I grew up in a nominally Christian home with a very limited church experience. When I finished high school Avondale offered me a one-year scholarship which I accepted, intending to transfer to university after that year. But in my first year at Avondale God came into my life in a real and tangible way. I found myself journeying with other Christians, many of them also encountering the power of God for the first time.

Josh Brown in his office at Macquarie College. Photo: Brad Cox

It was the power of the Word that really changed my life. I began reading the Bible in a new way. Like putting on 3D glasses, God’s Spirit brought the Word to life in a way I had never imagined. Paul’s words echoed in my ears: “I am crucified with Christ.” I was so empowered by the thought that it was no longer I who lived, but “Christ who lives in me.”

As I experienced this new freedom in Christ, what had been a dead manuscript became a living, breathing love letter that changed my life. A light bulb had come on in my life and one year at Avondale became four. I took the step of baptism to publicly display my new commitment to Jesus. I learned what it was like to be part of a church family and graduated with memories that will last me a lifetime.