As the broader church culture in America chases after the latest trends in a desperate bid to stay “relevant,” some church leaders have chosen instead to build on the firm foundation of the past; Rev. Craig T. Born, pastor of Risen Savior Lutheran Church (www.risensaviorchurch.org) is one of those leaders. Schooled as an architect, Pastor Born knows well the benefit of building on a good foundation. After one year working as an architect, he describes a worship service where he was moved by seeing that “light bulb moment” people have as their eyes are opened to the gospel and they put their trust in Jesus Christ. This was the impetus for him to act on a call to ministry he had sensed while growing up in a Lutheran church. He left his burgeoning career as an architect and launched into six years of theological training at a Lutheran college and seminary. Interestingly, his wife, Jennifer, is a local architect; she and Craig met while working at the same architectural firm in Milwaukee.
The sleek, stretch limousine glides silently out of the velvet night to a gentle stop and an elegantly dressed couple emerges to enthusiastic cheers breaking out from the eager crowd lining the long, red carpet. As the couple passed through the crowd in regal fashion the celebration swells to a roar bringing appreciative smiles to the couple’s face as the flashes of paparazzi cameras highlight their sequined and satin attire. Attentive doormen escort the pair past security and into a festive foyer alive with a hundred conversations.
I am ecstatic to report that my wife has finally joined me here in Navarre! It has been four months since I moved to Navarre by myself to begin working with a small group of very dedicated families in planting a new church – Compass Community Church. The other purpose for coming early was to find us a home to rent. Other husbands shudder when they learn that my wife agreed to move to Navarre having never even been here, and that she trusted the task of finding us a home to me. They say, “You’re either a brave or stupid man.” Thankfully, ours is not that kind of relationship; my wife is here, and she is thrilled with our new home. Now I get to watch with wonder as she discovers our new community.
Walking into the main entrance of Community Life Methodist Church in Gulf Breeze and seeing the large gymnasium with basketball courts right off the main foyer you might wonder, “Is this a community center?”
In the innocence of childhood, every boy’s dream is to follow in his father’s footsteps. Often when the boy matures into a man, his dreams change, and he takes a different path. AJ Rice is the son of pastor, who is himself the son of a pastor. Although first pursuing a degree in graphic design, AJ Rice admits that he always knew he was called to full-time ministry and God has been preparing him for what he was called to do since high school. In January of this year, he truly followed in his father’s footsteps succeeding his father, Pastor Ron Rice, as campus pastor of Liberty Church, Gulf Breeze.
For the Christian looking for an inspiring “come to Jesus” movie, “Loud Krazy Love” will fall short of expectations. While KORN guitarist Brian “Head” Welch’s coming to faith in Christ is credited as the source of his changed life, the focus of the movie is decidedly on the catalyst for that change: the birth of Welch’s daughter, Jennea. The movie is as advertised: “The remarkable true story of KORN’s Brian ‘Head’ Welch and the little girl that saved his life.”
Centuries ago, a common sight on this nation’s rural lanes and footpaths was a lone figure dressed all in black, often astride a horse – an itinerant, Methodist preacher. These itinerant preachers traveled from one village to another ministering to several small congregations under their care. The most famous itinerant preacher was John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Though Dr. Alan V. McBride drives a pickup truck and has one, large congregation under his care, this itinerant ethos was behind his pastoral assignments over twenty-seven years of ministry, including his assignment to Navarre United Methodist Church as senior minister in July of 2017.
When Jesus called Peter, James and John to be his apostles, he told these professional fishermen to leave their nets and he would make them fishers of men. Having caught every kind of fish in the Gulf, says Florida-born pastor, Jon Skipper, he is now about winning souls. Pastor Jon Skipper has been the senior pastor of Navarre First Assembly of God since 2005, and the once small congregation has grown significantly under his leadership.
If you had an organization you wanted to be successful, it is unlikely that you would look among the carefree surfers riding the waves off our local beaches for the person to lead it. And if this organization were a new church, it is very unlikely that you would look for that leader on dimly lit streets among the drug dealers. And how likely would be it that you would choose a reluctant leader, someone who saw himself as a good “second.” Well, when the one ultimately responsible for the choosing is God, unlikely and reluctant are no obstacles, but rather an opportunity for Him to glorify himself greatly by performing an amazing, work of transformation. Randy Pitman is a self-described unlikely and one-time-reluctant in whom God is performing that transforming work. Randy is the lead pastor of the vital, growing congregation known as Coastline Calvary Chapel, Navarre.
Navarre Press has a new voice bringing the stories of faith in Navarre to the pages of the paper. Pastor Michael Bannon has joined the team going into 2019 as a faith correspondent.
