Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, my large family was deeply involved in the life of Becker’s St. Peter’s Church, a small Lutheran congregation. From an early age, I, like the rest of my family, participated in various church activities. After Jean and I were married there, we took on the responsibility of leading the youth group.

We had just celebrated our third wedding anniversary when my older sister invited us to attend a special evangelistic service at her church. Initially, we questioned what more we could possibly gain from the experience—after all, we were deeply religious. We were always at church, singing in choirs, and engaging in all the activities that kept us closely connected to our congregation.

My sister Arline had married into a Mennonite family, and there was something distinctly different about them. After many persistent invitations from her, we finally agreed to attend church, mostly to appease her. As someone who had always been deeply involved in my own faith, I was confident there wouldn’t be anything new for us to discover. How wrong I was.

For the first time, we truly heard the gospel message. Despite a lifetime spent in church, the message that night was more compelling and convicting than anything I had ever encountered. In May of 1973, Jean and I experienced a profound transformation. We were born again in Jesus Christ, embracing His life within us.

That night marked the beginning of a journey we could never have anticipated, a turning point that changed the trajectory of our lives forever. It was a launching pad into a life of faith that has continued to shape everything that followed.