In All Things

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Michael Flake, pastor of Storyhill Church in Davidson, North Carolina. The two discuss Flake’s church planting DNA in the EPC, including his childhood at then-church-plant Hope Church in Memphis, followed by involvement during his college years with EPC church planter Mike Moses at Lake Forest Church in Huntersville, N.C., and culminating after seminary by serving as Lake Forest’s first church planting pastor at the Lake Forest Davidson campus which localized as Storyhill Church in December 2021. Flake describes how the EPC's vision of every local church being a parent, partner, or patron of church planting is embedded in Storyhill, including possibly planting churches in other college towns. Flake also discusses how he bridges the generation gap as a 38-year-old pastor with the large Davidson College student population that attends Storyhill, and their perspective as Christians in a culture that is increasingly antagonistic toward Christianity.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Enid Flores, Ruling Elder for Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The two discuss Flores’ involvement in the EPC’s Next Generation Ministries Council and Revelation 7:9 Task Force, as well as her recent service as Moderator of the Presbytery of Florida and Caribbean. Flores also describes her vision for developing pathways of service for younger leaders in the denomination, as well as her desire that every EPC church member would be engaged in the work of the larger Church.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Patrick Coelho, the EPC’s Chief Financial Officer. The two discuss Coelho’s upbringing as a first-generation American and his role as CFO of the denomination. Coelho also explains how he serves as a resource for EPC churches, including how the EPC set up online giving for churches at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and his leadership of the annual gathering for EPC Executive Pastors and church administrators. In addition, he describes the EPC’s fiscal year, annual financial audit, and the recently approved change in funding formula from Per Member Asking (PMA) to Percentage of Income (POI).

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Samuel Sesay, missionary evangelist with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sierra Leone and President of EduNations. The two discuss Sesay’s journey to faith from a Muslim background within the syncretic religious environment of Sierra Leone. Sesay also describes the mission and vision of EduNations, which operates 15 Christian schools with more than 3,500 students in predominantly Muslim villages in the West African country, as well as how the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sierra Leone—which has witnessed more than 1,000 baptisms in the past eight years—was birthed from the ministry of EduNations.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Bryn MacPhail, Senior Pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk in Nassau, Bahamas, and author of Purposeful Pain: What Your Troubles Achieve. The two discuss how God uses suffering to make believers more like Jesus, and how repeated pain and suffering—unlike manual labor that develops strength and durability—results in a heavy burden that only being yoked to Christ can relieve.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Mark Christian, member of the EPC’s Covenant Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska, and author of The Apostate: My Search for Truth. The two discuss Christian’s upbringing in Egypt in a family of the Muslim Brotherhood, becoming an imam at age 12, and how a journey of questioning the claims of Mohamed for a deeper understanding of Islam resulted in a failed attempt on his life and ultimately to faith in Christ.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Jim and Shari Hobby, facilitators of the House of Gladness in Thomasville, Ga. The Hobbys—both of whom are ordained in the Anglican Church in North America—were the guest speakers for the EPC’s 2021-22 pastor/spouse retreats. The three discuss how the Psalm 13 passage they taught from at the pastor/spouse retreats helps those in ministry walk through—but not stay too long in—the process of lament so they can look to and embrace hope. The Hobbys also describe their House of Gladness ministry and the importance of pastors and spouses connecting with other pastors and spouses.

Dave Wahlstedt, Pastor of The Table in Dallas, Texas, discusses shifting church culture from performance to discipleship. He emphasizes the need for real spiritual formation and engaging scripture in small groups. Wahlstedt also explores the importance of innovative thinking in Christian ministry, highlighted in his book 'Shift: Catalyzing Creative Change in Innovative Christian Ministry'.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Dustin Leimgruber, EPC Teaching Elder and author of The Sanctus Chronicles: The Plague of Tradium. Host Dean Weaver and Leimgruber discuss his journey to faith as a Jew in a rural area, to reading the Gospels in an Intervarsity Fellowship Bible study in college. Leimgruber also describes the story behind the book, and how fantasy literature in general can frame spirituality in a “I am in a struggle but the good guys win in the end” context that often is relatable for the reader.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, explains the purpose behind and activities at the 42nd General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, held June 21-24 at Ward Church in Northville, Michigan.