OBP MAG FINAL DRAFT - PICS

OC ONE CHURCH

AUGUST 25TH, 2024

BUILDING THE LIFE YOU WANT TO LIVE

OUR DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. Blurb about

Magazine hereyou to come We invite

as you are, and bring all of you!

Blurb about Magazine here

NO MATTER WHERE YOU’VE BEEN ,

there’s always space for you at One Church.

BUILDING THE LIFE YOU WANT TO LIVE

1

WE'RE SO GLAD

YOU'RE HERE This magazine is designed to give you a window into One Church, help you get connected, and invite you to join the call to ignite a movement to reach a disconnected culture.

In March of 2010, Greg and Shaylyn Ford moved to Columbus, Ohio, inspired to create a movement of Christ-centered churches to advance God’s kingdom. They built relationships by working multiple jobs within the community (five jobs between the two of them), and began hosting meetings in their apartment.

Their diligence and intentionality sparked the movement they had prayed for, and today, God is using One Church to transform lives worldwide.

Our heart is to reach the neighborhoods and nations with the gospel of Jesus. We have a physical campus in Columbus, Ohio, and an online campus that makes space for more people to experience God through One Church. Our commitment to reaching a disconnected culture remains steadfast, and we are grateful for each of you who serve alongside us in this mission.

2

3

WHY THE CHURCH NEEDS TO CELEBRATE At one time, many of us were partiers. But our definition of “party” included making some bad decisions that we later regretted.

we

later

regretted.

When we come into Christ, we find grace, love, forgiveness, purpose.

Thits newfound life is worth celebrating! There has been a misconception that coming to church requires you to be serious and stoic. In reality, we should be the biggest partiers!

We should celebrate what God has done, and is continuing to do, in our lives.

When we come into Christ, we find grace, love, forgiveness, purpose.

Thits newfound life is worth celebrating! There has been a misconception that coming to church requires you to be serious and stoic. In reality, we should be the biggest partiers!

We should The world parties to celebrate what God has forget, the church done, and is continuing parties to remember. to do, in our lives.

The world parties to forget, the church parties to remember.

At one time, many of us were partiers. But our definition of “party” included making some bad decisions that

4

5

AND THEY HAVE DEFEATED HIM

BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND BY THEIR TESTIMONY R E V E L AT I O N 1 2 : 1 1

6

7

WENONAH LATHAM

I

was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, the youngest of four girls in a preacher’s family. My parents divorced when I was just three. Today, I am a mother of three wonderful children: Frank, Taja, and Zuriel. My journey as a single mother has been challenging, but God has shown me so much grace.

I’ll never forget the day my life changed: Good Friday in 1991, when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.

That moment marked the beginning of my freedom from my drug and alcohol addiction that had enslaved me since 10th grade. I barely graduated from high school, but God had a plan for my life. When I was pregnant with my son, God gave me the strength to get clean. Hallelujah!

As you might know, the enemy is terrified of our destiny. After my son was

8

born, I started working for the State of Ohio - I was young and excited for the future. However, I fell into old patterns when a coworker introduced me to crack cocaine, and I was introduced to a new type of addiction. I found myself smoking in front of my baby boy, out in my pajamas searching for a fix, losing my job, and begging my dad for money. I had hit rock bottom.

In 1992, I was invited to another Good Friday service and rededicated my life to Christ. My baby girl was born that same year, and I was clean for a bit, but before long, I started using drugs again. At this point, I was ready to run away from it all, so I moved to Maryland in 1993. I wasn’t sure of what to do, but God had a plan for my life! I connected with a friend of my mom's, who was a Christian, and her consistent prayers helped me stay clean.

Eventually, God began to help me pick up the pieces to my life. I found a transitional living arrangement for me and my two children and began my college journey. I knew nothing about college, but the housing staff mandated that I either work full-time or attend college.

Since I’d already failed at maintaining a full-time job, I chose college. Today, I hold a Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science and a Master's degree in Educational Counseling.

I have been clean and sober for over 30 years. God has kept me and covered me, I don’t look like what I’ve been through! I share my testimony, even when it’s uncomfortable, because I believe it strengthens and encourages others.

