CHIP GUYTON joined the Good Works team in the summer of 2007. His connection to Good Works started with a presentation Keith made during a class at seminary. Throughout his seminary experience, Chip kept up on events at Good Works through newsletters and began to consider the possibility of someday working in a similar ministry setting. While studying at Asbury Theological Seminary, he worshipped at The Rock/La Roca United Methodist Church in Lexington. While attending The Rock/La Roca, he served in the areas of prayer ministry, the food and clothing pantry, neighborhood visitation and youth group. The blend of these experiences connected with his work for FOCUS, a central city homeless services agency in Toledo. His time at FOCUS prepared him to be apart of Good Works’ new program Hope and Possibilities. The main form of that preparation came from working with different churches as he coordinated urban service projects. In 2006, he graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M. Div. After graduation, he served on the staff of The Rock Church/La Roca United Methodist Church in Lexington directing their prayer ministry and working with the poor in the neighborhood.
Chip says, "I look forward to learning more about the Biblical response to poverty. Additionally I am interested in developing Biblically based ways for connecting people in need of help with those who have the resources to help the needy, with an emphasis on mutual learning and development of friendships between members of both groups. I believe that being a part of the Good Works community helps me to live out the words of St. Francis: “...grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love.” Additionally, I often draw encouragement from Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts. Not the one who points out where the strong man stumbled or where the doer of great deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again. And who, while daring greatly, spends himself in a worthy cause so that his place may not be among those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” This quote from Roosevelt encourages me to persevere in ministry with the needy while the words of St. Francis serve as a reminder of why I need to persevere in the work that God gives me."
A VISION FOR THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
The living presence of Jesus is their central focus.
They value authenticity over performance.
They trust grace based transformation.
They are more concerned about relationships than meetings.
They are as honest in their struggles as they are in their joys.
They are learning to depend on God's agenda, work and power over human preference, effort and ingenuity.
They are more interested in following God than getting their needs met.
They know that worship is not something we do to start a meeting but how we live in God everyday.
They understand we are all part of the body and desire an environment where interaction happens rather than up front performances by a few.
They trust God's ability to connect them with people and don't force themselves on anyone.
They are not exclusive about God workings. They realize that He is working in the world and even in their own locality far larger than they can see at any one time.
Having been loved by God, they want to help others taste that love as well!
CHIP GUYTON joined the Good Works team in the summer of 2007. His connection to Good Works started with a presentation Keith made during a class at seminary. Throughout his seminary experience, Chip kept up on events at Good Works through newsletters and began to consider the possibility of someday working in a similar ministry setting. While studying at Asbury Theological Seminary, he worshipped at The Rock/La Roca United Methodist Church in Lexington. While attending The Rock/La Roca, he served in the areas of prayer ministry, the food and clothing pantry, neighborhood visitation and youth group. The blend of these experiences connected with his work for FOCUS, a central city homeless services agency in Toledo. His time at FOCUS prepared him to be apart of Good Works’ new program Hope and Possibilities. The main form of that preparation came from working with different churches as he coordinated urban service projects. In 2006, he graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M. Div. After graduation, he served on the staff of The Rock Church/La Roca United Methodist Church in Lexington directing their prayer ministry and working with the poor in the neighborhood. 