Meet this week's guest preacher...Pastor Justin Rahmes

Every week in the month of November, we are pleased to be hosting a different Acts 29 Midwest Network pastor at The Journey.  These are men that we have had the opportunity to partner with in various ministry efforts over the years.  While we all share a common passion for seeing healthy churches planted and the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed, each of these men bring with them a unique perspective and vision for growing God's kingdom in the context in which they have been called to minister.  We hope and pray that, not only will this month allow us to hear from gifted friends in the faith, but that it will also provide our church family with a greater ability to see how God is working in places beyond Marietta, Ohio.  So, without further ado, it is our pleasure to introduce this week's guest preacher...Pastor Justin Rahmes from Missio Dei North in Mason, OH.

Here is a brief bio:

After many years serving Missio Dei Church in Cincinnati, OH in a number of pastoral capacitites, God called Justin to lead a team to plant a new church under the Missio Dei banner to minister to the communities on the north side of the city.  Missio Dei North officially launched just last year.  Besides his pastoral responsibilities at Missio Dei North, Justin contributes to the overall vision and leadership of the Missio Dei collective of churches in the Cincinnati area.  Justin and his wife, Katie have four children.

We provided Justin with a brief "getting to know you" questionnaire.  Here it is:

Q:  What have you been preaching on at your church lately?  
A:  We just started a 7 week series through the book of Hosea.

Q:  What’s the latest good book you’ve read?
A:  "8 Hours or Less" by Ryan Huguley (It’s a book on how to write great sermons in 8 hours or less.)

Q:  What was your first favorite book of the Bible and why?
A:  Ephesians, it allowed me to see the whole Gospel for the first time.

Q:  If you had to recommend just two dead Christian authors to us who would they be?
A:  You can’t go wrong with C.H. Spurgeon.  He is like reading 1800’s hip-hop theology.  Second, I would say Jonathan Edwards.  His library is pretty expansive and I value his view of the glory of God in all things.

Q:  What’s one of the most disappointing realities of being a pastor?
A:  The people you will invest the most in will more than likely be the ones who walk away the fastest.

Q:  What’s one of the most encouraging realities of being a pastor?
A:  People really do love Jesus and love serving the church!  You get to be an instrument to see that flourish.

Q:  What did your wife say when you told her you wanted to plant a church?
A:  "Let’s do it!” She always wanted to be a Pastor’s wife.

Q:  Could you link the best sermon you’ve ever heard at a church conference?
A:  "Training Well" by Ajay Thomas from the Acts 29 2019 Global Gathering

Q:  What’s your favorite verse(s) in the book of Proverbs?
A:  The ones about not being an idiot.

Q:  If someone who has never read the Bible asks you where to start what’s your answer?
A:  Ephesians if I am able to work through it with them.  If it is on their own I recommend Mark.  A bit more action packed than the other gospels.

Q:  How old were you when you preached your first sermon and how bad was it?
A:  First sermon was around 19.  It was about “You can’t love others, if you don’t love yourself”.  I did have a Vietnam POW come forward weeping though at the end, so you tell me how bad it was. Lol

Q:  What’s something you want us to know about your church?
A:  Missio Dei is a gospel centered, city focused, church community.  We are planted in the North suburbs of greater Cincinnati and are working to reach the people own our city with the gospel.  We also have a heavy concentration of Muslim and Hindu people we are working to evangelize.


Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM as we continue our month long series on Gratitude with a message entitled "Thank You Jesus for Your Resurrection" by Pastor Justin Rahmes.