East Rock Celebration
- Last week East Rock Celebrated 5 years since they launched their Campus in Elkton. Over 100 people stayed to fellowship and celebrate.
- What a great team they have there with Pastor Jarod Link, Beth Suhr, Pastor Terry, Steph Higgs their children’s Director and Karen Good with works with the teens
- I have the privilege of sitting in Monday
Meetings with Pastor Jared and Beth and wow, God is doing some amazing things not just on their campus, but in their community because of the faithfulness and obedience of the people at COTN. So lets take a moment and celebrate them and all that God is doing and moving within the Elkton Community. Now If only we can get moving on bringing summer back to VA. You all fooled this Easterner from PA. My first 2 winters in VA were easy. Hardly any snow, mild temps. Then BAMM you hit us Alaskan like weather.
I am done with this winter weather. I know this is an unpopular opinion but, I not only love the beach,I also love the heat, the sun….I just love summer.
Olaf on the beach.
About 8 years ago, my parents moved from PA to Ormond Beach Florida, for this exact reason. They couldn’t stand the cold anymore. Which is good news for me, because visiting them means trips to the beach for us. However, the beach, although wonderful, comes with its own troubles.
Beach water waves.
My girls loved getting in the water, which as a mom of course, freaked me out. I was constantly watching them, making sure that they were not too far out and safe from the current and waves. But without fail, after a few minutes of them swimming in the ocean, I would have to start waving them down. The waves, little by little, would drift them out too far from where I was.
They didn’t try to drift.
They didn’t plan to drift.
But the current slowly pulled them too far away.
And once they realized it, they would start making the anxious effort and intention to swim back. Most of you have been there. Your umbrella was over there…and now it’s WAY over there.
Spiritual drifting works the same way.
Nobody wakes up and says, “Today, I think I’ll drift away from God.” I’m going to disconnect from my faith – or in current terminology – I’m going to DECONSTRUCT my faith today. It happens slowly.
There was an old song by casting Crowns that said, “It’s a slow fade, when you give yourself away. It’s a slow fade, when black and white, turn to gray”
No big waves, no storm, just slow quiet movement, small waves that cause someone to drift from where they started. It’s usually slow… and it’s always very dangerous.
Signs Someone is Drifting
- They’re slowly pulling back from church, small groups, serving, worship, and Bible reading.
- Faith stops being the center of life and other things start taking priority.
- They start isolating themselves from Christian friends and accountability.
- Their beliefs begin to shift quietly, leaning more on culture than Scripture, and small compromises start to feel okay.
And suddenly they are not where they used to be spiritually speaking.
Often the first sign isn’t behavior, it’s disconnection.
Drifting doesn’t always look like running away.
Sometimes it looks like slowly letting go.
We included this topic in our relationship series because some of the most heartbreaking relationship struggles aren’t about conflict, they’re about distance. Not just emotional distance, but spiritual distance.
Many of us carry quiet burdens for people we love who aren’t walking with God anymore. And the Bible actually speaks to how we love people in that space.
Right now…this morning, you may know and love someone in exactly this situation.
So, here’s the question today:
What do we do, when someone we love and care for starts to drift? Someone who perhaps at one time in their life, called themselves a follower of Jesus, but now, their relationship with Jesus seems distant.
| James 5:19-20 (NLT) – Bring That | |
| Person Back | |
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins James 5:19-20 (The message)
“My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.” The Message
Scripture is clear that we are not to ignore the drifter. We are called to be the Waver!
THE WAVER
- Stays aware
- Keeps looking outward
- Notices movement
- Cares enough to call out
- Acts out of love, not superiority
Before we look at John 21, let me say this: Peter is not the perfect example of a drifter. I could have used Jonah as an example of a drifter, who ran from God’s calling who knew God but didn’t want to obey, or Samson who was called by God at birth and drifted through pride, lust and disobedience, or perhaps, the parable of the prodigal son, who leaves his father to pursue worldly living. Peter had a momentary lap of judgement. Perhaps it was a momentary drift, but he isn’t the perfect example of a drifter. But he does show us what it looks like to struggle and stumble in faith.
What’s remarkable in this chapter is how Jesus responds not with condemnation, but with patient restoration. Here, Jesus shows us exactly how to love, guide, and restore someone who has drifted. And that is who I want to focus on today, Jesus.
Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, had denied Him three times, not once, not twice, but three times. He had boldly said he would never fall away, never fail, and yet when fear and pressure came, he completely denied even knowing Jesus. Just a few days earlier, Peter would have called himself Jesus’ most loyal follower. But in that moment of weakness, he drifted away.
