This fall, Joel Gearhart and Max Solensky traveled to Japan for a special Reaching & Teaching event designed to shine a light on the enormous need for gospel ministry in this spiritually dark nation. As a church, we’ve been prayerfully moving toward partnering with Max as he prepares—Lord-willing—to join the Vannings on the ground as part of their church-planting team.

While in Japan, Joel and Max were able to spend intentional, vision-shaping time with the Vannings, seeing firsthand both the challenges and the open doors for ministry. They also sat down with Ryan Robertson, President of Reaching & Teaching, for a conversation about Max’s preparations and next steps toward serving in Japan.

You can watch their conversation below—Joel and Max join the podcast at 47:34. 

In past the several months, I’ve attended nine funerals at my church. Twelve this calendar year. This is more than normal in a short period of time. But we’ve been through seasons like this before. The truth is, I count it a great blessing that I grew up in a church and now serve in a church where we have a regular number of funerals every year. That might be odd to read. It feels a bit odd to write. But funerals have always been intended to do good to those who attend (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Here are some of the reasons I thank God that I am a part of a church with its regular share of funerals.

Funerals reflect a generationally diverse church. This isn’t always the case. But at our church the regular number of funerals indicates a church that is generationally diverse. At the beginning of this year, a third of our church members were under the age of 40, and another third were over the age of 65 (with the final third in between). It’s a joy to be in a church with older saints, many of whom have served the Lord faithfully for decades. The funerals this year included a longtime English teacher, a Bible professor, a research assistant turned stay-at-home mom, an expert tailor and teddy bear maker, an addict-turned-evangelist, a stillborn of a young couple, and the wife of one of my mentors. These represent a spectrum of faithful members at my church. They served in various ways for as long as they were able. They touched many lives through their work and through their involvement in the church. I knew each of them, some better than others, and their faithfulness and consistency of involvement, even sometimes with physical limitations, were a godly example to me.

Funerals teach us to number our days. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to a funeral than a feast” (NET). That statement will catch your attention. And it’s intended to. If it seems counterintuitive, it is, which is why the writer of Ecclesiastes goes on to give the reason that this is the case: “For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.” The reason that it is good for us to go to funerals is because funerals bring us face to face with the one reality of life that none of us can escape: death. It is the end (of this earthly life) to which we all proceed. And thus, funerals cause us to think about our lives, how we are spending them, what we are investing in, and who is reigning in our hearts. One of my mentors used to say that numbering our days isn’t living every day as if it is our final day. Rather, it’s living every day in light of the fact that there will be a final day. Funerals help us to number our days by confronting us with the reality that we, too, will have a final day on this earth. Are we ready for it?

Funerals are a time to weep with those who weep. For the past year, my church has studied 1 Corinthians, and we recently were in chapter 12. Verse 26 says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” One of the ways that God cultivates unity in a church family is through suffering. When a particular part of our physical body is hurt, it naturally affects our whole body. The same ought to be true of a church family. We rally around those who are hurting to support them and walk with them in their suffering. We move towards them in their suffering. We spend time with them. We encourage them with God’s promises. As I walk through a visitation line before a funeral, it is not uncommon to cry with my brothers and sisters who are crying. Or again to cry as I listen to members of the family or friends share memories about the one who passed away. It is a good thing for us to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We ended up in 1 Corinthians 15 (the great resurrection chapter) during another group of funerals a month ago. God’s timing is perfect.

Funerals teach my kids about the gospel. As often as I can, I like to bring one or more of my children to the funerals at our church. At funerals, my children get to hear the gospel while being confronted with the consequences of sin: suffering and death. They get to hear how people came to faith in Christ, how they went on to serve the Lord with their lives, or how they trusted God through significant trials. They hear stories of what it is like to follow Jesus through all kinds of life circumstances. They hear the gospel truths of Jesus’ resurrection, our future resurrection, and eternal life. Last month they got to hear a choir of recovering addicts sing “Is He Worthy” by Andrew Petersen. Funerals are a place of gospel urgency when the need for the gospel is easily seen. A funeral pictures that we all need life from death, and the message of Christian funerals is that through faith, Jesus’ death becomes our death, and Jesus’ resurrection becomes our resurrection. Jesus brings life from death. I love that my kids get to hear the good news in this context during their growing up years.

