Why I Love Westhill Church

I was recently asked, "How long have you been a pastor at Westhill Church?" My immediate thought was, "about 12 years", but doing the actual math in my head determined that it had actually been 20 years! Wow! Where had all that time gone? The saying goes, "Time flies when you're having fun!" While serving as a pastor in ministry isn't always perceived as fun, and the fact that there have been some challenges and tough times along the way, I can truly say that I enjoy being in pastoral ministry, and more specifically, I enjoy pastoring at Westhill Church.

After spending some time reflecting on the past 20 years, I can truly say that I love Westhill Church! We are not perfect, but we strive to be holy and sanctified. Here are some of the reasons I love Westhill Church.

1. All y'all reflect God's sovereignty at work in your lives. You display and live out what the church (the Bride of Christ) should be doing. I observe many of you caring for, praying for, and encouraging one another with genuine love. I love how many of you share how you desire to hear God's Word preached every Sunday and more importantly, how you apply it to your lives. You love to worship, I hear it in your voices and your actions during our worship time. What I see is believers who desire holiness before happiness.

2. Our worship team is gifted, but more importantly, they desire to and have a passion to worship God. I see the sincerity in how they lead worship and they facilitate leading the congregation very well.

3. My small group and small groups in general. The small group that I belong to is an important part of my Christian walk. I have become close to them and they are an important part of Rona's and my life. Small groups are vital to spiritual growth. I hear the same thing about the other small groups in Westhill Church. People are connecting with and caring for each other in a way that could only be accomplished through a weekly meeting, Bible study and time of fellowship. I've gotten to know the people in my small group in a much deeper level.

4. Sunday School. Westhill Church has amazing Sunday school teachers who are committed to and genuinely care about the salvation and spiritual growth of our children. They love teaching God's Word and spend a lot of time in preparation in order to do that well.

5. Leadership. I find it amazing that the elder board comes from very diverse backgrounds and experiences but are so unified in leading the church. We love each other dearly, care for each other, and desire to be accountable to each other. This goes beyond "holding each other accountable". We recognize that we need it for our own spiritual growth and it is vital to our ability to lead the church. I consider the other elders true friends. I love how they all have a desire to teach God's Word and are committed to doing it well. Each elder takes Hebrews 13:17 very seriously as part of our responsibility. "to keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account." Our commitment to you is to be committed to God and His Word. By doing so, you become direct beneficiaries of His grace. We have the same plea as the writer of Hebrews has, "Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything."

Sunday mornings can come with challenges, but I urge you to come to church, especially when things get tough. Come to hear God's Word and put it into practice, Come to Worship our Lord, Come to grow together as you minister to your brothers and sisters and be ministered to. 

We are not the perfect church, but we are the real church, with all of life's challenges, illnesses, financial burdens, and work-related difficulties. And through it all, we recognize that God is sovereign in all things.

WIth love,

Pastor Bryan