A word from Pastor Rob
Selling his home and resigning from work, Ken moved from Saskatchewan to Vancouver Island to be near his aging mother and to escape from his broken relationships, stressful work and self-destructive living.
While riding the elevator to visit his mother, a Christian woman began telling Ken about the church where I was Lead Pastor. Ken came that Sunday and after the morning service I met him. Immediately, I sensed God was drawing Ken to Himself. I invited him for coffee that week, and to my surprise, he accepted. Sitting in Tim Hortons, God began to soften the callouses over his heart. Ken returned to church each week that month, and each week we would meet at Timmy’s. Ken moved from believing in God, but not knowing what to do with Jesus, to believing in God and knowing His name is Jesus.
He hungered for Christian friendship, biblical grounding, and personal discipleship, so I invited Ken to my Life Group. Again, Ken came. Sure, his edges were rough, but his heart was sincere. God was performing a deep work in Ken’s life, and my entire Life Group had front-row seats to this spectacular miracle.
Soon Ken asked to share about the spiritual journey he was on with our Life Group. We invited him to do so. He told of countless twists and turns, bumps and bruises, and highs and lows from his life without God. His story was often colourful, sometimes sordid, yet always genuine. Ken held nothing back; and I mean nothing – he dropped four F-bombs in recounting his story. (To be honest, I couldn’t wait to see how my Life Group would respond). From profanity to praise, Ken told it like it was. Then he concluded with wholehearted thanks to God for saving him from himself and his sin. Deafening silence then fell upon my Life Group. Was this highbrow piety at its worse, or a holy hush at its best? An older gentleman stood, crossed the room, hugged Ken, and welcomed him into God’s family and our Life Group.
Regardless of your past Life Group experiences, we want all people to find God, find life in God, and find their place in the family of God through our Life Groups. Are you ready to join or launch a Life Group? Let us know.
