Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 This morning, I am very, very excited and very appreciative that we have, uh, Dylan and Tess yuk with us today. And for those that don't know, I'm, I'm sure that there would be, uh, many of us that do know. But for those that don't, uh, Dylan and Tess Lead and Pastor Link Church, which is kind of like our neighbors just down the road, right? They're not too far away. I've always appreciated from these guys their desire to learn, their desire to be in environments that is different to what they would've known, and therefore have the opportunities to grow and be who God has called them to be. But I love their generosity and in our journey as co church, when we first started co church and we obviously had nothing. And, and no one, it's one of those scenarios where you are looking for people for a sense of encouragement and you're looking for people for a kindred spirit and, and people just to say you're on the right track to a degree, however they choose to do that.
Speaker 0 00:00:57 And these guys have been that in our journey. Um, and it doesn't have to always be big things. It's often the small things. And so, for example, when we first launched what we would know, like a, a public worship service, I think it was the 9th of February, 2020. Covid kicked in just a couple weeks afterwards. But on that particular Sunday team from their church and on behalf of Dylan and Tess arrived at the venue where we were, um, having our worship service, you know, unbeknown to us. And they brought a gift to us, uh, just out of the blue. And they were the ones that were sending us encouragement right from the outset. Um, when we moved into this space, they were the first as well to send words of encouragement, um, and a gift. And even this morning, I'm like, they are our guests arriving in church.
Speaker 0 00:01:44 And next thing Tess is giving me a gift. I'm like, I don't know how to deal with this stuff. I'm not very good at receiving gifts. So, um, so I love their generosity. I I love that they are just down the road and are doing something in their context in a significant way. And I love that they've journeyed in an their own right for a while now, 14 years, right? Link coming up to 15, um, which is amazing. I I've always said this and said this of link, I genuinely believe it to be a miracle. And having seen from afar the journey of that church, which is really from grassroots, it's, it's one of the very few. And this is what we have to appreciate. There are a lot of churches and, and it's awesome. It's not a bad thing. It's a great thing. There are a lot of churches that when they get to a certain resource capacity, have the ability to then expand by way of multiplication of who they are as a church and they'll do campuses or extension services. These guys really did start from scratch. They, they planted a church and they started from grassroots level, and that's admirable. Um, I think I'm actually giving myself a compliment as I'm saying this because I'm like, let's flip an admirable, you know, we should honor these guys a lot more than what we do. Um, it's not about me today. It's uh, it's not about me and Tim, it's about these guys. But, um, why don't we welcome them cuz we're gonna have a conversation to them. Let's give them a, a huge round of applause.
Speaker 0 00:03:14 I'm gonna start kind of real personal with this and, and what I would love to hear from both of you, whenever you feel free to go for it, just to hear a little bit about your guys' salvation story, your faith story, and how you came to know and follow Jesus.
Speaker 1 00:03:28 I'm gonna let her start that story. First of all, I suppose that's good to be here. I you say like before we
Speaker 0 00:03:33 Yes,
Speaker 1 00:03:33 Yes. This church has a rich history in our lives. Uh, I grew up as boy, my parents coming to Anton Church and uh, of course there were monetary encounters with God in that time, for sure. My mom always says she could see there was something God was doing. I just had it activated in my own faith. And you gotta choose your own story at some stage. And they, they <unk> I'll get to that now, but, uh, it's really cool to be back in the church for that reason. But later on in our lives, uh, after giving our love to Christ, we felt called to come and serve this church. Actually, I might as well tell you my salvation story. I go to St. Bush, I'm like going on a journey. I'm like just desperate to be away from home and be able to do my own thing as a kid.
Speaker 1 00:04:08 And obviously the further I run the the, the more intent God is to pursue me. That's just how he is. You know? And so I run quite far into my fourth year at St. Bush and I find myself standing in a worship service at every nation church or, uh, his people very charismatic Pentecostal church. And, uh, I give my life to Jesus. I dunno what's going on. I just know that this is the moment where I'm choosing God as my savior, Jesus my Savior. So I give my life to Jesus and the journey unfolds. Te can tell her side of it. We were dating at the time. She and I were on a different page at that moment. And, uh, luckily it didn't last very long, hence the reason we're sitting here together, <laugh>. But I, I came back home and actually felt God said, I got saved in this charismatic, amazing student bubble.
Speaker 1 00:04:52 And I was like, this is so cool. Get back to Beto looking for the same charismatic expression. There were somewhere around, there was a church called Bayside Amazing Church. We went there once or twice and God just kept nudging us, go back to the Ankin Church. And so we find ourselves serving this church in its anglican conveyors as young adults on fire for Jesus. And it was in that moment that God started showing us what a church plant would look like. Uh, I was just chatting to the guys now. It was amazing cuz that's where we learned to lead worship here, right here. Um, and we just, we know we near as awesome as your guys are like, to be fair, <laugh>. Um, we just banged it around back then and God did something. So it's very, very special for me to be here. And I need to honor you be before Tess jumps in because I was thinking about it.
Speaker 1 00:05:33 It's difficult to promote the purpose of God in a place of paradise. It's like you were in Nuer and you did it there. We saw you and Nusa, we came to visit you and you were building great church in a perfect paradise. People don't need God in some way. And yet you were doing it. You're calling people to the high ground and you're doing it again here in Beto. And Beto has got this paradise feel about it. But we all all know if you're sitting in the room, you know this like I do, that paradise on the outside is not true of what it means on the inside. And we need God to grip our hearts on the inside. And sometimes we need leaders like yourself, pastors, your pastors like yourselves to remind us that purpose begins on the inside. We all shape paradise by the purpose. And I just wanna honor you for doing that again in Belita. And I think we should just honor him as a, as a community
Speaker 0 00:06:20 And, and Tam's obviously out in the kids there. We know that right? <laugh>, she does exist and she's out there. Tess, talk to us
Speaker 2 00:06:29 Please. So my story's a little bit different. I didn't grow up in church. My parents, um, we front me when I say that, but I'm like, well you came to church on Christmas. Like that's, that's not really going to church anyway with, with no disrespect to anyone who does that. Um, and so, but what they did do is they sent me to Wednesday Bible school classes and I'm Charlie School that actually were here. So this also has a sense of nostalgia for me. So I knew about God as a child and I, I think I had encountered some of who Jesus was, but I hadn't had a real experience of him as my savior. And um, so I always like to tell people that um, Jesus is in the business of resurrecting dead things to laugh. I was a dead thing in my, in university, uh, years. I really, it came, everything came to a head and I think my life was falling apart slowly. And he took a very dead thing and he resurrected it and brought it to life. Amen. And so, yeah, I met Jesus in still and Bosh the real Jesus, the one who heals and saves and sees and knows. Um, and he did, he healed me radically of so many things. And kind of the rest is history, I suppose. Just keep giving back to him, <laugh> all the glory, honor and praise.