Funerals encourage a church to give, expecting nothing in return. I know a lot of the elderly in my church. I don’t know all of them well, but I’m still connected with them and care about them. Because the church is a place where we commit to one another and serve one another, not because of how well we mesh or because we are in the same life stage or because we like the same kinds of things but rather because God has united us in a family to build one another up in the faith. We love each other because God has loved us. We serve one another because God has served us. And funerals are a great place to display this. Funerals aren’t simply a time for family and close friends to come together. They are a time for the whole church to encourage and support a hurting family, no matter how well they knew the person who passed away. Attending funerals is a simple, practical way to display a gospel-driven commitment to a church family. The presence of the body of Christ gives suffering saints great encouragement.

So, I thank God that I grew up and now serve in a church where I get to experience these wonderful blessings on a regular basis. The message at funerals is that God brings life from death, joy from sorrow, hope from hurt. Death does not have the final word. At our most recent funeral, one of my pastors quoted these verses which sum up this point well: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

Faithful Servant, you likely stepped into ministry with a passion to burn brightly for the Lord. Be warned: that flame can flicker quickly under the weight of ministry responsibility. Burnout is not limited to pastors. Ministry workers across roles, such as worship leaders, missionaries, chaplains, and counselors, face rising emotional fatigue, loneliness, and unsustainable expectations. Around 1,500 North American ministry workers leave their positions every month,¹often due to stress, disillusionment, or burnout. In recent years, feelings of isolation among ministry staff have increased by over 50%,²and many report trauma exposure levels comparable to first responders.³How should these realities challenge your approach to long-term ministry faithfulness? Perhaps the answer lies in slowing down your ministry pace.

Scripture, Burnout, and Running

Scripture uses exercise, like running, as a metaphor for faith, and as a pastoral counselor who runs, I have come to realize that loss of joy in running mirrors the loss of joy leaders experience in ministry. I love running. Running builds confidence. Running helps regulate emotions and teaches discipline. Running encourages individuals to set goals and push through difficulties. Despite these benefits associated with the sport, I have found that overtraining can sap a runner’s joy. For years, I believed running harder and faster held the keys to success, despite experiencing exhaustion and injury. Overtraining was quietly extinguishing my joy. I was burning out.

Recently, I learned about Zone 2 running,⁴a training method that builds stamina and efficiency by running slower without overexertion. Zone 2 running impacts a runner’s health by training the athlete to run faster at lower heart rates, which improves their overall performance. This training exercise taught me an important lesson. Sometimes, success does not come from additional effort but from strategically dialing back the intensity.

The Zone 2 metaphor applies to ministry. Many of you serve in ministry out of love for Jesus and His church. This passion to serve Christ comes with a trap. If you believe that pushing harder and faster, hosting more programs, preaching more sermons, or taking on more responsibility equals more ministry success, then you are approaching ministry the way I approached running. You have fallen into the trap. Ministry leaders who never slow down will eventually find themselves exhausted and disconnected from the passion that once fueled them. And the ministry will suffer. Long-term ministry effectiveness comes when a leader embraces sustainable rhythms and understands the vital role of proper rest in maintaining passion, health, and impact.

Spiritual and Physical Rest 

Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. You started eager to serve. You hoped to please your church, organization, or peers through your efforts. You have likely discovered that the demands of ministry stretch leaders beyond their limits. You push harder, work longer, and slowly feel the burn. The prideful “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality sounds noble, but it becomes your undoing. God models rest, not exhaustion. The Hebrew word sabat means to rest or cease from work, referring to the gift God provided for us when He rested after creation (Genesis 2:2). God was not tired; He was finished. Like an athlete savoring a post-race snack and reflecting on a new personal record, God paused to enjoy the goodness of His completed work. His rest modeled the importance of slowing down to reflect, delight, and restore. Like Zone 2 running, the practice of Sabbath reminds us that overextending ourselves leads to burnout and ineffectiveness. It also robs us of the joy in pausing to reflect on what God has accomplished through us.

God also models rest through the ministry of Jesus. Matthew 12:8 teaches that Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, meaning He has authority over it and reveals its true purpose. The Sabbath, given for our good (Mark 2:27), was distorted by legalism, but Jesus restored it to its life-giving purpose. When He heals the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:13), we see that rest is not meant to restrain but to renew. Jesus invites the weary to find deeper rest in Him (Matt. 11:28) and shows us, by His own example, that strategic withdrawal is not failure; it is faithfulness. He calls His followers to “come away…and rest a while” (Mark 6:31), even when the needs of the crowd are urgent. Jesus did not feel restrained by rest, nor did He equate ceasing with weakness. If the Son of God needed time away for renewal, how much more do we?

