Prospective New Members: Kolapo, Victoria, and Randy
Christianity is not a go-at-it-alone pursuit. Living for Jesus Christ in our culture is challenging and we need one another. We might prefer isolation. Yet God has made us for community and relationship with him and each other. Our model of covenant membership is a commitment to building up our church body through love, support, accountability, and shared responsibility.
The Elders are pleased to present these individuals to the membership as membership candidates. Please read the testimony of Kolapo, Victoria, and Randy. Take some time to get to know them over the next couple of weeks.
If you are curious about what it means to partner with Knollwood in Church Membership or just want to learn more about it, consider signing up for our upcoming Next Steps Class.
Kolapo Afolabi
I was born into a religious background where I was trained and taught the essence of Christ. I was a religious person who was used to the usual lifestyle of going to Church and engaging by working in His house. But on August 2, 2015, I genuinely repented and submitted everything at His feet. God indeed used my undergraduate days to open my eyes and awaken me to His duty. He enlightened me through meditation on His word and also prayer life. He surrounds me with His men who have always helped me. A particular Scripture that has been my anchor is Psalms 34:20 “He keeps all his bones. Not one of them is broken”. And indeed He has always come through for me. Christ has indeed affected my life and is still at work. I pray that His grace will continue to be sufficient for me and He will help me.
Victoria Lutchman
I grew up in a Christian home with parents who served whole-heartedly in church. My dad was an Elder and both he and my mom led an Evangelism group, witnessing and praying with people voluntarily. My mom led the Women’s Ministry as well. Growing up in this environment truly impacted my life as I saw the sacrifice, time, love, and care from my parents to serve people and their love for Jesus, which made me want to know Jesus more and more. We would attend church together as a family and we also had weekly prayer meetings at our home. As a teenager and young adult, I dealt with anxiety, depression, fear, and sickness but God used all of this to draw me closer and closer to Him. My parents would always pray with my brother and I having family devotions, but they would also encourage us to have our own personal relationship with Jesus. God showed me through many circumstances, His Word, reading other Christian books, and prayer that I need Him and that He is Faithful and in control. I experienced His amazing love, peace, and joy which transformed my mind and now I understand what having a relationship with Jesus is. I came to understand that Christ is my rock and my firm foundation and that I can trust Him with every detail of my life. He is my Savior and He is Sovereign. The scripture that the Lord used to draw me to Him is Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. I know that Jesus died for my sin, took my place and I know where my hope is. I know that I have eternal life in Christ. Life has new meaning when we trust in Him and when we have a personal relationship with Him. I am so grateful for what Jesus did for me dying on the cross. My relationship with everyone has been better. When I recognized how I was forgiven, then I now are more patient with others extending care and compassion. My desire is to serve the Lord with all my heart. I want others to know Christ and to experience His amazing grace and love, and to be saved.
Randy Lutchman
I grew up in a Christian home my parents took me to church, but I really did not want to go to church or understand what was going on. I would prefer to stay home and watch cartoons on Sunday mornings as all my friends would talk about on Monday what they watched. I also attended Sunday school but was always distant and not interested. I came to know our Lord and Savior Jesus when I was 13 years of age, and this came during a time of disappointment. I was in grade 8 trying out for the basketball team and there were tryouts and as I went along the tryouts, I made the first two cuts but the last cut I did not make it. I felt so devastated as I was soooo sure I was going to make the team I was very proud and confident that I would make it. I felt heartbroken, shocked, and defeated, because at the age of 13 this was the most important thing to me. Plus, I had the confirmation of everyone I was a pretty good player and nothing to worry about. Somehow the Lord spoke to me in understanding His return and thinking when Jesus comes back and if your name is not written in the book of life (similar to that piece of paper my name was not on at basketball tryouts) that you would spend an eternity in the lake of fire and the feeling I have now when I did not make the basketball team will be far worse. Just thinking that you are good enough on your own wont “cut it” I gave my life to Jesus Christ that month and surrendered to him. I began to read the bible I had (instead of just walking with it to church and only opening it on Sundays) My life changed is all aspects specially with friends. As I was entering into high school, I am sure glad I knew the Lord as I would not have made choice if I were not a Christian. As I got older, I began to mature and kept going to church and always I remember the first sermon I could start to understand/reason and made sense to me as pastor was talking about being an Ambassador for Christ and speaking about what this means. I always want to be an ambassador for Christ and live for his glory the days that are for me One of my favorite scripture verses would be Matthew 6:33 “but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteous and all the things will be added to you. Although I am not perfect and still struggle in this sinful body of mine the best decision I ever made was give my life to Christ as I can live confidently because of his work on the cross, his death burial and resurrection I have eternal life in him alone.