A Jesus Worth Following

This week we return Back to the Garden with 3 special guests who share pieces of their story and why Jesus is worth following. They delve into the difference between being a Christian who attends church versus one who takes ownership of their relationship with God. They also expand on the visible growth that accompanies belonging to a healthy church, sharing their personal experience of how good community really does impact their intimacy with God. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Hey everybody and welcome back to the garden. I'm your host, J Beloved. And like always, it's a pleasure being here with you guys on this journey discovering whether or not there's more to life for you than what you might know. Today, not only do we have one special guest, but we have three. Three amazing people that I've had the pleasure to do life with. We all attend the same church. And I've heard a little bit about your guys' story, and I will say they've been through some like real life things. Like the type of things that not everyone comes out on the other side. What I mean by this is some of the things that they've gone through sends people spiraling, to be honest. But I have heard and seen victory through all of your stories. From what I've the little bit that I've learned about you guys, and um I just want to encourage you guys. I've been inspired by you. I know a lot of what you guys do. We all attend the same church. I think I said that already. But a lot of what you guys do impacts the people around you in more ways than you realize. A lot of what they do is behind the scenes, but I'm inspired by it because I feel like you guys carry the heart of Jesus when it comes to serving. And it absolutely inspires me and it edifies the body, it builds us up. So keep doing what you're doing. Um yeah, you guys are great. You guys are great. So you can go ahead and introduce yourselves.

SPEAKER_00 1:29

Um, I'm Gina, and I am from Ronda. Um I'm very happy to be here.

SPEAKER_03 1:38

You can say where you serve in the church.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

Oh, yeah, that's true. Um, I serve as a host team, hospitality. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

It's very fitting. She's very hospitable.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Yeah, I love hosting.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Yeah. She does. My name is Diella. I am from Burundi. Um, I serve in the host team as well as a greeter, so I'm probably gonna be the first face you see when you enter the church.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Period.

SPEAKER_03 2:10

My name is Annie, and I serve on the host team and also like social media. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Good stuff, good stuff. So they've um really helped me steward back to the garden all in different uh ways, whether it's telling me how to fix the camera or honestly just telling me to keep going. It's they have kept me accountable in many ways. Um, and I just want to thank you guys publicly. And I want you guys to be introduced to the team, really. We have a lot more in store for you guys than just the podcast. Uh so stay tuned for that. But yeah, I wanted to do a little introduction so that we can get to know who's helping behind the scenes. Um, I'll start with this. When we look in scripture, specifically in the gospels, we see that Jesus meets his disciples very uniquely, right? And so he comes to every individual and he doesn't share the same thing. Um, he meets everyone where they're at, right? You see Peter, he's fishing. Jesus goes to Peter where he's at and he invites him to follow him. He sees Achaeus, who's a wee little man, a short little man. He's up in a tree looking for Jesus, right? And Jesus sees him and invites him to follow him, right? And so every single person that Jesus invited to follow him, um, they were doing life. They were somewhere very specific. It was a very unique place when God found them, right? And so my first question to you guys would be when did you realize Jesus was worth following? What was going on in your life?

SPEAKER_00 3:50

So for me, um, it was right around my father passed away. And I remember like a few months after that, my mother gave her life to Christ. And I think through seeing her experience like what the love of Christ is, is just what made me um it's just what like enabled me to also have that encounter with him. Because we're such a we're such a vulnerable place and like everything makes sense. And also I grew up Catholic, so for the longest time, it was just like, yeah, I know of God, but like do I really know him? And then I remember we would have people that that would come to pray like at home, and we'd be like an intense prayer praying in tongues, and I would be like so confused, and I remember what's going on this one time. I like joined them, and then this one pastor's sister like prophesying over me, like speaking. And I remember after that I went back into my room and then I prayed, and I was like, I don't understand what's going on right now, but I see what you're doing for my mother, and I want to experience that. Wow. And from that moment on, like his love just felt so tangible. Wow. And I think from there, like Christ was was was introduced to me like through my mom. Wow. And that was just like beautiful, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

It captured me. A hundred percent. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

And I feel like I've always had like this relationship with God, but that moment then it was just like it was just like a stamp and the paper, like I'm here, and and there was like a renewing of mine of like, oh, this is who I am. Then we like like I was able to understand like what Christ is, like and I and I was so young, but like I remember reading the Bible and everything was just so new, like because then the Catholic church you go and you speak the Bible for you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But then I remember after that, like we would have Bible sessions with my mom and she would be reading Isaiah. And I remember she was reading Isaiah 43 about like how I will uh like a thousand who will follow on your on your ride, and then hush and sub on your ransom. I was like, this God loves me, like this for me. And I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna have to see what this is about. And that just like, yeah, it captured me. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

That's beautiful. So seeing the way the gospel impacted your mother made you realize Jesus is actually worth following. That's actually beautiful by testimony. That's beautiful. How about you guys?

