
Home
> Teens > Music > Bands
& Artists
Sign up for our free newsletters:
|
|
 Campus Life, November/December 2002
What's So Great About Church?
What would happen if you suddenly discovered the church was a great place to be?
by Out of Eden's Andrea Baca
About five years ago, I was getting tired of doing the Out of Eden thing. I was only 19, but the romance of the spotlight had worn off, and it just felt like a job to me.
So I was like, "Lord, what do you want me to do with my life?" I just didn't feel like I had any direction, and I felt that way for about two years.
Then we went on a retreat with some of our pastors from church, and during that time, I learned what I'd really been missing: Church.
Sure, we belonged to a church. But we'd been on the road so much, we were rarely able to attend our Sunday services. And when we did go, we kinda just sat in the back row, not very involved.
At the retreat, one of my pastors said, "You need to get under spiritual authority, and you need to serve in your church." He was right: I needed someonelike my pastorto teach me God's Word, to help me grow in my faith. And I needed to get involved in church, working in the nursery or with the youth group or something like that.
Turns out that in the next year, God gave us a lot of time at home, so we were able to go to church a lot more. It just felt great to be plugged in again. Plus, I got involved in a Bible study and I enrolled in a local Bible school. I got a lot of good, solid teaching in that time.
And you know what? I not only grew in my faith, but I grew more confident, too.
Before then, I hardly ever said anything from the stage at our concerts. My sisters did all the talking.
But when we went out on tour the last time, Lisa, my older sister, had a sore throat and wasn't supposed to talk. I figured Danielle, my younger sister, would do all the talking. But Danielle said, "No, I want you to do it." And I was like, "You've got to be kidding."
My role models are Moses and Jeremiah, because they both told God they were afraid to speak. But my pastor had told me God wanted to use me, so I said OK.
We often give an altar call at our shows, where we invite people to become Christians. When that time came, I was shaking and nervous, but I just trusted God and I spoke from my heart. Next thing I knew, people were coming forward to put their faith in God.
It's the most awesome thing that ever happened to me, to see God using me in that way! And he's done it many times since then.
And to think it all started because of going to church!
Andrea, one of three sisters in the R&B group Out of Eden, likes salsa dancing and has a Cairn Terrier named "Peanut."
Questions or comments about this article? |
Do you love it? Hate it? We want to know! E-mail us at:
(Just be sure to include your first and last names, hometown, and state.) |
Browse More Ignite Your Faith
Home | Advice | Hot Topics | True-life Stories | Music Faith & Life | Humor & Fun | College Guide | Soul Journey Resources | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Try an Issue of Ignite Your Faith Free!
 |
 |
|
 No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders.
If you decide you want to keep Ignite Your Faith coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive eight more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
Give Ignite Your Faith as a gift
Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Christian College Guide
Search schools by:
Location & Setting | Majors & Degrees | Enrollment Affiliation | Athletics | Costs, Scholarships & Grants Advanced Search | List All Schools
|  |
 |