Hi, Church family. My name is John Chin. I'm a grad student, and it's a privilege to share my testimony with you today. I grew up in a Christian household. I called myself a Christian and attended church, but did not have a relationship with God. Understand the gospel or read the Bible.

I wanted to get good grades, get into a good college, and be successful by the world's standards. My junior year of high school, I worked too hard, experienced burnout, and had to drop my classes. Throughout my struggle, I did not really think of God or turn to Him. I was just trying to make sense of what was going on and stabilize.

I transferred schools, repeated my junior year, and did well at the new school. I was extremely thankful to God for healing me and helping me to recover. However, my relationship with God was based primarily on experience rather than belief in the gospel. My real growth in the knowledge of the gospel started in college.

I started focusing on Christ. I attended worship services, Bible studies, and served in various capacities. However, I didn't read the Bible consistently. I absorbed lots of teaching about the Bible and grew closer to God, but I still desired the things of this world—success, wealth, comfort. I don't recall a specific moment when I received Christ, but I'll share what I came to believe.

I believe in the gospel, that there is a God and He is holy, righteous, and good, that all mankind have sinned, fall short of God's perfect standard, and deserve eternal condemnation. But God, in love and mercy, sent His Son Jesus Christ for us. Jesus lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose from the dead to prove that He was the Son of God.

Jesus took the sin that was ours, and in faith we receive His righteousness. And so our response should be to turn away from sin and turn towards Christ. Next, I'll share when I was convicted of my sin and requested forgiveness. I struggle with lust, and recently I had another relapse.

I felt guilty for sinning and frustrated that the struggle with lust is so hard. I also felt separated from God. In that moment, and others like it, I was convicted of how deep my sin is. I am a sinner to the core, in need of God's love, grace, and mercy.

Afterwards, I prayed to God and asked for forgiveness. I asked God to help me repent, turn away from sin, and turn towards Him. I remembered that Christ died for my sins, and that by His blood I am forgiven. I still struggle with lust, but rather than living in sin, I seek to struggle with sin.

Since I came to Berean, I have continued to grow closer to Christ. I learned how to do inductive Bible study, which has been helpful in reading the Word on my own. I have had fruitful times reading the Word where I have been challenged and encouraged. I noticed interesting observations and came up with questions that I kept in the back of my mind.

One of those questions is what it means to fear the Lord, and although I have a better understanding of that now, I look forward to learning more. I still desire the things of this world, but the more I love Christ, the less I care about worldly things. In closing, I am grateful for how God has worked in my life, and I seek to run the race faithfully and with endurance.

Thank you. (applause) (speaking faintly) of the water. (speaking faintly) , and we're gonna do that in the next step. (speaking faintly) Now, if I could get a clap, and a song. (child speaking faintly) (audience applauding)