SPEAKER_02 6:44

Um, we kind of had a similar story because our father passed away.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Um they're siblings, by the way.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

Um our father passed away, but we were not together. He passed away in Canada and we were back home. And there was no way for us to um we were in Rwanda actually. We were oh yeah, sorry. We were in Rwanda, we're not in Burundi. Um, and the whole thing I knew about Jesus, like I mean, we I grew up also in a Catholic household, um attended mass, they basically like ticked off whatever I'm supposed to take off on Sunday, you know. And um I remember specifically when he died, I was like, who do I turn to now? Like my mom is mourning, my my brothers are not here, even if they were. I don't I don't think I don't think I would have the courage to even like um open up to them. And she was really young. My my sister was really, really young. She barely understood what was going on. And I remember like the same day that he passed away, I made a prayer. I was like, okay, God, I mean, took my father, so now I guess it's time for you to show up. It's time for you to be a husband to my mom and a father to us. And honestly, guys, since that prayer, he has not fallen short at all. So I remember I just it was a quick prayer. It was right before I went to sleep. I was like, yeah, you have to be a husband to my mom and a father to us. Amen. That's what I and then that was it. And then I wouldn't say like that was the point I started following Jesus, but like that was my turning point. From there, I'd from there it just kept it was me pursuing him. Like, who is this person? Like, why did I turn to him of all people? Like, I could have I could have chosen a million things to follow after that. Like my mom was not there, she was really young. Like, I could have well picked anything at that point, but I picked a prayer, a short one, and yeah, here we are.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Jesus met you in it.

SPEAKER_03 9:03

He did.

SPEAKER_01 9:03

That's beautiful. He did. Thanks for sharing.

SPEAKER_03 9:06

Um I guess it's my turn. I guess. For me, it was um like she said when we lost like our daddy was I was 15 actually. And like she said, like my mom was here, my siblings were here. I we were in Ronda, but me and her, like right now we're actually close. Yeah. In Ronda, like I'll just go to her if I need money.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Oh, those ones, the older sibling. She was funny. She was a provider.

SPEAKER_03 9:34

She was a provider. I was, yeah, serious. She was a provider. So like every time I'd go like to her for money, like we never talked. She didn't know anything about me or me knowing about her. Like, we never had a relationship. That's just it. It was just a transactional transactional thing. Wow. Like, well, give me this, I need this. Like, you're the one mom sends like the money. So, like, you have to do it. Give me the money, give me the money. Who else do I? You know what I mean? Well, and then because in Ronda, there is this like um national exam that they do, and I was like in a class where like I had a national exam. And like we lost our dad in August, and I was in the year of we were gonna do it in um in uh November. In November we were gonna do it. So I was doing it in three months. Wow. So it's like I had to deal with school and then with losing like my dad, but also like none of my friends had ever lost like a parent, only like except one. And it was like, even though like I wanted to talk about it, but it's like, who am I gonna go to? I can go to her because we only have a transactional relationship. You know what I mean? Wow, wow. And the crazy thing is my friend who had lost like one of her parents was a Christian. Okay, so like I'm talking every day, guys. Like 5 a.m. She's doing her devotions, she's praying, she's reading the Bible. So I said, okay, like I guess you're the only one I can talk to. Mind you, we're not friends. Wow. But I said, please me, I'm not shy. Like, I'll approach you. Like, you don't want to talk to me, you're gonna have to talk to me. So I started like talking to her, and it was like, so I started asking her, like, how did you deal with it and all that? And she's like, she started, she's the one that introduced me to Jesus. Wow. And like she started telling me, like, she was praying, and I was like, okay, because we I'm learning like from scratch, like just like a baby's learning how to walk. Yeah, I'm like, I'm learning everything from scratch. So it was like, but then also like losing, like a father is usually held as like a place of a provider, you know what I mean? Yeah, and it was like, yes, I know my mom works, but it's like we just lost the provider. But remember, I didn't know God could be a provider, God could be a father. Wow. So it was like, I have like, because honestly, I'm a person like I don't like, I don't truly care, but it was like at that moment, I said saying, so like, how is mom gonna provide for me, my sister, and my other brothers? Wow. I started saying, and all of that is like I'm overthinking and it's only causing me anxiety. So I said, Lord, right now, like before you provide, I just need peace before anything. Wow. Because it's like I need peace that way I can rest in knowing that you're gonna be there. Wow. You know what I mean? Wow. So as my friend is in is introducing me to Jesus, and it's like I'm I'm learning how to even pray. Because it would be Catholics have these prayers that are already written for you, you just need to memorize. And it's like you just recite them, you know what I mean? But it's like I'm learning how to pray. And I remember like one of the fur like first prayers that I ever did was like I need peace before anything. And I've never fasted in my life. My friend fasted every Friday. I said I'm gonna have to join. You're the only one that can relate to wow. I said I'm that desperate, I'm gonna start joining. Like, I don't have a choice. You know what I mean? So it's like, but also like at first it felt like why do we have to do this? But then after it was like, I actually want to do this, you know what I mean? There is a peace that is coming in, you know, denying my flesh, and I'm I'm you know, choosing to dwell in his presence over going somewhere to eat. Yeah, and you guys, I'm a person that loves fresh meetings. She's a foodie, she is a foodie, you know, but it's like I'm choosing like to skip my meals. Mind you, we're in a boarding school. If you skip a meal, you're just gonna leave it at 8 p.m. That's like 12. We're talking about 12 p.m. I think it's open people have a store.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

So it's a sacrifice, yeah. Our true sacrifice.

