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PetraMeansRock.com Contest Winners!!

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It was an interesting contest, with some entries of simple 2 or 3 liners, while there were others that were quite long.  Here are the Top 5 Winners!

Fifth Place

Fourth Place

Third Place

Second Place

First Place

Here is what Matthew had to say...

Beyond Belief was the first Petra album I owned. I was introduced to the ministry of Petra at a youth rally. During the afternoon they played music videos, and it was through the video of "I am on the Rock" which the Holy Spirit used to open my eyes to the fact that I was not on the Rock. For the first time I saw Christians who had a deeper joy and conviction than I had ever known. That evening I dedicated my life to Christ. A week later I owned a copy of Beyond Belief.

It is most appropriate that "Creed" follows "I am on the Rock" on the album. In the "More Power to Ya" devotional, Bob Hartman writes that the Creed grew in significance for him only after he came to know Christ as his personal Savior. He includes the full Creed at the bottom of the devotional, and closes by saying, "As you read it, think about how important the Truth really is. It is the Truth that sets us free. Join with your fellow believers in embracing it as your own." The Creed is all about Christ who is our Rock and solid foundation. These two songs go hand in hand.

For me the song Creed brings me back to the beginning. It reminds me of the fact that when my faith is grounded in Christ, "I shall not be moved" and that this Creed, my Creed, is "The faith that has endured ... / Though persecuted, it will last / And I will hold steadfast to this Creed." These two songs share the same firm conviction.

As a young Christian I was apprehensive about my new faith. I was
uncertain about how real it was and how long it would survive. The song Creed helped my faith to remain firm. Over 10 years later I am completing my M.Div at Tyndale Seminary. I know that the role of theology students is not to discover something new, but re-word old statements so that they are understood by a new generation. One of my professors reminded our class that if we attempt to improve on the Apostle's Creed, we cannot depart from the content. Entering into ministry can be a somewhat disturbing prospect.

As Jesus says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:18-19). Again the song Creed ministers to me by reminding me of what Bob wrote in his devotional:

"Christians for centuries have recited this creed as a statement of faith and it has been faithfully passed down and guarded from generation to generation. Men and women have lost their lives for believing this creed. It is part of our great heritage of faith."

This song eliminates the fear of entering into ministry and replaces it with a sense of awe. When I was a young Christian and still today, the song Creed never fails to move me to that place of boldness.
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Matthew