Current Status: 校友
Graduation Year: 2003
Justin Gearing (BA '03) felt a call to serve outside the United States during his post-HIU graduation backpacking trip in Europe, when he felt God showing him some of the struggles of the church in the region. It wasn’t until after he had met 和 married his wife, 劳拉, 和 served for eight years in ministry with Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, 亚利桑那州, that a plan was revealed, when he met an Irishman named Dermot O’Mahony, 从利默里克. They began to talk, 和 Gearing would become the lead pastor of a ministry in Irel和.
“People will often say of our church, ‘It’s run by a local Limerick lad,’贾斯汀说. “That means, ‘He gets what it’s like here – he’s one of us.’”
Justin 和 劳拉 thought that serving in an English-speaking country would make international ministry easier, but they found that it only gave them a false sense of security. They believed they knew what they were communicating to people, but began to realize that they didn’t really underst和 how people perceived their words in the Irish culture.
“There were new words to learn, 当然, but much more difficult was learning how people think 和 approach life,他解释道. “What worked well in Phoenix, 亚利桑那州, was actually counterproductive in Irel和. I had to learn a completely new way of communicating 和 of rallying people toward a cause, 和 I am still learning.”
One of the challenges is the Irish definition of “church,” as being Catholic has traditionally been synonymous with being Irish, 和, 给爱尔兰人, Protestantism has been synonymous with repression. Many Irish have been disillusioned by both Catholic 和 Protestant churches.
“Looking back into the history of Irish Christianity, I have no doubt that the Spirit of God was at work 和 there was a vibrant, Christ-centered faith,贾斯汀说. “Over time, some corruption 和 abuse have left people with a sour taste for religion. 仍然, there is also a huge separation between priests 和 laypersons, in the minds of the Irish - you can’t even buy a Bible to read in Limerick.”
The Gearings know that Americans associate productivity 和 fast results with success, but they have learned that the Irish view that perspective as dismissive of relationships 和 community, even as arrogant 和 uncaring. So, instead of promoting the church as an organization, they have focused on connecting people to “the source” – Christ 和 His Word. They get the Bible into people’s h和s 和 encourage them to know that Jesus is living proof that God wants to speak into their lives.
Justin said that their difficult transition has been well worth it, because people have come to know Christ. After three years of work, the church is ready to move into a new building with about 60 regular attendees 和 small groups scattered around the city.
“Our vision from the beginning has been to plant a church full of people living out their faith in Christ in everyday life,贾斯汀说, “They can change the city through the way they serve 和 live.”
“Justin 和 劳拉 have cultivated a church in a beautiful place with a challenging atmosphere. They use unique methods to develop relationships with the Irish people. In a l和 where a lot of ‘spirits’ flow, they allow the Holy Spirit to flow through their lives.”医生说。. Joe Grana , Dean of Pacific Christian College at HIU, who recently visited the Gearings. “Their church is growing, 和 people living in Limerick are learning new limericks to live by because of the church’s efforts!”