SPEAKER_03 13:54

It was a true one. Like so, it was like honestly, for me, it was finding peace because it was like I've seen like people who go through like what we went through, and it's like they're turning to alcohol, they're turning to drugs and all that stuff, but it's like you can see that they're still fighting something within them. Wow, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it was like, as like I surrendered every day, I was even having more peace. Like, I don't have money. Um like because even my mom was like they came to Canada 2019 in May. My past my dad passed away in August. Yeah, wow. So it's like they're new to a country, they don't have their papers. My mom is fighting a hospital bill because she's being billed as an international person, not as a wow, not as a Canadian or even PR person.

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:43

So she's I'm like, we even though you you you have money, you don't have dollar money.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

It's not translate anything, it's not really anything.

SPEAKER_03 15:09

Like we're in a boarding school. The boarding school was actually expensive, like it cost more than a thousand USD every three months. Yeah, like every three months. Wow, wow. So it was like wow, and then you have to also gotta buy like the supplies and all this, but it was it was just insane. But it was like seeing God be a provider, even a father, even like uh even the peace, you know what I mean? Yeah, through all those stuff, I never had to worry of like where am I gonna get this next? Yeah, where am I gonna get this next? Well, it would just come, come, you know what I mean? And that's when I said no one else can truly provide. Wow, no one only Jesus, only Jesus, amen, amen.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

About to start singing right there. Beautiful. Thank you guys for sharing. Thank you for sharing. I think it's so interesting how God meets people where they're at, right? You were all in something very unique, but it was God that uh it I believe it's in Jeremiah 31, 3 where it says, He saw you from a distance in love and he drew you in love. Yes, right? It was his kindness that first takes the initial step to draw us towards him, right? He knew you needed peace, right? And he met you as peace. You know what I mean? He knew you needed love and he met you as as love. He knew you needed a provider, a father, and he met you that way. And so it's so beautiful, like it sets him up. Even like when we're talking about different religions and what they have to offer, our God is set apart in love, yes, in the way he meets people. It's so profound, it's so unique, it's so specific. It's not just like all of humanity gets what they get. This is this is the bar. It's I'm gonna meet you where you're at. And so it's so beautiful to hear. That's that that that's exactly what he he did. Um, so in Matthew 16, we see that Jesus reaches a point where he's been doing life with his disciples, right? Um, they've seen him do miracles, they've seen him heal, they've seen him do all these things, right? And it reaches a point where he asks his disciples, the people that are walking very close with him, who do you say I am? Right? And everybody's saying, Well, people think you're a prophet, people think you're this, people, and he says, No, but who do you say I am? Right? And Peter responds in a way that really touches Jesus. He says, You're the son of God, right? And in that moment, Jesus said, only the Father could reveal that to you, right? And so I, we're all believers, we all know that Jesus is the son of God, we know that he's Lord. Um, I would say, after doing life with Jesus for as long as you have been, right? Up until this moment, my question to you guys is who do you say Jesus is right now? Who is Jesus for you in this specific season, this hour, May 24th, 2026? Who is Jesus to you in this season?

SPEAKER_00 18:08

I to me, Jesus right now, he's a friend. Well, friend is the word that keeps coming into my head because for the longest time I was only able to see him as like uh as as as a provider and like nothing else. Like, wow, I'm coming here for this or you're giving it to me. Yes, and like that's the only relationship I had with him. Well until because relational, yes. So I for the past three years, I think I've been learning how to fall in love with God, like generally love him, you know? Wow and not just transactional, like not just surface. Okay, you've I've come to ask for this and you've given me this. But now it's like, okay, do I know what pleases your heart? Do I know what you're like how how do I keep walking in alignment? I would have to know you better for me to know exactly what I need to keep doing, and how do I know you as you become a friend? Wow. So yeah, I've been seeing Jesus as a friend, he's been a friend to me.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

Amen. Yeah, that's beautiful. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

