H7: Encountering God Through the Ordinary
Brandon Ivy was actually born and raised in Greeneville, and while he has moved away a couple of times over the years, FCC has always been his home. Recently, he and his wife Jamie, and their three children Laith (17), Landon (12), and Payton (8) returned to FCC. He quickly joined the Resident program. He also serves as the Kids Min. Coach at South Greene.
But those jobs are far from the limit of what Brandon has been doing. He is currently in his final semester at Johnson University, having pursued an accelerated path through the overload program to complete a double major in Ministry Leadership and Bible & Theology. In addition, he is about half-way through his Master of Divinity at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. “Lord willing,” he began, “I hope to begin a Master of Theology soon after, with the long-term goal of earning a PhD in Historical Theology.” (Oh, and he has also been filling in at a church in Rogersville that has needed help in the pulpit in his “free” time.)
It was therefore no surprise that when a ministry need recently emerged at FCC, Brandon stepped to the plate. Near the end of March, a group of 56 sophomore students from Boca Raton, Florida came up to Longview Ranch for a week of not only retreat, but service. Brandon helped direct a group of leaders and the students with jobs around the Greeneville campus. “The group also took on the challenge of cleaning the kids' ministry area and washing walls, baseboards, windows, and bathrooms,” Brandon recalled. “They even steamed the Worship Center chairs, pressure washed the building, and cleared the parking lot of rocks.”
While the tasks seemed mundane, the students had a great attitude. And despite all of the work that was going on, Brandon still took the time to try and get to know the students on a personal level. “Throughout their time with us, we shared several moments of prayer, sharing our work in faith and gratitude,” Brandon recalled.
Wrangling 60 sophomores to do about 20 different tasks is not easy, but Brandon crafted a well-oiled machine and kept the kids going all day. He even recruited Jackson Radank and Benjie Morgan, Student Leaders at 180, to help lead. It was a great opportunity for Jackson and Benjie to also learn to lead their peers.
The students served faithfully, embodying the essence of everyday, "boring" faithfulness crucial in furthering the kingdom of God. Their contributions were physical and spiritual, as they reminded everyone of the importance of serving with a humble heart. “Watching these students work with such joy and purpose reminded me that the next generation doesn’t need a stage to shine. Sometimes, all it takes is a paintbrush, a prayer, and a willing heart,” Brandon opined. “We are super grateful for these young Christians' impact on our community. These sophomores have shown us that we can all contribute to a greater purpose through everyday faithfulness. We thank them for their dedication and look forward to seeing how they continue to grow and serve in the future.”
Brandon Ivy is proof that he doesn’t need a stage to shine on either. He isn’t often front and center at FCC, and yet the reverberations of his presence have been felt by all he comes in contact with. “Serving at FCC in this way has reshaped how I see ministry, not just as teaching or leading, but as creating space for others to encounter God through the ordinary, the overlooked, and the deeply faithful. FCC is a home that celebrates everyday, ‘boring’ faithfulness, because it’s those small, steady acts that breathe life into the ministry and sustain the heart of our community.”
Brandon concluded by sharing a scripture that he quoted to the students before the service time began. Matthew 6:4 “So that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
But those jobs are far from the limit of what Brandon has been doing. He is currently in his final semester at Johnson University, having pursued an accelerated path through the overload program to complete a double major in Ministry Leadership and Bible & Theology. In addition, he is about half-way through his Master of Divinity at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. “Lord willing,” he began, “I hope to begin a Master of Theology soon after, with the long-term goal of earning a PhD in Historical Theology.” (Oh, and he has also been filling in at a church in Rogersville that has needed help in the pulpit in his “free” time.)
It was therefore no surprise that when a ministry need recently emerged at FCC, Brandon stepped to the plate. Near the end of March, a group of 56 sophomore students from Boca Raton, Florida came up to Longview Ranch for a week of not only retreat, but service. Brandon helped direct a group of leaders and the students with jobs around the Greeneville campus. “The group also took on the challenge of cleaning the kids' ministry area and washing walls, baseboards, windows, and bathrooms,” Brandon recalled. “They even steamed the Worship Center chairs, pressure washed the building, and cleared the parking lot of rocks.”
While the tasks seemed mundane, the students had a great attitude. And despite all of the work that was going on, Brandon still took the time to try and get to know the students on a personal level. “Throughout their time with us, we shared several moments of prayer, sharing our work in faith and gratitude,” Brandon recalled.
Wrangling 60 sophomores to do about 20 different tasks is not easy, but Brandon crafted a well-oiled machine and kept the kids going all day. He even recruited Jackson Radank and Benjie Morgan, Student Leaders at 180, to help lead. It was a great opportunity for Jackson and Benjie to also learn to lead their peers.
The students served faithfully, embodying the essence of everyday, "boring" faithfulness crucial in furthering the kingdom of God. Their contributions were physical and spiritual, as they reminded everyone of the importance of serving with a humble heart. “Watching these students work with such joy and purpose reminded me that the next generation doesn’t need a stage to shine. Sometimes, all it takes is a paintbrush, a prayer, and a willing heart,” Brandon opined. “We are super grateful for these young Christians' impact on our community. These sophomores have shown us that we can all contribute to a greater purpose through everyday faithfulness. We thank them for their dedication and look forward to seeing how they continue to grow and serve in the future.”
Brandon Ivy is proof that he doesn’t need a stage to shine on either. He isn’t often front and center at FCC, and yet the reverberations of his presence have been felt by all he comes in contact with. “Serving at FCC in this way has reshaped how I see ministry, not just as teaching or leading, but as creating space for others to encounter God through the ordinary, the overlooked, and the deeply faithful. FCC is a home that celebrates everyday, ‘boring’ faithfulness, because it’s those small, steady acts that breathe life into the ministry and sustain the heart of our community.”
Brandon concluded by sharing a scripture that he quoted to the students before the service time began. Matthew 6:4 “So that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Posted in Tell the Story