My story begins in a typical, blue-collar home with two well-meaning parents, two brothers, and three sisters. Our home was not a Christian home, and any conception of God was founded upon speculation and upon pieces of Roman Catholicism. At a very young age, I was without hope in the world. I did poorly in school. At the end of eighth grade I was arrested for the first time. This would begin a long cycle of lawlessness, lewdness, and wickedness that would continue into my adult life.

One night, while out gallivanting, I nearly drove my car off a bridge. I left my car teetering on the edge and ran from the police. The next day, after sobering up, I decided to make my life better; so I enlisted in the Army. This improved things for a while, but soon I reverted to the same habits as before. The Army gave me discipline, but it could not give me what I really needed.

I came into contact with a Christian at my duty station in Germany. I remember this man suffering great ridicule, and, to my shame, I was one of the greatest offenders. Even in my cruelty, this man was good to me. I was scheduled to go home on leave but had no money for a plane ticket. This man gave me the money, an act of mercy I will never forget.

After I was discharged from the Army, I hit bottom. I lost everything, was imprisoned for a period of time, and was reduced to living in a small, roach-infested apartment. I was ordered by the State to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and to seek counseling. With the experience I gained in the Army, I was able to work at a veterans hospital as a nursing assistant. I had some money for college, so I entered nursing school. During this time, some significant changes took place, but I still sometimes slid back into my old lifestyle.

While in nursing school, I met a Christian and we became friends. One day, we had a discussion about the existence of God. After all, I was involved in AA and had a belief in god “as I understood him.” I said to my friend, “My god is everything, he is in everything; he is even in me; I can feel him.” My friend said, “Is that so, Chris? You know something? My God controls that everything.”

That put an end to that discussion. I thought, How could someone be so narrow-minded? But, it made me think. He stayed in close contact with me and taught me, little by little, great truths of Christianity.

During this time I met a woman, and we had a child together out of wedlock. Two months after the birth of our son, his mother started to neglect him, and I had to intervene and obtain custody. This started litigation that would last more than seven years. God would use this situation to humble me, beat me down, and change my life.

I began to truly search the Scriptures. They came alive to me, and I heard the voice of the Good Shepherd speaking to me from them. I became a Christian. Old things would pass away and, now, behold, all things would become new! (see Rev. 21:3-5). Something radically changed in my life that day that lasted every day thereafter. I started to love Jesus. I hungered for the Bible, and I wanted to tell everyone about Jesus. I longed to flee from sin, and I committed my life to an unseen Lord. I put AA and my counselor behind me and sought Christian fellowship.

I stepped out in faith and joined a fundamentalist Baptist church. I invested myself in the work of the church, got involved in one of their religious degree programs, and began to pursue a sensed call to the ministry. I had a tremendous zeal for holiness but not a lot of guidance. As a result, I even became involved in medieval mysticism.

Finding very little fellowship in the Baptist church and having a non- Christian family, my opportunities for communion were very few. I started to isolate myself, investing all my energies in studying the Scriptures, communing with God, rearing my son Noah, and working as a registered nurse.

I received a summons to appear in court. The complaint alleged that Noah was “suffering from stress, depression, and fear” because of his religious upbringing. A psychologist was appointed by the court to investigate, and I entered one of the most painful experiences of my Christian life. I turned to the church for help, and they turned their backs on me. I was dismayed, confused, afraid, and alone.

The Lord graciously ministered to me through a friend who attended my church periodically. She belonged to a Reformed Congregational Church and suggested I come visit. I did. I was received by the church, but the court battle still loomed. The court eventually ruled in my favor, even with incredible anti-Christian sentiment, and granted me sole legal and physical custody of my son. Like Joseph, I can only say that though they meant evil, “God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day.”

While I was attending the Reformed Congregational Church, the pastor took an interest in my desire to enter the ministry. He suggested I read Calvin’s Institutes. It was like putting pieces of a puzzle together. I had learned some Reformed theology, but Calvin solidifi ed all the doctrines. The pastor also recommended a long-distance theological program in Canada called Haddington House. I entered a certificate of Christian studies program in order to evaluate my gifts and calling.

I was also introduced to the New England Reformed Fellowship, and this is where I met Christian Adjemian, pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Mass. Later that year, I was invited to the Cambridge Reformed Conference. It was in a large stone building that I heard for the first time the harmonious echoes of the Psalms without musical accompaniment. One of the very fi rst psalms selections I remember hearing was Psalm 119X. I immediately fell in love: What a glorious and heartfelt expression to God!

After a year and a half, I requested, with Haddington House’s recommendation, that the session of my church provide oversight for my ministerial training. The session refused, but, with the school’s encouragement, I continued with my studies. Not long after this, the pastor became involved in a scandal, and there was tremendous strife in the church. Rev. Leverne Rosenberger, a retired Reformed Presbyterian pastor, ministered to the congregation during this difficult time.

I spoke to Pastor Rosenberger about my psalm experience at the conference and asked him if he would be willing to teach me more. I asked the right man. We started weekly meetings, and eventually he agreed to serve as my proctor for Haddington House. After much prayer, consultation, and conviction about psalmody, worship, and the form of Presbyterian church government, it was time to move on. I submitted my letter of resignation to the congregational church and contacted Pastor Adjemian.

I was welcomed into the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cambridge with open arms. I received pastoral counsel, prayer, diaconal support, concern, and fellowship in rich abundance. Noah and I made many new friends—kids and people from all over the world. After a year, I was accepted into communicant membership. I also completed the certificate program at Haddington House. The school recommended that I pursue seminary studies, so I presented my burden to the session. The session agreed to take me under its care, and two years ago I went before the Atlantic Presbytery and was accepted for oversight.

I am currently in seminary, licensed to preach, and serving an internship at the Cambridge RPC. God has also provided the good gift of a wife. Robin Rose and I will be married in July. Robin, Noah, and I look forward, the Lord willing, to many years of devoted service in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.

I feel like I have not told you half of my story; nevertheless, my hope and prayer is that this testimonial would be used by God to encourage the hopeless, direct the zealous, comfort the broken, embolden the fearful, encourage a witness, exalt the godly and strengthen the bonds of Christian love. In the words of the Apostle Paul, may we “all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

Christopher Bogosh is a member and a pastoral intern in the Cambridge, Mass., RPC.