Joy City

Hello, and welcome to this week's Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA. If you are familiar with the show, thank you for your support and encouragement – if you are new to the show, I want to welcome you and let you know that our central theme is God and our relationship to Him through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ and how to maintain that relationship. And in his book The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence encourages us to practice the presence of God daily and try to know the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. Now Brother Lawrence was a lay member, not a cleric, priest or pastor – an ordinary, and I’m putting that in air quotes, brother who loved God. It demonstrates for you and me and millions of others, God wants to draw close to us.

On today’s show, I’m headed back to family camp where I was able to catch up to and grab some time with our Junior camp director Heather Yardy and her husband Jake. I mean family camp was awesome, a place where you can encourage spiritual growth thru a Bible centered environment and enjoy a tremendous sense of community. 

I mean even when we see many churches shortening or even eliminating family camp, we keep moving forward and Jake and Heather are catalyst in that movement for Life Connection Church. 

Here’s my interview with them both.

Heather and Jake share the why of being engaged and involved in camp. They had great camp experiences as kids and want to share that with their children and others. Both are teachers, have their own kids and work together in church and yet, they want to help others. 

They enjoy seeing their kids at camp now that their oldest is a junior camper and Jake enjoys encouraging kids to win at games and in life. Jake and Heather met at family camp and now they are married and have their own families. We also discussed “togetherness” or “team building” models of games and settings. After going through COVID and isolation, they work diligently to keep kids working together. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, and welcome to today’s Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA. If you are familiar with the show, thank you for your support and encouragement – if you are new to the show, I want to welcome you and let you know that our central theme is God and our relationship to Him through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ and how to maintain that relationship. 

I got Josh Helton on the show today, Josh is just one of those dudes….ha ha ha, the kind you meet and just gravitate to – like you wanna hang out with Josh. I haven’t known this brother long, just a month or so after meeting him – I mean we had lunch in order to get an understanding of who we are as brothers and I think it’s a growing relationship from there. 

Josh, welcome to Joy City brother – how are you? Josh is married (Jaimie) with 3 kids (22, 13 and 8) and they are what we know as a blended family. Josh and Jaimie also have 2 grandkids. 

Josh talks about raising kids, giving them grace and how him and his wife work together to keep their family moving forward. Staying centered around Jesus is key in their marriage and with their children. They want to not just talk it but really live it out by forgiving one another and loving one another. 

Josh is the student pastor and works at Youth for Christ and talks about finding balance between marriage, church and work. At work and church he counts it blessed to be able to connect with young people who may not have the same “home life” as his family does. He understands that as coming from a divorced home and abandoned by his father and seeing his mom struggle. He is not a stranger to that life, so he wants to be gracious and loving, simply walking alongside young people in their struggles. 

You can reach Josh at his church Celebration Church in Modesto, CA. or his Youth for Christ email: [email protected].

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, and welcome to today’s Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA recording from beautiful Diamond Arrow Campground in Nevada City. We are at family camp this week and I was excited to be able to sit down with our Youth presenter in a moment of down time, Mikey Koons. 

Mikey is the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at LifeHouse Church in Rocklin, CA, where he also has the honor to serve as the Worship Arts Director. We will cover a lot today, including his wild super power that he calls Pastor’s id Syndrome, being a sponge or a light bulb and how the young people seem to be re-engaging in socializing after this pandemic and staying connected electronically but not necessarily physically interacting with one another. You will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to grow in your pursuit of God, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Lets jump into my interview with Mikey Koons:

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, camp is part of my lifestyle, not just being at camp as a young person but also singing or speaking at camp. So being around all these kids is like a huge rush of energy. 

You will always have a mix of kids who are present here and then those who are tethered to the world through their devices. I am familiar with many students who have fits of anxiety when their devices don’t work. After being birthed into this technology age, this is all they know. So lets not rush to judgment. 

Parental anxiety regarding allowing youth to go to camp; as creatures of comfort and routine this is difficult. You have to trust but there is so many benefits of experiencing camp. Team building is emphasized when we live in a world that is solo-based. We are made for community, interacting and flourishing as humans. 

Mikey talks about using as little words as possible when sharing the Gospel of Christ with young people. Walk the walk and be an example to others. He then shares the challenges of coming up as a pastor’s kid. I want to be the one standing on the fringe who captures those who are walking away or slipping away. I want to be the one who people ask, “Why do you love me?” 

Pastor’s kid conversation was eye opening regarding the unfair standard pastor’s kids are held to. This forced him into being the “best fake” on the outside. It also pushed him deeper into music, both secular and Christian. He wanted to play Rock & Roll and be famous. Now at 35 years old, he is just scratching the surface on several areas of his life and the effects of living in a fish bowl. If you say “no” to the church you are saying ‘no” to God. But learning to say no is growth. 

You can reach Mikey at his church Lifehouse Church in Rocklin, CA. [email protected].

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, and welcome to today’s Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and even in Joy City we shed tears, voice frustrations and struggle to deal with the tragedies of this life. However, our JOY is found in the Rock, Jesus Christ and it is in Him we rejoice. Brother JC joins me as we discuss inflation and rising gas prices.