Practicing the Discipline of Rest

Taking time to rest requires self-discipline. To extend the metaphor, marathoners do not sprint every day; instead, they train for endurance. Similarly, ministry requires consistent discipline rather than maximum effort every day. Moments to push hard exist, but leaders grow in endurance by training in the basic disciplines of restful moments. Busyness feels productive, but consistent faithfulness to the basics sustains the leader.

To help you maintain a sustainable ministry pace, here are several practical ways to build in rest and care for yourself while serving others:

1. Set Healthy Boundaries: Research shows that professional and personal boundaries help prevent burnout. Studies show that when leaders set limits around work and personal time, they experience lower levels of stress.⁵ 
2. Engage in Regular Rest: Research emphasizes the importance of rest, such as sleep and vacation time. Regular periods of rest are essential for long-term effectiveness in ministry. ⁶
3. Peer Support and Accountability: Studies show that support from peers in ministry significantly reduces feelings of isolation and burnout. Regularly meeting with others for mutual encouragement and accountability leads to higher satisfaction and better mental health.⁷
4. Delegation: Successful leaders delegate ministry tasks while encouraging teamwork within the local church. By involving others, leaders reduce stress and avoid suffering from a hero complex.
5. Physical Exercise: Physical exercise has consistently been proven to reduce stress, improve mental health, and increase physical wellness.

The lesson is simple: wise runners rest after long runs, and so should ministry leaders. Wise runners adjust their training to maintain health and joy, and ministry leaders must do the same. You do not need to burn out to burn brightly; instead, you need to become disciplined in laying “aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and…run with endurance the race set before you” (Hebrews 12:1). Set a ministry pace that ensures lasting impact in the good work God has called you to.

¹Lausanne Movement, “Burnout Among Missionaries Is a Growing Concern,” Evangelical Focus, January 16, 2024, https://evangelicalfocus.com/lausanne-movement/26133/burnout-among-missionaries.
²Peter Luu, “Pastoral Ministry, Loneliness, and Burnout,” PeterLuu.id.au, July 10, 2023, https://peter.luu.id.au/wrote-about/pastoral-ministry-loneliness-burnout/.
³Rich Barlow, “Why Are So Many Religious Leaders Facing Stress and Burnout?” Bostonia, Boston University, February 15, 2022, https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/why-are-so-many-religious-leaders-facing-stress-and-burnout/.
⁴“The Benefits of Zone 2 Running,” Runner’s World, accessed March, 2025, https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a62519617/zone-2-running/#the-benefits-of-zone-2-running.
⁵Russell Weise, “Burnout in the Pastoral Ministry: The Need for Clear Boundaries” (1993; Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 1993), 94, https://scholar.csl.edu/dmin/94.
⁶Barna Group, “Rest and Sabbath: A Vital Practice for Leaders,” Barna, accessed March, 2025, https://www.barna.com/research/rest-sabbath/.
⁷Ibid

The recent movie “King of Kings” by Angel Studios took the box office by storm this past week, so I thought I’d share a few thoughts or talking points as the Pastor for Children’s Ministries. I took my family to watch it last week, and I left both thankful for many aspects of the movie and sad that some essential truths were missed, or at least not very clear.

Movies are such a powerful communication tool. Like any tool, they can be used for right or wrong. The movie “The King of Kings” is the story of the life of Jesus as told by Charles Dickens to his children. Since it is a retelling of the story, don’t expect exact quotes from Scripture. Instead, there are many paraphrases of Scripture. Don’t let that throw you off. Personally, I would have loved to see exact quotes from Scripture, but the paraphrases do communicate much of the original truths, though they are more interpretive in nature. You could think of it more like a storybook Bible. It is, after all, made for kids.

I found the narrative to be very close to the narrative in Scripture, with some obvious artistic licence. At the same time, it seems to me like it was purposely crafted to appeal to as many different faith groups as possible. It does mention the fall of Adam and Eve and the results of sin. It talks a lot about faith in general and our need for Jesus to save us. Those are powerful truths from Scripture.

