Modern Day Circuit Rider

As I mentioned before, I am now pastoring two churches.  One is 118 years old and the other is 6 years old.  They are 10 miles apart.  On Sundays, I drive to Common Ground Community Church at 8:30 am to hang out and speak at the 9:30 am service.  I greet people before the service because as soon as the message is over I drive back to Oakway Wesleyan to speak in the 11 am service.  I want to thank my man Kristoffer Fox for his great advice and saving my voice.  His tips have helped me make it through each Sunday with a strong voice.  My wife has been amazing through all of this as she has to get our kids ready, pick up a family for church, teach Sunday School, and then take them all home after church.  We are firm believers in the “Wesleyan Hour”-a good Sunday afternoon nap.  Later I’ll post my weekly schedule and how I’m trying to balance all of this.

Back to the churches.  You could not find two churches more different or similar.   One has transitioned to a more contemporary worship style while the other was planted as a contemporary church for the community.  One meets in a traditional church building and the other doesn’t.  For all the differences there are important similarities.  Both are filled with people who love Jesus and desire to see the community transformed by his power.  This was evident on August 7 as we held our first joint service together with 102 present( Both churches have between 45-60 people for a Sunday service.)  There is a spirit of cooperation to see where this “partnership” takes us.  My desire is to see healthy Christians and healthy churches.  Over the next few months we will initiate some things to bring us all closer to Christ and each other as we strive to show His love to Oconee County.  This “circuit rider” deal wasn’t a scheme they had planned for me when we moved to South Carolina a year ago.  No, I volunteered.  I saw a church that would be needing a pastor and I sensed God opening the door for something amazing.  With Oakway’s approval I became a dual pastor to Common Ground.  I see this as my “for such a time as this” part of my life.  So far, only a few people have told me I’m crazy to my face.  The rest of them told my horse.