ALLENTOWN, Pa., (BRN) – On this Father’s Day, I think it is fitting to introduce a few men that have meant a lot to my story.
In 2009, I began considering the challenging words of my friend Russ Butcher to seek to be a person who wants to join Jesus in being a peacemaker. It led me to ask myself who those people in my life were that I needed to seek to make it right with. This was a fitting exercise as I was getting ready to preach on the subject.
As I reflected, the person who God brought to mind was my dad, whom I hadn’t spoken to since 1998. As I prayed about it and him, I felt God impress upon me to Google him and find his number. After some searching, I called him and left a voicemail that went something like this: “Hey, Dad. This is Joseph. I wanted to reach out about talking at some point.” I proceeded to leave my number.
I didn’t tell anyone else that I had done this, as it was done out of obedience to Jesus. My dad called back, and I am so glad that he did. He told me he wanted me to talk to someone else and put that person on the phone. “Hi, Joseph. It’s Isabella, your little sister.” I was in shock and awe of God’s goodness. My little sister is about 21 years younger.
One of the best decisions I made for myself and my family was making that call. I am so grateful for my dad, stepmom, Bibianna, and my little sister, Isabella. My life is so much richer with them in it. They were able to visit in 2011 for Amy’s 30th surprise birthday party. I totally surprised Amy; it was such a celebration. At that party they met Amy’s family for the first time, and it was a beautiful moment, one that I treasure.
A month after that party, Amy’s dad Ray would have a stroke and pass away. Ray Peters was a steady man that loved and served his family well over the years. He showed me the power of being a good, humble and honorable man; the gift of providing a safe place for people, including strangers; and what faithfulness to your family and a local church does in one’s life and the impact it has on others. He cheered me on through my pastoral ministry journey, reminding me of the good work God was doing and not to lose heart even when things didn’t go the way I wanted them to go.
He would often joke with me, help us each time we moved, and fix things that broke in our homes and cars. He worked at a body shop that his family owned and drove bus for the school district. He was a simple, hardworking man, and in my book, he was one of the wisest and richest men I knew.
I remember being in the waiting room following his stroke, and when it became final that he had died, being overcome to the point of weeping. This was the first time we had experienced the loss of a loved one, and it was so heavy and hard.
It was a tremendous loss for my family, and on this Father’s Day I am grateful for how well he had loved my family and left us a legacy of love for Jesus and others. In fact, my son is named after him and the house we live in and remodeled is the house Ray built. His bride, Carol, lives with us there. Over time we have found gifts intertwined in the grief.
As I think of the love of these two men, they have shaped me in deep and profound ways. There are other men who have played important roles in my life as well.
In this period of time, Riverbend was moving forward. We had a team of people meeting to work on the strategy. On September 13, 2009, we had our first Sunday morning weekly gathering, meeting at a hotel off of Airport Road. Some weeks we had about 50 people there, some weeks it would be about 30 people. Throughout that year it would be a slow and steady process of joining Jesus to the work that He called us into. It was an exciting time, and at times I would also wonder, what did I get myself into? Anything worth doing usually involves both feelings.
During this season, a couple of people kept me focused on seeing the long game. One of those individuals would be Barry Whitworth, who served over all Church Planting for the BRN and Send Network. He would tell me to give at least a decade to this work in order to see fruit. Good advice. Over the years, he has served as a resource in a variety of ways in the work of Riverbend. He and Beth have been a huge reason I have been able to keep my hand to the plow. They are mentors and dear friends to this day.
Another person who would help us was Hal Hopkins, as we continued to pray and cultivate this new work. He was then and now continues working with the Send Network. He would put the vision before me of what could be done and the power of being faithful and continuing to show up. He often spoke words of life into who I am and what God is doing; he still does. One of the things he would encourage me towards is perseverance. Stay humble and hungry and go after it.
Lastly, through the Multiply Church Center strategy that Barry had established which paired a new church planter with a seasoned church planter, I was paired with Aaron Harvie and Riverside Community Church. Aaron would help as he would come see the Lehigh Valley and coach me up. It was during those times I had someone share with me best practices. I would call him all the time. In one of these conversations, he said, “How you got into the hotel is a God story, and it’s time to find another space.” This led us to start praying and looking. As a result, God opened a door for us to meet in our current space, and that became another God story as well.
This move and renovations all happened in the time following Amy’s dad passing. I have learned over the years with Jesus that we hold together the tension of grief and good, beauty and brokenness, and not to ignore the unpleasant emotions of life, as that isn’t ultimately helpful.
These men have each walked with me, helping to shape me in some of the highest and lowest points of my story, and I am so thankful God has used them in my life.