Speaker 0 00:07:47 Totally. So, I mean, if you could elaborate a little bit more on that, was there anything that was, um, you were particularly reluctant about to give your life to Jesus? Uh, the stigma of church or what Christianity can be perceived about? Was there anything in your story that you felt kept you away from pursuing the things of Jesus?
Speaker 2 00:08:11 Uh, I don't really know if there was one particular saying. I think, uh, what I knew of church was confusing. Okay. Um, and so I knew church. I knew of church as a child. I had experienced some kind of, um, and when I say church, I don't mean the building. I mean the people. That's what we experience of church, right? So I had experienced another thing when I was at university and I was just a bit confused cuz actually my heart was longing for this person of Jesus. But I hadn't experienced that in people. Um, and I think that's what changed since Dylan Bosh is there was a group of people that, uh, you know, kind of got lured into cuz Dylan was like, just try it out. Like what is, what's a big deal?
Speaker 1 00:08:55 True story. <laugh>, there was a, in every nation they had this American, uh, relationship and uh, she, she's already smiling cuz this is what happened. They brought out a American all-star football
Speaker 2 00:09:06 Crew. He is gonna exaggerate <laugh> right now. Nothing like a little No, he does exaggerate.
Speaker 1 00:09:13 I mean is, uh, I wasn't sure if, you know, I just wasn't sure what was going on <laugh>. But, uh, anyway, it was a funny moment because we went to this service and these amazing massive big strong American footballers stood up and said, Jesus is everything.
Speaker 2 00:09:27 You know, <laugh> No, that's not what happened. <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:09:31 No,
Speaker 2 00:09:31 It's good. He's making it song like I went for the footballers. I don't do sport. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:09:35 Sure,
Speaker 1 00:09:36 Sure. That is true.
Speaker 0 00:09:38 I can, I can resonate a little bit. You know, when, cuz I, I, my journey into church, uh, I, I'd experienced aspects of faith growing up. I went to boarding school and at that stage I had chapel services and those were kind of hit and miss. Um, and then I, I I found myself in London and I was, I was lost. That's the best way to describe it. I wasn't like in the depths of despair, I was just, I was lost. And then that opportunity allowed me as I was seeking certain things to start to break down these walls that I had towards faith. And then I bumped into, uh, a girl that I knew her name was Taryn and another girl that I didn't really know, but I wanted to get to know. And that happened to be Tam and she invited me to church.
Speaker 0 00:10:20 And so I thought, here's a good way to get to know her <laugh> in church and yeah, thankful for Jesus that he had other plans, you know? Um, so in your guys now you, you're coming to faith, something's alive in you. You spoke about that, that passion for Jesus. You find yourself back in the Salt Rock area, serving in an Anglican church, um, which we know has, has certain variations or expressions of it. And I know nothing of what the Anglican Church was at this time, but I appreciate exactly what you said. You would've had a highly charismatic experiential time in stash and you come back to something that would just be different. Yeah. Okay. At what point then are you feeling like we need to step out of this and pioneer something new? Was there a particular moment or was it a journey? Can you talk to that a little bit more?
Speaker 1 00:11:15 This, this is probably the best story that we get to tell, because how it happened is like only by you said it's a miracle. It is a miracle. One that God's using us, but two and how it happened. Yeah. So we were, we were in the Anglican Church where, like I said, making a bit of a noise on our instruments in this place. And pastor came to me and said, uh, at that time was a guy, Rob Taylor came to us. He said, right, do God's clearly got a few young adults hanging around your house and they're came to come to the evening service. What are you gonna do? How are you gonna reach new people? What are you gonna do with this moment in time? And I was like, I don't know, like, gimme a suggestion. He said, what about Alpha? So we hosted an alpha course and 120 young adults showed up at this, this alpha course, which now seems normal, but back then it was like, what just happened?
Speaker 1 00:11:58 You know? And uh, we hosted at the, it wasn't K Sheen, it was the <inaudible> Country Club. And um, anyway, this thing goes down and a few people make a commitment to follow Jesus. And there's this story that starts to unfold and the evening service begins to grow. And so we realized there's something exciting happening. People that don't, don't typically want to go to church, were coming to the Alpha and they were now coming to the evening service and there was this thing happening. And then I'll cut the story short, in the Ankin church, every so often they would cross pastors, like one would leave and another one would come. Right? And so we felt like if that ever happened, we needed to be honest with a guy that's coming in that our hearts already stir to run hard after this reaching people thing. Yep.
Speaker 1 00:12:38 And um, and I just wanna know that there's a place for us to do that within their story. Yep. So he drops in, his name was Rob Jobling became a legend to our family. And, uh, oh, he, but his celebrator first, um, year since he passed away. So it's a bit of an emotional moment for us. But he, he joined the church and we said, can we meet you for a dinner? So we did. He threw a dinner for us. We were fasting cuz we were trying to figure out what to do next to our labs. And the curry just sat on the table next weekend. It won't, I might join your evening service, break the fast next week, Sunday night. Yeah. So Mark, SLE, Kath, myself and Tess, we sat at this table and he said, right guys, what's in your heart? We say, we feel like God's calling us to plant a church.
