10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
Pastor: Dr. Lester Hutson

All of the material listed herein is the property of the Byron McCartney family, and may not be copied without express written authorization.

Growing up in a minister's home was a constant exercise in maintaining a spotless testimony. My brother, two sisters and I were always told that because of who we were others would always be watching and observing how we dressed, spoke and acted.

We heard many sermons and Sunday School lessons on what constituted a good testimony. Much emphasis was put on living as sinless a life as possible. Verses such as 2 Corinthians 6:17, 'Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,' were quoted to bolster the teaching that we must submit to a higher standard than the unsaved world around us.

Presenting a good testimony was also a central theme in the summer Bible camps we attended. It was a main topic in the sermons as well as the basis for many of the rules we sometimes resented as being too restrictive.

However, just as I'm sure you have experienced, many of the other Christians we mixed with on a daily basis did not live as restricted a life as we did. Several of the other missionary kids we would associate with were allowed to participate in activities we were forbidden to attend. They were permitted TV viewing liberties we did not have. As I grew older I began to resent more and more the standard I had to live by.

For a period of time I 'quietly' rebelled against the limits put on my life (none of us dared rebel openly to my father). I would sneak around with my friends from school and do what they did, say the things they said, and watch the things they watched.

My sins always seemed to find me out as Numbers 32:23 warns, but my punishment only made me resent the rules and regulations even more. It was really a no win situation for me as well as for my parents. They wanted me to be an example of a good Christian and I wanted to be like everyone else.

Today, as a more mature Christian and a parent, I understand much better what a testimony is all about and how important it is. In this series of lessons I'd like us to focus on what a testimony is and what God's Word tells us ours should be. Of course this will not be a definitive study but will include what I believe to be the most important points. I have used this information with my children to great success and I pray you too will find it personally helpful. 

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"