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Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical
Official Blog of Author & Speaker Frank Viola. Digging below the surface and moving beyond the shallows in today's Christianity.
The Keeping Power of God
The Gospel of the Kingdom
Thank you for sharing your personal testimony, Frank, it is not only similar to mine but was tremendously strengthening to me personally and made the circumstances of my early spiritual birth much clearer. I was always interested in God as a boy but at the age of 14, just before I went off to high school, I got down on my knees with my little grandmother, who was Pentecostal and a giant for the Lord, and I accepted Jesus into my life. I didn’t know much, certainly not scripturally, that is for sure. Athletics, music, drugs; by the time I was 20 my life was a mess. Along came the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I knew nothing about the Bible, but I had about a thousand questions and they had the answers. I thought they were God’s organization on earth, and I jumped in head first. Within one year I was a fulltime missionary for them, which I did for 6 years, was a public speaker, judicial elder, went to special schools and eventually worked at their world headquarters in New York. To say that I had bee-lined off into the weeds is an understatement. Abject legalism? Max works for approval? I had allowed myself to be brainwashed and I was a zealous and willing participant, and I didn’t even know what was happening; I did not know I was preaching a “false gospel”. I was a real “Saul of Tarsus”. Until I had a personal problem I needed love and help with from their leadership. That is when my eyes were opened to the fact that they cared nothing about me as a person; I was just another cog in their free labor force. I was crushed. This particular brand of organized legalism is brutal, and emotionally and spiritually I almost died from it. I was hurt so deeply that I cursed God and had nothing to do with anything spiritual for years. I was more than angry. Organized religion was a joke to me. But Jesus is faithful. I was that severely wounded lost little lamb that had truly given Him my heart when I was 14. And he came and got me. It started with “accidentally” tuning in to Hal Lindsey on the radio one day, and I started to listen. Fast forward – the Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher, has taken me lovingly by the shoulders and shown my heart what Grace is… Grace is a person, and it is Jesus himself. “Accidentally” a few years ago I found “People to People/Basic Gospel” on the radio. I am a voracious reader, I have read your books, attended Conference 2:20 last year in Plano, TX where I met you briefly. I like the deeper things of the Lord. Your “Living By The Spirit” discussion of the Zoe life was filled with staggering insight for me – thank you. You and the Basic Gospel team have been instrumental in my healing from the scars of legalism. I am 67 now and still growing as part of the Body. I am grateful to be your brother. And the heart of Jesus… to come all this way to rescue us, to save us, just so we can be with Him. He is so beautiful and wonderful; it will take all of eternity to thank Him , and that still won’t be long enough.
Christians who have left “institutional Christianity” can sometimes become strident and demeaning toward those who are still part of it. But such an attitude betrays the gospel. And we have not so learned Jesus Christ.” I have maintained close relationships with those who remain in the physical church because of the reasons you stated. My real friends are, at least, tolerant of our way of fellowship. Here in the south, it appears to be most important the denomination/church you belong to. There has been some “slit eyes” when I tell them about our little group in our home. They have tried to get me to visit their church–sometimes I do. I take no offense. I would rather they judge my walk than whether I go to a church or not. Thank you for your testimony.
I felt the same when I was younger. I’m sure many many people have felt that way. And they all should see that line: “the same power that delivered me from all of those horrible vices is the same power that’s kept you from them” and 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.”
My story is similar to Frank’s only in that when I was very young, I don’t remember exactly when, I went forward to “get saved” and was baptized, however, I don’t believe I really knew what I was doing, I didn’t really even know what sin was. I most certainly was not done with sin. As I grew into adulthood, I decided I wanted to try everything, anything I heard or discovered was was pleasurable, the things that the world called “living.” You know, “You haven’t lived until you’ve tried this!” I believed it, so I tried it and everything else. Fortunately, several years ago, I discovered how far the grace of God will reach down to raise up a broken, dead soul and give it new life. Now I know what real life is, and believe me, if you think you can find it outside of Christ, you are wrong, dead wrong.
My conversion story is very similar. I never had a past to be delivered from. I don’t have an “exciting” testimony like some do. Mine is a testimony of God’s grace in keeping me from so many horrible things, and protecting me. It is a testimony of God’s faithfulness across the years, and His blessing in ways that I didn’t see then, but can clearly see now in hindsight. Thank you for the reminder that every testimony is exciting: they all show us how much God loves us, just in different ways.
I really enjoyed this Frank. Thanks for sharing. I believe many of our young believers who have grown up in the church feel the same way. Especially when some one comes to share their testimony. I hated to hear some of the youth feel theirs was boring. I would remind them that their testimony is just as great because God has seen them through and they were proof of God’s power.
I always love a good testimony. And by ‘good’, I mean it like “I always love a good meal”. Testimonies are spiritual food to help me live in the reality of Christ.
Thanks Frank. I have a similarly “boring” story of conversion. Yet I rejoice in having escaped much of the harm of vices. I attribute that to the faithful prayers of my unsaved but churched mother who prayed to God for all her children. Today my entire family is saved and I had the privilege of leading my mum to Christ. And I am a pastor today. I realise now even the prayers of the unconverted can be impacting, as long as they have some faith.
Some interesting similarities-
I grew up in upstate New York and moved to Florida
I went to an Assemblies of God church as a child and went to vacation bible school
I also have a cousin Vinny!
🙂
My testimony is very similar. Im 23 and I always felt like my impact for the Lord wouldn’t never be strong because I don’t have an amazing miraculous testimony to wow everyone with.
But the Lord really used this to speak to me just now. especially the part where you said: “If you’ve ever read any of my books on church practice, you know where I stand on the traditional church. I believe it needs a complete overhaul. But no matter how much I may disagree with its practices, God still uses it. I owe my salvation to it. Some may wonder why God would use a system that they believe He didn’t authorize. The reason is quite simple. His people are in it.
Christians who have left “institutional Christianity” can sometimes become strident and demeaning toward those who are still part of it. But such an attitude betrays the gospel. And we have not so learned Jesus Christ.”
WOAH. I’ve been struggling with this and the Lord totally spoke to me right now through it. Thank you so much.
Thanks Frank, my testimony is similar, it’s all about God’s sustaining power. I had many years of selfishness and ups and down, He was always there to rescue me!
Oh no frank we all have our own stories about how our conversion to Christ happened and to me none of them are boring..I enjoyed yours very much…thanks
I enjoyed what I read. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your story. I remember being made aware of His keeping power when I visited my father in prison years ago and once stepping into the visiting room I was shaking hands and semi hugging the majority of inmates who were friends I grew up with. I realized then that It was a miracle I wasn’t on the other side of the room. The Lord has and still is keeping me from those vices.
Irrespective of anyone’s background or conversion experience, the new birth is just as much a miracle for one as it is to another. Thanks for sharing your testimony Frank!
“The same Lord that delivered some, is who also kept others.” Great word bro, thx!
I pray our children will be recipients of the latter!!
Thanks for sharing your story, Frank . I can definitely relate to it . I am so grateful for the keeping power of Jesus!
Thanks for this Frank. I will share this with my 14 year old son who is preparing for a missions trip and is struggling with writing his testimony.
A big thanks!
Thank you, Frank! Thoroughly enjoyed this, and I can definitely relate.
Thanks for sharing your testimony. It was heartfelt, humble and inspiring! God bless you Frank for yielding your life to God so he can use you to help others!
Amen to this! I have a similar story, and appreciate you sharing yours.