| Testimony
April Fools’ Day is special for me! It was on that day in 1979 that I began following Jesus! I was sitting in my MIT dormitory room in MacGregor House G Entry 4th floor looking out at the Charles River on a beautiful spring day. I was not in any sort of crisis – there was nothing wrong in my life that I was aware of. I wasn’t upset about anything. Somehow the Jesus who suffered the horrors of crucifixion roughly 2000 years ago and then rose from the dead 3 days later made his presence known to me and made it clear that I now had an opportunity to follow him. The Jesus I now follow is the same Jesus who has been given all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20) and who will ultimately judge and rule over all creation (Acts 17:29-31).
I didn’t grow up in church. My mother took me to Sunday School for a brief period when I was perhaps 5 or 6, but I don’t think that period in my life lasted more than a few months. I did attend Trinity Parish Boys Camp (run by Trinity Church in Manhattan) during the summers of 1971 – 1974 but, although I was curious about the church services, the priests who ran the camp made no effort to “close the sale”, so I re-focused my attention elsewhere.
My ideas about God had largely been formed by watching the Lutheran claymation show “Davey & Goliath” on television (a wonderful show) as a young child. When I was 16, my sister Renée wrote me a letter about how to make Jesus Lord of my life, but by then I found the idea that I needed Jesus in my life offensive and I tore up the letter and threw it away.
When I arrived at MIT in 1976, I met Michael Harrison, who would become my best friend (and eventually the best man at my wedding). He was already a Christian and encouraged me to become one. The following year I met Courtney McBath, who would also strongly encourage me to become a Christian. Despite their influence I felt strongly that following Jesus was something I just wouldn’t be able to do. I might be able to start out OK, but I just didn’t believe that it would ultimately work. I would tell them: “Maybe I’ll get saved when I’m 30”.
On Sunday April 1, 1979 however, in my MacGregor dorm room, Jesus somehow made it clear to me that if I decided