MARK CAMPBELL'S STORY:

Hi All,
When I first came to the Assembly back in 1971 I was on fire for the Lord. I felt the little church I attended was filled with Christians who were not serious about their faith. The Assembly was a perfect fit for youthful idealism like mine. From the beginning I had some doubts as the Assembly emphasis on a disciplined life sounded too close to the Eastern Mysticism I had just been saved out of. Eastern religion emphasized putting self to death so that one might achieve peace. I knew Christianity was different because I learned that Christ died IN MY PLACE thus securing my peace (more about this in another place). My doubts were raised with each passing year as little awakenings' came my way. I never wanted to leave the Assembly, even to the last week, as I always hoped to change things. I discovered that I was not welcomed in the Assembly as an agent for change and found myself on the outside wondering what happened.
We were told to move out at the end of the month and because we had no place to live we moved to a campground and lived in my tent trailer for a month. I ached to hear from my old Assembly friends of 20 years, but only silence. I remember sitting on a picnic table and staring up into the sky and thinking that I was floating in empty space. A great burden had been lifted from me, but I had no purpose for my life now. Everything was tied up in my identity with the group; I had no individual life with God!
I have since learned that one's Christian life can not be lived vicariously through a group, even if that group was pure. I also learned that God does not have "one true church" that represents him as "The Testimony" on earth. The Assembly, in order to prop up their own claim of higher life and light, became intolerant of any criticism and thus servered themselves from the Holy Spirit's power in their fellowship.
My story is one of discovering that Jesus Christ is enough and that I can join in with the simple believer in honestly trusting in his grace. I know one thing: when I stand before him at the end it will "all be to the praise of the glory of HIS grace. God Bless, Mark