In God they trust

Spreading the word
A core belief among Evangelicals is that they must spread the word and bring new believers to their ranks. The people we met at New Life Church on the night of the Easter play tried to do just that in the coming months.

U.S. Air Force Academy cadet Brandon Bernadoni attends a prayer group on campus, and then spends his Friday nights at New Life’s church services aimed at  20-somethings — complete with a DJ, a live band, and smoke machines. It’s a complete transformation from his former hard partying ways, a change he credits to a former classmate and football buddy. 

Brandon Bernardoni: The decision for me to come to this church was based on one of my friends from the academy.  He was reading some scriptures to me.  And he was just kind of opening my eyes.

Tom Brokaw: Did you have a moment where you felt like you were born again in effect?

Bernardoni: Actually, the moment was that night. And we went pretty late into the night.  The next day when I woke up, all of a sudden I wasn’t bitter at the world anymore.  All of a sudden I felt like I had purpose.  All of a sudden I knew exactly why I’m on this earth. Scripture, truth and life sunk into my heart.

Brokaw: Did some of the cadets say to each other, “Hey, did you hear about old Brandon? He found God.  Can you believe that?”

Bernardoni: Lots of ‘em say that, actually. To tell you the truth, it did hurt. It hurt me quite a bit at the beginning.

But some of Brandon’s friends are intrigued by the new direction in his life, especially his roommate, Paul Hollrith.

Paul Hollrith: He’s just going down a different path.  And that’s what kind of appealing to me, is that it might be overall it might be better than where I am right now.

Brandon often discusses his new found faith with his friend, and he hopes with all his heart that Paul will experience a similar conversion to his own.  

Bernardoni: If he never feels a personal relationship with Jesus, I think he’ll be just kind of missing out on some of the paradise that is to be seen.  And I will kind of be torn apart inside a little bit. 

Brandon brought his friend to see the Easter play and the story of Jesus’ suffering and resurrection had a real effect on Paul.

Hollrith: The real question for me is where to go next, because I know that I want to learn and know more. 

Leon Lowman also had high hopes for the play’s power of persuasion. “We’re hoping that people will actually decide to become a Christian  and that would be the ultimate outcome,” says Lowman.  

Pastor Ted Haggard encourages New Life members to write down on a prayer card the people whose lives they hope to change.

The Lowmans have won several members of their immediate family over to their beliefs and they hope that Venezia’s older brother, Rudy, who works in the computer industry, will be next.  

Like Brandon, Leon’s motivation stems from the depths of his own belief. He wants his brother-in-law to know the certainty that he finds in religion.

Leon Lowman:  I try to share this with my brother-in-law, Rudy.  I was alone. I was by myself. And just crying out to God. You know, “Lord help me. Give me some direction; some guidance.” And it was just revealed to me inside my heart and inside my mind. You know, the Bible is true, and it was so real. And so there for me that I just wish everybody could experience God like that.

A paycut for faith
The Lowmans’ place their faith at the center of their lives. Leon took a 50 percent paycut when he left his corporate job to work at the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family where he runs a program that offers faith-based guidance to young families.

Venezia Lowman: The financial side of it was very hard, but the other benefits that came out of it have been a huge blessing for us.

Leon Lowman: What it’s turned out to be is an increase in every aspect of our lives in terms of personal relationships, family relationships.  Being able to participate with the events at the kids schools.  All those things have been a big increase for us.

Venezia Lowman: We had to explain to our kids sometimes we can’t do what everybody else can do because we just can’t afford to go do that. But God is opening up other doors, and giving us other ideas of what to do to try to help our situation.  And we’re not in a terrible situation.  It’s just different than how it was in corporate America.

Leon and Venezia started a small spa business on the side, but it’s not working out exactly as they had hoped.

Venezia runs the spa with the help of her mother but the family still is financially stressed by their risk… and they are not sure they can stick with it.

Brokaw: The two of you invested so much of your life in this movement.  And I know that it’s not been without financial sacrifice.  What happens if you hit that intersection, would you have to make some choices?  Which way do you go?

Venezia Lowman: Well, what we’ve done is that we’ve stayed on the course where we pray, and we ask God to put us into his will.  And we do what he wants us to do.

New members?
Meanwhile the Monroe family, who first came to New Life Church to see the Easter play,  now is attending a church together for the first time ever.

Tom Monroe:  I walked in here sweating bullets.  I didn’t know what to expect.  But it was good.  I really enjoyed it.

While Karen already considers herself deeply religious,  Tom is more skeptical— a spiritual seeker. 

Tom Monroe: You know, I try and live my life as well as I can.  I think I’m a good person.   Do I sit there and pray on a regular basis?  Probably not.  But do I look for something else?  I do.  

Tom was raised a Baptist, and Karen a Catholic, but like many Americans they aren’t that concerned with religious affiliation.  More than a third of modern churchgoers now go to a different kind of church from their parents — that’s up from just 4 percent in 1955.

Karen Monroe: I think as long as the belief is there in Jesus Christ and they are teaching the Bible.  I’m not as concerned about it being Catholic.

The Monroes especially like the fact that New Life offers many activities for their children, 9-year-old Teresa and 5-year-old Josh. And Karen loves the fervor of the young people she sees worshipping at Church.

Karen Monroe: You sit and watch those teenagers down there jumping up and down and worshiping God.  I think that is so phenomenal.

Although the church uses modern technology, the text of Pastor Ted Haggard’s sermons recall a simpler easier time in America. Tom Monroe feels they relate to his daily life. Tom also enjoys the close study of the Bible at New Life.

Tom Monroe: It’s very easy just to go in and read the scripture and interpret the Bible.  I like that aspect of it. This past year has been very tough.  And I’ve struggled with it.  Just trying, you know, questioning myself is there more to it.  Is there more to this life than what i’m looking for—can God help?  Probably.  Can I find some solace in, you know, the Bible?  I probably could.

But as the family becomes more involved in the church, Tom will find himself struggling with some of his doubts... including what the message means for the larger society.

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