About My Story
We want to help others follow Jesus by meeting in small groups with a heavy focus on what it looks like to actually live out the instructions God has given us in our current world. If you are trying to find out more about Jesus, or if you know him but are having trouble following him, or if you would just like to learn how others are following him you are in the right place.
Real People: Real Conversations
The following three principles shape our church services:
We Need Each Other
One main drawback to online church services is that we often attend alone and lack the support and accountability we all need to actually live out the instructions we’re given. We don’t want this to be the case, so we do our best to connect every attendee with a small group where we can grow together, whether that be online or in-person.
We Need to Be Honest
While attending church the temptation is there for many of us to put on our happy face and pretend everything is okay in our lives when it’s not. This doesn’t benefit us, nor does it help others. We believe the healing begins with confessing our sins and struggles to one another, therefore we try to model this in everything we do.
We Need to Apply What We Learn
It’s all too easy to hear and relate to a message at church only to completely forget it before the day is over. The change comes in actually applying what is learned from the practical real-world examples of what this looks like. Having accountability with one another is how we believe we get there.
Stories
Growing up in a Catholic home as a kid and preparing for first communion, there were many questions about science and what was being taught in my first communion class that were not matching up. After giving up on God, listen to this story about meeting Jesus in a dream.
Joey’s Story is a story that defies the odds. Joey is honest and open about his struggles and how real life is. Even when we think we have arrived as humans we find ourselves messing up time and time again. Joey says “Forgiving yourself is one of the hardest things you can do” this is so true but we have to forgive ourselves, pick ourselves up, and move on. Joey makes it clear with Christ this is possible. To find a Celebrate Recovery group go here.
Brian talks openly about his journey from isolation to community and from fear to grace. Today’s stories call us to leave fear and isolation behind and embrace honesty about our mistakes; an important step toward victory. Additionally, we must find a community of supportive and encouraging believers. These can be difficult steps when we consider how our sin has affected our lives and the lives of others.
True, it may be hard for others to accept our “real” selves at first. But in the family of believers, there are those who graciously and obediently support us. In Paul’s writings, he often shares his story openly, giving Christ and his church credit for bringing him to victory. Brian’s story, too, reminds us that the daily and shared pursuit of Jesus and God’s purpose in our lives is a key factor in our victory over sin.
Even those “raised in church” will find their faith challenged. Jennifer shares the story of how an unplanned pregnancy brought her to cry out to God in ways deeper and more meaningful than ever before. Consequently, she learned what we should all strive to know… that God is bigger and more.
Adam Leak tells his story of not being able to find direction and purpose as a teenager or having a place to fit in. This lead to a lot of free time, which resulted in him trying a number of drugs with friends.
Over time the drug use got increasingly heavy and resulted in an addiction to meth, which took over his life by his early 20s. Getting arrested, and spending five nights in jail was the wake up call that Adam needed to decide he needed a heart change which ultimately lead to him giving up the drug use.
Since then Adam has found a place to belong in his church who accepted him immediately, knowing his current situation. Over several years, this has lead to his heavy involvement in the men’s ministry and as a youth sponsor providing both direction and purpose.
Peggy Nunley tells her story of growing up in abusive households with her alcoholic father and step father. She shares how this shaped her self-image making her feel unworthy of being used by God because she knew who she was and where she came from.
At the age of 15 she attended a youth conference where she heard Walker Moore speak and felt called to attend a mission trip being organized by Awe Star Ministries. She didn’t feel qualified or capable but after sharing her story with her small church they provided everything she needed and she went to Budapest, Hungary.
While sharing the gospel with two prostitutes in the red light district of Budapest, they challenged her view explaining how they did not want to be in this line of work, but God had not answered their prayers to provide another way.
Becky tells her story of coming to terms with an abusive relationship and becoming “a missionary in her own home” as she tried to show God’s love in a broken marriage.
She explains how choosing to follow God can often come at great cost – detailing how this played out in her own life, the price she had to pay, and why she believes it is still ultimately worth doing.
Becky also shares with us what she has learned about the character of God through this, and her experience with the restoration He ultimately offers.
Next Steps
We’re better able to follow Christ together; whether that be in-person, via a video small group, or just chatting online.
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You don’t need to have it all together. You don’t need to agree with everything we do. You don’t even need to be a Christian. The only requirements are that you have an honest desire to learn more about following Christ and treat others with respect. If this is you, we invite you to join us in discussing what it looks like to spend every day living as Jesus did.
