Chapter One
A Journey We Take Together
I’m so glad you’ve decided to pick up this booklet. Whether you’re reading it over your morning coffee, during a quiet moment in the evening, or somewhere in between, I want you to know something from the start: you’re not alone. I’m right here with you. Imagine us sitting across from each other, maybe at a table in your favorite coffee shop, sharing life’s joys and struggles, listening to each other’s hearts. Let’s walk through this journey together, step by step, just as if we were having one of those sacred, heart-to-heart conversations.
Let me share a little bit about myself. I’m a pastor in the Global Methodist Church, a Spirit-filled movement deeply rooted in the powerful Word of God and ignited by the historic faith and teachings of John Wesley. Like Wesley, I believe that ministry is best lived out in relationship, in the moments where lives intersect, and God’s grace becomes visible. Yes, I preach sermons and lead Bible studies, but I’ll be honest: my favorite part of ministry isn’t standing behind a pulpit. It’s sitting beside someone, hearing their story, and sharing mine. It’s the unhurried conversations over coffee, the impromptu chats after a service, or the moments when someone feels safe enough to open up about what’s really happening in their life.
Those moments are sacred to me because they remind me that we are never truly alone. In those spaces of vulnerability and connection, God’s love shines the brightest. They remind me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” God is present in our connections, in our shared stories, prayers, and acts of love, and I believe those moments are the foundation of the Church He calls us to build together.
Being part of the Global Methodist Church has given me a renewed passion for these connections. This movement isn’t just about maintaining traditions or filling sanctuaries; it’s about reigniting a Spirit-driven mission to love boldly, serve humbly, and disciple intentionally. That’s why I felt called to write this booklet, not as a manual, but as a companion to walk alongside you as we explore what it means to make friends, meet needs, and lead others to the transforming love of Jesus.
I don’t know exactly where you are on your journey of faith or how you’ve arrived at this moment, but I believe with all my heart that you’re here for a reason. Whether you feel confident in your faith or you’re wrestling with doubts, whether you’re thriving in your relationships or feeling isolated, God is working in and through you. And the fact that you’ve picked up this booklet tells me you’re ready to take a step, a step toward deeper connection with God and others.
So let’s start here, together. Let’s open our hearts to what God might have for us in this moment. My prayer is that as we take this journey, you’ll not only find encouragement and guidance, but also the assurance that you are part of something far greater than yourself, a movement of God’s people, united by His Spirit, working to bring His Kingdom closer, one relationship at a time.
I understand that reaching out to others, especially if it isn’t something you’re used to, can feel daunting. You might be thinking, “What if they don’t respond? What if I say the wrong thing? What if they think I’m being too forward?” Believe me, I’ve wrestled with those very same fears. There have been times when I felt God gently nudging me to speak to someone or lend a hand, and instead, I hesitated. I let the moment pass, and afterward, I wondered what could have been. If you’ve ever felt that way, know that you’re not alone. We’ve all been there.
What I’ve come to learn, and what I hope to encourage you with, is that every step we take toward another person, no matter how small, carries the potential to be part of God’s greater purpose. Those moments of connection, no matter how imperfect they may feel, can become the seeds of something extraordinary in His hands.
This journey isn’t about transforming you into someone you’re not. It’s not a checklist of things to accomplish or a script for initiating conversations. Instead, it’s about seeing people the way Jesus does, with compassion, patience, and a genuine desire to love. It’s about taking small, natural steps to build relationships that truly matter. You don’t need to have all the answers or a perfectly crafted plan. What you do need is a heart willing to say yes to God and a faith that trusts Him to guide you along the way.
Here’s the beautiful truth: I’m not expecting you to do this alone, and neither is God. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still learning myself, but I know this way of living, of making friends, meeting needs, and leading others to Jesus, is worth pursuing. I’ve seen it transform lives, mine included, and I have no doubt it can do the same for you.
