South Bay – John Markum

My life these last few months…

Posted on November 30, 2013 by johnmarkum

So if you’re a faithful follower of my blog, you’ve probably been frustrated by the lack of new posts since about August. Hopefully, if you are a faithful follower of my blog, you’ve correctly assumed that I’m busy with the beginnings of LifeCity Church, the church plant we moved out to California to launch. Whether or not you’ve given me the benefit of the doubt, or if you’ve even noticed, I’ve come to the point where I’ve decided that it has been long enough, and this was something I should return to doing. So time to get back on the blog-wagon and update everyone! In a reasonably short post, here’s what’s gone down in our life and ministry in the last few months:

Our daughters started school at the local elementary school on our street. They’re doing great! Tiff and I have been able to connect with several parents in the school also, many of whom have begun getting connected to LifeCity.
Our church is excited about the future God has for us and our community! We’ve begun meeting weekly for an in-house Bible study (aka “house church”) to build our core group, identify potential leaders, and develop people who are becoming this new church. We’ve got several people coming, and our children’s ministry (KidsTown) gets rave reviews from the families who have come!
Tiffany has restarted her Pampered Chef business, something she use to really enjoy, and which also gives her more ability to connect with people in our city. It also gets me more kitchen toys to play with…
Our entire Launch Team who relocated here have all found jobs and housing and have done a great job, not only by serving in needed areas, but in bonding with one another and reaching out to strangers to build new friendships and connections.

Much, much more to share about all that God is doing in our family and ministry right now. But you’ll have to follow the blog to keep up with us!

Blessings,
Pastor John

Relocating to the South Bay

Posted on July 30, 2013 by johnmarkum

So a short, short time ago, in a state far, far away, we began the move of a lifetime. Since the first time I felt God leading me into ministry, I knew this day was coming – the day I would leave the “known”, comfortable, and familiar to take the Gospel to a new place and a new culture.
Now we’re here – and there’s nothing like being in the place you were called to, to do what you were called to do. I’m working hard to establish some routine, take care of basic obligations, and develop some early connections. So far, things are going GREAT! And God has been profoundly working on our behalf already:
1. Our entire Launch Team who has already moved out here has found housing in less than 4 days!
2. Most of them have jobs or solid leads including a second interview.
3. We were able to touch base with a good friend, Phil McGee, who works a lot in the South Bay.
4. We’re already planning and looking forward to our first couple of events to connect with people quickly!

Soon I’ll be posting more about our trip including pictures. In the meantime, on behalf of my family, and the four other adults who have already moved out here (we’re expecting a few more soon!), I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of those who are financially supporting LifeCity Church – you make it possible for us to bring the Gospel to this area. And also to our sending church family, Edgewood – you have all overwhelmed us with your love and appreciation toward us, and we are so blessed to be your church planting team to the South Bay area.
We can’t wait to share more with you in the coming weeks and months that lie ahead!

Blessings,
Pastor John

Dear people of the South Bay…

Posted on April 22, 2013 by johnmarkum

I’m writing this to the approximately 2 million people who live in the South Bay area whom we are compelled to relocate to this summer for the sake of bringing the Gospel. It is now three months away from the time that we will be moving into your communities, integrating into your busy streets, and sharing our lives with you. As I watch these words appear on the screen before me, I am acutely aware that these thoughts are largely meaningless to most of you at the time of my writing them. And yet I must share my heart with you in hopes that, one day, what I say here will have profound significance for many of you.
Unlike so many of your residents, we are not relocating because of the promise of a new career opportunity. Rather, we are coming because of you. You see, I have looked into the eyes of so many of you, and have listened to your stories, and have seen myself… apart from Christ. Ambitious. Driven. Opinionated, yet tolerant. Socially active, and yet somehow kind of lonely and empty when you thought no one else was watching.

But I’ve watched. And prayed. And even fasted for you. And as the vast majority of you continue to do life far from the grace that God would have for you, you have not gone unnoticed by Him, and therefore by me. I’ve always been a “big-picture” kind of guy, so here’s how I currently seen things…

I am 31 years of age as I come to you. I am old enough to have made enough youthful mistakes and have grown through them, yet young enough to still take risks. I am strong, strategic, and in my prime. I am offering to you the very best years I have to give. This is not simply the “next step” in a career path that I’ve chosen. You’re it for me. There is nowhere else I intend to go. They will bury my body in your soil one day, hopefully a long time from now. I, my family, and the several people coming with us, are laying our lives down for the Gospel… for you.

Even now, as I sit 2,004 miles from where you are, my heart is with you. I am committed to you. And I will stop at nothing to reach you. I don’t expect most of you to understand this yet, but we love you. You matter to us. The Bible tells us of a God who moved Heaven and earth to get to humanity to save us. That same God is sending me to you, not because I am somehow special in any way, but because you are special to Him in every way.

One day, as I stand before you as your pastor and watch hundreds, or maybe even thousands of you worshiping Jesus passionately, and responding in faith to the Son of God, and as I get to see Him heal relationships, and restore identities in Himself, and break addictions, and you begin to love others as He has loved you, and whole communities are renewed by God’s work through you – I will remember this moment. The moment when God breathed into my life a vision of what He would do in you and through you, and I believed Him enough to commit it to writing.

Between now and then, I’m still thinking about you and praying for you. Every one of you I get the privilege to meet is a divine appointment from my perspective. I cannot wait to see you begin to fully experience life in Christ together!

So, hi. My name is John. I’ll be your new neighbor in July. I follow Jesus, and I believe that greater things are coming here. I can’t wait to meet you! See you soon.

Blessings,
Pastor John