H7 Story: One Invitation Changed Everything
By Tyler Brinegar
One invitation to FCC completely changed the course of my life.
It was 2023, and my senior year at Greeneville High School. At the time, I would’ve told you I had a good career plan figured out, and I was doing well in my faith. In reality, I was struggling. As a new believer, I was eager to share the gospel with my fellow students. I was known as “the Christian” and surrounded my identity around being “the Christian.” I was evangelistic on social media; I became involved in the little white church I was raised in (as much as I could, living an hour away and just going to Sunday service.) However, my faith felt inauthentic. Like it lacked substance, but I didn’t know why. I was anxious and insecure. I felt like a “double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).
Then one day in accounting class, my classmate, Mylee Doty, told me about a Night of Worship happening at her student ministry, 180. She invited me to come. And I’m forever thankful that she did.
I still remember walking through the blue doors of the student center for the first time. As I entered, I gazed in awe as I met a room full of students, music, and laughter. I was immediately greeted and welcomed by students, and soon after, the student director, Travis Chapman, came up to me and said, “We’re so glad you’re here!” I had never seen so many students my age gathered together for church. I stood beside the other seniors as we had an extended time of singing with over 100 students.
When the singing ended, and it was time to reflect on what we heard, I couldn’t stop crying. I thought I was alone! I had no clue that this ministry or this church existed. But here I was, surrounded by students and leaders who love Jesus. That night, Simon Johnson, now my Life Group leader, stayed by my side the entire time. I felt like I was loved. And so, when my new friends at 180 invited me to come back next week, I did. And a couple months later, when Pillar invited me to join them after graduation, I did. And when my boss (who I met through Pillar) invited me to go to Re:gen, I did.
And now, 2 years later, I am an invested member of FCC. Why? Because someone invited me. Because people didn’t just welcome me once—they invested in me. I found the Christian community and discipleship I desperately needed to know God’s will for my life. And it all happened because one student faithfully invited me to church.
It was 2023, and my senior year at Greeneville High School. At the time, I would’ve told you I had a good career plan figured out, and I was doing well in my faith. In reality, I was struggling. As a new believer, I was eager to share the gospel with my fellow students. I was known as “the Christian” and surrounded my identity around being “the Christian.” I was evangelistic on social media; I became involved in the little white church I was raised in (as much as I could, living an hour away and just going to Sunday service.) However, my faith felt inauthentic. Like it lacked substance, but I didn’t know why. I was anxious and insecure. I felt like a “double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).
Then one day in accounting class, my classmate, Mylee Doty, told me about a Night of Worship happening at her student ministry, 180. She invited me to come. And I’m forever thankful that she did.
I still remember walking through the blue doors of the student center for the first time. As I entered, I gazed in awe as I met a room full of students, music, and laughter. I was immediately greeted and welcomed by students, and soon after, the student director, Travis Chapman, came up to me and said, “We’re so glad you’re here!” I had never seen so many students my age gathered together for church. I stood beside the other seniors as we had an extended time of singing with over 100 students.
When the singing ended, and it was time to reflect on what we heard, I couldn’t stop crying. I thought I was alone! I had no clue that this ministry or this church existed. But here I was, surrounded by students and leaders who love Jesus. That night, Simon Johnson, now my Life Group leader, stayed by my side the entire time. I felt like I was loved. And so, when my new friends at 180 invited me to come back next week, I did. And a couple months later, when Pillar invited me to join them after graduation, I did. And when my boss (who I met through Pillar) invited me to go to Re:gen, I did.
And now, 2 years later, I am an invested member of FCC. Why? Because someone invited me. Because people didn’t just welcome me once—they invested in me. I found the Christian community and discipleship I desperately needed to know God’s will for my life. And it all happened because one student faithfully invited me to church.
As we look forward to 2026, my prayer is that this truly becomes “The Year We Recapture the Vision of Inviting People to Church.” Let’s pray for opportunities to invite Greene County into our church family, and more importantly, the Kingdom of God (Co. 1:21-22; Ep. 2:19). Let’s have our invite cards ready, and let’s continue to Help People Find and Follow Jesus!
Posted in Tell the Story