So let’s take this step together. As we journey through the principles of "Relational Outreach in the GMC," I’ll share with you stories, scriptural insights, and practical tools to help you live this out in your daily life. Think of this as a guide to accompany you, but remember, this is your unique path. My role is simply to encourage you, to cheer you on, and to remind you that God is already at work in you and through you. You may find that these small, faithful steps lead to something far greater than you ever imagined. All it takes is a willingness to begin.
Let me share a bit of my own story with you, one that is as personal as it is transformative. I was 31 years old when my life changed forever, radically, profoundly, undeniably. It’s difficult to put into words the kind of transformation that only God can bring to a person who fully places their trust in Jesus. At the time, I didn’t have the theological framework or the Wesleyan understanding of holiness to describe it. All I knew was that something extraordinary had happened. In my simplest terms, I would have told you, “I know I’ve been redeemed, and I know I’m going to Heaven.” There was a reassurance deep in my soul, a certainty I had never experienced before.
In that moment, my heart was crying out, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” with such joy and urgency that it was hard to contain. Truthfully, I’m still that way, although I like to think I’ve learned to manage it a little better, well, sort of.
Looking back now, I realize this transformation didn’t happen in isolation. It began with a man named Mark, someone I worked with. Mark didn’t preach to me or push his faith on me. Instead, he simply talked to me. Not much at first, but he genuinely cared. He noticed me, reached out to me, and over time, we built a friendship. I knew he had a strong faith in Jesus, though he never made me feel uncomfortable or pressured. Mark was just... present.
One day, everything I thought I believed was shaken to the core. It started with a casual conversation with my stepfather, a man whose wisdom and advice I had trusted my entire life. As he gestured to the world around us, he asked me a simple but profound question: “Do you believe that one supreme being created all of this?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
“Well,” he replied, “I can’t believe that one being created all of this.”
His words rocked me. This man, who was always right, whose counsel I had followed to avoid mistakes and pain, had just dismissed the very foundation of what I thought I believed. It left me spinning, questioning everything. For the first time, I felt completely unmoored.
By the time Monday rolled around, I couldn’t carry the weight of that doubt alone. And that’s where Mark came in. He had already built a bridge of friendship with me, just by caring and being present. So that morning at work, I asked him what he was doing for lunch. I needed to talk.
We’d never shared a meal together before, and our conversations had been lighthearted and brief, but I felt comfortable enough to reach out. That day, we ended up at a taco restaurant, sitting across from each other at a small table. I explained my turmoil, spilling out my questions and confusion.
Then I asked him a question that, looking back, wasn’t particularly theological, but it came from the depths of my heart: “In your opinion, what does it take to go to Heaven?”
Mark paused. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and I later realized he was silently praying, praying for me, for wisdom, for the right words. Then he answered with a simple, clear explanation of the Gospel:
“Jesus came into the world to pay the price for our sins. All we have to do is believe He is the Son of God, and through that belief, we are saved and will go to Heaven.”
That was it. No elaborate explanation, no rehearsed presentation, just the truth of the Gospel spoken from the heart.
I didn’t pray a sinner’s prayer or make a dramatic confession in that moment, though I’ve certainly made a habit of confessing my sins to God since. All I know is that something happened inside me when I heard those words. I simple believed what he said and I felt something I can only describe as a burden being lifted off my shoulders. It was as if an unseen weight, one I hadn’t even fully realized I was carrying, was suddenly gone. It was a real sensation, not figurative.
I can’t recall the rest of our conversation that day. I don’t remember what we talked about or even how long we stayed. But when I left work that evening, I was overwhelmed with a joy unlike anything I had ever known.
Picture this: I was wearing black dress shoes, gray slacks, a white shirt, and a nice tie as I stepped off the elevator and walked across the parking garage to my car. Except I wasn’t just walking, I was smiling, grinning from ear to ear, and skipping like a child. Yes, skipping! I felt like my heart was going to burst with joy.
I was changed. Forever changed. And I still am.
Over 30 years have passed since that day, and now I can see Mark’s actions for what they truly were. Though I’m sure he didn’t know anything about the "Relational Outreach in the GMC" model, he was living it out naturally as a follower of Jesus. He made a friend, met a need, and led me to an understanding of faith in Jesus that transformed my life.
