“God Works Through The Local Church: Kevin’s Story”
I am a sinner. In fact, I would claim to be the Chief of Sinners; however, that is a title I am happy to let the Apostle Paul keep. I usually put effort in pursuing relationships that will further my cause, whatever it may be. I desperately fight for control of my life even though deep down I know I do not have the power to deliver. My anxieties are so strong that it has dictated several important decisions in my life. A not-so-fun fact: I was suffering from daily panic attacks in college as a finance major. Since I was terrified of triggering an attack during a presentation and have all of my peers witness how crazy I was, I changed my major to accounting because I figured there would be fewer presentations since accountants were anti-social nerds (obviously not true).
I was left to pursuing creature comforts to distract myself from the issues in my life. Golf, college football and playing cards were my vices of choice. Needless to say, my life was shallow and my anxieties ruled over me.
Fortunately, God intervened in my life. I was still hanging on to an ounce of hope that my life could be redeemed, so my wife and I started casually attending church and consuming online content from popular Christian pastors . Via an online sermon by Matt Chandler at The Village, God told me to quit being a resource sucking leach and commit to a local church.
After a year of searching, we finally committed to a new church named Redeemer Church of Round Rock. My wife and I were a mess. The Redeemer family brought us in and walked with us in a way that no other group had before. What was distinct about their friendship and counsel was that Jesus was the basis for everything. Not my job. Not what I could bring to the table. Not even my weaknesses. I was not the point at all!
It was only in this context that I felt comfortable bringing my issues up to others. I suppose it was because Jesus was held in such high regard that my issues were certainly not going to take away anything from the group. It turns out, they all had issues of their own. The one thing we had in common was that we were broken and hoping for redemption.
At some point after hearing the Gospel over and over again, it clicked. My right-standing before God was based on Jesus and not on who I am or what I have done. As mentioned earlier, I had no confidence in myself, but that didn’t matter anymore! For the first time I felt liberated.
This momentum didn’t stop. The church taught me that just like the person and work of Jesus is the basis for my relationship with God, He was also the basis for my relationships with others. Suddenly I wasn’t impressed with people’s possessions and accomplishments. Instead, I was open to pursuing folks for the sake of experiencing Jesus like I had. With one Gospel blow, God spoke life into my relationships and insecurities.
As for my anxiety, this is an affliction I still live with today. I suppose it is my “thorn in the flesh” that I have begged God over and over to take from me and certainly God’s grace has been sufficient for me. It is because of this sufficient grace that anxiety no longer calls the shots in my life. In fact, I now look back and see how powerfully God has used this affliction to shape my character and increase my faith in Him. I used to be an arrogant know-it-all. I used to be foolish in thinking I could control my life’s circumstances. Anxiety exposed these character flaws and brought me to my knees. Thankfully, there is a merciful God that lifted me up and opened my eyes to the fact that that I am His and “if God is for us, who can be against us?” I am forever grateful for the church helping me see and confirm this over the past decade.
I share all of this to testify that God is able and willing to transform and heal us all and that the local church is a place where His power manifests. I also share this to encourage all those that have sacrificed and served within the context of a local church. To our church planters, thank you for obeying the call to suffer for the advancement of the church. To our pastors, thank you for running into our messy lives when the culture around us and our sin buries us deeper in shame and guilt. To our churches and all of those that belong to her, thank you for keeping Jesus supreme.
Since I conveniently let the Apostle Paul keep the label of Chief of Sinners, I will let him have the final word of encouragement. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8: 18-21.
