Mike Hammer Interview

Mike Hammer, pastor of Celebration Community Church in Dillsburg, PA, was our guest last evening. The church he leads is relatively new (in its second year) and unique. He had to marry two churches and faiths together when his Assembly of God church was invited to take over a United Brethern in Christ congregation who had lost their pastor and was failing.

Mike and his wife, Connie, have an outreach ministry, in addition to their regular church services, called Bridges. They lead people of all faiths (or no faith) who are tired of hiding in their hurt, to dive deep beneath the surface of what they present to the world, to uncover WHY they do what they do. In unmasking the reasons for their hurts in a loving atmosphere, they are able to remove some of the fear these people have had, start the healing process, bring change, and promote growth. This program is something I would be very interested in attending. Although God has brought incredible healing, insight, and growth to me already, there are still three areas that I believe God has shown me exist and lay behind locked doors. Doors that he wants me to unlock in order to discover what's behind them, and why they are there. Bridges might help unlock those doors and take me to the next level.

Mike was a great guest. He didn't pretend to have all the answers. I believe I would be as comfortable in his church for the same reasons I love and am comfortable at Freedom Valley. Mike and Gerry are the only two pastors I have ever encountered who are willing to stand up in front of others and be open and vulnerable. Neither is afraid to admit openly that they have struggles, that they are not perfect, and that God is still at work in them. That kind of attitude and public vulnerability makes it so much easier for the rest of us to WANT a relationship with Christ and to know that there's hope for us, in the form of Jesus Christ, in spite of the sin and mistakes we've made in our lives. God can use our greatest shame(s) for His greatest Glory. That kind of love (God's love)is totally overwhelming to me. God's love and their examples make me want to be that kind of person: one who can inspire love and a desire for relationship with Christ in others.

Mike's challenges seem to be balancing his family life with ministry, developing more key leaders that he can trust and delegate some of his responsibilities to, and helping his congregants develop ideas and vision so that they are put in a position of ownership. Mike is already building relationships of trust and working on raising up leaders within the church. By developing these relationships of trust and leadership over time, it will allow him to delegate more of his responsibilities and aide him in keeping his family life and ministry better balanced. I'm not sure what he has done in an effort to promote ownership, but sometimes it's just a matter of making the church's needs known or allowing people to voice the needs they see and encouraging them to be the solution (Where did I learn that?). Biblical teaching about WHAT God wants, ways to see that happen, and encouragement to step out in faith are key to seeing those things come to fruition.

Thanks for coming, Mike.