Um, I would say Jesus as a father, um also a friend, but more of um how do you say again? Somebody confine? Yeah, yeah, confidence. Oh yeah, okay. Uh I would say that because like anytime I feel like, oh, this this might sound crazy to someone else. I'm like, yeah, I got Jesus. I love someone else. I love someone else. I love someone else. Wow. You know, and I love um there was this sermon I was watching about, um, it was by Philip Mitchell. Yeah. He was saying, like, God is on the like the right hand of the Father, which is like the throne of grace and mercy. So no matter how bad it is, how bad I might think it is, yeah, he still sitting on the throne of grace and mercy.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Until he comes. When he does, it's gonna be a throne of judgment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm like, I'm gonna use that as long as I can. I'm gonna use that as long as I can. So, you know, like every time I think like this is so messed up, but I'm like, no, he's still sitting on the throne of grace and mercy, and uh you repent. And even like even in those moments, depending on how I might be going through it, or anybody else might be going through it, yeah. Like, there's no point, there's no coming back from this. Oh my god, there always is a way back, yes, always a way back, so yeah, he is a confident, I don't know, even a safe place, a safe place, yeah. A safe place for me.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

Wow, beautiful, beautiful, amen.

SPEAKER_03 21:09

For me, I would say um Redeemer, but also he restores.

SPEAKER_01 21:17

Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Yeah, for me, it's more of so like for the past two months, like I've been going like the hospital ships.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

God bless you, God bless you, man.

SPEAKER_03 21:32

You know what I mean? And it was like I I started feeling myself like drifting away, and then at the beginning, because I was having imposter syndrome at the hospital. I'm like, okay, I have all this knowledge that they gave me, but how am I gonna apply it? You know what I mean? And it was like with that, and it's like my mind is so preoccupied with how am I gonna do that I started drifting away from what I should really be focusing on. You know what I mean? So I started like. How can I say like not giving up on my relationship with the Lord, but like taking it for granted it wasn't my priority when Jesus started becoming my number two, it was like transactional, like I'll go to you when I need like I need this anxiety gone to sure Lord I'm here but I'm back you know what I mean? Yeah and it's like but I it like every time I would go to the hospital, like especially when it was in the morning, like this kept like a playing in my head, like even though you're thinking it's gone, like God can restore it. You know what I mean? God can restore whatever you have deemed like lost, whatever you've deemed like this can come back. There is no one gonna come back, you know what I mean? God can restore it. Everything you've deemed broken, God can restore. Amen. Your relationship with the Lord, He can restore. Amen. Your relationship with your siblings, He can restore, your relationship with your parents, He can restore. Every single thing you you think is gone, He can restore. The only thing is we need to just be obedient. You know what I mean? The crazy thing is, as human beings, we know what to do, but we choose not to do it. It's like Paul said, Yeah, my spirit is green. I do what I don't want to do, what I want to do, I don't do. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You don't do and then I'm saying I'm trying to say, Lord, my spirit is willing to wake up. My flesh is weak. I need to get this eight hours of sleep in me if you want me to be standing for 12 hours. You know what I mean? But there's also like the sacrificial love, you know what I mean? And it's like, do I truly love the Lord if I'm not even choosing to sacrifice 30 minutes of my preach, girl? You know what I mean? It's true. Instead of being cocked when I'm driving, I'm like, okay, okay, time out, time out. Like I'm like, I'm about to reach the hospital, like let's cut this off, you know what I mean? But it was like, even though like I'm remembering, like, yes, my flesh is weak, but I'm like, God can restore what I'm thinking is already gone, you know what I mean? And it's like as I started, like, of course, like going back, because now I'm like, okay, I'm done with the hospital ships. Now what's your excuse? Now when they by the neck now, you know, now when they take away your excuse, what's your excuse now? You know what I mean? Yeah, because I was using my hospital shifts as a as an excuse. I'll get you away. I don't have time, you know. I'm coming home, I'm coming home from the 7:30 p.m. to 7 30 a.m. shift. I have to sleep because I'm going back in the evening. So I'm sleeping from like 8:30 to like 5, and then I get ready from 5, and then so Lord, you know, I don't have time now. Wow, take it very nice. I think I'm gonna have to sit at the table with him, you know what I mean? And it's good time for you, you know. Because the thing is, whatever excuse we're using to not make him a priority, he's gonna take it away. He's gonna take it away. Because one thing about the way because one thing about the law, he doesn't play with his kids. You think you're busy? Let me take away that job. Hello, hello. You think you're too busy? Job. I'm not saying job is like using excuses, but said God said, Okay, I'm gonna I'ma let you test him, we're gonna see. They took away everything right now. If they took away everything, guys, would you still be showing up every day? Come on, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 25:46

He will do it.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

He will say nothing about that too. I think it was like three months. No, it was like at the beginning of the year, like right after we ended that Daniel fast, actually. Okay, and for some reason I went into like this three weeks of like generally not having like um like a like secret time with God, like having my time with him. Yeah, and every day I would go to sleep, it comes into my head like there was like things happening again that were distracting me, right? Yeah, and guys, it got to a point where the Lord was waking me up at 3m, 4 a.m. was like, oh, you you don't have time during the day. I'll wake you up at night. Let me sweat. Let me snatch this for you. Was I not awakened and was I not praying? I was awakened, I didn't even question. I was like, Yes, Lord, I'm here.

unknown 26:41

You're praying.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

You're right. I was like, I heard you. He did it, he did it the other the same night, the the second night. I was like, I heard you loud and clear. I'm gonna be praying.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

Wow, say this. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 26:56

So yeah, he'll not during the day, sure.

