I am a lifelong Lutheran (baptized and confirmed). I have always believed, but my faith life was compartmentalized—church on Sunday and the rest of the week on my own. When my wife, Sherry, and I returned to Des Moines in 2001, we visited Lutheran Church of Hope after several people recommended it. For the first time, I began to go to church because I wanted to, instead of due to guilt or obligation. About 18 months in, friends invited us to Alpha. I was not interested, so Sherry ended up going on her own. But when Pastor Mike promoted Alpha a year later, I decided it was time. During the retreat, one of the pastors said we should try to open our hearts to Jesus—if not all the way, maybe just a crack. For me, that was the most I could allow. Suddenly, the worship songs were spiraling down inside of me, touching my heart, and tears ran down my face. In retrospect, I would call this my born-again moment, and it ignited a desire in me to grow spiritually and learn more. About that ti...