To God be the glory for all the things He has done!

9

MANDY GURNEY

M

y story is far less about me and very specifically about the Holy Spirit, a being so hard to explain, unless you have felt His movement, and you know without a doubt it must be God. About three years ago, Maverick City Music came out with an album, Old Church Basement.

My niece was six at the time.

I remember riding around with her, singing the song, “Miracles,” and watching her little fingers pop up as the lyrics sang, “1,2,3,4 I can’t even count them all.”

That following spring, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a big way saying, “Something is coming. You need to get your house in order.” I heard clearly that I had two actions to take: Simplify your schedule.

Start counting miracles.

Stack them up like an altar so you can always look back to remember what the Lord has done.

That spring a neighbor showed up on my porch with a jar of rocks and a Bible verse that read, Joshua

10

4:5

-

7

5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder— twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

that noise. “Exceedingly more.” God was making me a promise and I needed to hold it like a lifeline.

That week my husband Jonathan and I sat in a doctor’s office as he was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 34. I held his hand and wept. Just ten days earlier I had learned I was pregnant with our first child. What would become of the three of us in light of this diagnosis?

In that broken and numb moment, the Holy Spirit cut through the noise with a whisper saying, “exceedingly more than you can ask or imagine.”

While I learned what it feels like to be on the floor filled with grief, I also learned that the Holy Spirit can cut through all of that pain. I learned that joy and miracles must be noticed and counted, and that the wilderness you’re wandering through is actually filled with God’s presence and miracles. To build an actual altar is far less about honoring God and far more about holding onto faith in our darkest hours, because we have built an altar to remind us what God has done and can do.

While fears were sending me to some incredibly dark places in my mind, I knew I needed to repeat those words from the Holy Spirit, to fight back

One weekend I got out my stones and my metallic sharpie marker in an attempt to bring praise to God’s faithfulness. I added an update and just reread

The next year and a half was a torrent of doctors for Jonathan’s Parkinson’s Disease and I lost my three babies to miscarriages. I named them Faith, Hope, and Joy. Still, I remembered to count my miracles. In the middle of that grief I wrote on those rocks and built that altar in my living room.

all those moments that had kept me alive. I filled one out and noticed that I had three blank stones left. I prayed and asked God what He would do with my last three stones. The Holy Spirit spoke back, “My child I have so many more stones for you. You will not even be able to count them.

Don’t limit me. I can and will do exceedingly more.”

bring us dinner and hold us when we cry. They are the nieces that climb up in our laps when that hurt feels impossible. One Church and its beautiful people are some of the greatest miracle stones on the altar.

"This life is not the absence Two years later, my husband of terrible and I have a jar filled with miracles. We are about to complete our foster care pain. In home study and hope to This life is not the absence adopt children through the fact, I am of terrible pain. In fact, I am foster care system. My niece still living hard in the hurt of is one of the most excited all. But I also stand in the and supportive people in still living itmajesty of the glory of God our adoption journey. When and all He has and will do. she was playing at my house hard in About a year ago, Pastor a few weeks ago she noticed preached a sermon the jar of stones and asked about the disorienting all about them. She said, the hurt Greg moments of life that “Wait, Aunt Mandy, Your threaten to crush us or kids’ names could be on of it all. make us choose an off these stones someday!” that is no longer the But I also ramp right path. He reminded And there it was again, a us to pray and persevere reminder that these stones the waiting. While I truly were for generations, a stand in the inloved that sermon, I always memorial for the people and found myself adding to it. the generations to come. majesty of When we are in often the glory of disorientation, our family of believers God’s miracles God and all represent along the way. They are the people who stand with us They He has and inareourthe disorientation. ones who sit with us we cannot get off the will do." when floor. They show up on our porches and deliver stones so we can build an altar.

They are the friends who

11

12 13

IS BETTER IN COMMUNITY

WHY COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT We believe life is better in community because this is what Jesus modeled. In his three years of ministry, Jesus chose 12 disciples to do life with as he fulfilled his mission. In the same way, we know that we need community to accomplish what God has called us to do. Our hope is that the One Church community inspires you to grow and connects you to God.

