The testimony of Mike Carney

My first remembrance of attending church goes back to me being 5 or 6 years old. We did not attend church even though my parents were brought up attending church with their parents. My parents and both sets of my grandparents are born again Christians. One Sunday morning, I heard the old church bell ringing about four blocks from my house as my brother Jim and myself were in the yard playing. I went in the house and asked my mom and dad why the bell rings on Sunday mornings. They told me it was a church bell telling people it is time to go to church. I asked them, "What is church?" That was 45 years ago. I have been in church almost every Sunday since then.

At the age of 13 or 14, we had a revival at our church. God put a calling on my life and at the time I didn't know it but I was drawn to church. Even though I attended church on Sundays, there was something that wasn't right and I didn't know what it was. I do know now.

In the past 45 years I have attended or been a member of only 5 churches. During that time I served as a teacher, board member, and several different positions. But there was still something missing.

I was talking to a friend of mine one day and I asked him where he was attending church. He told me and I went to visit his church one Sunday morning. When I walked in the church, it was a different type of church than I had ever attended before, but I knew that before I went over there. That was about 13 years ago. The pastor there made the Bible seem to come alive. One Sunday evening the pastor was laying hands on people and praying for them. I went down and he prayed for me. There was a change in my life after that day. What happened that Sunday evening? I began having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not just going through the motions and just attending church.

Shortly after that, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That was what I was missing. The personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Was I saved before? I thought so at the time, now I'm not sure if I was or not. More than likely I wasn't. My life wasn't bearing fruit. I'm glad I didn't have to find out. That would truly be finding out the hard way.

If you are like I was, with something missing, it could be that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you just going through the motions? If so, there is more!