It was a life-changing decision – and like many others who have left Pentecostalism, Tilley found himself grappling anew with questions of his identity and his relationship with the world. So when he decided at 21 to quit the faith, he knew he wasn't just leaving behind a tight-knit community, but also risking a rupture with his family.
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Tilley belonged to Revival Centres, a fundamentalist Pentecostal church established in Melbourne in the 1950s, and his father was pastor of the Mudgee branch. The only shadow during this sunny time was the pressure to speak in tongues - a sign of the Holy Spirit that was a prerequisite for baptism in his church and securing a spot in heaven. Growing up in the country, Tom Tilley spent his childhood running wild in the outdoors, attending camps with church friends every holiday, and enjoying the security of a close-knit congregation.