Age: 25
Role in Lincoln: Participating in an internship under Pastor Jeff Heerspink to discover and refine my spiritual gifts.
Favorite part: I have lived my whole life in a small, conservative city in west Michigan. Moving to Lincoln, a much larger city, has challenged me to grow as a person in some great ways. The people I have been surrounded by have blessed me immensely in the short time I’ve been here, and much of that is thanks to the Northern Lighthouse. I was raised in the church and have visited many church congregations over the years, but the Northern Lighthouse offers an environment and spiritual experience the likes of which I have never encountered before.
Biggest impact: The Northern Lighthouse has a rare and privileged opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with people from all walks of life. There is a constant flow of new people being brought to the Sunday service. To me, everything done at the Northern Lighthouse gives me a sort of “core gospel” vibe. One of the pillars of this church is it’s striving for acceptance, and that in conjunction with the opportunity to share our services with inmates in the local prison system delivers a fantastic “come as you are” atmosphere. People aren’t afraid to share their struggles and life challenges, and as a body of believers we can walk with each other through those obstacles. In Matthew 9, Jesus was challenged regarding his association with tax collectors and sinners. His response was “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” I truly believe this community has taken up the responsibility and joy of carrying on this same attitude Jesus had while he walked on this Earth. The Northern Lighthouse is the best example I have ever seen of a modern era execution of the core principles Jesus called us to pursue: To love God, and to love our neighbors.