Duane Anderson, Bible Teacher

Pastor Anderson was my Bible teacher at TJA. I recently asked him (via FB Messenger) about the “interview” he had with each student when we were in grade 9/10. I asked him about these intentional discipleship moments. He said that he knew how “fantastic the life with Christ was as compared with only going through the motions.” He “felt a great desire for each young person to know what a relationship with Jesus was really like” so he was intentional about inviting us to say “yes” to Jesus.

I remember in my interview Duane asked, “What do you have to do to be saved?” I recall that any response about earning my salvation was NOT the right answer. Duane wanted us to know that we are saved because of what Jesus did for us. We can never do enough to be saved. How many Bible studies would we have to give in order to earn salvation? How many potlucks would you have to help with? How many home visits? How much food and clothing to the hungry and the “naked?” When we choose Jesus, we will do all of these things, not in order to be saved, but because Jesus has already made provision for our salvation.

Duane modeled this intentionality for me. My ministry has been blessed by following in his steps.