Mark
Something better than believing in God
For as long as I can remember, I have always believed in God. I was taken to church as a child and my
father read Bible stories to my sister and me at bedtime. I enjoyed hearing about the battles, kings and
prophets of the Old Testament and the miracles of Jesus in the New Testament. My father’s work meant
that we frequently moved to a new town or city and it was in Swansea that I was taught the importance of
having a personal relationship with God. At the age of 11, I recognised that God is both holy and loving, that I was a sinner and I put my faith in Jesus, trusting that His death on the cross paid for my sins and enables me to have a relationship with God.
In 1975 we moved to Halifax and attended Grace Baptist Church which met at that time in Hebden Bridge. I participated in youth meetings and camps and my knowledge of God, taught through the Bible, grew. In 1981, I realised that I should make a public confession of my faith, was baptised and become a member of the Church. Over the next thirty years, before returning to Halifax in 2014, I lived in a number of different places both in the UK and continental Europe and was always encouraged to find other Christians with whom I could meet.
My job gives me the opportunity to travel all over the world. I have realised that there is much more that people have in common than there is that makes them different. Everyone, whether in Halifax, Hanoi or Hanover is created in God’s image and will only know true fulfilment if they repent of their sins and trust Jesus to restore their relationship with God.