One of the most emotional moments is towards the end when the movie changes perspective from Charles Dickens and his son, and shifts to the perspective of all those whom Jesus healed or rescued. You see Jesus through the eyes of those individuals as he reaches out to heal them. It is extremely moving as it reminds us that Jesus didn’t just come for a nebulous mass of people, He came to rescue YOU.

One of the most emotional moments is towards the end when the movie changes perspective from Charles Dickens and his son, and shifts to the perspective of all those whom Jesus healed or rescued. You see Jesus through the eyes of those individuals as he reaches out to heal them. It is extremely moving as it reminds us that Jesus didn’t just come for a nebulous mass of people, He came to rescue YOU.

Theologically, I did find a few things to be missing. One of the biggest theological ideas missing is the call that Jesus Himself gives in Scripture to “repent and believe in the gospel.” The movie does talk about belief or faith, but there is no clear call to repent of sin, or at the very least, I missed it. Sin and the truth that sin makes God sad are mentioned. The movie also states that Jesus came to pay for our sin, but that’s pretty much where it stops. As Christian parents, don’t let your gospel witness to your children stop there. All of us are called to repent/turn from our sin and put our faith in Jesus.

Another theological truth that was missing or at least severely muddied is the truth that Jesus is not just the Son of God, but that Jesus is in fact God. He clearly claimed in Scripture to be one with the Father. His claim to deity in Scripture was the reason the Pharisees called for his crucifixion. The movie talks about Jesus as being the Son of God and being close to God, but it doesn’t clearly state that Jesus is God. That’s a big miss. Again, I chalk that up to trying to appeal to as many faith groups as possible. That’s an important clarifying talking point with your kids.

I don’t feel it is my place to tell you to go see any specific movie with your family, but if you do go see it, I think it is helpful to keep some of these ideas in mind as you talk to your children about what you see. At the end of the day, God has commanded parents to teach His commands to their children “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” If The King of Kings movie is part of the way you walk, then use it to point your children to Jesus as He is clearly taught in Scripture.

_{Images are copyright © 2025 by Angel Studios}

On Saturday evening, something happened in the US for the first time in over four decades: an assassination attempt on a president or presidential candidate. While the world began to respond immediately via social media, more thoughtful Americans took time to think through what this meant, what it told us about ourselves and where we are at as a country. The reality is that many in our church, like me, might be at a bit of a disadvantage in knowing how to respond to an event like this, for a few reasons:

1. For any of us who are under 50, we either weren’t alive or were too young to understand the significance of the last time this happened, the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981. It’s been a long time since our country has collectively processed a tragedy like this.
2. Following up on the last point, God has kindly spared our country from this level of political violence that many other countries face regularly. It’s not uncommon to hear about political violence in world news. But assassination attempts seem distant to those of us who have grown up in America’s recent history. Even amidst the growing polarization in recent years, political rivals have not been targeted violently. Threats might have been made, but they’ve not been acted upon or have been successfully prevented.
3. The current American culture simply doesn’t promote slowing down to process past events. The social media age encourages us to keep looking for the next piece of information, scrolling for the next hot take, waiting for the next viral moment, responding immediately to whatever is happening. These realities do not equip us to process.

But process we should. Christians should be asking how to rightly respond to the events of Saturday night. How should we think about it? How should we interact about it? How does God’s Word direct us to respond? Let me suggest three simple ways to process this.

First, we should be careful in how we talk to and about those with whom we disagree, especially as we proceed during an election season. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” One of the greatest freedoms in America is the freedom to disagree with other people. As Christians, gracious speech does not mean we will never disagree with others, but it does mean that our conversations should remain gracious, respectful, and beneficial, even in the midst of sharp disagreements. I agree with President Biden’s words from Sunday night: “the political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool down. And we all have a responsibility to do that.” I agree with former President Trump’s words on Thursday night: "In an age when our politics too often divides us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens — we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Christians are the most equipped to do this well. It’s what God has called us to do. And if our response to these quotes is to try to blame one political party over the other for elevating the rhetoric, it just confirms the need for this point even more.

Second, we should pray for our country. Scripture equips us to pray. Use passages like 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and Romans 13:1-7 to lead you in how to pray for our government and fellow citizens. Pray like this. Here are some suggested things you could pray from these two passages.

