From Corrections Officer to Shepherd
When the Church’s Schedule Didn’t Work… He Gathered His Own
When ordinary believers encounter God, extraordinary things happen. Recently, we witnessed that truth unfold in the life of a middle-aged corrections officer whose work schedule kept him from attending Sunday services for nearly six months.
For many, that kind of schedule would quietly create distance — from church, from community, perhaps even from spiritual rhythms. But for this man, the absence stirred something deeper.
Instead of saying, “I guess we just can’t go,” he told his wife, “We’re going to have church at home.”
And they did.
About six weeks ago (possibly longer), he began leading his family in worship in their own home. No platform. No program. Just obedience.
He stepped into spiritual leadership not because he felt qualified, but because he felt called. His work environment may have kept him from gathering on Sundays, but it did not keep him from shepherding his household.
Recently, he attended an Encounter gathering connected to CDN. There, he heard language and teaching that affirmed what God had already begun stirring in him — that the Church is not confined to a building, and that spiritual leadership starts wherever we are.
What he had started in isolation was suddenly validated in community.
From Validation to Invitation
The most compelling part of this story isn’t just that he led his family — it’s that he didn’t stop there.
Now, he’s inviting friends to join them.
What began as a faithful response to a challenging schedule is becoming something more: a gathering. A community. Perhaps even the early formation of a new expression of church.
Why This Matters
This story reminds us that church planting doesn’t always begin with a launch team and a public service.
Sometimes it begins in a living room.
With a tired corrections officer.
With a simple decision:
“We’re going to have church at home.”
And from that obedience, God builds.
Prayer Request
Please pray that the fire and passion God has ignited will not dissipate. Pray that as this man continues to grow his congregation, he will be strengthened, encouraged, and surrounded by wise counsel.
When believers step out in faith, even in small and unseen ways, the Kingdom advances.