SPEAKER_03 26:58

Yeah, he's saying what about at night every yeah, yeah, wow, because like every time we're disobedient, God is gonna send a reminder.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

Not like a crazy one, but until he sends the crazy voice, I'm grateful, it's true. I'm grateful for the time I can hear his voice, but now I'm able to hear it.

SPEAKER_01 27:19

Hallelujah. Praise God.

SPEAKER_03 27:21

You don't want to listen to first time, I'll show you.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

Yeah, that's right. That's what he says. Wow, and what's so beautiful is the word painted this way that he corrects those he loves. Wow, right? He corrects those he loves. I remember one time I was a little bit distant from the Lord, and I was thinking about how I wasn't feeling convicted, and then I began to feel convicted about not feeling convicted. Exactly. Why am I not feeling like on edge because I'm distant from God? You know what I mean? And so it woke me up. It I was awake. I said, God, here I am. He said, Look at them. You know what I mean? The thing is though, like like it is funny, but it's like it's his love that pursues us. It's like we're we're growing in a friendship, right? And and it's like I'm committed to doing life with you. Okay. Now let's say we've both committed to this friendship, yeah, but then you kind of just like fade away. Fade away. I'm pursuing the friendship now, and it's not just you, it's not, it's not us both doing it, it's it's just me. It's one-sided. That kind of sucks. You know what I mean? But the thing about God is he's committed, exactly. He's committed, I think, of the vows at the altar, like for better or for worse. He is the the prime exact, he is, he's a prime example of the vows. Because I'm telling you, God should have given up on me a long time ago. A long time ago.

SPEAKER_03 28:57

He's a he's a I saw this world saying he's a faithful groom to the unfaithful bride. Oh, okay, right. Because we're unfaithful every day, we cheat on God every day. Wow. Oh my god, we cheat on God by making our things idols, priority, yeah. He's still there, he's still waiting for you to come. Like a husband that is waiting for the wife to come home, but you're just choosing to be outside, yeah. Wow, wow, you know, you know you're supposed to go home, but you're choosing to go to the mall. That's how it is. Malls is full of distractions.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Wow. Wow. Wow. So my prayer is the same prayer that uh David said in Psalms, he said, Lord, I hear you calling. My heart respond responds, I'm coming, Lord. My prayer would be that every time we feel the Lord beckoning us, that we'd run to Him. That we wouldn't allow distractions to dictate whether or not we're stewarding the intimacy that God has made available. Yes. Beautiful stuff, guys. Beautiful stuff. Um so let's get into church community and its place in the life of a believer. Um, I've been to many churches in my life, many churches, whether it's Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, you name it, I've been there. I've been to churches that they have all the gifts, and by this I mean like prophecy, speaking in tongues, words of knowledge, all of the gifts, but absolutely zero fruit. Yeah, zero fruit. What I mean by this is the fruit of the spirit, the the DNA of God, the love, the patience, the faithfulness, the kindness, the joy, the peace. Zero fruit. I've also been to other churches where they didn't have any gifts, or they didn't no, not even that. They didn't have gifts or the fruit, just dead church. Wow dead church, is Jesus even alive? You know what I mean? I've been to places that they've had fruit. Um, I feel like when you have fruit, it carries the gifts, yeah. Right. So, what what I want to talk about here is because we all go to the same church, and I remember being at this church, we're gonna plug it, it's Ottawa Community Church. I remember about a month in, um the Lord showed me that He was gonna use that place to um bring redemption in a lot of people's life, that a lot of people would be healed from church hurt and trauma and all of that, right? And I experienced God so profoundly in that place because there were both fruit and the gifts. Anytime I'm talking about our church, it's fruitful, it bears fruit, it's a safe place, there's purity, it's a place where you can actually grow and be transformed. You understand what I'm saying? And so, what my question to you guys would be is how has being a part of this healthy church impacted your life individually?

SPEAKER_04 32:05

I think okay, right.

SPEAKER_03 32:08

Yeah, she's right when we started like praying, like we when we got saved, because I remember I got saved while I was in high school, but it was a boarding school. So, like it was only one church. I didn't have a choice of oh, let me try this one, let me try this one, let me try this one. It was only one. Just like you said, a church can have gifts, but not fruits. Yeah, no fruit. It's of course it's being led by students. I'm not saying like students cannot lead a church because God can provide the maturity, the spiritual maturity, you know what I mean? Yeah, but I'm just saying like there was no patience, there was no kindness. Wow, there were there was no grace. Wow, you know what I mean? So it was like there was no no fruits.