With a curse, the Apostle Peter disconnected.
After Jesus’ death, the women had discovered the tomb was empty, and their resurrected Lord began appearing to His disciples.
Peter and the disciples returned to fishing on the Sea of Tiberias. But that night, they didn’t catch a single thing.
Then a man on the shore, someone they didn’t recognize at first, called out and told them to cast their nets on the other side. When they did, the nets were overflowing with fish. They might have thought to themselves, “We have seen this happen before.” And then it clicked, it was Jesus.
Peter, the one who had failed, the one who had walked away in fear, and denied knowing Jesus, didn’t hesitate. He jumped into the water and swam straight to Jesus.
This story isn’t just about Peter’s failure, it’s about Jesus’ patience. It’s about how He pursues those who drift. First Jesus
| Pursue the drifter with presence, not | |
| pressure | |
Jesus’s always knew where He had to be and who He had to be with.
John 21:12-14 NLT
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” This invitation represents relationship and intimacy.
Jesus spent time with Peter (even sharing a meal) before addressing anything spiritual.
When someone is drifting, they often already feel distance. But presence is more powerful than
punishment or judgment. A wise servant once said,
| presence matters most | |
| and presence =Love | |
- Invite them to coffee, a walk, or normal hangout
- Keep the relationship warm and safe
- Let them see that they are loved, without an agenda.
Because Jesus shows us to
Lead with love, not lectures
John 21: 15-17
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of
John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Jesus didn’t start with, “Why did you deny me?”
He started with, “Do you love me?”
BAMM-BAMM
Bamm-Bamm from The Flintstones had a good heart, but his “bam” was still powerful enough to hurt.
Where wavers get it wrong:
Sometimes our desire to see a drifter return can make us push or ” Bible -bam” too hard. We don’t want to overwhelm them with Scripture, hoping something sticks. Truth is best received when it’s shared with love.
Drifting hearts need reminders of love more than reminders of failure.
- Ask heart-level questions
- Listen more than you talk
- Affirm your care for them Examples:
- “How are you really doing?”
- “What is going on in your life?”
- “Where do you feel God in your life lately?”
Remember: You are not the Holy Spirit. You are a friend.
John 21:18
“Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. “Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Sometimes no matter how gently you approach the drifter, they may still feel hurt and defensive. Some drifters work very hard to prove they are not wrong in disconnecting.
Which is why we need to
Keep it personal, not public.
Not every moment needs an audience. Some things are meant to be handled up close, in love, and in private.
John 21:20
20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved,
Peter turned and saw the other disciples behind him, it showed us there was some space between them.
Jesus addressed individuals privately, The woman at the well, The one possessed by demons, The woman caught in adultery, The pharisees tried to make that public, but Jesus didn’t address her till everyone walked away.
Social media is not the place to call out the drifter. (This isn’t just a younger generation problem! According to data released by AARP in 2026…. 73% of adults over the age of 50 are active on Social Media)
I’ve honestly never heard someone say they found Jesus because a Christian called them out publicly. But I have seen people get hurt, shut down, or pushed further away because of it.
Church, please hear my heart on this. When we publicly call someone out, whether on social media, or any other way, it almost never brings the change we hope for. Instead, it often brings division. And not just division, it can hurt our testimony. The world is watching how we treat people when they struggle or drift or disagree.
Someone said the church is the only army that shoots its own wounded…
If our goal is restoration, then it has to start with relationships.
Restoration starts with relationship
A message. A phone call. A coffee. A quiet and personal conversation. Again, presence matters most.
You may want to have an honest conversation at some point about the risks of walking away, There will come a time when you will have to have the hard conversation, but that’s usually not where you begin.
That’s where love really works. That’s where people feel seen, not shamed. And that’s where Jesus meets them. So, let’s pursue people the way He pursues us – personally, gently, and privately. Because we are to
Extend Grace, Not Gossip Sometimes what we call “concern” is really a comparison. Sometimes what we call “sharing” is actually gossip dressed up in spiritual language.
Show a picture of Emily and Haley
Look at these two girls who love each other deeply today. But when they were little, they fought like cats and dogs. There were moments I honestly wondered if they’d ever be close.
When one made a mistake, the other was quick to point it out…..quick to make sure I knew who was wrong and who was right. One would be in trouble, and the other would almost glow in the moment, quietly saying, “See? I’m the good one.”
Ephesians 4:29
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Church… if I’m honest, I’ve seen that same tendency in my own heart.