Listening and discussing inflation and rising gas prices from Dave & Rachel Ramsey. Dave Ramsey from Financial Peace University. Dave teaches strategies to keep us from the panic of inflation and he uses the 3rd pig analogy by saying that when the big bad wolf comes to huff and puff to blow your house down, you don't panic. But pig 1 and 2 are screaming. Rachel brings the other perspective that, hey maybe you did all these things, but it's still scary out there. 

Real life hits us all - JC expounds on being a life coach at a non-profit as he sees life impact those who are economically challenged like never before. 

This is the value of the church - community. Proverbs 6:6 teaches us how to plan and store up for days of famine. We also discuss Acts 4 and the sharing of believers. The beauty of the church and the Christian community is the body of Christ and we embrace, support and share with one another. 

There is a learning curve in dealing with our finances, sharing and generosity. God has an economic plan for His people, knowing that our security is not in our worldly wealth but in our heavenly Savior. That where our heart is, there is our treasure also. Yet, in the midst of that we need to learn the tools taught through biblical principles. 

JC talks about "gleaning" your crops but leaving the edges for those who could not care for themselves. God has always provided the church the ways and the means to take care of those who find themselves in need. Ruth being an example. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, and welcome to today’s Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and even in Joy City we shed tears, voice frustrations and struggle to deal with the tragedies of this life. However, our JOY is found in the Rock, Jesus Christ and it is in Him we rejoice. 

I am excited to welcome my guest today, Chelsea Johnson. Chelsea is the head girl's basketball coach at Amos P. Godbee High School . She also host a podcast called The Servant Leader Podcast and  April 2022 makes 2 years. We will cover a lot today and you will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to grow in your pursuit of God, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Chelsea welcome to the show. So much has happened over the last year, since the last time we spoke…preparing finally for a season, I was transitioning to a new church and you were transitioning to becoming a new mom….wow, so how did all that go? Chelsea and her husband welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Hendrix and the experience has been such a wonderful blessing. She has been coaching for (13) years and has so many mothers give her advice and she has encountered so many styles so she gleans a bit from all of them but is thankful for her own mother, who raised her and her siblings as a single mom. 

So now, your not only coaching young ladies, but your own daughter, how do you integrate the two? Love, love and more love. ""May the work I've done speak for itself..." is her mantra. Her team and the young ladies around watch as she and those in her village serve. We don't Bible beat, but may our light shine in a different way that makes people want to be curious. 

Prayer is not forced, but after their 4 years they want to lead prayer at practice or games. Her biggest thing is action, not just words. So as an alumni of Amos P. Godbee High, she can truly relate with the young people. Chelsea also spoke on facing challenges and triumphing over them and always being there for everyone, creating an atmosphere that displays Christ is the head of her life. Her joy is hearing and seeing the transformation of lives to a life lived in Christ. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and even in Joy City we shed tears, voice frustrations and struggle to deal with the tragedies of this life. 

That’s why I am so excited to welcome my guest today, Pastor Rick Countryman. Rick is what we call the Pastor Emeritus of Big Valley Grace Church here in Modesto. What that means is that after 40 years of pastoring, he handed the mantle over, but he remains a vital and valuable member of that pastoral staff. We will cover a lot today and you will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to grow in your pursuit of God, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Rick welcome to the show. Now we have to dive into this horrific shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde Texas that killed (19) children and (2) teachers. Now Rick, I know that you have seen some tragedies hit the lives of loved ones, family members or church members, what would you say if you had the opportunity to stand in front of this community. Rick went on to share his own loss of his 1st wife in a tragic car accident as well as other things that can impact us with no notice at all. He also remarked about the importance of a church community to come around you and how we as believers are called to bare one another’s burden’s and weep with those who weep. He comments on leaving the ER after a death and going up a few floors to a new baby being birthed. How we live in this life of tension, weeping one moment and rejoicing another. 

Thank you for that and somehow someway, I pray that God get that sentiment to these families. 

Now lets keep it moving we went on to talk about Rick’s journey to Christ, his engagement at Big Valley Grace, his run for Mayor of Modesto and so much more. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and my co-host, my brother and dear friend John Cunningham Jr., who we lovingly call Brother JC, Pastor at Christ Centered Missionary Baptist Church in Hayward California. 

I am so excited to welcome our guest today, Pastor Hasani Lateef, Forward Church in North Carolina and I know you will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to improve in your pursuit of God and business through hearing Pastor Hasani, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Pastor Hasani is married with three children and after serving in student ministry for 20 years, he was led to launch Forward Church just over 3 years ago and prior to the pandemic. 

In this episode, we discuss where Forward Church came from and how it came to be a church. How his wife and kids responded and have stepped into their respective roles. The challenges of a new church plant, a global pandemic and resiliance in the face of great adversity.  

