Brian Sledge

I wasn’t always a Christian. My journey began about 14 years ago at the age of 40. I was making a living as a traveling musician with several bands, and just being divorced after nearly 20 years of marriage. As I started feeling empty, I remember thinking... “there has got to be something better”.

A good friend of mine (who later became my wife), grew-up in a Christian household. As I began asking her about her faith, she invited me to attend church with her. My previous Christian encounters had left a series of bad experiences, so I was reluctant to go. I felt that I didn’t want others judging me.

While still touring, I had begun thinking about a question I had asked a few Christians in the past: "Why should I believe what the Bible says?" The answers I’d received made me feel as if I was the worst person on the planet. Through those experiences I had developed a condescending response, and so when anyone approached me about attending church or anything Christian oriented, with a mean spirited tone my response was... “When God want’s me in His house He’ll let me know!”

When I had returned from my tour, I reached-out to my Christian friend again and asked her the same question I had asked other Christians before (perhaps I wasn’t satisfied with the previous responses). She invited me to come to her Sunday church service again, but this time I accepted.

When we arrived at church, the Pastor was just beginning. No more than 5-minutes into the sermon he said “People often ask why should they believe in the Bible?” I was now curiously awaiting his answer. He began by saying “You should never feel bad by asking this question, because this is the first step to recognizing who God was... and Church is supposed to be the place for discovery!” By the end of his sermon, I remember thinking that it was very sweet that my friend went out-of-her-way to ask the Pastor to address his entire Sunday sermon around my question.

Fort several months I would go on tour and return with another question about God, the Bible, and Christian life vs my life. Each time I attend church the Pastor was addressing my questions. I soon learned that it would be virtually impossible for the Pastor to conduct his sermon to suit my needs. After happening a few more times I had an odd feeling. My response to people [in the past] who tried getting me in the church was “When God wants me in his house He’ll let me know!” Well... He let me know!