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.
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.
Josh Brown graduated from Avondale in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching degree.
He teaches English and History at Macquarie College, Newcastle, NSW,and is currently studying for a master’s degree via Deakin University.