Before I start sharing about the next step and season of my life, I need to let the world know why Victory Family Church is so amazing! I’ve been going to church there for 9 years, I interned there for 3 years and I was on staff for 3 years! It’s been an honor to see the behind the scenes of how such an amazing church works. Here are just a few reasons it’s such an incredible church:

The Best of the Best Leadership – If I had to name only one thing that I was thankful for about my time at Victory, it’d be Pastor John and Michelle! I’ve only been around for 9 years out of the churches 17 year old history, but the amount of people that have been reached, equipped, and unleashed into the world to make a difference is unbelievable. Pastor John and Michelle believe in and love people more than anyone I’ve ever met. They’ve established a structure for people to grow up spiritually and have an awesome foundation to build their lives on. To have sat under their leadership for 9 years has been the greatest experience of my life.

They Love People More than Anybody I’ve Ever Met – Seriously! Everything the church does is for one purpose, reaching people for God. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, what you’ve done, or what you’re going through, people at Victory will love you. As Pastor John says, “We’re not here to see through you, we’re here to see you through.”

The Vision is Huge – Reach a generation of people for God. I’m not sure it gets any bigger than that! There is no greater fulfillment in life than pursuing a huge, God-given vision. It makes everyday exciting! Everyday becomes a day you can make a difference in someone’s life. Everyday you get the opportunity to help reach a generation. It makes life so much more exciting!

Families are a Priority -If you go in the building, you’ll realize that most of the building is made for children and youth! Victory believes in reaching the next generation with the best resources available! I’m telling you, if you have children, teenagers, or twenty-somethings, you need to get them to Victory!

The Staff is Amazing! -My favorite people on the planet, with the exception of my family, are the people on staff at Victory! You will not find better people on the planet! From the pastors to the cleaning crew, everyone is amazing! Everyone is on board with the vision and is committed to it! They are the same people in public as they are in private.

They Have a Ministry for Everybody – Children ministry? Check. Youth Ministry? Check. Twenty-Somethings? Check! Adult Ministry? Check! Bible School? Check. Spiritual Development Classes? Check. Drug and Alcohol recovery? Check. I could go on and on. Victory has found a way to reach everybody! The best part, they aren’t just ministries thrown together, they are all done with excellence!

They Want to See the Plan of God Come to Pass in Your Life More than Anything - I remember talking to Pastor John about going with Pastor Larry. I said, “Pastor John, I want to go, but I also love you and Michelle so much! I love your vision and always want to serve it!” He said, “Bubba, if you want to serve me and Michelle, go and do what God called you to do and reach as many people as you possible can. That means more to us than anything!” So many people have been raised up through Victory and end up going to do a great work for God. Now it’s my turn! I’m so thankful for the foundation they’ve laid in me!

I could go on and on and on. But I’ll end saying this: If you’re looking for a great church to be a part of. If you’re searching for God, if you want to go deeper in your relationship with God, if you’re looking to have your life changed, if you’re looking to change your family forever, if you’re looking to be a part of something bigger than yourself, if you’re looking to grow spiritually, if you’re looking to make great friends, then you need to go to Victory Family Church.

It’s changed my life forever and I know it will do the same for you.

Thanks Victory Family Church…. For Everything.

-Bubs

To the Student, Parents, and Leaders of Revolution,

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your journey. I’ve had an absolute blast! It’s been such an honor to be a part of each of your lives! So many memories! So many good times! So many lives changed!

I hope that I was able to encourage you in your search for and walk with God. I am so excited to see you guys a few years down the road and hear about everything God is doing in and through your lives!

If there is ever anything I can do to serve any of you throughout your journeys, please let me know!

I can’t put into words how much serving you guys has meant to me, so instead, I will simply leave you with this encouragement:

• Never stop going after God with everything in you.

• Pursue God above everything else in your life! (Matthew 6:33)
  

• Never stop dreaming big for your lives. Go after your dreams!

• Never stop loving people.

• Never stop believing that you’re a world changer!

• Never stop loving who God made you to be.

• Be bold!Be confident!
  

• Point everyone you know to God as often as you can!

• Love Your Parents, You Never know When They’ll Be Gone for Good
  

• Make as Many Memories as You Can…do it Intentionally!

• Forgive Yourself Quickly, Get back Up, and Move Forward!

• Surround Yourself with Mentors!

• Live for an Audience of One
  

Thanks again for the honor and privilege of getting to be a part of your journey!

I love you guys more than you will ever know! Thank you for an incredible journey that I’ll never forget!

Bubs

¹⁰For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].   Ephesians 2:10 (AMP)

Today is my last day in the office at Victory Family Church! This Saturday, will be my last Revolution Service. In March, Laura and I will be launching out with my friends and mentors, Larry and Kim Bettencourt, to plant a church in Chippewa, PA. We will be the youth pastors there! We could not be more excited! Stay posted for more information about that!

Working at Victory Family Church has been the greatest experience of my life! Nearly everything I’ve learned about life, I’ve learned while volunteering and working at Victory! When I came here in 2002, I had a 1.6 GPA in high school, I was into drugs and alcohol, chewed tobacco, had no dreams, no purpose, I wasn’t sure how to have healthy relationships, I wasn’t able to influence others for good, I couldn’t…. you get the point. Nine years later, I am a totally different man!

Through my experience at Victory, I’ve gone places I’ve never dreamed of going, had opportunities to lead that I would have never had, I have made some incredible friends, and hopefully I have helped some people get closer to God! It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve loved every second of it!

You will never find a finer group of people than the staff and volunteers at Victory. From the pastoral staff to the cleaning crew, everyone is absolutely incredible. If you go to Victory, never take that for granted! God is doing something so special there. The people leading there have amazing hearts and love people more than anyone I have ever met. It’s been beyond an honor to be a part of what God is doing there.

I will end with simply saying thank you. Thank you to the staff, volunteers, members, twenty somethings, and Rev! It’s been the joy of my life to get to do life and ministry with you! You’re all so awesome! I am so excited about what God is doing in all of your lives! I cannot wait to come back and hear about what God is doing and how He is using you to make a difference!

Never stop loving God and loving people.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives!

I love you guys!!

~Bubs