SPEAKER_01 32:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

And then when we got outside like during holidays when we were outside, like even the church there, it was like um people were going to a church because their group friends is going to that church. They're not going to the church because guys, a relationship with the Lord is a one, it's personal, yeah, it's not a community thing, it's not a group thing. So if you're going to a church because all my other groups are going to the church, the devil is a lie. He's a liar because OCC might be for Gina, OCC might be for me, but maybe it's not for you. Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, it's true, it's true. It's just like it's true. It's that simple. Yeah. Just because we're friends with Gina doesn't mean me and Gina have to go to the same place. It's true, it's true. We led by the spirit. Because even my friend that introduced me to OCC doesn't go to OCC. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. So it's like you have to remember, yes, it's okay to have friends outside of the church, but it's like it's a personal relationship with the Lord. It's not a it's not a group thing. It's not I'm not gonna consult Shay. It's not I'm gonna consult her before I go to that church, but it's like, how is that church contributing to your personal relationship with the Lord? You know what I mean? Yeah, and for me, yeah, when we came to OCC, I was being clocked left and right. We have Shay here every Sunday telling you, what are you doing? What are you doing? You you say, like, you say whatever you're go you're going through, they're like, I think you close that to yourself. Like you're being held accountable for your own actions, you know what I mean? Accountability. That's what we mean. Yeah, the Bible says confess the things to each other, but I don't see where it says, okay, confess and just sit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have to deal with the with the issue, like yeah, and if the issue is it's you, you have to be dealt with, you have to be dealt with, yeah. And so for us, I mean for me, when we got to OCC, I wasn't, guys. I'm talking, yes, I know the Bible, but my Bible was collecting dust. And I remember like the first few times I told you, and you're like, and then I asked you, like, how did you even start reading the Bible? Do you do you remember what you just told me? No. But you told me, you told me, ask, and it shall be given. And you said I prayed for wisdom to be able to understand the Bible, and the Lord gave it to me. Guys, that I said that was my prayer. She said, Lord, whatever she said, take that. I need you to start revealing to me when I'm reading those exodus. What am I reading here? You know what I mean? And it was like a I was like, okay, I would open, I'm like, it's I'm like, what am I reading in Ansodus? Yeah, can I just go back to uh Proverbs? The easy one? Can I go to Ephesians? Like, it's easy English. Yeah, what am I reading in Exodus? You know what I mean? But like as I started like reading, it was like, look for my character in the Bible, yeah. What is being revealed as you read? Yeah, because if you read, there is the God that like people, like people were like enslaved. Yeah, what did he do? He restored his power. Like every single chapter you read, every single verse you read, there is he reveals himself. Yeah, everything, that whole book points to Jesus, yeah. No one else, yeah. You know what I mean? So it was like at this point, it was like, okay, now the church has taught me how to go back to the uh Bible. You know what I mean? Because I know I've seen so many churches where it's all about words of encouragement. Say you can do this, say you should do this, you know. Like, you need to do this. It's a TED talk, it's uh it's a TED talk, it's a TikTok. Like you're not telling me go back. Because even when Pastor is preaching, he says, you know, I can tell you all this, but this week I want you to go back and read whatever I thought. Read it for yourself. I cannot read for you. Yeah, you know what I mean? Because there's so much, because Rebecca is the one that talked about this. Every time you're hearing somebody else preach the word, you're getting crumbs.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

Yeah, of what they've already ate.

SPEAKER_03 37:14

Go seek for yourself, go and munch on that feast.

SPEAKER_00 37:18

Go to the Psalms 23.

SPEAKER_03 37:20

Hello, hallelujah! Go to that feast and munch on that.

SPEAKER_00 37:25

Yes, eat of eat today, eat delivered scoop and put on your throat.

SPEAKER_02 37:33

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 37:34

Instead of being crumbs, can I have some? That's what you're basically doing. You're just relying on other people to preach to you. Yeah, and this is what is happening. Everybody's on TikTok looking for the next word of encouragement. Lord, have mercy. You know what I mean? But it's like the Lord is waiting for you to go back to the word. That's right. Because the word points to what? To Jesus. Amen. That's that's how it is. And for me, the church pointed me back to Jesus. Hallelujah. You know what I mean? It wasn't about, oh, I'm waiting for Rebecca to preach, or I'm waiting for Seth to preach. Okay, Seth preached. Praise the Lord. He has planted a seed in my in my heart, but now I need to go back and water the seed. That's right. Because you can't expect the plant to grow if you don't water it. That's right. You know what I mean? That's right. You have to water it, but you what do you water it with the word? Because the word is what? The source. Hallelujah. Like that's how it is. So for me, the church, I mean that's Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 38:31

Amen. It's personal. It's personal. It's personal. That's beautiful. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

