Haley Burton

I was raised in a Christian home with wonderful Christian parents. We attended a traditional Southern Baptist church where I heard the gospel preached often. One Wednesday evening when I was seven years old, I attended a children’s program called AWANA. There, I learned about salvation and went home that night and told my parents I wanted to be saved. They led me through a prayer to ask Jesus to forgive my sins and be the Lord of my life. I understood that I was a sinner and that I needed Jesus to save me, but I didn’t fully understand what salvation would look like moving forward. I was baptized a few weeks later at Bethel Baptist Church. Not much changed in my life at that point, but I saw God grow and shape me as I got older.

When I was eight years old, my family joined a larger Southern Baptist church with bigger children’s and youth programs. We went to church at least every Sunday and Wednesday throughout my childhood and were very involved. In my teenage years, I was a part of a great youth group under the leadership of Daniel Barta. I began to serve as a worship leader for my youth group and went to just about every youth activity and church-wide program that was offered. During middle and high school, I really struggled with doubt, but I was afraid to share it with anyone for a long time. In youth small groups, I was challenged to study the Bible daily and share my struggles with the people in my life rather than pretending to be perfect. Eventually, I opened up to my small group and realized that many of them struggled with it too. I began to spend more consistent time in God’s word and in prayer as I went through high school and college, and I have seen God give me assurance of my salvation and teach me to trust him in all circumstances.

After I graduated from high school, I attended North Greenville University where I was a part of a traveling music ministry team for three years. That time was full of good memories, but it left me longing for deep, honest community with other believers. I returned to my home church my senior year at NGU, only to see it face a major split months later. Although that season was difficult, the Lord used it to challenge me to search Scripture for truth myself rather than just believing what I had always been taught.

I started attending CFNW (which was then TCBR) in the summer of 2019. I could tell that this was a community of believers that truly loved and cared for each other. I was drawn in by the members’ friendliness, the solid biblical teaching, and the emphasis on missional community and cell groups and joined in January 2020. I now serve CFNW on the worship team and as a prayer leader. I am a member of the Capps’ MC. I am thankful for this community of believers that has become family to me. I have grown so much over the past three years through sitting under solid teaching, serving on the worship and prayer teams, and being encouraged by my MC and cell group.