1 Timothy 2:1-7

• Thank God for peace that we have experienced as a country (vv.1-2).
• Pray for protection for those who govern our country (v.2).
• Pray for Christians to take the lead in having peaceful interactions (v.2).
• Pray for Christians’ lives/actions to exemplify Christlikeness (v.2).
• Thank God that he is a God of order and righteousness (v.3).
• Pray for truth to spread in our country and for people to be saved (v.4).
• Thank God that our ultimate hope is not in political leaders but is in Christ who died and rose again for us (v.5-6).
• Pray for unity in our country that crosses natural divides: ethnic, social, generational, political, etc. (v.7).

Romans 13:1-7

• Pray for God to fill our country with governing authorities who promote truth and righteousness (v.1).
• Pray for citizens of our country to submit to our governing authorities and to pursue peaceful means of protest when they disagree (v.2).
• Pray for our governing authorities to focus their time on promoting good and punishing evil (v.3).
• Pray for our governing authorities to be successful in bringing justice both nationally and locally (v.4).
• Pray for Christians to take the lead in joyfully submitting to the authorities whom God has appointed (v.5).
• Pray for our tax dollars to be used wisely by our governing authorities (vv.6-7).
• Pray for God to guard us from disrespecting/dishonoring the authorities whom he has placed over us (v.7).

Third, remember that no matter what is going on in our country, God sits on His throne (Psalm 2:4). He will not be moved (Psalm 46:1,7). Therefore, our refuge is in Him (Psalm 46:1,11). We can be still, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Orienting our hearts in this direction will help us to rightly process events like this.

You might feel powerless to affect much change in our nation’s political climate. However, many individuals are in your sphere of influence, and your conversations with them will likely in turn affect others. As a church, may our words be peace-filled, gracious, prayerful, and grounded in truth.

Related Questions:

Did God protect former President Donald Trump on Saturday night?

Yes. God is in absolute control over life and death (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16; Acts 27:21-26).

Did God protect former President Donald Trump because He wants him to win the election?

We do not know; nor does anyone. Looking back on what happened is one thing (God protected former President Trump this past Saturday night). But to pretend we know what God’s plans are for an upcoming election is falsely presumptive. We do not know God’s plans for the future. We are not prophets. But we should happily and peacefully participate in the election process, vote, and most importantly, pray.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
–Deuteronomy 6:4-7

“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.”
–Psalm 102:18-22

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
–Jesus (Matthew 19:14)

One of the greatest gifts that God gives children is parents who desire to teach them about who God is and what He has done to show them that He loves them. We live in a day where there is a wealth of resources to help parents teach their children about God’s gracious words and righteous works. And yet sometimes the amount of resources available can be overwhelming. There are too many to use them all. So, periodically, we (and Pastor Wooster in particular) like to recommend certain resources that we think are the best.

The purpose of this article is to do just that: to recommend a few resources that can help you point your children to the goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love of God. You likely won’t use them all. But maybe one or two will jump out to you as ones you would like to use with your family (or your grandkids!). These are some of the favorites that my family has recently used.

The Biggest Story Bible Storybook

Kevin DeYoung has written an excellent collection of 104 stories from the Bible, fitting each story into the overarching story of redemption through Jesus. This Bible storybook is perfect for kids ages 6-12 with each story able to be read in a manageable time frame. Ideal for family worship, this book also has a website with many other resources related to it, including 4-minute videos of each story, coloring pages, and more.

Seeds Kids Worship

If you want your children to memorize Scripture that they will have with them for the rest of their lives, then you need to know about Seeds Kids Worship (formerly Seeds Family Worship). Seeds produces word-for-word Scripture songs for children. We love singing many of these songs around our house. They have physical CDs, songs on streaming services like Spotify, and videos with motions available on RightNow Media and YouTube.

The Corner Room

The Corner Room is another group that has produced word-for-word Scripture songs. They have three albums on the Psalms and a new album releasing soon on the Words of Jesus. Two of our families favorites are Psalm 46 and Psalm 100. Whereas Seeds Kids Worship songs are written particularly for kids, The Corner Room songs are written for Christians of all ages. Whereas Seeds Kids Worship songs are usually based on 1-2 verses, The Corner Room songs often cover larger groups of verses, including entire Psalms.

Whether using these resources or others, teaching your children to enjoy hearing and singing God’s Words is one of the greatest things you could ever pass on to them. So teach them diligently!