READY TO TAKE A NEXT STEP IN YOUR FAITH JOURNEY? Groups at One Church Groups at One Church are designed to cultivate healthy relationships within our church and communities.

As you grow in your faith, it’s essential that you aren’t on the journey alone. Groups can provide learning, 14

accountability, support, encouragement, and fun.

As One Church continues to grow, it’s likely that you may not know everyone, but joining a group gives you confidence that you will at least know someone!

15

LEXI HARMON

I

was blessed to grow up in a Christian home with parents who demonstrated unconditional love.

I accepted Jesus as Savior at Vacation Bible School, went on mission trips, and attended youth group during high school. Through this, I developed a socialbased faith. I believed Jesus was my Savior, I knew how a Christian was supposed to behave, and how to fake it when needed. But when I went to college, I let my surroundings influence me and became focused on having fun and shedding the “Christian girl” persona that had followed me through high school.

I just wanted to be like everyone else.

for the first time in months, and heard an invitation for connect groups. I signed up for eight (yes, eight!) groups, determined to make one work. I went to the first one and instantly knew I had found my people. Looking back, I now see how the Holy Spirit provided discernment in this moment. And I can honestly say that joining my connect group is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made

facade. Fortunately, even when we are lost and hiding, God knows where we are and how to bring us into the light. After hearing fellow group members’ testimonies, the Lord put it on my heart to share my story, to drop the facade and start being authentic with my sisters in Christ.

That liberating experience showed how hard the enemy was fighting to keep me stuck in the past, and I understood deep in my soul that God wasn’t finished with me yet.

"Fortunately, even when we are lost and hiding, God knows A short while later, was baptized, and where we are and how Ithat was a defining moment in my life. I to bring us into went into the water the light." as someone who

When I graduated college, I continued to live a similar life and was deeply unfulfilled. In 2018, after a traumatic incident, I found myself at a crossroads: I could either continue down the path of worldly living, feeding the loneliness and emptiness inside me, or make the hard decision to change. While wrestling with this, I attended church 16

in this life. Six years later, those women are my family and attending group is my favorite part of each week.

However, the blessings from attending my small group didn’t happen immediately. When I first joined, I still struggled with the fear and shame of my past. While I found freedom from some toxic habits and relationships, I was falling into old patterns of putting on my “perfect Christian”

had been defined by her past, and came out as a new, free person. From that moment, I have not felt an ounce of fear or shame regarding my past and can now share my story to bring God glory.

find a Christ-centered community, and discern how to embrace our callings and desires in this wild world. I’m an active church member, serving on the Guest Experience team and at any events I can, because I want to be part of all the Lord is doing through our church. I spend time with God daily, not because I have to but because I want to, and I live a beautiful and fulfilling life. I owe all that I have and all that I am to my Lord and Savior, who has never failed and never stopped pursuing me.

Wherever you are in your journey with the Lord, I hope you know that He is always working things out, just as He promised in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

The Lord has continued to work in my life in many ways. I am honored to be a group leader for postcollege-aged women. In this group, the Holy Spirit works through us to provide a space for women to be their authentic selves, 17

FREEDOM GROUPS KATIE ROBBINS

I

t all started with a meme.

Last summer, I made a social media post, calling myself the friend who’s down for anything, including going to church. My girl, Shellie Cooper, used this opportunity to call me out. She said, “I've been trying to get you to come to church for months!”

That next Sunday in August 2023, I walked into One Church for the very first time and my life forever changed.

The music, the people, everything just clicked. I could’ve sworn Pastor Greg had my apartment bugged, because the messages in those coming weeks were

18

spot on for my current season of life. After years of feeling empty, I felt like I had finally found the missing piece, or, rather, He had found me.

at all. Through the process, God met me, and I received my breakthrough. I felt like I’d finally connected to God and His purpose for me. Fast forward to today, and now I am preparing After attending for a few to co-lead a “Become” months, I felt called to give group.

