What happens when you grow up hearing about Jesus but don’t see the life-changing power of the gospel around you?
In this episode of Reconcile Stories, Sebastian shares his journey from growing up in church and becoming angry at God after moving overseas, through a season of substance abuse, brokenness, and spiritual searching, to discovering forgiveness, faith, and ultimately a calling to ministry. Sebastian talks honestly about the questions that shaped his view of God, including why suffering and injustice made him angry and how a difficult season in his life eventually led him to seriously consider what he believed. He also shares how a mentor helped him begin pursuing truth and understanding forgiveness, and how God used brokenness to draw him toward a deeper faith.
The conversation then turns toward Sebastian’s experience at Reconcile Community Church and what he has learned about ministry in a community that is different from the one he grew up in. What does it actually look like to serve people outside the Christian bubble? Will and Sebastian talk about why ministry takes time, why success can’t always be measured by numbers, and why simply being present and building relationships can be more important than trying to immediately fix someone’s problems. They also discuss the tension between cultural assumptions and biblical values, the importance of learning from people with different backgrounds, and why getting outside of your comfort zone can give you a fuller picture of how God works.
Finally, Sebastian shares what he wishes other churches and people in Greenville understood about Reconcile—including the ways economic and cultural assumptions can unintentionally make people feel like the gospel isn’t for them.
This is a conversation about brokenness, forgiveness, faith, calling, relationships, ministry, and what it means to bring the gospel into the real world.
—————————
In This Episode:
- Growing up in church and struggling to see genuine excitement about God
- Moving to Thailand as a child and becoming angry at God
- Wrestling with suffering, injustice, and the goodness of God
- A season of substance abuse and spiritual searching
- Returning to church and realizing he actually missed it
- A traumatic experience that forced Sebastian to confront deeper questions
- The role of a mentor in his journey toward Christ
- Learning about forgiveness
- Recognizing brokenness and the need for spiritual zeal
- Discovering Reconcile Community Church
- Leaving the Christian bubble
- Why ministry moves at the speed of relationships
- Why ministry success can’t always be measured by numbers
- Learning to listen instead of assuming you already know what people need
- The importance of simply being present
- Choosing a ministry calling over money and comfort
- Why Christians should expose themselves to different walks of life
- Learning to distinguish cultural values from biblical values
- How different communities can expand our understanding of God’s work
- Why churches can unintentionally create cultural barriers
- Communicating the gospel in ways people can actually understand
—————————
Key Takeaways:
- Ministry isn’t about fixing people or manufacturing results.
- It’s about faithfully showing up, building relationships, listening, sharing the gospel, and trusting God to do what only He can do.
- Ministry moves at the speed of relationships.
—————————
Please visit our website at reconcilecc.org for any questions. Thank you for helping support our mission to Preach The Gospel. Produce Disciples. Pursue Justice.