“In matters of doctrine, you will find orthodox congregations frequently change to heterodoxy in the course of thirty or forty years, and that is because too often there has been no catechizing of the children in the essential doctrines of the Gospel.”

– C.H. Spurgeon

Right away, teaching theology to anyone sounds like a big task, let alone teaching theology to kids. That can be a scary undertaking. After all, there is so much at stake. Parents and teachers, don’t be afraid. As we see in C.H. Spurgeon’s quote above there is too much at stake NOT to teach theology to kids. It only takes one generation for a church to leave orthodoxy. That’s why we must be teaching theology to kids.

One way that we have strategically programed the teaching of theology to kids is through Elementary Children’s Church on Sunday mornings and Preschool Kids4Truth on Sunday evenings. During these times we use a curriculum called Kids4Truth. This curriculum systematically walks children through 12 major theological doctrines over the course of a year. Each year we cover all 12 themes, and the following year we cover the same themes but with different lessons. The lessons take 2-3 years to cycle through everything. Below is the basic layout we use.

How have you as a family strategically programed the teaching of theology to kids? It’s easy to think of that as the church’s job, but our job as a church is to come alongside and partner with parents in this task. That means that you need to be doing this at home. So how do you do that? Not everyone has a degree in theology, but every parent is called to teach their children about God. That is the very essence of theology. 

If you need some help getting started, the book The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New is a great place to start. This is a systematic theology book written primarily for kids ages 6-12. If that sounds dry and boring, I can promise you it is not. The Ology takes high and complex truths about God and places them on a lower shelf for children to reach. Marty Machowski beautifully uses explanation, illustrations, and analogies to teach children about God in ways they can begin to grasp.

Al Mohler gives this glowing review “Few tasks are of greater importance than the discipling of children. Christian parents, and Sunday School teachers, committed to biblical fidelity, cannot neglect the tremendous task of teaching children the great truths of Scripture. Marty Machowski’s The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New is a wonderful new book that will equip parents for the task of discipleship and also help children immerse themselves in the Christian worldview.”

Let’s continue to use tools like Kids4Truth and The Ology to show our children how great and good our God truly is.

John Lehman has been a pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church for the past 30 years. When John arrived at HPBC, Pastor Cruice was just a couple years older than Pastor Bates is now (just for some perspective!). As John’s time as a staff pastor comes to a close at the end of 2023, we wanted to take some time to ask some questions about his time at HPBC and what has made his time here so meaningful. You’ll learn some fun facts about the history of HPBC along the way!

So, you arrived at Hampton Park Baptist Church in 1994. (Can you even remember back that far?!) Let me start with this question. What did our campus look like back then?

Well, since Candice was born in 1986, I can remember back that far…haha. 1994 was a long time ago, and yet at times it seems like just yesterday! I remember coming, and our children were 1, 3, 5, and 7. Now our children are all married and we are privileged to have 12 grandchildren. But what did the campus look like? When I attended as a student, the auditorium wasn’t even here, and we used the Miller Activities Center as our place of worship. So, when we arrived in 1994, the Main Auditorium was here, as was the Collins and Brown Buildings and Miller Activities Center. The office extension (everything past the nursery area on both floors) and the upper school building were all still under construction, and the Yearick Center and Mizell Pavilion did not exist, in mind or blueprint. In fact, my first office here was shared with Steve Ridge in what is now one quarter of the office that Dana uses as the Food Services Manager (upstairs MAC). In fact, when I got here, I actually had to build my own bookshelves!

Thinking back to when you first arrived, who were some of the church members that you first got to know who are still here today?