Like whatttt? more of myself, so I signed up to serve. There are so The lessons learned and many opportunities to get the family gained through involved, but the one that my journey are truly really stuck out to me was hard to put into words. the Welcome Tent, within This time last year, I would the Guest Experience team. have choked from laughter I wanted to be that smiling if someone told me I would face welcoming you in on a be this involved at One Sunday. And, if you know Church. I’m currently a me, you know your girl servant leader for the LOVES to talk. So that’s Welcome Tent, baptisms what I did. Every other and Welcome to One Sunday I was signing up to Church, a Group leader, and serve and felt even more I will be getting baptized in fulfilled. But, it still felt like August. God is SO SO good! something was missing. He met me where I was and showed me the way.

I’d heard about connect groups, and Freedom I thank Him every single Group kept coming up in day for this family, this conversation. So, I took community. One Church a huge step outside my is truly one of a kind and I comfort zone and joined am honored to be part of it. a Freedom Group. Best decision ever. Don’t get me wrong, I struggled. Hard.

There were weeks I was super engaged and there were weeks I didn’t show up

EXPERIENCE FREEDOM THROUGH CHRIST Join a Freedom Group John 10:10 reminds us that Christ has come to give us an abundant life. We want to come alongside you to help you embrace this truth.

Freedom Groups gather weekly to discuss the Freedom Group curriculum,

which is designed to equip you to live the victorious life you have in Christ.

Freedom Groups build on the foundation of your faith in Christ to help you embrace the truth of God’s Word as it relates to your

worldview, your past, your identity, your personal value to God, and your purpose in His Kingdom. This group will help you remove the obstacles to your intimacy with God and give you the tools to walk in true freedom.

19

GET CONNECTED AND FIND YOUR SPOT

Why Serving is Important Jesus modeled what it meant to be a servant leader. Although he was God, he humbled himself and served those around him. In fact, he told his disciples in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you must be a servant.”

God has given each one of us gifts to build up the body and serve one another. Serving presents a great opportunity to be like our savior and to maximize these gifts. One Church has a team for everyone, from being the first smile as guests pull into the parking lot, to serving with our production team, to helping an elementary kid learn who Jesus is. We encourage you to apply your gifts and passions by serving on a team at One Church.

Adrian Thomas

I

was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but moved cross country from 2016-2023, spending time in both Tampa, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. I eventually met my wife while I was away in school. When the Lord provided an opportunity for us to buy a franchise within the business where I was employed, we found 20

ourselves back in Columbus.

We knew finding the right church for us as a married couple was of the utmost importance. We wanted a church that fit us, as individuals, as well as the many aspects of our lives.

After visiting many great churches around Columbus, someone recommended we visit One Church. We knew right away this was going

to be our new home! We started attending service weekly, found weekday groups, and now serve!

Whether we are able to serve once a month or weekly, serving fills our cups! Our serve teams have given us a sense of belonging and a group of people who, over a short time, have become our community!

21

ESMILEY ESPANA

I

started attending One Church on September 19, 2021. At that time, I was at a low point in life.

As a result of the shutdown during the pandemic, I struggled with my identity, depression, relationships, and mental health. I felt lost, incomplete, and unworthy.

One week in September, I received a flier in the mail from One Church, and it was right in the middle of my storm. I decided to go to Sunday service and I remember feeling overwhelmed by the number of people and size

22

of the church. I stopped at the Welcome Tent and interacted with the team who greeted me. Since that day, I have consistently attended One Church.

Through the Word and the community I’ve gained, God has been at work in my life.

He has restored my peace and purpose, giving me rest and direction. In August of 2022, I publicly professed my faith and got baptized at Alum Creek. I also joined the Freedom Group, which was life changing. This group helped me close many chapters in my life and deal

with the resentment and unforgiveness that was limiting my ability to fully walk in God’s love for me.

I also co-led a Freedom Group, because I wanted others to experience God’s miraculous power the same way I had.

I began serving during Night to Shine and continued to serve in various ministries, including the parking lot and Welcome Tent. I believe God has called me to serve others and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve at One Church.

23

TOGETHER 24

25

WE BELIEVE IN THE NEXT GENERATION

WHAT IS ONE KIDS 26

One Kids partners with families to point kids to Jesus. Throughout the Bible, we are shown how God used children to impact their generation.

