When Pastor John Dew stands before God on his day of judgment, there is one thing he hopes he doesn’t hear:
‘John, you did a nice job with those 25 people right over there, but those 300 people you said the wrong thing to, those are the one’s I’m worried about.?
To avoid that fate, Dew spent 12 months attending two to three services every Sunday at different churches, learning their style of teaching and what makes people comfortable, and uncomfortable. One thing he found:
‘The one thing we all have in common: we are all trying to worship God,? he said.
As pastor of the new Gospel of the Good Shepherd church in Springfield Township, he counsels people and helps them combat their problems.
‘None of us are perfect. We’re not supposed to look at our brother’s sins and point it out,? he said.
Dew talked with Vietnam veterans before starting the church on Feb. 3. They discussed the difficulties they faced when returning home. The first thing they wanted to do was go to church, but people pointed their fingers at them. He says it’s the same thing today with homosexuals; people are too quick to oust them.
He started the independent Christian church, which meets at Hart Community Center, 495 Broadway, Mill Pond Park in downtown Davisburg, because he wanted to offer people something different, he said
After talking with people who left religions in which they were raised, he wanted people in his church to be comfortable worshipping God, he said.
Dew said his teaching style is a little unconventional. He teaches straight out of the Bible. Rather than taking an idea and relating it to the Bible, he relates the Bible to what’s happening in people’s everyday lives.
‘I love sharing God’s word with people,? he said. ‘A lot of people read the Bible and do not understand what is being said. Yet, the magical part is the Bible is written in a way that makes the mind curious. Two people can read the same verse and have different interpretations of what was said. It’s each individuals own interpretation of God.?
Dew also enjoys fulfilling his other passion: singing. He puts a country spin on his gospel songs.
Before becoming a pastor, Dew was a car salesman. On the lot, he worked with a preacher and they would have deep discussions about different scriptures in the Bible. The more they talked the more Dew challenged his opinions and became interested in discussing their faith.
‘The Lord was calling me. Talking made me realize that’s what I wanted to do,? he said.
Dew started out at a Baptist college, but felt they were forcing him into the denomination, and it would have taken 6-7 years to graduate. A California correspondence college accepted him because of his background as a music minister.
‘I don’t want to do it for the money. I want to serve God, but not for the paycheck,? said Dew.
His overall plan for the church is to secure property or a building in Springfield Township.
‘I feel confident that God’s will is for me to have a location for the church,? he said. ‘I’ve seen firsthand that God does exist and miracles do happen. He has a way of changing lives so easily.?
He would also like to offer a free retirement home at his church.
‘Walking with God is like walking with your dad down the street. You feel so secure; he’s in control of your life.?