You can go. Okay. So for me, the church, the one thing, again, the Lord just keeps revealing himself to me with love. Like love to me is just like the food that just like because God is love. Like amen. Amen. Yeah. And I remember the first few times coming to OCC, I was like, everyone is so nice, everyone's so like heartwarming. And I was like, okay, like it's gonna end sometime. Because for me, I was used to community outside of the church. Like I grew up with a big family, like I'm very community-based. Like I love my community, I love my family, but I had no experience in that, like, like as deep as that in the church. So when I was experiencing that in the church, I was like, like I'm not used to this, like it's gonna end someday. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I remember um a friend invited us out for coffee, sir, and then I was like, wait, like these people care. And from then, like, the Lord just kept like revealing himself in love. Wow. Like that just kept being reaffirmed, and it was so like every single day with like these people, there's just a new level of a new level of revelation of his love through them, and it's just like it never runs out, it just keeps giving and giving and giving. And another thing that really stood out to me is what he said, like it points you back to Jesus. And for me, like I gave my life to Christ when I was 13, when I was young. And but I can say I recommitted my life to Christ when I joined Occ. Because I don't think I truly really knew what it meant to have to have like that relation with him. Like a good relation. That's when I started knowing him as a friend. I would come to two choosing prayers and they're like, oh yeah, you should like you shouldn't um just pray on like Sundays and and uh once a week for real. And yeah, I would like pray and read my Bible, but like there was such a way that like I was able to be discipled and in love that just drew me back to Jesus, and I truly was able to hear the voice of God and discern his voice, and just keep like seeking that that like that thirst and just keep following that. Wow, and it was again really beautiful to see. And it just like again it keeps overflowing. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 41:33

That's right. Yeah, that's right. That's good. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 41:37

That's beautiful. I have a similar story to both. Yeah, um, I also joined, I think I joined shortly after you guys. So um, in that it had been like a year when I was looking for a church. Guys, when I say I was looking, I don't mean I was actively going to church. I was kind of waiting for it to come to the channel. You know, come to me at home. Oh my god, that was so bad. But yeah, and then she joined, and then I was like, okay, because I know her. I was like, if she keeps going, she went one Sunday. I was like, okay, maybe she liked it one Sunday. She went another, she went for like a month. I was like, okay, let me go see what's going on here. Yeah, I went, I went, and then and then everybody was guys. OCC hugs a lot.

SPEAKER_01 42:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 42:28

A lot.

SPEAKER_01 42:29

A lot, a lot, a lot. We're hugging.

SPEAKER_02 42:32

I wasn't used to it. I was yeah, I feel like the only person who asked me if they could hug me was you.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

I'm like, cannot hug me. I'd be asking.

SPEAKER_02 42:47

I'd be asking.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

I'll probably meet someone else in front, like no, I love them. I love them. I just feel like I'm so aware that like not everybody wants to be touching.

SPEAKER_02 43:07

You know, so I mean I don't I don't mind. I don't mind, but it was very, very new to me because like coming from like my background, hugging like if you don't hug them, it's a disrespect. Like, why are you giving me your hand? I mean, I was uh a hugger, but I hug you if I know you enough. Yeah, true. First encounter is a handshake. Come on now, like when I enter OCC was like, this is a very like, oh my god, how are you? Like, okay, that's good, that's good. What's the message? And then me, I'm introvert, like I'm such an introvert. Yeah, yeah. I will not walk up to people. She does, she she's extroverted. I'm so introverted, like I just stayed insane. I am introverted short. Uh and then and then I stayed seated the first the spirit service after and then Hael walked up to me. Shout out to Hael. We love it. Shout out to Rayel. Shout out to Hayel. He walked out to me and then found me in my seat and introduced himself. I was like, oh my God. Oh my God. Like, did he notice that I don't want to go to talk with you again? Did he notice? And then I was like, okay, maybe this is like because I'm new. Like they're not used to my face. What's my fucking fine? Uh he introduces himself and like we talk about stuff, like general stuff, and like a few minutes. And then that was it. Like, come second Sunday. I was like, nah, I'm not new anymore. You know, like they've seen me last Sunday, they're not gonna hug me, you know, like a second, same thing. Well, same thing. And then like I did the last Sunday, I sat down after the service. Haya comes back. Oh my god. I was like, no way he came back. And he came back. I thought he had forgotten my name because I'm so used to like if he if it talks for like two or three minutes, like if you come back a whole week after, like what's your name again? What's your name again? I'm sorry. I know I asked you last time, but no, he remembered my name. I was like, you know what? This is the last time anyone is gonna find me in my chair. This is the last time. This is the last time. So when they say, Oh, uh, get up and then we pray, we pray for Adon, go back to sleep. I go, right? I walk up to other people. So, like that alone has showed me like to do this because I want I want everybody to feel what I felt when I first got to see that's it. I want everybody to feel, I feel like that's that that's why I'm the first face you see, like really pressure because of the host team. That's one of the reasons that made me join the host team. Because like well, I want anybody to enter that place and feel what you feel and still, even if they come the second time, they don't feel like oh yeah, like been here, you know. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no. Your presence is still appreciated, we still see you, we still acknowledge your presence, and we still we're we're we're excited to see you, you know. And that was that was like a first, that was first time ever experiencing that in my entire life. Like it's I was like, maybe this is someone someone is pointing cameras at like somewhere, you know, like people catch the show, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, why you guys? It's it's so genuine, it's yes, it's so refreshing. Absolutely. And like it was the first time, guys. It was the first time, like even the pastor, like pastor walked up and he gave me a hug, and then Pastor gave me a hug. I was like, you guys hug you, you can hug people, you know. Like you hug people. I was like, oh wow, yeah, wow, crazy. But yeah, it was it was such a good experience, very healthy, very healing. Wow, very healing. Healing is a word, honestly. Very healing, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 46:53

