THOSE WHO POURED INTO ME - #1 - THE PASTORS

Ken Watson - Pineridge Family Church - Pembroke
Ken was my first pastor. I ended up in church because my daughter got persuaded to join the Awana program. We discovered that church wasn't about old people, blueberry pies or organ music. In fact, some of the people were our age and pretty cool. We continued going. Pastor Ken and his wife led Janice and me to the Lord. We hooked up with a Bible Study that, to this day, Janice and I cherish, and unfairly, we compare all past Bible Studies to the strength we found together in Pembroke.

Cam Howie - Lakeshore Missionary Alliance Church - North Bay
Sunday morning was traditional but Saturday was "rockin". This was during the Vineyard song- movement and it was great. I learned how to worship with my hands. My wife and I were indirectly mentored to be "strong parents" by the Wilson Family, and their in-direct example helped Janice and me to raise two amazing kids to love the Lord. Cam died suddenly in a boating accident, trapped below the deck with one of his sons. Very sad. Regardless, because of Saturday night, this has always been my favourite church.

Ian and Ros McLean - North Bay Vineyard (now Wellspring) - North Bay
This is our supplemental church. While Lakeshore was great, we cautiously tried Vineyard on Sunday afternoons, based out of the McLean's home. I discovered gifts of the spirit and a depth about the Lord that wasn't revealed to me anywhere else. Ian, as a criminal lawyer had insight into the Word and his wife Ros could look me in the eye and through a "word of knowledge, she could tell me all about myself. During these Vineyard years, so pretty radically strange stuff went on in North Bay, the daughter church of TACF. But there was always something there luring us back. Therefore we attend two churches while living in North Bay, Lakeshore being the home church.

Garry Blinch - Sudbury Alliance Church - Sudbury
I don't know what I got from this church. It was boring. The songs were weak. But Garry and Anne his wife and daughter and son, became best friends with us. Garry took a chance and trusted us, a family in his congregation, something pastors never do. We feel we attended this church, simply to be a support for the Blinches.

Jerry Bryant - Nashville Vineyard - Nashville, TN
It was the first church I looked for the day I arrived in town. I loved the whole Vineyard movement - the history, the music; the non judgmental people, the non-celebrity worship (which is hard to avoid in Nashvegas). The musicians on the worship team were Nashville-pros and I've not heard a worship team that good, since. We didn't make good friends thru the church but Jerry said many things to inspire me. The most important, and I'll quote word for word, "I don't trust a man who isn't limping because it means he hasn't wrestled with God".

John Howard - Bethel Community Church - Barrie
Our first home church in Barrie. The total opposite to Nashville and North Bay. The music was very traditional and southern gospel. But John was/is a caring man and it was a good place to be.

Kevin Bushey - Calvary Community Church - Barrie
Ironically, this "community church" is across the concession line of Barrie, where no one ever travels. Only hay fields surround it. Why it was planted I'll never know. But, recommended by a friend, we found a boppin' worship team, with a crowd that actually bounced, and a powerfully gifted youth pastor named Vaden Hiller, who pieced my heart with his go-for-the-throat sermons. Believe it or not, on Christmas Eve, he skipped the usual "Three Wise Men" story and told us "who's going to Hell!", based on Romans. Wild! "Calvary rocks Barrie" Kevin used to say. I soon discovered what a "church split" was and hung thru it until I could not hold anymore.

Wayne Lucas - Alliston Pentecostal Church - Alliston
It's a 40-minute drive each way. It's horrible in the winter. We sing six songs and we sing them twice through, then again at half speed. It's moderately contemporary and the rotation of song choices is frequent. Aside from the music, I discovered Wayne through on location appearances with LIFE 100.3. Wayne is a leader, a mentor and someone who loves to "pour into you". Wayne's messages remind me that "holiness is attainable". He makes me feel like "I can do it! I can do this ‘Jesus-thing'" Not only does the church love LIFE 100.3 but the people make me feel loved. People love laying hands on the hurting. The youth group love Jesus and they are stuck together with super-glue! Ah, if only I could reduce the drive-time.

Thanks to all these amazing men of God who have poured wisdom, interpretation, enlightenment and freedom into me. During different stages of my life, each man showed me another side of Christ and I feel richer for it.

My Worst Church Experience

One pastor very strongly rebuked me for leaving the church and moving to another. "You bloom where you're planted!" he told me quite sternly. I've thought about this many times. I've decided that the bloom sometimes withers and dies when it's not watered.

I am a Christian who considers the expression "oh, it was for a season" as a Christian phrase that allows us an excuse to stop doing something or believing. "God doesn't do that any more -it was for a season". I try to use the word sparingly because of my distain for the misuse of the word.

Sometimes it isn't the church member who withers and leaves for better soil, but the pastor who doesn't know when his season is up.

Sorry for the long Blog. I'm actually thinking of writing a book. Would you buy it? Next time "Those Who Poured Into Me #2". Stay tuned.