I sometimes wonder if Mark had been praying all along for an opportunity to share the Gospel with me. He was such a mild-mannered, quiet man, not the type to force a conversation or push his beliefs on anyone. And yet, maybe—just maybe—my stepfather’s startling proclamation was God’s answer to Mark’s prayers. Who’s to say it wasn’t? After all, we serve a God who works all things together for His good, often in ways we can’t immediately see or understand. Sometimes, the most unexpected moments become the very stage upon which God’s grace is revealed.
That’s why this book matters so much to me. It’s not just a set of principles or a framework. It’s the embodiment of what God can do when we’re willing to make connections, meet people where they are, and trust Him to lead. Mark didn’t know the impact he would have on my life, but his faithful actions became the starting point of a journey that continues to this day.
I share this story with you because I believe God can use you in the same way. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to care, to reach out, and to trust that God will do the rest. That’s where transformation begins, one relationship at a time.
Mark had no idea that when he first reached out to befriend me, God was setting the stage for something far greater than either of us could have imagined. He didn’t know that his willingness to care, to listen, and to simply be present would open the door for me to bring my crisis of faith to him. He couldn’t have foreseen that God would use that one conversation to change me so profoundly that it would alter the entire trajectory of my life. But that’s exactly what happened.
Because of that moment, my life took a direction I never could have dreamed of. I became the youth director at my church, pouring into the next generation. I taught Sunday School, sharing God’s Word with others who were hungry to know Him. I even created a neighborhood newsletter, delivering it to homes around our church in hopes of reaching people with the love of Christ.
And then God called me further. I went to Bible college, sold most of what I owned, and moved my family to the Dominican Republic to serve as foreign missionaries. In a poor neighborhood filled with underprivileged children, we started a small Bible school. We helped build over 15 chapels for house churches, giving those communities a place to gather and worship. Later, we led mission teams to Hermosillo and Monterrey, Mexico, where we helped construct churches and hosted Escuela de Vacación de Biblia, what we call Vacation Bible School.
Eventually, God led me into pastoral ministry, and for the past eight years, I’ve served as a Methodist pastor. Today, by His grace, I am an ordained minister in the Global Methodist Church, part of a movement committed to spreading the Gospel and living out the love of Christ in tangible ways.
One more thing that came from Mark’s decision to befriend me is this very moment. I’m talking to you through this book because of what God started in that simple, faithful act. Think about it, Mark couldn’t have known that his kindness and willingness to share the Gospel with me would ripple out in ways neither of us could ever imagine. And yet, here I am, sharing my story with you, inviting you to step into this journey of Relational Outreach in the GMC and be part of God’s incredible work.
That’s the beauty of how God moves. He takes our small steps of obedience and multiplies them in ways that go far beyond anything we could ask or think. Mark’s friendship didn’t just impact my life, it’s impacting yours right now. That’s how powerful God’s grace is when it flows through us to touch the lives of others. And if He can do that through Mark, imagine what He can do through you.
I don’t share this to boast, I share it to show you what God can do through something as simple as friendship. Mark couldn’t have known that his quiet faithfulness would lead to all of this. Or maybe, just maybe, he did. Maybe Mark trusted that God could use even small acts of kindness to accomplish His greater purposes. And maybe that’s a reminder for all of us: you have no idea what God can do when you step out in faith to make a connection, meet a need, and lead someone toward Him. When you embrace the heart of Relational Outreach in the GMC, you’re stepping into a story that only God can write, one with eternal significance.
As we dive in, let me pray for us. Take a deep breath, and let’s invite God into this moment:
“Father, thank You for this time we’re spending together. Open our hearts to see the people You’ve placed in our lives. Teach us to love as You love, to serve as You serve, and to trust that You will guide us every step of the way. Amen.”
Ready? Let’s get started. Together, we’ll discover how small, intentional steps can lead to something extraordinary. Let’s make a friend, meet a need, and lead someone to the life-changing love of Jesus. You don’t have to do this perfectly, you just have to begin. And I’m here with you every step of the way. ...READ MORE