So many things, like relationship-wise, church. Like, even church hurts, guys, yes, but God told me, but in so many ways, even just like like okay, because I grew up with like for for for the longest time not seeing like a father figure or anything. So, to me, when I first came to church, I was still like, Oh, if you're a man, like I don't want you around me, like no. But literally, I remember every Sunday I would walk in the place that comes and hugs me. I'm like, what does this man want from you? What are you doing? Literally, but he has been so like he would come check up on me, talk to me, make sure I'm doing okay. Like all the men and all the like fathers in the church, yeah, are like and it was so like at first I remember like it felt so weird, like the love felt so weird because it was foreign, it was so healthy that it felt so weird, yeah. And I remember like praying to God, I was like, God, I like this church, but like this is too much, yeah. And then I remember so clearly the voice of the Lord telling me this is what the church of Christ is supposed to be. Wow, wow, like this is a representation of my love, absolutely, and I was like, Okay, I'm I'm gonna seek that. Amen. Because I remember saying this is too much, like they're doing too much, but no, that's exactly how it's supposed to be. It's exactly the more you explore it, like trying to see, oh, is it gonna run out?

SPEAKER_03 48:26

Yeah, the more you find genuine it is, but also like we have to remember, like there is the like um like the portion that the church is gonna do, but there's also like a part that you have to do. Oh, you know what I mean. Yeah, there are people who will just come. I'm not trying to call anybody out, but there are people who come, yeah, and it's like every time people from the church are the ones going, like you have to put it in. They won't go out of their way, yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, they won't go out of their way too. Like, it's true. But it's like if you don't expose yourself, how how are we supposed to redeem what happened? Yeah, because God is gonna use his people to redeem whatever her youth went through, whatever trauma you had, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:10

But it's like, how are the people supposed to help you in that if you're not making yourself the Lord only deals with what you shed light on? That's right.

SPEAKER_02 49:21

Yeah, like Seth touched on it when he when he was preaching about the practice of community. Oh, yeah, yeah. It was like, how am I gonna know that you're dealing with something if you don't open up to me? That's true. Like, how am I supposed to because mine games don't work like that? Like, you I'm not supposed to guess that you're going through something if you don't shed light on it.

SPEAKER_00 49:45

That's right. And the Lord has created us to be in community for a reason. I feel like we underestimate the value people have over our lives, yeah. And depending on like the season you're you're going through as well, like the Lord will give that person like in a sense, like you're thready to just be able to pour it into your life, but that will only happen if you're like willing and like willing and being able to give them access.

SPEAKER_01 50:12

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, that's beautiful stuff. Um I'm happy to hear of how the church has marked you because like you said before, this was God's intent, the church was God's idea, right? And all throughout scripture in the New Testament, the New Testament after the church's birth, so often we see that God is pushing for us to be knit together in love, right? To carry each other's burdens, to do life together, um to usher in the kingdom of God as a body, right? There's so many things that I received breakthrough in my life because I was doing it in community. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 50:51

Acts for come on, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 50:54

That's right. There's so much growth, there's so much, um, it's a safe place, right? And so um, I know we're journeying back to the garden and discovering that there's intimacy, there's more to life, but part of this is community.

SPEAKER_04 51:08

Yes, I know, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:10

We're not lone soldiers here, we're actually an army, yes, right? And so um it's been a pleasure.

SPEAKER_02 51:19

Thank you for that.

SPEAKER_01 51:19

An absolute pleasure. Thank you for allowing us in a little deeper. Um, thank you for sharing your hearts and shedding lights on shedding light on things that are gonna help people who are watching. Genuinely, there's there's oil here. Hallelujah. I don't want to do without the oil. You know what I mean? Let it not run out. But I believe that that this is just the beginning, even of God using your voices, right? I think that oftentimes you guys are more prone to being quiet, not saying you don't speak, but when you do speak, he uses you. Okay, you guys have definitely impacted my life. Um, and so thank you for even taking the time to share your hearts and a bit about your story. And I love you guys, and let's keep doing this. And to you guys, thank you so much for tuning in on this journey back to the garden.