Shaped by the Cross (I)
Over the next couple weeks before Easter arrives, I want to share with you my spiritual pilgrimage. This is my personal testimony and my spiritual autobiography which I submitted to SBTS as part of my application to their M.Div program. I will be posting it in parts for this blog series, word for word, from the unaltered original document, which in total is equivalent to over 3,000 words and 4 pages single-spaced.
It is my hope and prayer that this will give you a look into where I have come from, where I am now, and where God is calling me to go, and so that by any means possible you could all the more encouraged to love God obediently and obey God more lovingly.
SHAPED BY THE CROSS
An autobiography
Alex Leung
1/30/2007
This essay documents my conversion experience, spiritual pilgrimage, call to ministry, life experiences, as well as information on my ministerial experience, spiritual growth, my calling, and significant life events.
1. Conversion
Looking back upon my childhood and my conversion to Christianity, I realize that it was nothing close to dramatic, but rather a gradual process. I was born in a Baptist hospital in Hong Kong and as a baby I was dedicated to God in the Baptist church that my parents attended. When we moved to Canada, I was only about to turn 4 years old and knew little about the God that my parents worshipped. I grew up in a Christian family in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario (Canada) where my parents brought me and my sister to the Chinese Alliance church they attended. However, my parents neither forced me to go to church nor pushed me to believe, but rather put me in a spiritually nurturing environment where I began playing with other children my age and slowly became more and more interested in the God who created the universe. In my adolescent years, I did my best to behave in “junior church” and Sunday school, and found myself to be fairly disciplined in paying attention and participating in church. We rented another church building in the early years of our church, so I was also asked to help carry hymnals in and out of the storage room to the sanctuary. I did not know that I was serving God, but only tried my best to be a good, obedient kid to my parents and the other uncles and aunties in church.
Once I moved on from the elementary school to junior high school, I began having more and more of an inquiring mind as to why I should believe what my parents believed. In grade 7 and 8, I started quietly questioning in mind all that I had learned about the God of Jacob, Isaac and Abraham. As my interest in science blossomed, my mind also wandered to how all the things I learned in school fit in with the Bible. In the midst of questioning whether or not evolution was true or if God really created the world by simply speaking it all into existence, I began earnestly seeking a truth that would set my heart and my mind free.
As I sought the LORD’s wisdom, I found peace of mind in the very Word of God which I had been reading but not understanding all these years. By the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and enlightenment, I realized that I had no wisdom apart from God first revealing Himself to me and opening my eyes to see His glorious truths. God showed me at that young age that I am a sinful man and that I am unable to save myself by my own self-trying and self-power; I needed to put faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior in order to be made right with God and have my sins atoned for. With the help of my fellowship counselors and Pastor, I trusted God with my life and surrendered myself to Him. He gave me what I did not deserve—grace—and in so doing, filled me with the Holy Spirit so that I was able to discern that God indeed is the creator of all things on earth and in heaven. I am forever thankful that He chose me to be His own child and imputing to me the righteousness of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior.
(To be continued…)
In this series: (Download PDF of the entire autobiography)
So many young people start out in the church and end up leaving. It is nice to see that your church gave you a foundation to build upon that was strong enough for what ever storms happened to head your way later in life.
Thanks for writing!
I am thrilled by the number of godly Asian people who have moved to the US and Canada. May you be a rich blessing to your adopted country!
hellllllo!
great to know your story on how you became christian : D. because im struggling with myself to be one.
but anyways : D. i hope you have fun at Kentucky and learn what God has installed for you : D. dont miss me tooo much! ahha. but nevertheless, hope that you’ll have a safe time there. peace! and 3 years is way too long =’( remember to visit us soon!! bye bye uncle for now : D. just kiddinggggg!