Meeting Ben Born Again

Quite a transition from Roman Catholic to  free agent to Charismatic. Thus was a part of my spiritual journey. On the last day of  school my sophomore year of high school, a moment occurred that was a gamechanger for me. I was standing outside the auditorium, which contained the theater and choir rooms. These were my cliques. I emphasize Theater. My teacher/director, who was a former off-broadway director, was adamant....ITS NOT DRAMA ITS THEATER!!!! 

 Anyhow, I was standing having a few friends sign my yearbook,including this one girl from choir. I didn't know her really well but she was cool- and cute. Before she signed though she said, can i ask you a question??  I said ok. She got a big smile on her face and blurted out, *have you heard the Good News???*   Uh-oh. Red flags went off in my head, this is gonna be bad news for me even though something told me she was referring to  religion. The thing was- my friend was standing a lil ways down the hallway, making out with his gf, and we were going to get high shortly. I looked at her and   softly said, um no. She then began to tell me what the Good News was and in a nutshel told me the basics of the Gospel. I smiled and politely listened as she then asked if i would pray the sinners prayer with her. O wow. I felt between a rock and a hard  place but i told her ok..........as lon gas we could do it quick  and QUIETLY!!!!   She took my hand and with our heads bowed led me in the sinners prayer. Then she signed my yearbook,  Praise The Lord!!! I have just found a new brother in the Lord!!!!  Her opening  line. She told me to get strong in the Word and Prayer and gave me her number if i had any questions, and she gave me  small Gospel of John booklet.  Born Again. This was a start.

 I called her several times that summer. She did her best to disciple me with what she knew and took me to Calvary Chapel, the concert/bible study on saturday nights. This was 1977 Southern California ok???  Calvary Chapel looked more like a hippie commune than a church  LOL    The worship songs and emotional atmosphere were very different than my Catholic experience. I went almost every saturday night that whole summer though. I began a bible study by mail with a counselor from Calvary Chapel. My friend also taught me how to speak in tongues. One day we were talking about it on the phone and she proceeded to  give me a demonstration. All i recall hearing was kwee kway kwo and  then just  babble. I had no doctrinal undersatanding at this time so i took it as the Holy Spirit speaking through her.This began a season of zeal for speaking in tongues I did with a friend. We tape recorded ourselves and even  had  friends  and family witness us doing it so we could let the Spirit touch them through us. I know i know, southern californai I told ya. Never know what might happen.

 One night as Greg Laurie was preaching, I felt a sensation inside i couldnt explain, and it wouldn't go away. He was  making am altar call and something told me I just had to go forward and make a public profession of faith. Calvary Chapel is a premillennial dispensationalist fellowship theologically. Any message by  a teacher, preacher or musician  included  Jesus is Coming Back----SOON!!!  Heavy emphasis on rapture and not being left behind. Greg  had a lil pamphlet about growing as a believer and he had a lil guy on it called Ben Born-Again...... because he's been born again. I got a chance to meet Greg when he spoke at chapel at PCC. Was  too cool to tell him he had been used to lead me to Christ.

 I lost track of my friend over the years. last time we talked she was following Gene Scott and his teachings. I will always be so thankful to her for being bold and asking me about the Good News. A little seed sown that day.

 Btw- we did go and smoke pot that day. Southern California ya'll!!!!!!