Speaker 1 00:13:15 We're not sure if it's within this church or whether it's outside, but it's burning in us. We know it's necessary to reach the city for Jesus. So, and we kept calling the North coast city cuz we just believed that would become something bigger. Anyway, he said, give me a day. We're like, remember we young now we are nervous. So nervous, you know, I really dunno what we're doing. And he phones me about a week later and he says, I believe this is off. God. This is an Anglican pastora about to do what I'm about to tell you. I believe this is off God. And we want to bless you guys to begin what he started in your spirits. It's not in the Anglican Church Dill, I don't think it fits this expression, but we want you to know that we are behind it. And that guy, literally, he put his head on a block for us because within their expression, we weren't well received at every level when we left.
Speaker 1 00:13:59 But he backed us as the pastor. And I gotta tell this part of the story. We start Link Church, he stands us up, he said, right, who's going with Dill and Tess? And like 14 people stand up and say, where are you meeting next weekend, dill? I'm like, I don't know. I'm thinking of touring America, visiting a few churches like planning, strategizing. Anyway, next weekend, okay, we'll meet in my friend's home. Are you good? I looked at the front row here, sitting there, said, you're good with it? He said, yeah. I said, we are meeting in my friend's home, you know, and 14 people showed up in the home. Years later in the Lee Orchard when we had moved a few times, our church had grown a bit. We had a spontaneous baptism service get like, just listen to the goodness of God, you're part of a church with friends.
Speaker 1 00:14:35 This kind of stuff happens if you just show up all the time. And we did a spontaneous baptism service. 95 people get baptized. I think we only had 80 people in the church the week before that <laugh>. I'm serious. People showed up from all over. One of the people that walks up to be baptized is this pastor Rob Jobling. And I'm like, uh, <laugh>, I'm not sure this is how it should be. You know, we baptize him. It all happens in the moment after the service. I go to him, I say, Rob, I just gotta ask the question. Like, you've been doing this for 40 years, like he said, for 40 years within the story hours a pile. And he said, no disrespect to that story, but I felt like almost condemned. Like I couldn't step into believers' baptism because I'd been Christian as a child. And he said, today I was liberated. And so here's the story of us in the Anglican Church, being blessed by him to get art years later, him being blessed through our story. You know, God is the grand chess player and we just get to be a part of the story. So that's kind of how it all happened.
Speaker 0 00:15:32 Amazing. Tess, could I ask you, um, how were you feeling about the idea of planting a church?
Speaker 2 00:15:42 <laugh>? Oh, babe, I was so naive. Guys. I think I was 23 and I I was pregnant, I think, I can't even remember. Yes, I was pregnant. We just got married. Um, and I, I really, I wasn't, I was excited and almost enamored by Dylan's vision of what church could be. I always have been. Um, and I think I wanted to be part, I've always wanted to be part of God's story. I love the church, love her, love her, love her. And so, um, I don't, I had absolutely no idea what it would mean, <laugh>. But I did know that if God was gonna do something significant in the place where I lived, I wanted to be a part of it. And so I kind of just went into long for the ride and said yes without knowing exactly what God was really asking of me. But,
Speaker 1 00:16:40 And it's been
Speaker 2 00:16:40 Effortless. Yeah, it's been perfect.
Speaker 1 00:16:43 <laugh> It's
Speaker 0 00:16:43 Been easy. Right? Easy road. I'm gonna get to that in a second, by the way. Okay. I'm gonna touch on that for a second. But I, I'm just hearing from both of you talking of that sense. And it's never gonna be entirely clear, but you had a, a yearning, you had a, a desire, you had this, uh, oftentimes in a Christian Church environment, we'll talk about calling or purpose or the will of God. And so you're wanting to follow that and pursue that. Would you be able to speak into, even for people sitting here today, that journey of, of clarification, like how do we know what the calling of God over our life is and then taking that next step, any insight into that would be appreciated?
Speaker 2 00:17:26 Really
Speaker 2 00:17:28 <laugh>. Um, so, uh, I believe calling as an identity, I think there are definite things that we do within that. But in Romans one, verse six, I think it says that we are, um, under the name of Christ, we are called. And that speaks of the identity. So, so all of us, um, it's not just about being in ministry, are called by God to, to make the world better and to showcase Jesus. And so I've kind of, I live with that conviction. Um, and then God gives gifts to all of us that look very different. I'm not the same as you and you. And, and then we get to offer those as an act of service. So for me, calling is an identity and it's, it's to serve others. And, and I always ask myself, what have I got in my hand? Or, or who am I?
Speaker 2 00:18:25 Yeah. Because that's the best way that I can serve the world, is by being who I've been created to be. And that's where we don't get perhaps tired and fatigued and disillusioned because we can't be who we are not. And, uh, we've got a good friend, Ray Bevin, he says, God an annoys who we are, not who we perhaps want to be or think we should be. And so I do live with that, um, that, that conviction is that it's not, it's not only about what we do, although that is a part of it. I'm not trying to dismantle that, but it really is, who am I and what have I got in my hand to show up with? Um, and that's what I'm trying to teach my kids actually. Cuz we can get really wound up in what we do and what everyone else is doing. And, and also I think so many of us, I dunno if you're sitting in this room, have lived with, well, I'm not called, you know, I, I'm that person's called who said that. And we're all called under Christ, actually. That's the truth.
Speaker 0 00:19:26 Amazing. Di any thoughts on that?
Speaker 1 00:19:29 Yeah, I'm like a, um, run at the wall and if it falls over God's in it, you know, <laugh>, you really, I'm in that like, yeah. So even in the Joshua's story, there's this amazing moment. We are using language like test the orders, but you know, the story. God says, we're gonna cross the Jordan in three days. And when the priest carrying the arc of the covenant, now we know in the New Testament we are called the priesthood. That's us. No one's, no one's uniquely designed to do that. But the people have got, right? So carry the presence when they step their feet in the water, it says, when your feet touch the water, not your knees not not head up. Like just when your feet touch the water, I'll, I'll do something and pot the water. So I've had this like language in my spirit for a little while now.
Speaker 1 00:20:03 Like, test the waters. Like God is in you, he's in your business, he's in your marriage, he's in your children. He's, he's there, he's not, he's not in Sunday church. Right? This is just <unk> says, when the people of God gather with the presence of God, the environment changes. Yeah. So that does happen. But he's in us every other day. So in that every other day, like there must be things that he's leading you toward that are a little bit uncomfortable, that they're niggling on your spirit. Like often say, I'm not sure I've heard God's audible voice, but I feel his promptings in must spread all the time. And so when I feel that prompting, I must be willing to quote unquote test the waters, um, to dip my feet in this space. For us it was planting a church and you know, we weren't sure I was in business.