Samuel, a future prophet, learned to hear from God as a young boy.

Josiah became king of a nation at just 8 years old. In the same way, we believe that one kid can

truly change the world.

Our hope is that your whole family will feel welcome and comfortable, and can grow in relationship with Jesus at One Church.We have Sunday experiences for kids, ages 6 weeks to 5th grade, to experience God in age-appropriate, fun-filled environments.

ONE KID CAN CHANGE THE WORLD 27

WHAT IS THE YOUTH MISSION One YTH exists to ignite a youth movement to reach a disconnected culture. Each week, our students come together to find fun, friendship, and community.

We want to empower students to go into their schools, their teams, their community, and be beacons of light and hope to

28

their generation.

Each week, we host two experiences to engage students in One Yth. Sunday Cool is a middle school service that happens every Sunday at 12p in the Building C Youth Auditorium.

All 6th-8th graders are invited to join us for a time of fun, food, faith, and community.

Ignite takes place every Wednesday night at 7pm, also in the Building C Youth Auditorium. This is a special service open to all middle and high schoolers. We come together to experience worship and live teaching, followed by an after party - your students won’t want to miss this!

29

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR WEEK RECAP

WE ARE CHANGING THE WORLD We each have a God-given desire to make a difference with our lives. Love Thy Neighbor is your opportunity to make an impact and change the world.

Love Thy Neighbor is God’s vision for our church to reach our city, our nation, and our globe with the gospel. Through this ministry, we partner with organizations, locally and internationally, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Whether we are building playhouses with Habitat for Humanity, serving 30

meals at Stowe Mission, packing kits for Compassions Way, or providing gift cards through our Foster Teen C h r i s t m a s Outreach, each endeavor allows us to show Christ’s love to our neighbors.

We invite you to serve alongside us!

We have projects throughout the year, and we host

a special Love Thy Neighbor week each summer, providing a week of volunteer options across our city - we would love to have you join! When you give your time, talents, and treasures, we are able to make a difference in the lives of people throughout our community and across the globe.

31

BELONGING HAPPENS HERE

TOMMY NOBLE *This story is shared on behalf of Tommy Noble.

Tom is a 72 year old man who is Cognitively Delayed.

T

ommy, Greg (Tommy’s brother-in-law), and I (Tommy’s sister), began attending One Church in 2021. Tommy is exceptionally social and had previously held many jobs until medical issues began to impact his daily functioning. He wanted to deepen his connection to the church by becoming a servant leader; however, we were unsure of where he could serve that would be conducive to his physical needs. Because of our concern, we kept putting him off and he began to feel defeated. That all changed when Greg shared the situation with Brandon Moraghan, Ryan Breth, and Pastor Greg.

When Pastor Greg learned about our predicament, he was confident the team could find a way for Tommy to serve. Tommy got connected with the Guest Experience team and was assigned the role of door greeter, along with a buddy to assist him.

Tommy's face lit up when we told him the exciting 32

news! He told our entire family that he was "going to help people come to church!” Tom took his job very seriously and every Saturday night, he would make it clear what time he expected us to wake up so we could make it to church on time. Tom started talking with us about God, often reminding us that God was watching us, or that God cared about the words we say to one another. We were so happy as we watched members of the Guest Experience team support Tom, they truly showered him with Christ’s love.

When we learned about the Special Gifts Group, Tom was thrilled to attend.

We were blown away by this awesome opportunity.

Though some of these individuals may not be able to participate in other activities, this group allowed them to be part of a church community. The leaders of the group, Justin and Moriah Wackerman, and Sean Ferguson, showed Tom what a church group could be.

One of Tommy’s greatest experiences within One Church was Night To Shine!

Tom had never been to a prom; in his generation, this was never an option

for individuals with special needs. The joy and pride he felt cannot even be described. This event is such a testament to what God is doing through our church! He's working through One Church to touch the lives of many who have never felt seen.

As Tom's sister and brotherin-law, we have experienced the pain of watching others exclude Tom. We attended another church prior to One Church, and often received stares, or interacted with people who talked around Tom, not to him. So, most Sundays, he didn't care to go, he never even asked about it.

