Pastor Josh reflects on 5 years of COC

When we read stories of great faith or even get the opportunity ourselves to take a step of great faith (on the flipside) you’ll always discover that there are prices involved to serving Jesus. If along your spiritual journey – when God has asked you to do something rather strange or ridiculous and you’re response isn’t or hasn’t been something like… “YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?” – you will struggle with what I think God wants you to hear in this article. After all, the crazy life that God is calling all of us to live is radical. It requires that we live out an insane faith at times because it is a way of life that is counterintuitive and countercultural. 

One of my biggest “YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?” moments came about 10 years ago when God came to me and began telling me His plans to plant a church in Maricopa.  After many pain-staking conversations, God won (like He usually does) and we packed up and headed to Maricopa in September 2005. Eight short months later, in May 2006, the Church of Celebration officially opened her doors to the city of Maricopa.

I wish I could tell you that it’s been easy; however, effecting change in the world around you is rarely accidental. Great things that God wants to accomplish through you are always going to grow in the soil of persistence, prayer, obedience and sacrifice. Which means there will be plenty of plowing and pruning along the way!

When God called the Barrett family to Maricopa, at first, all we could see was what we were leaving behind. And we questioned often whether we were willing to pay that price, and we answered often, “Nope, not worth it!” Not until we finally realized this thought: The things God calls you to lay down or walk away from will always depend a lot on where you’ve come from and where He’s taking you; then we finally realize that sometimes God has to let your current dreams die so that His vision for you can come alive!

We had finally discovered that our trade-off was a trade-up. And now, sitting back and realizing what God has done, we never could have dreamed what COC has become.

On May 15 COC celebrated her 5^th anniversary. The Church of Celebration has become the reality of Hebrews 11:1 to my family: “This church is the substance of things we hoped for, and she is the evidence of things that we could not see!” … a place where over 1,000 people call this church “my church,” a place where over 300 people have confessed Jesus out loud through baptism, a place where over 500 people have entered into a born-again relationship with Jesus.

What else can I say except thank you, Maricopa, for allowing us to be a part of you? It has been amazing, and we thank God every day for bringing us to this wonderful community.