Starting Point Testimony (6) [1/3] — Elias Kim

Brief Intro:

Hey guys my name is Elias and I am here to talk about my experience attending starting point. If you guys don't know what “starting point” is, it’s an 8 to 9-week weekly meeting where you get to spend time with Anthony and a few more classmates interested in exploring and questioning more about Christianity and your faith in God.

Before:

So for my experience before the existence of starting point, I always had a decent grasp of what the bible is and how I should act according to the bible. Well if you guys don't know already, I was born into a very religious faithful family who always served and followed God. So it was normal for me to always attend church and listen to my parents when they were giving me knowledge about Christianity.

However as I began to enter teenagehood, I quickly realized my faith was weaker than I originally thought of. I avoided prayer and worship, distracted by worldly values. Eventually, like Jonah trying to escape God, I faced a situation that brought me pain physically and mentally. So my life at that point was visualized as a rough terrain.

It was then that I recalled the excitement on Lisa's face when she registered for Starting Point. Her enthusiasm caught my interest, leading me to sign up for the program as well.

How:

At first glance, I thought the starting point journey would be quite a burden as its length was about 8-9 weeks long. But with more time spent with the group, the more I grew fond of the lessons that made this entire journey feel short.

The discussion-based format allowed me to ask questions I had always been curious about.

Although we were small in numbers, that gave me an opportunity to bond strongly with others and share

So going back to my previous experience with guilt and sin, I was able to quickly learn that my guilt from sin is further dragging me away from God without me realizing it.

Recognizing this, I understood the importance of seeking forgiveness and embracing God's mercy. Through prayer and reflection, I found a path to let go of my guilt and renew my faith.

After:

Coming to the end of my testimony, I would have never thought I would be standing here today to share my experience with you guys on stage.

The time I spent during starting point has allowed me to experience God's love more fully and bring a sense of peace throughout my spiritual journey.

So the question to answer today is would I recommend a starting point to others? Yes, I would as it heavily deepens your relationship with God and allows you to bring sensitive questions to light.

Thank you