Finding Christ in the Word, D.R.

Born into a fundamental Christian family and reared going to Sunday school and church meetings every week on Sunday mornings as well as to evenings and Wednesday night prayer meetings, I cannot truly remember a time when I did not believe in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. At the age of eleven, I publicly confessed my faith in Christ and was baptized. As a young boy growing up in the Church of Christ denomination, I was taught the Bible in a very thorough way and excelled at memorizing Bible verses and facts. Later, in my college years, I took several Bible courses and, of course, made A's in every one of them. I truly loved the Lord and even considered at one point becoming a preacher. Eventually, however, I majored in biology and graduated with highest honors. After college I enrolled in medical school, but still had a sincere desire to serve the Lord and planned to become a medical missionary to Africa upon completing my medical training.

While in college, I married my high school sweetheart who also loved the Lord and was willing to share my dream of someday going to Africa as a medical missionary. During my years in medical school, however, I began to find my faith and Christian values tested as never before, and I struggled to find a deeper and more solid relationship with the Lord Jesus. It was during this time in my Christian life that I was introduced to the writings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee by my older brother who had begun to meet with the local churches. I can never forget reading my first message by Witness Lee on the book of Hebrews. It seemed quite different from the usual Christian messages and sermons that I had grown up hearing week after week. It seemed to make the Bible come alive, and inwardly I sensed a strong amen to what I read, but I wasn't going to give up my tradition and the Church of Christ without a fight. For the next four years, I tried to give myself to the Lord more than ever before and became more active in the Church of Christ.

But the harder I fought the more I felt that my Bible knowledge, my doctrines, and my tradition were unable to satisfy a desperate and growing need in my life to know the Lord Jesus in a real and living way. By 1976 I had the all-American dream. I had a beautiful wife, two healthy children, a successful medical career, a new home, nice cars, and a ton of Bible knowledge; and yet, I felt so dead and empty. Surely I was one of those whom the Lord spoke of in John 5:39-40, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life;...yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” By October of 1976 I was ready to give up my stubborn will. My wife and I began to attend the meetings of the church in Dallas and began to read and enjoy the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee on a regular basis. Almost immediately, I once again felt the Bible become alive and active in my Christian life, full of fresh new light and nourishment for my spirit. Almost twenty-three years have now come and gone since that day in 1976, and by the Lord's mercy and grace I can still testify that because of the ministry of these brothers and the practical enjoyment of Christ they helped me to find, I am still “pursuing toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward.” (Philippians 3:14)