That all changed when we started going to One Church.

Tommy is part of the community. We never met one person who didn't show acceptance, love, and friendship to him! Tom was so "in love" with learning about God and going to church. The leaders of One Church have been gifted to reach those who have special needs and make them feel a part of a community! We recently moved to Florida, but we still watch the services online. Tommy truly misses his friends, but One Church will always be our home.

33

NEXT IS NOW NEXT IS NOW is a three-year generosity campaign to pave the way for the future at One Church. Our mission is to make room for God's Kingdom to expand here, on our campus, and ultimately to the ends of the earth.

Throughout the history of One Church, we've been met with limitations based on our spaces and the capacity of our facilities. Each time we've removed a lid, such as 34

buying a building, expanding the parking lot, and building a new lobby, we've seen exponential growth follow.

It's time to think ahead, and make next happen now. Our prayer for this campaign is that God would provide miraculously, that people would feel the joy of giving, and that this would be a defining discipleship moment for our church.

Over the course of this

project, we will be expanding our capacity with a new auditorium that will hold almost 1,500 guests per service and double the amount of parking spots throughout our campus.

This will give us the space and resources to fulfill our mission of igniting a movement to reach a disconnected culture.

LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE US HEBREWS 12:1

35

LORRIE MORRISON

M

y whole life changed on May 15, 2023.

I grew up in a religious setting where the love and grace of Jesus were manipulated and distorted. I left this setting at 23 and spent the next 30 years lost, unsure of what was true about God. I have 3 wonderful sons and, in an effort to not repeat the cycle, was determined to not make any religious decisions for my children.

In 2023, my youngest son, Tim, started investigating religion. He began watching the ‘Exodus’ series by Jordan Peterson in the living room.

This went on for a couple of weeks and eventually I sat down to watch with him. I found myself preoccupied with this show, curious about what I was hearing.

During this season, I felt an overwhelming urge to pray. I was not one to pray, so I resisted this feeling, until I no longer could.

One day I finally gave in, saying, “Fine! Alright! I’ll pray!” I started by telling God that I didn’t even know if He was real. Then I broke down sobbing, asking him to show me the truth. Such pain poured out of me that night as I cried out to Him. The next day, I drove to HalfPriced Books to get a Bible.

I walked to the religious

36

section and one woman was in the small alcove with me. She went to look at something in my direction and I politely stepped back, so as to not be in her way. She grabbed my arm and said, “don’t you move, it is just so nice to meet another Christian woman.”

Hot tears began streaming down my face. I had never been called a Christian before! She hugged me and I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort. She walked around the corner and I never saw her again.

From that day forward, I couldn’t get enough of reading the Bible, listening to sermons, and having long discussions with my son about what we were reading. I spent countless hours trying to unlearn what I had been taught for so many years and God began revealing the truth in his Word for the first time in my life. What a gift!

what I had experienced, and I was able to absorb Pastor Greg's teaching.

On January 14 I got baptized, and it was the most meaningful day of my life! I was overjoyed to have my 3 sons with me to share this incredible experience. I had gone 53 years of my life wandering around aimlessly and now I could feel God’s unconditional love!

In November 2023, I came across One Church online. Everything here was very different from

Lisa Kellet scooped me right up, showing me great kindness as she connected me with spiritual counseling and recommended a Freedom Group. Freedom Group was so important for me because, while I was learning what Jesus taught in the Bible, the group was like an instruction manual on how to apply these teachings to my daily life. The principles in Freedom Group (spiritual order, surrender, removing bitterness, and more) were all new to me and have created a new foundation for my faith.

"I had gone 53 years of my life wandering around aimlessly and now I could feel God's unconditional love!"

Spiritual counseling (with Lisa Smith), and getting connected through groups and serving, helped separate me from my painful religious past, as I learned the true Word of Jesus.

One Church has redefined church for me.

37

NIKKI STURGIS

E

ric and I didn’t grow up attending church regularly. We would go with our grandparents on holidays and special occasions, but faith was not part of our everyday lives.

