John Smith Email & Phone Number

I love to proclaim the gospel. I do not love proclaiming myself. The gospel is dangerous!As a pastor I get to see individuals gathered into a church where this dangerous gospel begins to give them shape and focus. What does that look like…1) It is a church energized by its worship. A community of faith gathering around the word and nourished by the sacraments. A people that understands worship as central to its work as it prepares to be sent out to change the world. 2) It is a church that comes alive in its fellowship with each other. An authentic community that shares life together, often around food. A people that understands what it means to struggle together and to rejoice together and ultimately knows what it’s like to work together to see the world changed. 3) It is a church that grows through learning. A community of disciples devoted to education. A people that understands the communal nature of learning for all age groups. When we open our minds to understanding we begin to open our hearts to action. 4) It is a church that is thoroughly engaged in mission. A missional community that sees itself as the Kingdom of God planted and rooted in the time and place of its own neighborhood. A people that understands themselves as the missionaries that God has called to show kindness, seek justice, and love neighbor. In my work with churches I get to help congregations rediscover their vitality. Together we can begin to dismantle structural racism and heal systemic poverty. At the risk of sounding repetitive…the gospel is dangerous. My job as a pastor is to allow the gospel to do its work and to facilitate the change it causes in people’s lives. It’s an amazing vocation and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Listed skills include Community Outreach, Pastoral Care, Religion, Biblical Studies, and 6 others.