The son of a Washinton D.C. police officer and minister, he details how blessed he was to be raised by a loving caring dad and yet, having tremendous fear and respect for his dad in a godly sense. It was upbringing that supports his testimony of God's trustworthyness and faithfulness and how he shares that with young people who perhaps were raised with no male influences in their lives. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to Joy City. 

Hello, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and my co-host, my brother and dear friend John Cunningham Jr., who we lovingly call Brother JC, Pastor at Christ Centered Missionary Baptist Church in Hayward California. 

I am so excited to welcome our guest today, you will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to improve in your pursuit of God and business through hearing Jeremy Parsons, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Jeremy welcome to the show. Jeremy is a Team Vicar at the Church of England which makes him part of a team ministry that oversees 7 churches yet he best describes himself as an “ordained entrepreneur” as he is CEO of Magic Subscriptions and he helps entrepreneurs build their businesses.

As an “Ordained Entrepreneur,” Jeremy and I discuss the challenges of moving ahead with the dreams and visions inside of you and the resilience required when doors aren’t opening as you may of imagined. 

Jeremy discusses his journey to a Christian life, a self professed atheist who had an encounter with God that brought him to the faith. Then coupling his drive for business with ministry. We also talk briefly about John Wesley, a evangelist and theologian from England, whom we know as the Founder of the Methodist denomination. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and my co-host, my brother and dear friend John Cunningham Jr., who we lovingly call Brother JC, who of last week was elevated to the role of Pastor at Christ Centered Missionary Baptist Church in Hayward California. 

I am so excited to discuss Nick Vujicic, born with no limbs and the challenges he faces and has overcome. You will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to improve in your pursuit of God through hearing Nick, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

I was blessed to be serving at the Dept. of Corrections in Solano when Nick visited and shared his story. To see a man with no limbs and be inspired by his story and his journey.

Somethings in life you cannot change, but who's story are you going to believe. In the midst of people putting you down you may feel you are not good enough or that you are a failure. We tend to focus more on what we cannot do, then what we can do. You take one step at a time. Sometimes, you may fall down. Now what? You have to fight to get back back up. 

Nick says he doesn't know what it's like to be called "fat," or to have an eating disorder, to be from a broken homes or to of been abused. But one thing he does know well, is a broken heart, is the feeling of being alone. 

Bro. JC and I have the ability to share our thoughts about Nick's story and to encourage our listeners that nothing is impossible to God. We have the privilege of restoring others to victorious living. 

Nick's parents asked the doctors, WHY? Nick asked his parents, WHY? Yet, he still has hope and wants us to have hope in Jesus Christ as well. Unfortunately, BAD things happen to everyone and that has nothing to do with whether you’re a “good” person or a “bad” person-on the flip side, good things happen to everyone too. 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583. 

Hello and welcome to Joy City, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and my co-host, my brother and dear friend John Cunningham Jr., who we lovingly call Brother JC. 

Welcome to Joy City, a place where YOU can find your joy and happiness in the kingdom of God, Let me hip you to this; Jesus never uttered and opinion, He never guessed. He didn’t give us sound wisdom or keen observation. Not at all, Jesus’ words are the essence of truth and when we adhere and follow them intently, we become stronger, healthier, holier and joyful. 

I am so excited to welcome our guest today, I know him as Brother Dre’, others know him as Bishop, while others call him Elder Swinney. He’s a dear friend, JC he gave me a few BUCKETS when I was coaching high school basketball, a faithful husband, I was fortunate to be at his wedding (probably 100 degrees in Sac that day), devoted father and an example of what a Church leader looks like and a motorcycle club President, recently returning from a ride to Arizona. Put your hands together and welcome my guy, Andre Swinney to Joy City. This motorcycle club Dre, what is this about? I know you been riding for awhile. 

I know you can’t give us the entire story Dre, but man give us the highlights. 

Man Dre, this last week has been so troubling as we witnessed this horrific shooting in Sacramento which left 6 dead and 12 injured. I mean at any given moment, someone we know is facing darkness and horror, illness, death, bereavement or a catastrophic loss.

In any ONE day, we may be called to kneel, watch and pray with someone close to us. 

Sometimes human suffering is dramatic and horrifying-more often tho, it is ordinary and quiet. You like JC and myself have heard so many times that “it’s God’s will.” Yet, I know, the Divine in no way intends us to suffer BUT instead, is WITH US! And invites us deeper. 

The apostle Paul in Philippians 2 says, “regard one another as more important than yourself…” I mean how does this show up?

We have the privilege of restoring others to victorious living. 

I read through some sayings of Rabbi Harold Kushner again recently and he says, “Our responding to life’s unfairness with sympathy…may be the surest proof of all God’s reality.”

Unfortunately, BAD things happen to everyone and that has nothing to do with whether you’re a “good” person or a “bad” person-on the flip side, good things happen to everyone too. 

The challenge for me is that some things start out looking great and end up terrible, while other things seem bad in the beginning but turn out to be a blessing…

I mean the pandemic showed us we are not in as much control of life as we would like to be? 

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at [email protected] or call me at (209) 522-3583.