Our paths before One Church were hard. My past included an abusive marriage, leaving me with deep trust issues.

I was constantly fighting to prove that I was worthy of love. Although we were in a relationship together, Eric and I were living separate lives, disconnected both socially and emotionally.

The turning point came when Eric expressed interest in trying a new church and suggested we visit One Church. I had known Shaylyn from the pageant world for years and, once we visited, the rest was history.

One of the most profound moments in our faith journey occurred on August 28, 2022, during our baptism at the beach. Our family walked into the water as our old selves and emerged renewed. I had never felt so proud, ready, and certain in my entire life.

Hearing from my kids and Eric about what brought each of us to that moment filled me with unexplainable joy. The love and support from our friends, especially Shellie from One Church Music, Shaylyn, and Pastor Greg Ford, made the day even more special. Their influence and realness have deeply impacted Eric and me, helping us connect and grow 38

within the church community.

At One Church, we’ve found our closest community through One Church Music.

They might not realize it, but their presence helped us get through our darkest days.

Eric and I have both struggled to feel worthy of love and affection, often seeking it in the wrong places. This struggle was compounded when Eric was diagnosed with cancer, a life-altering journey that tested our faith and resilience.

If we hadn’t placed our trust in the Lord, I doubt we could have survived as a family.

Shortly after our engagement, Eric found a small blister in his mouth, which turned out to be stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma. Eric’s cancer was a secret we kept within our household until one Sunday after service when he met Terry Sopp from the prayer team.

Terry prayed over our family and gave us the courage to go public with Eric’s health issues.

By the grace of God, Eric’s cancer was caught early. The amazing staff at The James Cancer Hospital quickly devised a plan to remove the cancer. The surgery involved removing the affected jaw area and replacing it with a graft from his fibula bone, along with a skin graft from his upper leg. He also had a neck dissection to remove any potential future cancerous cells from his lymph nodes and a tracheotomy to assist with breathing post-surgery.

CARRIE PAYNE

Through this we’ve learned light in dark

journey, to find situations.

Our journey hasn’t been easy, but we’ve found ways to be thankful for the challenges, even for cancer. We’ve said things like, “If it wasn’t for the cancer, we wouldn’t have become so close to the kids so quickly,” or “We wouldn’t have been able to spend full days together exploring different cafes, making breakfast, or picking Laila up from school.”

In the past few months, God has been teaching us patience and gratitude. We’ve learned to appreciate each moment and find joy even in the toughest times. These challenges are what have brought us closer as a family and closer to God. We are grateful for the community at One Church and the blessings that have come our way.

In recent weeks, Eric’s cancer has returned and continues to progress. Will you join us in praying for this family?

T

he Freedom curriculum and the small group I attended absolutely changed the trajectory of my life!

I grew up in a very abusive environment. You name it I was probably exposed to it. I had my first child at 16 years old and married my highschool sweetheart at 18.

My husband had the same story as me. We were both a mess on the inside. We were married for about 20 years when I gave my life to Jesus. The church I went to caused me to see life through a lens of religion and judgment, based on the messages that were being preached. I desperately wanted God in my home, but struggled to know who Jesus truly was, not just for me but for my family as well. I began to see everything wrong with my husband, family, and even friends, instead of seeing them through God’s eyes.

After a few years of confiding in my pastor about my struggles and experiences of brokenness in my home, I was pursued by a man who was a spiritual leader at the church. The pastor told him about my marital problems and I was led to believe I was unevenly yoked, that my husband was not suitable for me. This wrecked my family and our faith

journeys. I left my husband to marry this man and it was an absolute nightmare.

In our first year of marriage, I learned that this man was an absolute fraud and very abusive. We were divorced within 4 years and this began a train wreck in my life that lasted for years. I was far from God, living out my life in bars, and trying so hard to disguise my pain. My friend invited me to a small group 7 years ago that started a

major anxiety just walking through the doors of any church on a Sunday. I served in small groups for Freedom and watched online every Sunday, but physically walking through the doors caused sheer panic. After co-leading a Freedom Group at One Church, I went to the Freedom conference and heard Pastor Ryan give a testimony - that testimony, followed by prayer, completely broke the chains of fear off me! I attend church every Sunday and serve on the prayer team as a team leader for the 10:30 service. I serve as much as I can in Freedom and in many other areas at One Church.

One Church has represented a turning point in my life. Through Freedom Group, I’ve experienced restoration and healing.

What’s more, after 12 years of divorce, God restored my relationship with my husband and we remarried 3 years ago. He is my best friend and our story of forgiveness is a testament to what Jesus can and will do with a life of surrender and trust. I’m passionate about Jesus and seeing others set free! When I say Freedom changed the trajectory of my life I mean it - every chance I get, I tell others about Freedom and the love of Jesus!

"Through Freedom Group, I’ve experienced restoration and healing." beautiful journey of healing in my life. This group was a Freedom Group! My first week into this curriculum I remember thinking, “How is this possible?” This is the same Gospel I knew, but for the first time in my entire life I saw it through the lens of love. It was there that I took responsibility for my life and my actions.

For the first time in my life, I realized that Jesus loves me and He wants to have a relationship with me so he can heal my heart.

Since then, I have seen God restore and heal, more than I ever could have imagined!

Freedom Group impacted me in a number of ways. I was very wounded by the church and I experienced

39

CALEB NIETZ

I

was raised in church by two devout Christian parents. I went to church every week but I didn’t have my own relationship with God, so when I went to college, I turned away from that lifestyle.

It would be almost 20 years before I stepped foot back inside a church.

I experienced a lot of success in my career. It was also during this time that I started dabbling with drugs and eventually became a drug addict. I became a drug dealer to supplement my lifestyle. I started having many legal issues and was in and out of jail. The last time I was arrested, I thought I was heading to prison for at least 20 years.

Instead, God kept me in jail just long enough for me to begin the path to sobriety.

Soon after my release, my girlfriend told me she was pregnant. I was skeptical that I was the father.

However, I really wanted to be a dad and accepted her assurances that this was my biological child. It was during her pregnancy that I gave my life to the Lord.

I began looking for churches to attend, despite my fear of having to attend by myself. Several people told me about One Church, so I decided to give it a try. The first time I 40

attended, I attempted to leave immediately after service, but I could not.

Instead, I was surrounded by people who wanted to help me get connected.

The most notable person was Ryan Breth. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have come back Baby Alice was born April 7, 2021. Besides the day of my salvation, Alice’s birth was the best day of my life.

Alice was in the hospital for a while because she was underweight and had a hole in her heart. I visited her every day and, during one of those visits, I did a paternity test. Two weeks after testing, I received the devastating news that Alice was not my biological child.

I confronted Alice’s mother and she finally admitted the truth. I was hurt and angry, and vowed never to speak to her again. But the Lord had other plans.

After I walked out, I heard God’s voice tell me to go back and become this child’s father. I tried to ignore it, but this urging continued until I finally gave in.

Every night after Alice was born, I would come over for bedtime, laying her on my chest until she fell asleep, and then return home.

I continued this routine for a year. My loved ones were concerned about the nature of the situation, and

suggested I break away, but God wanted me in Alice’s life and His voice was stronger than all the rest.

I remember reading the book of James for the first time and, in James 1:27 it states, “This is true Christian work: to look after the orphans and widows.”

The King James Version says, “Fatherless,” instead of “Orphans.” I knew God was telling me to take custody as Alice’s father.

In November 2023, after a year of intense court battles, I was granted full custody of Alice, and it has been the best 1.5 years of my life. There have been lots of challenges, but God has come through every time, just like He promised.

Through His grace and the sanctification process, He has taught me how to live my life.

Whom the Son sets free is truly free indeed!

MY PRAYER FOR THIS CHURCH IS THAT... we would be a multi-generational, multicultural, body of believers. When we look at the world around us, we see divisions. We want to show the world the diverse unity that comes from the Holy Spirit. When we embrace diversity in every form - diversity of backgrounds, experiences, ideas, gender, race - we are empowered to fulfill the mission God has given us, of igniting a movement to reach a disconnected culture.

I am honored to be on this journey with you.

Pastor Greg Ford