The first ones to meet me were Scott and Cheryl Koenke. We were going to be staying in his parent’s basement, and since our van broke down in Buford, Georgia, we had to be towed here. We arrived at their home, and Scott helped us get unhitched from the tow truck and unloaded into our apartment downstairs. Jon Peery was very quick to invite us out to dinner. The second day we were here was our official interview with the search committee. Jon and Debbie Peery kept our four children, and after the interview was done, he said that our interview was really a smokescreen and that they had actually asked all of the hard questions about us to our children! Mike Cruice invited us over shortly after we arrived, and the plumbing under his sink went bad that evening. So, the two of us got to know each other quite well as we both tried our hand at, and fixed the leak! Ray and Sarah Shaffer invited us to go out on the lake with them in their canoe, and we enjoyed several trips like that. When our van broke down, Ron Stepp came to our rescue and graciously offered a gift to help us on our way! Prior to our arrival here, we had gone through the most trying time up to and in our ministry lives. Karis Wickensimer prepared us a delicious dinner, but prior to eating it, I had to fill out my application for employment. Between the turmoil of our past few years, and the uncertainty of our present, I had worked so hard on the application that prior to leaving for the dinner, I threw up! At the meal, I basically didn’t eat anything because my stomach was in knots. Later, she told me she thought I hadn’t liked her food, but I reassured her it was me and not her. Ken and Joan Jensen took a special interest in us as they were involved in EMU, missions, and raising their own family, and seemed to share that ministry perspective with us. Now it’s special to be even more involved with them as partner missionaries. Little did I know then that David and Pat Fetterolf’s lives and ours were going to intertwine later, as Pat was my secretary for 16 years, until their son Ben graduated from college.

Your background was both in ministry (and counseling specifically) and in school administration. How did God specifically lead you to pursue a pastoral position at HPBC back then?

We went to Calvary Baptist Church and School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, in 1982 for me to teach business and Suzie to teach home economics. After one year, a position in the school administration opened up, and they asked me to fill it. So, I pursued a Masters in Educational Administration.

After completing the Masters, Pastor Tim Jordan, who had recently been installed as the senior pastor, asked if I would come on the pastoral staff, primarily working with the school but also leading the pre-marital counseling and teaching a Newlywed Sunday School class. (I guess I never got away from newlyweds as we are still teaching that at HPBC today! I love that position!) It was during this time and new role that I pursued my seminary training. When we were in Indiana, and I was the Education Pastor there, the position became available to help Pastor Yearick in his latter years. I was specifically given 10 responsibilities in my job description. It’s been a blessing to see how the Lord has, in these 30 years, brought different people to assume those original roles and responsibilities. In fact, it is awesome to know how the Lord has directed and blessed us with Ben Fetterolf in the administration role, Steve Pack in the counseling role, and Joel Gearhart in the missions role. God began orchestrating this many years ago before I ever had a clue about this transition.

You’ve served in a variety of ways over the years. What are some of the different roles that you’ve had as a pastor here?

As I mentioned earlier, I had 10 specific roles when I first arrived. It seems that missions and counseling have always been my main responsibilities. At different times, I would also help with membership. At the time I came, I was responsible for our Sunday School program, Men and Women for Missions, Counseling, Missions in general, and the title that everyone thought was the most unique was “anything else Pastor Yearick wanted me to do!”

Do you know how many different countries you’ve visited during your 30 years here?  

Susie and I were counting up the other day and I believe it is 28.

What has been one of the most fulfilling parts of your ministry at HPBC?

One of the most fulfilling parts of my ministry here is that there are folks taking my positions who are much better qualified and have much better ideas and direction for them! I love that we have a counseling director who is fully responsible for that aspect of the ministry, and having the privilege of sitting in with Steve Pack and hearing him counsel is such a blessing! Being able to observe, and follow Ben Fetterolf as my leader in his role of administration is both amazing and a blessing to me! And being part of Joel’s life as he has come into this role of missions shows how it has taken on new direction and is even more intentional with the missionaries.

You got to Hampton Park not too long after another one of our other pastors arrived, Mike Cruice. You two have been serving together here for a really long time! Can you tell us a funny memory of Pastor Cruice and also something you appreciate about him?

I can still remember the time Mike told me he would like to begin running. So, since it was a rainy morning, I carried a lightweight poncho as I ran to his house from mine. When I got there, he told me that Susan had said she didn’t think I would be coming. He told her that knowing me, I would! Sure enough, I showed up with the rain jacket and my dogs. He ran 3 miles with me, and then I went back to my house. For some reason, we’ve never done that together since.

When the first season of softball came around, he encouraged me to join, as he said that was such a great way to make friendships! I’ve enjoyed all 29 seasons I’ve been able to play (that’s one aspect of our new ministry that is sad for me, since our travel schedule may not permit me to do so).

Mike also placed a great priority on being able to get away with just his wife, Susan. He was always telling me how important it was to spend time with family, and he not only told me that but he showed me how to do that through his life.

One thing you and Suzie are known for is using your home to serve other people. How did God grow that desire in you both, and how important has your home been to your ministry life? 

