I've been working with a team on the thematic development of our upcoming Sunday AM "Love Wins" series.
One aspect will be a weekly "Living examples that Love Wins" video series. We shot week 1 this morning. It's a story very near and dear to my heart...
Chad Loucks started attending NMC in his Jr. High years. He comes from a great family. The church he was at didn't have a Youth Ministry. Chad initially attended Sunday Night services with Jeff Simpson, who was then a Jr. High Small Group Leader. There was virtually no Youth Group at that church. Chad was impacted by the environment and people who seemed to be authentically pursuing Christ. On March 1, 1999, Chad gave his life fully to Christ.
Justin Blackwood was invited to our On-Fire Rallies by Chad. Chad pulled the whole secretive evangelism thing... just asked Justin to hang out, didn't tell him they were going to church. It was one year to the day from when Chad accepted Christ, and on March 1, 2000, Justin gave his life to the cause of the King.
Brad Bullock started coming with Chad and Justin in the Fall of 2000, when we were meeting in a tent in the back yard of the SOAR house. Brad had never been to a church gathering that was directed toward youth. It blew him away; and he was hooked. In May of 2001, on a Wednesday Night, Brad decided it was time to die to self, and live fully for Christ.Brad and Justin didn't come from the best home situation... in fact there was a lot of crap.
There were times these 3 were a handful. There were times they did some really do some stupid stuff around here. But, I can remember countless Wednesday Nights where they would just stick around the church afterward and hang out with me. This church became a home to them.
The NMC family in many ways became THEIR FAMILY.
As Chad said today, most would have looked at these three Fairfield High School boys and thought that there wasn't much promise in them, but there were MANY inside the NMC family who saw the potential in these guys.
There were a bunch of everyday, average, ordinary adult volunteers who invested in these guys.
Jeff Simpson
James Ellis
Shawn LaRue
Bruce and Sue Berkey
Neil Diener
Matt Moser
Keith and Ronda Klotz
Ben Snyder
Michael and Emily Edison
These are the names of the prayer warriors, adopted parents, friends, and straight up heroes that were spoken of today by Chad, Brad and Justin.
They spent time with these guys.
They spoke words of encouragement to these guys.
They supported these guys financially on different Missions Experiences.
They prayed for these guys.
THEY LOVED THESE GUYS.
Chad, Brad, and Justin graduated in 2003 and headed out into the next chapters of their lives.
I've had the honor of officiating in two of these guys (Brad and Justin's) weddings over the past year. They've been blessed with Godly wives.
Last week, Brad and Chad graduated from Bethel College with Ministry degrees.
Saturday, Justin graduates with a counseling degree.
This Summer, Chad will be getting his Pastoral License in the Missionary Church and is heading up our Young Adult Ministry here at NMC.
Last Monday, Brad was hired on as the ONLY full-time Pastor at our Sister Church, New Life Fellowship. He and his wife Kelsey (fellow NMC grad) are expecting their first child in September.
At the end of May, Justin Blackwood and his wife Kendra will be heading to Dodge City, Kansas where he will be serving as the Associate/Youth Pastor at First Missionary Church.
Guess what?
LOVE WINS.
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