Speaker 1 00:20:44 I liked what I did. Uh, I'm a, I'm an an accountant, go figure. And uh, and now I'm a pastor, but I loved accounting and I loved business and I, I still have this passion for business. And so when we started church, it was like, oh, we're gonna test these waters because where I'm at feels really good, but, but maybe you're gonna part something bigger than what I can do in my own strength. Yeah. And so I would just encourage you, if you're in the room, you're probably feeling the niggles that I'm speaking about again, cuz God's been tapping you with them a while. Um, that could be to try something new in business. It could be to have a child, it could be to whatever it is. Um, it could, it could be to serve in this house like you've been coming for a while and I wanna see what it means to actually get locked in. Doesn't matter. Just test those waters, put your feet in to see what happens. That's how Ara all. But you know, and some, sometimes the ward is part and I go, this is where I'm meant to be going. There's times they just keep gushing and I go, this is probably not for me. You know,
Speaker 0 00:21:36 I I think it's brilliant. I think both, um, what you're saying is amazing. You know, cuz Tess, you're speaking of this bigger picture, settling in our spirits what it is to follow Christ and live under the identity of God. And from that place operate out of who we are. Um, knowing that God wants to bring us into his identity that he has for us and who we are is shaped by so much of experience and upbringing and education. And, and there's a lot of good in that, but there's obviously a lot of era in that as well. And so to come into being formed by Christ is to know that he wants to see us growing in our identity with him. I love that thought of, of what's in your hand, that all of us have a gift and we've spoken about this, that you have something to bring. And it's not to bring to a two hour segment of a church service on a Sunday. It may be. And that's amazing and we celebrate that, but it's to bring something to humanity, to the world. And I love that your thought just to make the world better. And then Dill just to, can
Speaker 1 00:22:38 I comment on us quickly? I I know some of the people in the room here, right? We've done laugh together. Yeah. In, in years. Gonek. And I'm just thinking about an example here. So Carl Wang, not to cel, not to single yacht, this guy got courage. Doesn't matter what you do with him, you feel like you can do it, you know? Yeah. And I've, I've run with him once or twice. I've chased him around the park, run. He's too quick for me. I've done a whole bunch of stuff with that. But I feel like when I'm in his presence, I, I get courage. I would say what he brings to the world, and there's maybe other things, part of your calling Wang, is to release courage into people. Yeah. Amazing. Um, it's just, it's just in him. He can't help it. It's just, and if you know Carl, you know what I'm talking about. So, um, case and points, you're now an ultra marathon runner, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:23:20 I, I know. And I blame, I actually blame one or two of these people in the room. Actually. I'm not sure. I'm not happy about it,
Speaker 1 00:23:26 But that's how simple calling can, that's how simple calling can be. Yeah. I carry courage. And when anyone's around me, whether it's his business colleagues or whether it's the staff he leads or his children, doesn't matter what's going on, there's more than that call. But I just believe this is in your, in your life. I release courage. I'm called to bring courage to people around
Speaker 0 00:23:44 Me. Yeah. Beautiful. And, and it is that, and oftentimes we so underestimate things that are not public per se. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, we, we often put such esteem on what might be public and public displays of calling. And it's oftentimes the small things that make the biggest difference in people's lives. And then just to add what you're saying there, d I love that thought of testing the waters. Oftentimes we, we get into this realm of thinking. We have to know exactly what is right or what is wrong. And before we know that we do nothing. And that's often the biggest trap is that we remain stagnant because we think we need to have such clarity towards something. That's why I love Psalm 23. It's like God directs, he guides us. And so what that suggests is that there's movement. Like he's not gonna force us to move.
Speaker 0 00:24:34 So we move, we are following him and he's the one who guides. And we are gonna walk through some valleys, there's no doubt about it, but he's with us. Yeah. And so I love what you're saying there. Can I ask you, okay. Just in now in your following Christ personally and in a, in a corporate capacity with Link, um, actually first question, where did the name for your church come from? I, I ask that because I know exactly what we went through and trying to find a name for the church. It's the weirdest thing in the world for me personally. But talk to me about
Speaker 1 00:25:07 That. Do you know, everyone asks this question because link, I guess it's intriguing and I don't really have a good answer if I'm really honest because we did this name some, why don't, two guys might have been there actually, but we did this name, uh, search. Yep. What do you call it? Like a brainstorm session for a name for our church? No, don't ever do that. And uh, yeah,
Speaker 0 00:25:24 No. Yeah. You, I hear you.
Speaker 3 00:25:26 Hey everybody, why don't you bring all the names? Yes.
Speaker 1 00:25:28 You think are course Yes. And I and I can tell it you cuz co church has got a factor that's isn't generic, right, of course. No, totally. So anyway, names like Discovery, um, uh, life, you know, like, just, just really cool names. But that I'd seen a thousand times. Yeah. Came up on this list and, uh, anyway, none of them really gripped. And we went home that night and I think I learned better. I said to Tess Link, she said, what? I said, I think we're gonna call it Link. She said, what is Link? And I had this image of it being L dot Inc. Laugh Incorporated, like all of Laugh happens here. And um, anyway, so I go back to the team the next day I go Link, they say, we like it, what does it mean? So I said, L dot Inc. He says, that's terrible bro. <laugh> terrible. And uh, I said, well, if I drop the dot, are you happy? He said, yeah. Like the guy's name was Russell. I remember him going like, come on, this needs to be simple. So we dropped the dot and it just became Link. Um, but the heart of it was always Laugh Incorporated. Like all of life happens here.
Speaker 0 00:26:27 Beautiful. I love that man. No, I, listen, we, I we tried so many different names. Uh, what did we start with? I think Symphony was a, was a name that we had thought about because I just love the picture of a symphony. Uh, I think, uh, resonant was, was a name, name. But then you say that fast, isn't it? You, how do you, you know, I heard somebody sad and I'm like, that sucks. Um, <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:26:50 Co. Co is good. Let's just be honest. Yeah, no, it's, once I saw that, I'm like, ah, that's good. Like, that's up there.
Speaker 0 00:26:55 Yeah. Thanks man. Thanks. This, you know, wasn't me. It was a podcast <laugh> listen to, um, can, can I ask of you guys again now in a personal capacity and perhaps even collectively as as Link, um, some highlights of of, of the journey so far. And I know that's a often a big question to ask. There's been a lot of years. Um, but even just man, 95 people being water baptized, is that from years an unbelievable highlight, but anything else that you can think of highlights along the way
Speaker 1 00:27:25 That, that, that moment was, uh, uh, like heaven just showed up and um, I baptized my father-in-law that day as well, Tess's dad. So it was pretty special. He had just been coming to church, like just checking it out. Next thing he's walking down the aisle, jumping in, tears flowing. Um, that was pretty special. Baptizing our children. Um, we've baptized three of our children now out of the four. And, um, they have been very precious moments. Like, perhaps, perhaps that's why we do this is for the generational legacy of what God wants to do in people's lives. You know, not to fill a building by any means, but those little generational moments, those layers are highlights. And uh, and anytime we've seen someone take a step of faith, there's so many, Bev, you, you might have a few specifics.
Speaker 2 00:28:10 Um, I think I, I have loved our creativity. We have a beautiful expression of creativity in our church and just to have watched people explore and um, to put off crazy things together. Like do, do will walk in on a Tuesday and be like, we need to wet the people when they leave the auditorium <laugh>. And I'll be like, okay, like with the gun <laugh>, no. Like, there's gonna be Mister and they're gonna, you know, we're just gonna wet the word. And I'm like, amazing <laugh>, let's do a team <laugh>. Um, so there's things like that. And then you are watching people just rally together to make beautiful things happen. And there've been some really special moments that have happened on the campus. Um, too many to mention, but I just do, I love, I love having people gather. I love it. And small, big random spontaneous conferences. It doesn't matter when people come together and Jesus is at the center, honestly, it really, there is nothing Covid nearly killed my soul <laugh> because of the stop start of gathering. It really, it really, really, I struggled, picked up.
Speaker 1 00:29:24 And I mean to say this, we love our church. We are grateful to be a part of it. Yeah. But I couldn't wait for the worship to kick in today right here mm-hmm. <affirmative> because it's the same thing we just gathering, you know? And um, so that for us to highlight Sundays for me, just never get old.
Speaker 2 00:29:38 Yeah. I love them.
Speaker 1 00:29:39 Um, it was, um, a friend of ours who once said like, every weekend they walk out onto the platform and they just thank God for the privilege of what they get to do. And I started doing that a long time ago cuz you can get familiar with it, you know, and every week I'll literally, every week I'll walk into our auditorium before anyone's there. No one knows I'm doing it. And I'll just stand there and just say thank you. Like thank you that someone is gonna walk into this room today and meet you for the first time. You know? Yeah. So that, that it's the small things. They just never get old. And watching our kids run a mock is also pretty exciting. Our first child grew up in a 14 strong gathering, you know, so she's got a little bit more conservative kind of boundary energy in her.
Speaker 1 00:30:16 Our little boy is four, all he's known as the building we're in now. And we don't even see 'em on a weekend. I think he's still questions whether we are his parents most days, <laugh>. But I think that's, it's so precious. Like really it is a village that's raising the kids, you know? And, uh, to see somebody that we would never have been able to get into a room outside of the grace of God, get down on the eye level of my boy and speak life into him. Yeah. I'm like, that's church. Yeah. Like now we're changing things, you know? So
Speaker 0 00:30:43 Amazing. Uh, on the opposite spectrum of that question, I have no doubt that you've navigated some tough times. Um, Tess, I'm even just thinking of you personally and the loss of your, your father and speaking of that joy of baptizing him. And then I know even, uh, as, as a church community, you know, there was a a period where you, there was some significant losses, um, in your church. And so I imagine from the days of, of starting with 14 people to now context changes, but there's still some tough moments I can appreciate. Um, just some thoughts from you guys as to how to navigate those, those tough times, um, and how come through them if that's even the way you can do it. But
Speaker 1 00:31:30 Last year hit us like a ton of bricks. We rob Joing that passed, that planted us out, passed away Tess's dad two weeks later, and then Mo uh, Nigel Slevin a month after that three like pillars in our community. Um, and last year, just in the year itself, outside of them, we did more funerals than I have my whole life as a pastor. It was just a, it was just a radical year. And honestly I had one, I had one kind of, um, personally, one, not mantra, but like whatever it is. And that was just show up. Just show up. Um, whether it was a Sunday, whether it was at someone's house with a cake, whether it was, um, for Tess, who many times would just have nothing in her on the couch at home. And I'd be like, look, just sit there like as a husband, you want to fix it, right? Yeah, yeah. Um, but it was just precious to sit there and just sit there and, um, and I already, I really do think there's something profound in showing up, um, showing up on a Sunday, showing up in grief, showing up in whatever it is that, that's kind of been like the, I honestly think that's why it's been been a miracle at Link. We just keep showing up and God seems to like that <laugh> and uh, he blesses it. Yeah, I know that's, that, that sounds like a simple strategy, but that's uss Come on. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:32:53 Tess.
Speaker 2 00:32:54 Um, so I, I always used to, oh, sorry. It's hard. I always used to say to people, the church is a heal because Jesus is here. I used to say it with such conviction, I actually don't, I didn't know it to be true for my own life. I have never experienced the kindness of God as I have in this past year. And it's almost like the things I've read about him and the things I've learned of him over the past few years, I saw in flesh in a year that was really, really dark. And it was people, you, you can't script that you can build the perfect looking church, but actually it's people that make make the difference and get you through it. And so I really, uh, with even greater conviction than before, I can say the church is where we heal. The church is where we find family.
Speaker 2 00:33:57 And when we, it's where we find hope. It's where we find it's, it's where we can find everything that we perhaps need. Um, because Jesus is there and he loves this church and he presences himself in, in her. And yeah. So I, I think that is what it was. It's just to keep, we just showed up. I just kept showing up. Not because I'm extra strong or brave, I'm really not. I'm really not. It's that I actually, I needed people, I needed my people. And it's hard. I mean, it's public and you like this every Sunday for a year, <laugh>, it's a really, it gets the point where I'm like, I'm, I'm not even gonna apologize anymore. I, this is what I look like now. And, but people have been incredible and I think it's just, it's, it's what the church is. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, I wanna, I I I I don't only wanna encourage you, I wanna encourage everybody just to keep coming when it's hard, when it's easy, when it's straightforward, when it makes sense, when it doesn't. Because I think we were, we were designed to root ourselves within a family, the church, and to go on, you know, a journey with her, with people through all of laugh. It's where you see the gold. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:35:21 Could I ask just on the topic of grief? Okay. Um, my church experience for many years, I would say that grief was not something that was often spoken about it. Um, there was a, I guess the worldview was typically very optimistic, very faith-filled in a stereotypical sense. Um, and, and great in that, right? Like, there's so much good in that. But I was never really a part of an expression that, that grief was really ever spoken of or, or taught on or even lived out for you. Now, having gone through grief personally, but also collective grief, I think Covid brought a lot of collective grief. And I know people sitting in the room, you've had to endure loss and pain and, and are grieving to a degree. How has grief changed you guys?
Speaker 1 00:36:19 Wow,
Speaker 1 00:36:21 <laugh>, we are so different. You may have picked that up, <laugh>. Um, I am the example that you just said you grew up in I am the optimistic it's gonna be okay. Everything within this time, um, until it gets close to home. Like, it's one thing to tell the church like, it's okay guys, we've had a few hard ones. You know, God is still in it. We're trusting him for, you know, just the healing and whatever. But when it's perpetual in your own home, which it has been for Tess now with her dad, uh, I had to just slow down a bit. Like I really, I think last year, my nature is to, all right, we've come outta Covid guys, let's open the doors, let's do something. Let's lay bricks, let's build something, let's start something fresh. Let's, uh, maybe there was a bit of boredom in me that needed to be shaken out, but actually I think it was God's gift to us in some strange way that it was that close to me.
Speaker 1 00:37:11 That grief came because our home slowed down. Like we just slowed down. This still urgency in my spirit. Monday comes and I wanna do something exciting. But in the, in the laugh of church, it was, we don't need to script this. We just need to show up for it. We don't need to make sense of this moment. We just need to show up in this moment. And I think that has been the journey for me. I've, uh, I'm a fixer as many men in the room might be, but it was, it was more just for me. What it's changed in me is the need to understand or make sense of this thing. Let me just un help you guys know what's going on here. This is what we're gonna do Wednesday, we're gonna do that by Friday. We're strong. And, uh, and, and God just said no, by Friday.
Speaker 1 00:37:51 We actually still had Monday. And, uh, but, but you still end Friday. So if that makes any sense whatsoever. I don't know what I've just said, but, but the point is for me, I think I slowed down my expectation of growth in people rather than, um, the urgency in my spirit that's still there. But I just, I reduced the expectation I had of people. I had a high expectation of people. Like I could see it between us. At one stage I was like, okay, when does this end? And then toward the end of last year saying to her, griever, as long as you want, it's precious to watch it. That was my journey. January or March. I'm thinking, okay babe, it's been a few months, let's get moving December. I'm saying, take your time. This is so precious, I'll never have it back. Yeah. So
Speaker 0 00:38:33 Amazing. Tess, any thoughts on that?
Speaker 2 00:38:38 I think it's just, uh, I mean, what I've learned in leading people in this moment, obviously when you go through something it's, it's helpful because you can perhaps not realize exactly what someone's experiencing, but there is a level of empathy that you don't have to now try and imagine. Um, I feel like I see people better. Um, I am more tuned into perhaps what's going on around me because there's a, there's a vulnerability and sensitivity to me. So as a leader, I'm, I'm looking for those moments to, um, uh, just listen more, what's going on, what are people saying? And to just remember that everybody deals with things differently. Yeah. Um, if you had said, Tess, you're gonna lose your dad and you're going to, you are gonna be the one that looks like this. I would've said, no, no, I'll be fine. Um, because on paper, you know, I'm this type of human, but I have not responded the way I expected.
Speaker 2 00:39:45 And you just don't know. And I think it's just to be kind. Yeah. Um, so that's why I love what's saying, it's just what our expectations, it's just to just perhaps remove those or, or shift them and change them a little bit. And I think that's been a beautiful thing, is to watch how we've both grown. Um, so there is always good. I can see the good and I can appreciate it and give thanks for it, but it, it really is, um, for me, we, especially now, I think the world is crying out to be seen. We're all just little children. They wanna know like, you're okay. Yeah. Keep going. And so I want to be that kind of leader and then call people to higher ground within that.
Speaker 1 00:40:30 You know, what's been amazing, just to say with Tess, her um, maternal, um, have people see her as a mom in our house, in our church has, has, it's just, it's just grown. Like the young ladies are like, they're like gathering around her now many ladies who are like, nah, you know, there's been moments of tension along the way. Now they're like standing there cuz they see secure, they see strong, they see brave, they see. And so actually in some strange way, teal, although we still consider ourselves pretty young, we feel like our father mother gift our church has Sure. Has changed. Yeah. Um, and, and it's a privilege.
Speaker 0 00:41:10 Uh, couple more questions. Um, we'll we'll bring into a close soon. But just could I ask of you from a very personal perspective, in your relationship with Jesus, is there any particular rhythm, uh, any specific spiritual practice that you guys have in your own personal walks that you could share with us?
Speaker 1 00:41:30 I'll tell you a story and it'll set someone in the room free. Um, yeah, there is, I, I try and spend time with God most mornings. And if I'm driving, I try and have worship under my car. Those are like two basics. Um, but this, this year as a pastor, you would imagine I'd spend time on my Bible every day. Disclaimer co church. I don't. And uh, and so anyway, don't tell link. They think I'm so holy.
Speaker 0 00:41:54 I think the wall's about to cave in. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:41:56 There's half people think we put I'm joking. So, so this year I actually woke up part of my resolution or just something I was trusting for is time in the word every day. Like, God, I really just, this year I want to get in the word every day. So I start the journey January 1st I read until I feel like I've read enough and then I stop and here's my rhythm. I say, God, what are you saying? And then I wait a little bit and I feel like God. And January the first responds to me, says, well, what are you seeing? Like this is how, how it is for me. So then we have a conversation in the spirit, right? January the second, same thing, read until I feel I've read enough never a scripture or a five scriptures or 10 thing. I'm not trying to beat someone. I'm just trying to read. And, uh, and what are you saying? God? So he replies, I don't know, what are you seeing? And so he's showing me stuff, allowing me to see things. And so this is my journey, January the fifth. So I say, what are you saying? God? And he obviously, he replies in my spirit, what are you seeing? And I reply nothing.
Speaker 1 00:42:51 And I feel him say to me, in my spirits, well then I'll see you tomorrow. And that's what I'm learning is that he's our heavenly father. He's a, he's a father and some days you see things and some days you don't. And someday he's saying something to you and someday he's not. And he'll just see you tomorrow. So my rhythm is, I'm just gonna see you tomorrow. That's like, it's like a new thing for me. Like, all right dad, I'll see you tomorrow.
Speaker 0 00:43:18 Amazing man. Tess, anything specific for
Speaker 2 00:43:22 You? Um, I, I love the word, read it a lot. Read it, read it, read it, read it, read it. Because really there are a lot of words out there. <laugh>, there is only one word that counts. And um, so a regular practice for me would be being in the word and and writing. So our best, um, digest information if I'm writing about it. Um, and that's, I've realized that's how I pray. That's how I process. What he's saying is through writing, um, and reading. And then we, I'm a worship at heart, so if you're in my car, generally the music is too loud. Um,
Speaker 1 00:44:01 Our house is chaos.
Speaker 2 00:44:03 Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. We, I love worship music. Yeah. So that's always playing. You're very cool. Sounds my spirit.
Speaker 0 00:44:10 I love that. Just even in the two of you. Yeah. You, you have differences. And your way with Jesus is different, you know? Thanks Jade. Can you do 10 pushups first as well?
Speaker 0 00:44:22 <laugh> something. You know me. Um, and, and it is our way with Jesus can and should be different. The way you grow in your relationship with Christ is, is gonna be different. The the challenge for all of us is, is are we actually doing something about it? Cuz it's nice to say like, we are different. So I hear you doing that cuz I'm different to you. I won't do that. The question is, is what are you doing and how are you being intentional about that relationship with Jesus? Because there's so much for us, there's so much for us. Mm. Are we actually entering into what that is for us? And so find your way so good because there is, there is
Speaker 2 00:45:04 A way, I just wanted to say like, I spent so many years trying to be Dylan and it's,
Speaker 1 00:45:11 And then she got close and realized how disappointing it was.
Speaker 2 00:45:13 So No, no, I did, I I I've always been like number one fan. And so I just, you know, he, he, he seems to do these things and then it produces great fruit. I'm like, I should just totally do that. Like that will work for me. And it, I took a while to realize I'm not him. Like, I know that sounds so obvious, but there are times in life where you can spend a lot of time with a human being, whether it's your spouse or a friend or a pastor, and you think, well, if I just do what they do, I should get what they get. But perhaps that's not your way or not who you are. Well, you know, I don't know. I just wanted to say like, be you and figure there is a way that God speaks to us and it can be different and just own it.
Speaker 0 00:45:56 No, for sure. He definitely doesn't speak to me when I'm running <laugh>. I feel like that's the devil talking, you know what I mean? <laugh>, uh, he just, or he just called trying to put some courage of, uh, it's funny, the guys realize, I know there's Donovan there as well. Uh, we've done two long runs and, um, I don't know for some reason why you guys think it's important to talk to me, <laugh>. I just wanna survive the run and now you're expecting me to talk. And Carl, we've run like 20 kilometers yesterday. And so now I'm like, I'm at the end of myself and we're trying to do the next, like he's got 10 in his mind, I'm thinking, I just wanna survive. So we start by running a pill after 20 kilometers and he just wants to have a chat. I'm like, Carl, this is not the time, man. Now I'm trying to be pleasant and everything. There's a last
Speaker 1 00:46:45 Lesson in that
Speaker 0 00:46:46 Place, <laugh>. I just want to be left alone. Okay. Final question. Final question. Um, and it, and it, it may be a fairly big question, uh, but I know you guys in the context of Link will typically start the air as many of us do, uh, having something that you're putting before the church by way of this is what you feel God is speaking to you and therefore speaking to us about, could you start by sharing a little bit about what you feel God is speaking to you, even if, if it is for Link, but then if I could ask of you perhaps even just to speak Sure. To us, what do you feel like God is speaking to that church? Um, in, in this moment right now?
Speaker 1 00:47:29 Yeah. So we have a thing, we do Vision Sunday once a year. And this year our, our, it's like a word. It's not, this is what we're gonna do this year. It's, this is who we're wanting to become more of this year. And so our vision this year was move and um, it was kind of birthed out of the space last year and the years prior as I, as I watched the world. And you know, you just, you get the rhythm of people and you try and listen for what's going on out there, what's the crowd, the human heart. And because God as a shepherd knows that he knows where we're hungry, you know? And so, um, I've been listening to that and I felt God start showing me around this idea that the world's living with analysis paralysis. Like, I don't know if you've felt this at all as a church or a people, but like, what school should my kid go to?
Speaker 1 00:48:08 Should they go to a school? If they don't go to a school, are they gonna turn out a Rio? If they go to that school, are they gonna turn out like their friends? Should I be in Polito? Should I be in Durban? Should I go to George? Everyone's going to George, we should move to George. You know, and, and there's this whole thing, it's like, it's like almost like I had this imagery of you arrive at a restaurant and you're so hungry, so excited, you just know you ready for a meal. And they're this menu like on the table before and you're thinking, could you just tell me what you recommend? Like, honestly, there's way too many options here. And I felt like the world because Covid suppressed us, uh, and held us down that the moment it lifted, we just, okay, okay, what are we gonna do?
