Reflections on 30 Years of Church, Change, and Calling

Thirty years ago, I was 22.

That sentence still stops me in my tracks.

At 22, I was about to step into a life I couldn’t have imagined. I had the opportunity to work for world-renowned evangelist Dave Roever. Over the next five years, I traveled the globe helping organize large-scale crusades. I spent my days in high schools, watching our team share truth and hope, and witnessing students’ lives changed right before my eyes. I would go on to youth pastor at different churches, be part of several church plants, and even have the opportunity to serve on staff at one of the largest churches in the world. Thirty years is a long time—but looking back, I see how each season shaped my understanding of what ministry really is.

As I reflect, one truth has become clear: the Church always changes… and somehow, it also always stays the same. Neither of those are necessarily good or bad. They’re just part of the story.

But here’s what I’ve always wrestled with: the phrase “church marketing.”

It sounds corporate. Cold. Unapproachable. It’s not language I’ve ever loved.

But when I strip it down to its simplest form, I see something beautiful. Church marketing—if we can even call it that—is really just one person sharing their very real experience with a very real God with another person. It’s the neighbor-to-neighbor moment. The “I just have to tell you what happened yesterday” kind of moment. That’s what makes everything come alive.

Because if you take away the lights, the stages, the buildings, and the programs… you’re left with a simple, powerful idea:

Jesus saying, Go tell them.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
—Mark 16:15 (NIV)

That’s it. That’s the mission. And that’s what I wanted to build into the foundation of The Elements Group.

This week, I’ll sit down with four or five different church planters. Before every meeting, I pray a simple prayer:

“Jesus, help me help them go and tell.”

If you’re at that place—ready to tell your community a better story, one that reflects what Jesus has done in your life and in the lives of those who call your church home—I’d love to help you.

Let’s work together to make your message clear, compelling, and Christ-centered.

👉 Schedule a conversation at elementsgroup.us — and let’s start building your story.