Growing up, my family attended church on a weekly basis—until I started playing traveling softball. From that point on, church became something we did only on Mother’s Day and Easter. When I went to college, I began attending different churches, trying to find one that met my needs and felt like home. I was excited to share this journey with my grandma, but she wasn’t happy because it wasn’t a Church of Christ. No one wants to disappoint their grandma, so I stopped going. That decision quietly pulled me away from my faith altogether.
Fast forward to January of 2015. I made a New Year’s resolution to find a church to call home since my daughter, Jadynn, was a sophomore in high school. I felt like I had failed her as a mom because we didn’t attend church regularly, and I didn’t want her to inherit a faith that only showed up twice a year. We visited First Christian Church the first Sunday in January and enjoyed the service, so we decided to attend whenever our schedules allowed. As the months went on, we found ourselves attending more Sundays than not. My faith grew each week, and I began looking for a small group to “do life with” and continue growing.
During that time, I joined four different groups. Each one started strong but eventually fell apart for different reasons. I was discouraged but still determined to find a place where I belonged.
That’s when I saw a post on Facebook about BrewPastors and was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, at the time, only men’s BrewGroups existed, so I couldn’t join. Later, I saw another post announcing a co-ed BrewGroup and convinced a friend to go with me. I didn’t know anyone the first night I attended, but there was something about the group that felt welcoming and made me want to come back. There was no pressure to perform—just space to show up and be real. I invited my daughter to join me the next time, and she enjoyed it just as much as I did. We both loved that we could simply show up and be part of the discussion without having to prepare anything ahead of time.
After attending for a few months, the people around the table began to feel like family. I knew I could reach out to them when I needed prayer, and I trusted that they would pray for me. They supported me during one of the hardest seasons of my life—when my father was battling cancer and when he ultimately lost that battle. There is nothing better than having friends who pray for you and who won’t judge you when you share your deepest struggles. Being vulnerable is hard, but at a BrewGroup, I know I can be.
Through BrewPastors, I’ve formed friendships that I know will last a lifetime. Through God’s prompting, I now lead my own BrewGroup—something I never would have imagined doing in the past. Being part of other groups over the years gave me the confidence I needed to step into that role. BrewPastors didn’t just help me grow in my faith; it helped me see myself differently. It has helped me grow spiritually, build lifelong friendships, and step outside of my comfort zone in ways I never thought possible.
Want to connect or take a next step?
If Jen’s story resonated with you, you don’t have to take the next step alone. Whether you’d like to reach out to her directly through her BrewPastor Profile, ask questions, or experience a BrewGroup for yourself, we’d love to help you get connected. You don’t need to prepare or have it all figured out—just come as you are and see what community can look like around the table.