OUR  PASTORs

                                                                                                                                                                                       

Pastor Justin was called into the ministry at the age of 14, and preached his first message at the age of 17. He entered Bible College in 1990, where he met the love of his life, Deedra. He married her the following year on December 28th. Since 1999, he has been licensed with the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee. For 13 year while he evangelized with his wife, he also served as a youth minister, worship leader, and an assistant pastor. He pastored his first church at the age of 33 in Nappanee, Indiana for 10 years.  He has been pastoring That Church on The Rise since August 2015.   

 

Pastor Justin was not raised in church, but came from a an alcoholic, drug addicted family. He came to know the Lord during a  New Years Eve service in 1984.  His father came to know the Lord that following summer, which was the first person he ever lead to the Lord.  His heart goes out to the broken, because he came from brokenness.  

 

The church he attended up in was a very strict Holiness mindset.  Though Pastor Justin gets the way they believe, it left a lot of people out, because they could not measure up to that church’s standards. The ones who really needed the good news felt judged and criticized.  He grew to despise religion, but I loved Jesus. The good news is that Jesus died for the whole world, John 3:16, not just Christians.  The church is to be a hospital for the sick, not a museum for the saints. The truth is our righteousness, morals, standards, traditions, and good deeds are not adequate enough to get us into heaven, but we are judged by one standard, and that’s the Blood of Jesus.  That is the standard by which we are saved.  Drugs, alcohol, sexual sins, and hate don’t discriminate race or class, but it’s a destroyer of all mankind.  The Blood of Jesus doesn’t discriminate either, but it’s the restorer, deliverer, and healer of all mankind. We encourage you to come as you are. Help us win this City of Elkhart for the Glory of God. Looking forward to meeting you!!!                                                                                                                                        

Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy)