Up until now, I have been reluctant to share about my Christian beliefs. I have thought that I have not been an inspiring example and held back from telling about my faith for that reason. I also want to respect all those who follow a different faith.
I now realize that as I will never be perfect, it does not make sense for me to wait until then before I consider telling about what I believe.
I also want to respect those who believe differently. I now believe that I am not being disrespectful to others by my sharing about my own faith. I am committed to being open to listening to others, and to being coachable. I also admit that I am also often unwilling or "too busy" to listen.
In 1948 I was born in Mooroopna, a small country town in central Victoria, Australia.
My father was a member of the Presbyterian congregation. My mother, although she was Church of England, seemed to me to not believe in the teachings. I do remember as a child being taught to pray, saying my prayers each night.
My father regularly attended church services and functions. My mother complained that my father did not spend that time at home with the family instead. I do remember when I was a young child one of the few times I did attend a church service. I was fascinated by the way the minister appeared in the pulpit, as if from nowhere. The small country church looked awesome to me as a child, with its unfamiliar looks and high ceilings.
In my teenage years, I rarely considered placing my trust in God. At boarding school I saw church attendance as being just something that I was compelled to do. I did enjoy singing hymns, but not much else. I was usually bored during the sermon except the day I used a stapler to short circuit the wires to the loudspeaker. I was amazed how easy it was to stop the sound, but later had regrets when one of my school teachers mentioned how he had to replace the amplifier in the church because somebody had shorted the wires. I felt shocked as I did not intend to cause such extensive damage.
At school assembly each week, I would join in singing the hymn. I liked standing in the back row, just in front of the teachers, holding my hymn book upside down. (I can read either way up.)
At about 25 years of age, I started occasionally visiting church. I enjoyed the people and the singing. I started to take some interest in some of the teachings. Later I started thinking more about Christ as I worked as a sound technician on the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" through hundreds of performances.
When I was traveling overseas, on a flight between Britain and the United States the person next to me on the plane invited me to visit their family in Missouri. I later took up their offer and stayed a few days. I was so amazed at their hospitality and their care. I went with them to church on the Sunday. I had never before found church as such a caring and lively experience.
A few days later at their home, I was invited to choose Christ as my Lord and Savior. I said yes and prayed for that. On returning home to Australia, I started to regularly attend church. The churches I attended in Australia were not as warm, lively and friendly as what I had experienced in that church in the United States, and I often lost interest as I had a busy life.
In 2005 I was working on a community forgiveness project. I was inspired to start a newsletter - Forgiveness News. As I researched and wrote articles in the newsletter, I found so many forgiveness resources are Christian based and I started to again come across people who have faith in Jesus Christ. The new testament is full of references to forgiveness.
I contacted the family who had welcomed me in
to their home in the United States 25 years before, and was encouraged to
re-ignite my faith. They sent me three books including:
The Purpose Driven Life - by Rick Warren
God in You - by Dr. David Jeremiah
I enjoy both books I am challenged often as I start practicing much of what is recommended in them. I alternated between reading these books and reading the Bible, as I am more willing to trust what I read in the Bible than what I read in other books and I trust that god speaks to me through his word in the bible if I am willing to trust him, and I pray for his guidance.
I started attending the Richmond Assembly of God and I enjoy passionately praising the Lord each Sunday. I attended almost every week and felt so much alive as I participated in the services.
I read from the Bible nearly every day, and enjoy it more each week
I do not claim to be in any superior to anybody else because of what I do. I believe we are all equal, each with our own strengths and weaknesses. I also believe that God gave us the freedom to make our own choices in our life, and that our choices do have consequences.
I have been asking myself if I am being weak by placing my faith in the word of God. I believe I am being honest, admitting that I am in fact weak. I no longer pretend that I am strong and I trust in the strength God and in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
I have traveled across to California to spend time with a woman who knows Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, and I can now be alongside her as we talk, pray and study the Bible together.
We attend the church at Kaweah together and enjoy the community of believers there.
Please feel free to write to me, telling me honestly about your thoughts.
Peter Pullar
peter@peterpullar.com
88 Buckingham Street
Richmond 3121
Victoria, Australia
Phone +61 3 9429 7046
Mobile +61 500 800 160