I am a late bloomer in the Reformed doctrinal perspective. I was raised in the moralistic teaching and the false gospel of baptismal regeneration of the Church of Christ. After becoming disillusioned by my continual struggle with sin, I began to look at other “Christian teachings” in an attempt to improve myself. I looked at ideas from Unity Village, prosperity teachers, the charismatic movement, and Bill Gothard’s Basic Life Principles. I finally settled into a strict fundamentalist/legalistic church. During that period of my life, the Lord saved me at age 30. Through the Scriptures, my family made it out of fundamentalism, but we were soon confused by antinomianism, Keswick teaching, and easy believism. Tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, I had no clear direction. Though my family and I attended church and were heavily involved in AWANAs, our life religion was one of moralistic therapeutic deism. My home devotionals were summed up in the phrase, “Be decent and make good decisions.”

Twenty years after my conversion to Christ, a friend introduced me to Reformed teaching through R.C. Sproul and Martin Lloyd Jones. As I read more authors, I became confused by the disagreements in the Reformed literature. After ten years of trying to understand the disagreements, I decided I wanted to get some seminary training to help me sort out the swirl. I was thrilled to find the online resources that Reformed Baptist Seminary provided. I did not have to move to another location, I could study at my own pace, and I didn’t have to disrupt my family’s lives. Reformed Baptist Seminary allowed me to enroll at age 61.

I am grateful to RBS for the training in the use of the biblical resources and tools available for personal study and ongoing learning. The experience has provided an opportunity for me to grow in faith based on sound biblical teaching, experiential union with Christ, and grateful obedience to God. The training has given me clarity of thought and answers regarding confusing teachings that constantly spring up and swirl in the visible church. I feel better prepared for future service to the Lord and leadership in the church.

Don Harper