We say we want to help, but deep down we feel a little better about ourselves in the process. It’s the intent of the heart. What’s your goal, to help a brother or sister in need, or to puff yourself to flex your “spiritual muscles.”
The Gospel doesn’t call us to gossip about the drifter, it calls us to extend grace to them.
Because the truth is, every one of us has been the one who wandered. Every one of us has needed mercy. None of us are sitting here today because we got it all right, we’re here because God was gracious when we got it wrong.
So yes, seek wise counsel when needed. But never forget where God found you. Remember what He saved you from. When we remember our own rescue story, it softens our hearts.
Then we stop offering gossip and start offering grace. It’s that grace that often helps bring a drifter home.
Trust God with the outcome
Jesus didn’t force Peter’s response. He invited it.
You can’t make someone come back to faith. You can only love them toward it.
- Pray for them consistently
- Let the Holy Spirit work
- And be Patient with the Drifter
A Message to the Drifter:
If you’re sitting here today, or listening to my voice, and you’re realizing…
“I might be the one drifting”…. hear this with love:
This message isn’t a warning shot. It’s a wave from the shore.
The umbrella never moved. You did!
Nobody here is throwing stones at you. We’re waving you home.
Drifting doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you human. But you don’t have to stay where the current has taken you.
Remember Peter.
He drifted.
He denied Jesus.
And yet Jesus pursued him, restored him, and still called him forward.
Jesus is in the restoration business.
The very Peter who drifted became the rock on which Jesus built His church.
So hear this clearly: your drifting does not cancel God’s calling.
Your distance does not disqualify your destiny.
The same Jesus who cooked breakfast for Peter, who gently restored him, who didn’t shame him, that same Jesus is inviting you back.
Not with pressure.
Not with guilt.
But with open arms.
If you’ve drifted, you can come back.
Peter jumped in the water, couldn’t even wait for the boat to dock, he came swimming to Jesus.
Small strokes still move you toward shore. One prayer. One step. One surrender at a time.
And know this: He still has a plan for you.
Your story isn’t over.
Your calling still stands.
As a former pastor of mine often said,
“Jesus is desperately in love with you!”
Maybe today is your moment to turn your heart back toward Him.
1Corinthians 13 the Love Chapter says,
“Love is patient, Love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud, or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and it keeps no record of being wronged.
These verses are not just instructions about love to be recited at a wedding, they are also instructions on how to wave down the drifter.
David G Allen, a published author and researcher said,
“Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you
have in your mind.”
Like eating a Tootsie Roll Pop. Anyone remember this commercial?
How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie pop?
I never did have the patience to not bite into the tootsie roll pop. After a while, I just got tired and had to take a bite.
LifeSavers
LifeSaver Illustration: Patience with the Drifter
Go ahead and put the LifeSaver in your mouth now, but here’s the challenge:
Do not bite it.
Just let it sit there and dissolve.
You’ll notice something almost immediately, you want to bite it.
It takes patience to just let it sit and slowly dissolve.
And honestly?
It’s easier to bite than to wait. When Trying this at home it took me 2 min and 30 sec. before I just took a bite.
That’s a lot like how we treat people who are drifting from the faith.
We see them drifting.
We love them.
We want them to come home.
But sometimes instead of patiently loving them, we bite down in frustration.
We lecture.
We push.
We ‘Bible-bam’ them over the head.
Not because we’re mean… but because we care.
But church, when we bite, it often causes more harm than good.
People rarely drift back because they were pressured.
They come back because they were loved.
Because someone waved them down. Because someone stayed patient.
Brian’s Pop
Brian’s pop (grandfather) a patriarch of the family prayed for Brian’s Dad, to come to the Lord for 15 years. He prayed and Waved him down for 15 years. Talk about patience. Brian’s Dad gave his heart to the Lord when he was 33. Brian’s dad passed at 35 of cancer.
Pop, also prayed for me. He waved me down for about 4 years before I gave my heart to Jesus.
Were there times when he had difficult conversations with us…absolutely, but he LOVED us first. And He loved us well.
During this last song, lets take a moment to think of that person in your life who seems spiritually distant or drifting. Perhaps it’s someone you care about but may feel powerless to reach. Picture them clearly in your mind.
If you still have a lifesaver in your mouth, Keep sucking! Cause whether you are the drifter of the waver, it’s often in the waiting that the Holy Spirit moves.
Song…
Be patient with the drifter
Love before you lecture
Pursue with presence, not pressure
Extend Grace and not Gossip
Trust God to do the heart work
You’re not the Savior,
you’re just called to point the drifter to THE
Savior, Jesus