Drew was baptized in fall 2022 at our annual kick-off. If you have interest in getting baptized at Hope Community Church, you can learn more by visiting hopecc.com/baptism.
I have grown up in this church all my life, but I never understood faith until middle school. The youth group took a trip up to Duluth for a youth conference called District Blitz. On that trip, I experienced the genuine, true power of the Holy Spirit for the first time, and I understood just how amazing Jesus Christ our Savior was. I walked away from that trip a different person, and knew there was something with Jesus that was worth following.
From that trip into high school, my faith was there, and I called myself a Christian, but something was holding me back from going all in. A small voice inside of me was saying that I was only following Jesus for the approval of my parents and friends, and I believed it. How could I not? My parents were religious, and most my friends were Christain and assumed I was too. I wanted to be religious because I knew it would make them happy, and I knew God was good and was a good example to follow. It wasn’t until the church service after my first week of college where I had a sudden clarity. This was the place I belonged. This was the group of people I belonged to. And, in that moment, I didn’t care what anyone thought. During communion of that service, I knew God was the One for me and I wanted to be all in. I prayed to God and asked if He could be a guide to me and help me follow Him, and in that moment, I realized He always had been, and I hadn’t seen it.
Following the service, I had some second thoughts, but I knew this was who I wanted to be and the man I wanted to become. I talked to Pastor Davis about my decision, and was a little nervous that he’d think it was weird that I was so spontaneous about it. But, he loved my story, and I got in line to be baptized.
My favorite part of the whole experience revolved around my dad. He hadn’t shed a single tear when I had moved out (that I’d seen), but when I got baptized, he was the most emotional I’d seen in a while. That was a powerful moment, because I knew his love for me was great, just like God the Father. My dad wanted me to choose Jesus for my life very badly, but knew he couldn’t force me on it. We both knew, in that moment, I was choosing God for myself and wanted a personal relationship with Him. What a great experience. It was over too quickly. I continue to live my life a follower of Christ, knowing He is always over me and will be there with me every step of the way.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
—Psalm 103:12
