I might have done better as a pastor if I ever could have figured out how a person becomes a Christian. Yes, I know about Baptism. I am grateful that the Holy Spirit works in Baptism to make us part of the family of Christ, the church. That gives me confidence in my future because God took the action of claiming me. I owe everything to my parents who on July 24, 1949, took me to the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Chicago to be Baptized. And I am thankful that they kept bringing me so that I grew up in the church.

I like to say I grew into being a Christian, and I hope I’m still in the process of growing. But I’ve never been sure how to help the growing number of people who were never baptized and never been part of a Christian community.

At this late date in my career, the only insight I have is that you become a Christian by hanging around with Christians and seeing what happens. But that requires something of all of us Christians. We need to care about other people, people who don’t believe. We have to treat them with kindness and generosity. And we have to tell the story of our lives in Christ.

After 76 years of being a Christian, and 48 years of being a pastor (I started my first call on July 24, 1977), that’s the best advice I can give.

Read Acts 2:42 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne