I grew up during the 1950's, so I'm a baby-boomer. After graduating high school, I attended Rutgers University -- twice -- once before the Vietnam war, and then again after returning home from the Navy. I married my lovely wife Lynn, majored in Political Science, worked full time at the Post Office, had a child, and somehow managed to graduate. I then attended Rutgers School of Law for nearly 3 years before realizing that Law was not my calling, as any of my law professors would attest. I returned to work for the Postal Service. We then had a second child in 1980, just before I came to Christ. I recently came across an unsent letter that I wrote to Bernhard Kuiper who was my pastor in 1980, describing my conversion. If you want to read what it's like to experience the throes of conversion without a clue as to what's going on, click here.

I was a trainer for Evangelism Explosion. I spent 2 years in the Navigators 2:7 course (no I didn't keep flunking out - it used to be 2 years long instead of just 17 weeks). I was a deacon in the PCA and trained for eldership. I have taught children, youth, and Adult Sunday School for over 20 years. I helped build a church from dirt floors to a finished building. On the other hand, I never went to seminary. When I'm asked about it, I say tongue-in-cheek that I'd rather keep my faith...

I began to search for a more ecumenical and celebratory approach to church life. So I left the PCA to join an evangelical mega-church, what we call a "seeker" church. I found what I was looking for there, but I also missed something very precious to me: a firm orthodoxy. Many years ago, the Evangelical movement shelved a number of historic doctrines. Creeds and confessions were set aside. The intent was to become attractive to more people, and less offensive to other churches within the movement. That led to some questionable teachings, because there was no orthodoxy by which to judge them. Consequently, many evangelicals are now returning to the reformed standards of the church. That return is being spearheaded by Michael Horton, who founded the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You might want to read his books, especially Beyond Culture Wars.  I am now an elder-pastor at a small reformed church, that has a passionate and celebratory love for Christ. 

In line with a continuing need in the church to teach sound doctrine, I am making use of  whatever gifts God has given me to uphold the faith of my fathers, and to guard the flock from false teachers. I'm sure God would be pleased if I could do that gently, and in love...

I'm trying, Lord.

William H. Gross