Finding Community in Christ

Born and raised in Lake Forest, Tommy King grew up just miles away from Saddleback Church, but it wasn’t until his freshman year of high school that he first attended. Tommy had no idea what God had in store for him in the road ahead.

He had a powerful first impression of Saddleback when he attended a service in 2010. Even though he wasn’t fully sure what the Bible and Christianity were all about, he loved the music and Pastor Rick’s sermon which talked about God creating humanity for the sake of loving us. The experience made him want to keep coming back.

“I heard a lot of stuff that I thought was great advice and lessons that I could apply to my life, but the idea that God could love me despite my mistakes was so radical that I thought it couldn’t be for real,” Tommy said.

As his freshman year in high school passed though, he couldn’t get the idea off his mind, no matter how hard he tried to reject it.

“I now know in hindsight that it was the Holy Spirit that kept pouring the thought onto me, and the next summer it became so intense that I truly knew that God loved me and I accepted Christ.”

Tommy would join a boys small group with the church’s High School Ministry, but was hesitant to attend the HSM services and events.

“I had trouble trusting others my age that were around me outside of my small group,” Tommy said.

That would remain the case for Tommy up until his high school graduation in June 2014. He remained in the area for college, and while many of his high-school small group friends left Orange County for school, several members also stayed local. His high school small group leader, Kevin Barbarino, also happened to lead a men’s small group in Saddleback’s College Ministry. So Tommy began attending the midweek college services, and that was when he felt real change.

“I loved the environment at College Ministry and had a good time. I got really plugged in and our new small group began getting involved. I went to one of their retreats that they had up in Big Bear and and it was so awesome meeting new people and getting connected,” Tommy said.

From being easily able to meet up with the College Ministry staff to spending hours after service with friends at In-N-Out Burger, Tommy loved all that the ministry had to offer.  As fun as the events were, the important thing for Tommy is that he felt that he had found a solid Christian community for the first time in his life.

“I truly found community. Your heart really doesn’t grow until you find that, and College Ministry has put me in a place where I can grow around and love other people. We have a diverse group so it’s really fun,” Tommy said.

Through his community in College Ministry, Tommy was able to break down any walls of distrust that he may have had when he was only a high schooler. Hearing the stories of other believers, Tommy now has a better understanding of people and has grown in his ability to show grace.

“Over three weeks, we had everyone in our small group share their stories, and it was so transforming because you get to understand why people act a certain way. If you don’t get along with somebody as well, you’re able to have more grace because you now understand why they may have that struggle or that fault,” Tommy said.

In his time with College Ministry, Tommy has seen people go from hopeless situations to finding a place where college students can come as they are and truly discover the love of Jesus Christ.

“There are guys who feel like they’ve never really been loved by people before in their life, so then they come into this environment where we aren’t afraid to get to know you. College Ministry wants to take down that mask down that so many people tend to put on in their college years,” Tommy said.

Today, Tommy is able to reflect on his past and see how much he has grown in his faith from the day he first accepted Christ just over five years ago. Through the love God, he has transformed into a person that is eager to meet new people and help them find Christ.

“No longer do I feel like I have to put on that facade and impress people. I want to get to know people and their hearts, even the raw broken stuff,” Tommy said.

In the past year, Tommy has taken his desire to meet others and spread the Gospel to the next level. He has taken two trips with Campus Crusade at his school, first to Ocean City, New Jersey last year, and then to North Africa this past spring.

“God wants us to make disciples of all nations, and I’ve been inspired to do that more than ever after seeing so much idolatry when I was in North Africa. People had devoted their lives to false gods who didn’t love them or care about them, and God has really put it on my heart to be a light for him; so that all people will see Jesus and run to him,” Tommy said.

Tommy’s involvement with the College Ministry gave him the community that God wants all of us to experience in life. By doing life with other Christians, God taught him valuable lessons of accountability, mission, and living a God-glorifying life.