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Print Like many others now in this truth, I wasn’t raised in a church. And, though my parents had been members of traditional churches in the past and my father’s family was active in the church they belonged to, as children we seldom attended. I suppose you would call us C & E Christians; we were Christians because we went on Christmas and Easter, and, after all, we were Americans for cryin’ out loud! My dad’s brother tried to give me some religion at times, but it didn’t stick. I know he and Grandma were praying for me. He would occasionally take me to a Bill Gothard conference or something, but I was satisfied to live like I wanted: girls, cars, motorcycles, books, and sports. It was at a conference when I raised my hand to “accept Jesus into my heart.” It must’ve made an impact because that year (at age 16) I read the Bible cover-to-cover for the first time.
Life Posed Few Challenges Life wound on, and I encountered alcohol, for which, I discovered, I had an enviable capacity. It was probably only those prayers (and a distinct lack of cash) that kept me from being a slave to booze or drugs when they came along, and I now thank God for His hand upon my life even then. I dropped out of college and worked in a series of mindless, unchallenging jobs until I met a good girl and got married, bought a little house, and was prepared to settle down at the ripe old age of 23. Then my frustration and self-esteem simultaneously peaked and tanked. I shook myself, quit my job, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. While I was in basic training, I fell in with some Christian guys. It was the first time I remember praying with other people, and I ended up getting baptized. This was partially because I knew that we were supposed to, but mostly because we got off base for a few hours. Several dozen of us were ushered into the back room of an enormous church and dunked unceremoniously before their service started and then bussed back to the barracks. Sins washed away, easy as 1-2-3. The Air Force was easy, too. I was making rank years ahead of the average and thinking of a career when my middle brother passed away after fighting leukemia for a year. Soon, I’m needed to be around my family again.
Chasing Earthly Success Chasing the dollar was destroying my family and I played this game for seven years.
Eagle Scout, 10 high school
letters, 2 college letters—not it. Fortunately, God brought me crashing down in September of 1994 and put me back on the path toward Him. He started bringing Christians into my life, and I suddenly realized that what I had been missing was Him—the Peace. I walked down the street one Sunday morning to the nearest church that was the same kind my uncle attended, opened the door and stayed there for 2 ½ years, studying and praying and learning. It was a nice church of about 300 people, made up of good folks. They made me a Sunday school teacher in about six months, teaching the high school boys, which I dearly loved. After I became active in the Promise Keeper movement, I ended up in charge of the Men’s Ministry in that church. Life was good. And still very easy.
Then I Read About the Holy
Ghost Everyone told me those things were for ‘then’ and not ‘now.’ Yet they would say that other things were for today. I thought the Bible and every word in it were for me, and so I began to pray that, if the Holy Ghost was real and still for today, He would show me. So He did. I was an electrical contractor, and one day a new building contractor showed up on the job site. His name was James, and he was different. The one thing we had in common was our only topic of conversation—the Bible. I didn’t agree with anything he said, but he was always, always correct according to Scripture. What arguments! Back and forth we went about this doctrine and that interpretation. My pastors at church told me to stay away from him, but they couldn’t answer any of James’ challenges or doctrines. They removed me from teaching and stopped the Men’s Ministry. I fasted and prayed and wept and sought God. Then one dark, rainy and miserably cold night—March 13, 1999—I stopped the car that James, myself, and two others were riding in, and I was baptized in Jesus’ name. It was so cold that the others had to pull us from the water, since our legs were too numb to walk. It was a 45-minute drive home soaking wet. I was wet and frozen and happy! I started attending an Apostolic church, and on April 18, 1999, I received the Holy Ghost with power and shouted in tongues until my throat was ragged and useless for a week. My wife and our children have all been baptized and have received the Holy Ghost, my youngest at family camp meeting where she spoke in tongues for over two hours! My wife is awesome in the Spirit and operates in tongues and interpretation and in the healing gifts. Her testimony is wonderful. God restored my family to me and six months after receiving the Holy Ghost, Jesus gave me my perfect job. He does supply all our needs.
And That’s Not All Me? I get to teach and preach, worship God in Spirit and in truth to my heart’s content. I am busier and happier than ever because I have found a place where no one has to explain why they don’t follow the Book. With the Bible as the accepted and reliable guide, Apostolics are free, truly free to follow Jesus. I love the truth of the Oneness doctrine and the joy and power of holiness living. So do the others who came with me from our original churches. We are a strong church of converts. We are Bapticostals, Catholicostals, Jehovacostals, Sabbaticostals, druggies, alkies, and so on, all formerly blind, but now we can see through the power of His Word and His Spirit. Praise God!
Reasons for the Narrow Road Some of the things that we encounter on the Apostolic road may seem difficult, maybe even unnecessary, but they are the guardrails along our path and are there to help us keep on the road when our vision dims, the rain pours down, and the way seems dark and uncertain. I thank Jesus for the Truth of His Word and the guidance we get from Him once we choose to obey Him, live His way, and quit accepting the easy road to nowhere.
ninetyandnine.com © 2004, Rick Klohn --------- Rick Klohn lives outside of Eugene, Oregon with his best friend Kris and four teenagers. He loves Home Mission work and rides a Harley for Jesus. His perfect job is simple, red turns to green—make sure that happens. |
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