Part of BSSW is a week-long event called the Kingdom conference which focuses on how to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. In Matthew 6:10 Jesus tells his disciples to pray like this to the Father:
“Your kingdom come,Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.“
On earth as it is in heaven.“
I’ve heard this verse for years and would honestly tell you that I lived my life towards this goal. During the sessions of the Kingdom conference I realized job descriptions, expectations in personal circles and reinforced cultural values in my hometown of Newport News had dictated my plans for life. Simply put, I had never dreamed of what heaven would look like in my own city.
I began digesting and meditating upon what this meant and heard beating in my heart a desire to see people’s lives transformed, dreams awakened and a city come alive to its full potential. If I had had this limitation in my life to dream with God who else is under this ceiling of past situations, unstable economy and cultural values rooted in what can be achieved on our own. What would Newport News look like if people started dreaming from heaven-to-earth and were in touch with their true destiny as sons and daughters of the living God? What would heaven look like in Newport News?
So in August of 2010 Charissa and I began the process of becoming the pastors of Restoration Christian Center. “Wait, you did what?”… you may be thinking. To summarize our journey, we had previously thought that I’d be strictly doing music and worship and Charissa likes to travel so we’d be “musicianaries”, making music, being emersed in the arts, travelling around sharing our gifts – being sent out by our local church family. Heck, we even made cards up for it so that people could pray for us and support us. What we’ve realized along the search for a “better job” was that we have hearts much bigger than our own personal ministry. We have vision to engage those around us to start living as sons and daughters of God in every situation, in every moment, with eyes on bringing God’s environment – heaven - here to earth. It was no longer about getting a better job but about “how” could we live our lives fully engaged to this calling. Without looking the opportunity to serve as leaders of our local church opened up before us and we knew that this was part of how we could fully release our hearts cry and in January of 2011 we officially took over that position.
We know that we’re just ordinary people. We also know that our story is part of a bigger story. Yes, I’m a husband and father who also likes to write and record songs. Yes, I have been dissatisfied spending the majority of my days as a corporate sales guy. My life however, isn’t made perfect when I do the things that I want to do or that I think makes me happy but when I usher in the eternal goodness of God into each 24 hour day, wherever I may be. Jesus said, “Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) It is the same for me to do that which only my Father is doing. Funny thing here is my dad, on earth, John Crowder happened to be the previous pastor at the church we now pastor and my grandfather started the church in the 70's. You would have thought I would've seen this coming – nope.
I’m become hungry to be more than I previously thought possible. I now see my life with a significant part to play and that significance lies in who I’m attached to not what I can accomplish. I live to be an encourager to people, to see them released from ‘normal’ thinking and to start expecting the impossible, to help shake up the mindset of our living generations and share withe everyone the reality of a Father God who moves in love and power here in my city.
Game on.
3 generations of pastors
(From left to right - My dad John Crowder, my grandfather John Romaine, my mother Mary Romaine Crowder, my son Asher & me)
(From left to right - My dad John Crowder, my grandfather John Romaine, my mother Mary Romaine Crowder, my son Asher & me)
