Pastor Ed Thomas, Pastor Conda Lashley, Pastor Jacob Roberts, Vicar Josh Eicholtz, Christian Sharpe, Luke Roberts
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church (SOJ) in NC has been involved with Via de Cristo for over 30 years. Pastor Ed or PE, senior pastor, led the discussion by asking, “What do we want kids to look like?”
Answer: “We want them to be conformed to the WORD, not to the world.” But how do we do this?
Pastor Conda, pastor of Retreats and Missions, stressed the importance of carving out a day or weekend to rekindle the spark and keep growing in your faith. This is just as important for youth and young adults. He has helped SOJ with Via de Cristo, TEC, international mission trips and mission trips to WV, AL and western NC. He has organized one day retreats as well. Increasing hearts in the word.
PE: “Then COVID hit. Thankfully SOJ has an outdoor sanctuary so we could worship sooner than other churches. But I am also not getting any younger.”
That is when God brought Pastor Jacob in. Along with a few other vicars. PE and another pastor mentored these vicars. The vicars were encouraged by SOJ and free to make mistakes knowing they had loving support. Pastor Jacob had finished seminary and visited SOJ because his family attended. PE helped him start in a small church while his wife was loved by SOJ. Now he is on staff at SOJ. As PE tries to decrease Pastor Jacob will increase over time. Older training younger.
Christian and Luke have both been involved in SOJ youth, TEC and are now in the Young Adult Ministry (YAMS). Luke entered the mission field through YWAM and is using leadership skills learned through TEC and adults in his life. He has been asked to teach in adult classes. Christian grew up at SOJ and cited mission trips to WV starting when he was about 6, youth group and TEC for shaping the foundation and call to go to college to be a youth minister.
Vicar Joshua visited SOJ with his family and immediately saw the love for God and the hunger for the word. He is now benefitting from the mentorship of PE.
SOJ and TEC helps encourage people of all ages youth and adults and pushes them in their faith. Adults show trust to the younger ones and prove they are part of the church.
Questions to think about:
- How can I personally encourage people especiallly young people toward greater ministry?
- How can my church do that?
- How can our secretariats do that?
- Might there be a greater role for TEC?
Reported by Chris French Kramer
