MTC Mission is a two way exchange. While we come to encourage and spur on the local church to love and good deeds, regularly they encourage us in our faith. All Saints Petersham has been no exception. I sat down with Carl today as he told me some of his story of coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Carl: I first started coming to church out of bordom. I was living in the border houses at that time. First when I was living the border houses I was on the grog badly. I was drinking 4 litres of wine a day, and then graduated to 8 litres. I got an ultimatum from RPA hospital. If I keep drinking I would be dead or in a wheelchair.
For me, because I’ve had a bad life, I was the black sheep of my family. I’ve been to gaol, done bad stuff, I knocked cars off, break into houses a lot, so I’ve done time. I broke out of Long Bay Gaol, got caught, was relocked up again, but I’ve been to gaol several times so I know all about it. I came to church. I stood up on stage and gave my soul to Jesus. Since then, there’s nothing more I can ask for because once you’ve got God in your life everything’s answered.
You give your soul to Christ and he gives you the ability to do almost anything you can. He gives you the will to live, to pray, to ask for forgiveness, and everything else. And he gives you the choice to help other people out.
Paul: From all your experiences, what has been the Bible passage that has had the most meaning for you?
Carl: I’ve been coming to church here for 5 years, and 4 years ago there was this one sermon Baz (Rev. Antony Barraclough) mentioned in the church and it hit. It touched a few heart strings. It brought the old Carl out and the new Carl in. It woke up the brain cells. Get rid of him, bring me in. But I forget what that sermon was about though. That one made a real big impact. So I heard it and I thought, ‘That’s me! I’ve lived that life! Who’s he talking to? Is he talking to me or to everybody?’ I thought, ‘This is a bit weird, I should have been writing that Bible, cos I’ve lived that story.’ Since then I’ve been coming back here more and more.