Speaker 1 00:48:45 Where are we gonna go? What's gonna be the next thing? We are never gonna be defined by this again. And we, I felt arrived at this like paralysis. I don't know what to do. And so God, uh, started to speak to me around just taking another step. Yeah. Amazing. And so Move was birthed out of that. And so it was really just like, what's your next best step? Um, it was the Joshua story. It was pack your bags, keep them very light. Uh, for in three days we'll cross the river. And God was talking about an inheritance in the promised Land, but what he was working on was their identity as the sons and daughters children move, children grow, children step into new things. Like don't try and be the friend that's 20 years down the line. Just be the next best version of you.
Speaker 1 00:49:26 And so I think what God is doing in our house, and I would hope he's doing it across the churches, is he's putting confidence back in the church. Yeah. He still has an inheritance for his church. That's part of the gospel story. And the way he takes us into our inheritance is in our identity as sons and daughters. But as sons and daughters, we must embrace that and move. And for each person there's just a call to what's your next best step in the season? Take it with faith and what's what God will do. So that's like a little snapshot of our, of our space. Yeah, cool. We don't need to be paralyzed.
Speaker 0 00:49:56 <laugh>, anything to add Tess to that? Any thoughts on, on perhaps what you're sensing in God towards his people?
Speaker 2 00:50:03 Um, so, uh, with what, with what Dylan's been saying is that um, God wants to move us towards our inheritance and actually inheritance is an identity in him. And um, I love that you read that scripture from Ephesians four this morning. It's in Christ that we know who we are and what we were born for. And I think the world is looking for the answer to the question of why am I here? What is this all for, um, in all of the wrong places And it's in Christ that that is found. And so I've been super excited about this, um, this narrative and this this thread that we as a church I suppose are sitting in at this moment because I do believe he's gonna unlock identity, particularly in the generation coming after us. And I, I personally am expectant for that. And so to be able to, to steward that perhaps is a great honor. I think,
Speaker 1 00:50:58 You know, um, like and I, I'm realizing Tom is a thing, so I'm grateful for it. I just love being in churches and uh, I'm thinking like in church there's this Trinity idea, father, son spirit, and you hear a lot about what's the Holy Spirit doing, the move of the spirit. We're hearing a lot about it now in America. There's the stories that are coming out. Spirit of Gods moving. You hear a lot around the name of Jesus. We just want his name mentioned. You hear very little about Father. Mm-hmm. And perhaps there's just a season for us to realize that the destination of Jesus was the Father and the story that he brought for us was to give us access to the Father. And when the Holy Spirit is our helper and comes alongside us and awakens the word to us, it's the same journey to what our Father and I really just feel like God is just as a father putting his arm around his sons and daughters and saying, we got this. Like the, the panic is the nature of someone that doesn't have an identity. The peace and the calm and the confidence and the readiness is in sons and daughters that do I have this strange fearlessness in me at the moment and it makes no human sense cuz it's not so lack around us and I just feel like it's the father going, that's what it feels like to be a son. Like, we got this. So I hope that you hear that church, we got that God got this
Speaker 0 00:52:16 Amazing um, listen, I could chat with you guys for ages. I don't even get to a whole bunch of questions that ahead, but this is what I would love to ask of you. Um, would you mind praying for us? Um, and then I would love for us to pray for you guys. Is that cool? If you could pray for us, that'd be very much appreciated.
Speaker 1 00:52:35 Absolutely. Um, I also want to um, just go back to where I started. Um, when it's paradise around you, you don't always deal with the craft, the hot inside you. And I just want to go back to where that began and ask that God will continue to give you the courage to help people to move on the crowd what's inside their hearts. Cuz that's where we find paradise. Eden is a, is a place inside us first. And uh, I think it's on your life Bri, you have this desire to see people flourish and grow. And I know it's Tam and yum together and you do no matter where you go. So I'm gonna stop by saying that's what I'm praying will be increased in this church and that all of you as a team would come alongside that in the seasons to come. Um, can we stand? We do
Speaker 1 00:53:18 Father, we just um, we just lift up co church to you, Bev, Tam, QAN, Sienna, God, we thank you for the the life that's in their family. We thank you for their yes to be in this city, in this moment, in our nation in this time. And we just affirm the call of God that's on their lives God, to see people come alive in you, Jesus. To see people find their purpose in you, to see people find community in you, Jesus and healing in that community. And so we just affirmed that we thank you that there is a blessing on this house and that people standing in the room today, even those that aren't here, God, that there is an exciting journey that you have for co church. And so we ask that your hand, your mighty hand, God would rest upon this house, would usher them into the next season and the next season and the next season. God, that there'd be a steady progression toward more of what you have for them, what you've put in them and what you still hold out in front that they would walk into. And so we bless this season. We bless the worship of this house, God, the children as they meet next door, just the life that will come from families in this community. Jesus, we blessed that with great faith. We thank you for co church. God, we thank you for just another expression of your house on this planet. God, thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord.
Speaker 0 00:54:28 Can we extend hands of faith towards these guys and can we pray for them and with them? Lord, we thank you for Dylan Tess. We thank you for their family. We thank you of everything, of what the journey has been, the highs and the lows and everything in between. We thank you that they are still here, Lord God, serving, pioneering, living out their faith so that others might come to this life that we know in you. And I wanna speak blessing over them personally, over their household in Jesus' name and believe for fruitfulness and grace and your presence. And Lord, they would continue to grow into all that you have called them to be and may be blessed in the name of Jesus. And we thank you for link, Lord God, we thank you for a, a local church Lord that has set the tone in so many different ways. We thank you for everything that has been. We give you the honor and we thank you for everything that will be in the days to come. And we pray, Lord God, for significance to come out of that local expression of faith. We pray that there would be continued lives being transformed and awakened to the things of you. And so bless them, bless their endeavors and bless their church. In Jesus mighty name. Can we say amen? And can we thank these guys for being here this morning?
Speaker 1 00:55:48 Thanks for having us.
Speaker 0 00:55:50 Beautiful. Thanks for being here, everybody. Have an incredible day.
