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From Seeker to Believer to...Seeker
When I started coming to Willow in 1991, it was to appease my brother-in-law. He invited my wife Fara and I to services and gave us tapes of weekend messages. When we did attend a service, I would keep looking at my watch...wanting it to be over. This went on for about ten years. He also gave me a Journey Bible. It sat in my nightstand, unopened.
My seeking process started after a friend of Fara's gave her the first Left Behind book. Fara thought I might like it. While reading the book, I checked out whether or not its Bible references were real. They were. I thought that was cool.
My interest in Truth was ignited. For a year and a half, I was aggressively seeking. My search for God was definitely an intellectually-based pursuit. I attended Willow Creek's Truthquest and read the next ten books in the Left Behind series, C.S. Lewis and all of Lee Strobel's books. Prior to this search, I very rarely read. Now, I am a reading machine.
With the help and encouragement of Fara, I decided to check out an evangelism seeker small group. I was very anxious about going because I thought I'd be embarrassed about my lack of Bible knowledge. From the first meeting, the experience was no pressure. I actually felt comfortable. For two years, I studied with the group and listened to around 100 different message tapes
At one point, my leader asked me to email him with my remaining hurdles about Christianity. I thought and thought — and realized that I didn't have any more objections. I was no longer a seeker; I was a believer.
After becoming a Christian, my thirst for learning continued. I now enjoy running that very same seeker group and leading the Truthquest Coffeehouse.
Attending the Turbo Membership class sparked my interest in Spiritual Formation at Willow. I have a strong feeling that the average Christian can be more equipped with the facts of his or her faith. As believers, we can be confident about Christianity. Spiritual Formation is an important part of our equipping process.
Now, I am seeking once again — looking for ways to assist people as they move along on the journey from seeker to new believer.
-Andy Martin
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