It started when we began teaching a newlywed class at Calvary. We started having fellowships after the evening service, and it amazed me how well we got to know people with just a little bit of time and a little bit of food. It was such a great way to get to know people. When we began doing that here, there would occasionally be Sunday nights we wouldn’t have anyone over, and if we didn’t, our children would share their disappointment with us! You realize that it was not only us that enjoyed that aspect of the ministry, but they did too!

This is a random question but one that I think many of our church members might not know. When did you first get into running? And how/when did you get connected to Greenville Track Club?

Thank you so much for asking that question. I recall that it was my senior year in high school, in Taiwan, and our basketball team was going to go to Hong Kong for a basketball tournament. We had to raise our own money. So, our team got together and created a lap-a-thon. We would raise money per lap with the cap being 10 miles. I remember a bunch of us high school boys thinking we would just trudge along and get our miles in. However, the slower and longer that timeframe lasted, the worse I felt. So, I just started running a normal pace and before long I lapped everybody, and some several times. I ended up being the only one to finish the 10 miles. And then in grad school, I was weary but not tired, and I started running every day and it cleared my mind and made studying so much easier for me. Shortly after we moved to Greenville, I was running in the Paris Mtn Road Race, which comes over Altamont, and the man I was striding with had to use the restroom. Suzie was just coming by in our van, with our 4 children, to see the finish, and so I asked her to let him in. That started a friendship with a Greenville anesthesiologist that continues today. From there, I began making more and more acquaintances with various runners. What really started the long-"running" relationship with Greenville Track Club was when I was asked to help direct a race. That was in 2002. I started with one, and they kept needing help; and eventually, through various venues and organizations, I’ve directed over 100 races in the community. I have loved the interactions it has allowed me to have here in Greenville! The Greenville Track Club was actually my very first contribution toward Words Fitly Spoken! They gave me $3,000!

I know many of our members were happy to hear that your home base for your next phase of ministry was going to be here in Greenville (and more specifically, here at Hampton Park). In other words, we’ll still get to see you whenever you are not traveling. How do you hope to continue to be involved here at Hampton Park in the coming years?

One thing I have loved about being here is the fellowship of the saints before and after services. I want to be intentional about continuing to do that. Another part of our ministry is driving buses for various lower and upper school field trips and needs. I want to be able to continue to help with that as long as my CDL is active and my schedule permits. I also hope that I can help in the counseling ministry as folks may want to just discuss a simple issue that would not take several sessions. And, of course, if Hampton Park needed a missionary visited, and no one else could do that, I’d love the opportunity to do so!

What most excites you when you look at how God is at work at Hampton Park right now?

I can still remember the day when it seemed that anytime anyone was in the hospital or had needs, I was the one assigned to help with the situation. Now, there are many times when I look into something or someone that has needs, and they are already met by our deacons and non-staff pastors! I also can’t get over how involved our membership is with each other! It is such a blessing to be on the front end and know that if someone needs meals, before we can even get to that sign-up, the meals are already covered! Or, if there are needs for other assistance, I can hardly help as there are so many others already involved!

You are known for being an encourager. If one of our members asked you how they could be more of an encouragement to people around them, how would you respond (other than giving them your book on it)?

That book was one of the most enjoyable ones to write. Two verses helped me. In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says, “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them…” I don’t know anything I enjoy more than folks being kind to me and helping me. That just motivates me to want to do that for them. And I also love to be encouraged, so that inspires me to do that. Secondly, I love how Romans 12:10 says to “love one another with brotherly affection, and to outdo each other in showing honor.” Instead of wanting honor for myself, I need to do more for others, and even try to outdo them in their efforts, whether their honor is to others or even to me.  After I wrote my book on Encouragement, and had 2,000 copies printed, I wished I would have named it Encourage rather than Encouragement since that was my intention all along, to encourage others to encourage!

Any final words of encouragement for those who will read this?

Thanks for the joy of serving Christ while serving you, the membership of Hampton Park. As Paul said in Philippians, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you! And, my prayer for all is the Lord bless and keep you, causing His face to shine upon you, giving you peace!

As you see John and Suzie over the coming weeks and months, be sure to thank them for their faithfulness in our church over decades of ministry. We are happy that they’ll still be around throughout the year whenever they are not traveling abroad.