When Jesus met me in a Broward County jail cell in 2003, I had no idea what lay ahead. All I knew was that my life was no longer my own—I had been rescued, redeemed, and called to something far greater than I could imagine. Now, 21 years later, and 17 years after my release, I look back in awe at God’s faithfulness. From those first uncertain steps as a new believer at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale—a mega-church that gave me my first glimpse of what the body of Christ could be—to my current roles as a church planter, missional catalyst, outreach pastor, and ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, it’s been an incredible journey.

Reading Darrell Guder’s Called to Witness: Doing Missional Theology felt like revisiting the core of what has fueled my calling over the years. Guder’s vision for a church centered on mission aligns deeply with the heart of my ministry and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. His work challenged me to reflect on what it means to be a witness—not just in the early days of my walk with Christ but now, in the complex world of church leadership.

Witness: From Transformation to Mission

Guder begins with the bold assertion that witness isn’t just something the church does—it’s something the church is. This truth resonates deeply with me because my own story is rooted in transformation. When I walked into Calvary Chapel after my release, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size and polish of the ministry. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. But what stayed with me wasn’t the building or the programs—it was the people who embodied the gospel with authenticity and grace.

In the years since, I’ve come to see that witness isn’t about perfection or presentation; it’s about living in the reality of God’s kingdom. As a church planter and outreach pastor, I’ve seen firsthand how people are drawn to authenticity. They want to know if the gospel we proclaim is real—if it has the power to transform lives like mine. Guder’s reminder that witness is a way of being, not just a set of actions, calls me to continually align my ministry with that truth.

Wrestling with Church Growth vs. Missional Identity

One of the challenges I’ve faced in ministry is navigating the tension between the Western church’s emphasis on growth and Guder’s vision of the church as a missional community. When I joined the staff at Christian Life Center in 2013, I stepped into a vibrant and growing church environment. Over the years, I’ve celebrated with my congregation as we’ve expanded our reach and seen lives changed. But I’ve also wrestled with the temptation to measure success solely by attendance or programming.

Guder’s theology pushes against that mindset, reminding me that the church exists not for itself but for the sake of the world. It’s a vision I’ve carried into church planting and missional work, where the goal isn’t to replicate a specific model but to create communities that live out the gospel in context. Whether it’s in an urban neighborhood or a suburban community, the focus remains the same: How are we bearing witness to Jesus in ways that transform lives and challenge cultural norms?

The Scandal of Particularity and My Journey in the Assemblies of God

Guder’s concept of the “scandal of particularity”—the idea that the gospel is rooted in the specific claim that Jesus is Lord—felt especially relevant as I reflected on my ordination with the Assemblies of God in 2020. After years of serving at CLC, ordination was a significant milestone in my journey, marking not just a formal recognition of my calling but a commitment to living out the gospel with boldness and clarity.

This idea of particularity resonates deeply with my ministry. It’s tempting to water down the message of Jesus in a culture that values relativism, but Guder challenges us to embrace the specificity of the gospel as the foundation of our witness. As someone whose life was radically changed by the truth of Jesus, I’m reminded that it’s not my job to make the gospel more comfortable—it’s my job to proclaim it with humility and love, trusting that God will do the work of transformation.

Witness in Action: The Call to Engage Brokenness

One of the most impactful aspects of Guder’s work is his emphasis on the church’s role in addressing the brokenness of the world. As an outreach pastor, this is where my heart beats strongest. From feeding the hungry to engaging in community transformation, I’ve seen how acts of compassion and justice aren’t just “add-ons” to the church’s mission—they are integral to it.

I think back to the early days of my faith, when I experienced the gospel as both truth and action. It wasn’t just the message of Jesus that changed me; it was the hands and feet of His people who came alongside me, believing in my potential even when I didn’t. That same spirit drives my ministry today as I work to equip the church to live as witnesses in practical and transformative ways.

A Journey of Faithful Witness

Reading Called to Witness was more than an academic exercise—it was a chance to reflect on the journey God has taken me on over the past two decades. From a jail cell to church planting, from being discipled at a mega-church to serving as an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, my story is one of being called to witness in every season and setting.

Guder’s vision of missional theology challenges me to keep pressing forward, to resist complacency, and to remain faithful to the calling that began in the most unexpected of places. His words remind me that the church’s mission is not about maintaining structures or chasing growth; it’s about being the tangible presence of Jesus in a world that desperately needs Him.

If you’re a leader, a layperson, or someone just trying to figure out what it means to follow Jesus, I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s a reminder that we’re all called to witness, not just with our words but with our lives.

What does being a witness look like in your context? How can we, as the church, live out our missional identity more faithfully? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories.