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And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony

- Revelation 12:11  

On Sunday we have the blessed opportunity to witness 4 young people in our congregation make a public Profession of Faith and one them will be subsequently baptized! Praise be to the Lord for his goodness to these young people!  

When springtime arrives at Willoughby Church I offer a profession of faith class for anyone in the church who is interested. Usually there are couple youth and some young adults, and this year was no different. The class is a wonderful time, one of my favourite aspects of ministry each year.  

The Profession of Faith class takes a deep dive into the vows of that are made in a Profession of Faith. These vows provide a rubric for which to discuss to the core doctrines of our Christian faith, but it also ensures that the ‘professors’ are making an informed decision about what it means to confirm the promises made in their baptisms. This is a class that has been proven to affirm the catachesis that each person may have received through their childhood and adolescent years but also gives the framework for a comprehensive doctrinal study for those who might be new to the church.  

As we look with anticipation toward Sunday, I would encourage you all to pray for Matteya, Thomas, Rhys, and Jilise. They have gone through the classes and written their testimony. We have spent many hours discussing topics such as the sacraments, membership of the church, and the mission of the church. We learned about how God works in the life of the church and in their lives and brought them to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are all a little nervous to share their testimonies, but also very excited.  

Just this past Sunday evening we had class. Each professor shared their testimonies with each other so we could celebrate God’s goodness in their lives and offer some feedback on how improve the story. Testimony is a powerful tool that God has given each of us to share the good news of Christ’s finished work on the cross for each and every one of us. In Revelation 12 we are told that our testimony carries power overcome the sin and darkness in the world. When each of these young professors prepared their testimonies, the mission on their heart was to use their story and experiences to proclaim the gospel. I am very excited for you all to hear the good news that God has given them to share. 

Be sure to join in worship on Sunday as we celebrate God’s goodness to these young people. The Lord, in his providence, has worked in their hearts to lead them to this place in their faith journey.

May the Lord bless them and keep them, may the Lord make his face to shine up on them and be gracious to them, and may the Lord give them his peace. AMEN.  

If you have never written out your testimony to be shared I would encourage you to. I would love to help anyone prepare a testimony by which they might be able to use their life story to proclaim the gospel to anyone who might hear. Reply to this email if you would be interested in a 2 session workshop to prepare a testimony to the glory of God.