Last night I went with some of our students to an event sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at Fort Mill High.

Four students — not from Good Shepherd but from the different FCAs in York County — gave testimonies.

The speaking was not polished.

The biblical interpretation was not always exactly accurate.

The hermeneutics and exegesis were somewhat lacking.

But boy did it speak to me.

There’s something about the sheer simplicity of . . .

• “I was broken and Jesus put me back together” and

• “I was lonely and God brought me company” and

• “I was dying and the church changed my life”

. . . that never gets old.

As someone who wrestles with a cynical attitude and a jaded spirit, I need the refreshing perspective of just how profoundly faith can change the lives of people — especially young people.

So yeah, hermeneutics, exegesis, and context all matter. A lot.

But nothing compares with the raw simplicity of new found faith.