Pastor Jon’s Welcome Address

As we sat down to share prayer requests, I looked around the table, prepared for some sober requests. I know these guys, their stories, the difficult year it has been. To my surprise, the first man spoke up: 

“I am not sure this is a request, I just want to thank God tonight for how this church has made a difference in my family.” 

The next man, fighting tears, said, “I want to thank God for how this church has loved my family through some of the darkest times this year.”

As I have prepared to write to you about the “impact” of Discovery Community Church, I can’t help but think of those men, their families, and so many others like them, who were impacted in the often quiet, lonely, excruciating moments that this year has brought to many in our community.

It is true that the impact of a church in a community should be evaluated through key numbers such as, how many neighbors were engaged in gospel conversations or how many new friends took a risk to join us on Sunday. Numbers like, how many people were baptized, joined a group, or began living radically generous lives, all communicate deeply holy moments in the lives of people valued by Jesus.

However, sometimes the impact of a church in a community is more difficult to tally - there are times it must simply be experienced. Sometimes the impact of a church is best experienced not on a bright Sunday morning, but in the dark, difficult long days and late nights - sometimes sitting quietly in the ministry of presence.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:35 

And according to John 13 - Discovery has made an incredible impact in 2019:

Sitting quietly with friends through the worst health news of their lives

Sitting quietly with friends through the darkest grief

Sitting quietly with friends during vulgar injustices

Sitting quietly with the tiniest of children when family fails them

In the pages to follow, you will see numbers that will make you deeply proud, or, perhaps numbers that grieve your soul. You will hear of dreams for a city and a world - but let’s not forget that greatest impact may be measured by how well we show up in the darkest of places.

 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:45