example, I began to
see people from otherchurches bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and
exhibiting strong godly character. Also, the church I was leading began
having serious financial troubles, due in part to congregational
decisions made against my advice. Finally in June, 2004, I made the
decision to resign, and completely step away from preaching ministry.
God had powerfully convicted my spirit, and I realized that my entire
relationship with Him was built on the false premise of legalism. I
learned, the hard way, that the letter of the Law kills. Spiritually, I
was dead.
After
a period of intense soul-searching, together with my wife, I was
baptized into Christ in June 2007 – this time trusting nothing but the
Grace of God. I had nothing to bring, I was empty-handed. I realized for
the first time that God had alwayswanted me to come to Him
empty-handed, so that HE could fill me. I also realized that my
salvation was secure, not because of my own effort, but because of the
completed work of Christ on the cross. God showed me that even when I
was too weak to hold on to Him, He was still holding on to me!
This
concept alone was an absolute life-changer for me. Instead of
struggling to achieve righteousness through my own efforts, I was
grantedthe righteousness of Jesus Christ. For the first time in my life,
I knew true freedom in Christ. And at that point, God began healing my
soul. In the years since then, He has been opening my eyes and working
in me in very powerful ways. He has been teaching me and equipping me to
serve the Body of Christ. He has put a passion within me to lead others
out of the bondage of both sin and legalism, and show them the same
freedom in Christ that I found.
