becoming a multi-site / mobile venue campus pastor

Fresh on the heels of our return from Costa Rica  (Rachel’s pictured with 3 girls she played with at a playground renovation there)…..Yesterday Pastor Chris Brooks announced to our campus that Rachel and I would be the new campus pastors at St. Johns Campus of Celebration Church. 

Its another step on a winding road we’ve taken in church ministry.   The campus opened in March 2005, less than a year after we got married, and we began day 1 as middle school directors with 5 kids in our class.   Eventually, we became high school and middle school directors at the campus, then later, youth pastors as the group grew over 100 students.   Last year, ‘youth and church life pastors’ was the expanded role.      What a crazy ride!

Rachel and I are excited beyond belief for this opportunity given to us by Pastor Stovall and the church leadership.   We will continue to lead the youth ministry at St. Johns as we continue to expand our team of volunteers to inspire and equip students to live a God first life.   CareForce Leader training will resume in September for adults who want to become group and extension gathering leaders.    Many of our key mens, womens, childrens, and serving team leaders also cross train as youth workers, so we have a distinctly networked relationship with them.  

The training we’ve received by Pastor Darren Sullivan and Pastor Chris Brooks has been life altering.  Each brought his own leadership style/anointing and shared it with us over these past 3.5 years.  I count them as trusted and true friends who have invested countless hours in me.  

Now it’s time to get back to work!   Rush Week for our Middle and High School Students takes off tonight, where we employ the disciplines of Deadly Viper Character Assassins to the issue of “Guarding your heart” in a weeklong event with the students.   Flex, our men’s event, lands Friday, with an amazing slate for the 800-1000 men who should be in attendance.    

Stoked for a huge week-and year!  -big John