Before Jeff and his wife started coming to LCBC, life looked very different. “I didn’t have a relationship with God. I didn’t know how to talk to him,” Jeff shared. His days were filled with poor choices, and eventually, those choices caught up with him. At 23, Jeff found himself behind bars after a night of drinking and driving led to a serious accident.
“I didn’t have a relationship with God. I didn’t know how to talk to him.”
During his time in prison, Jeff learned to cut hair – a skill that gave him something to focus on and eventually set him on a new path. “I didn’t have any goals. I was just drifting through life,” he admits. But that all started to change with one decision. Cutting hair, something he initially picked up to pass the time, became a meaningful part of his life.
Now, with over two decades of experience, Jeff and his wife run their own barber shop in York, PA. He loves the connections he gets to make with people through his work, especially with clients like Derek. Derek has been coming to Jeff’s shop for six years, and more than just a client, he’s become one of Jeff’s best friends. It was Derek who invited Jeff to join a men’s Group at LCBC – a Group that would impact Jeff’s life in ways he never expected.
“I wasn’t sure at first, but the way the Group talked about becoming the husbands, fathers, and leaders God created us to be – it just clicked,” Jeff says. “That Group became something I didn’t even know I needed.”
“That Group became something I didn’t even know I needed.”
In the Group, Jeff found a sense of purpose and brotherhood. The men gave him the nickname “Strop,” after the leather tool barbers use to sharpen razors. It’s a name that carries deep meaning for Jeff. “Just like a strop sharpens a razor, being in this group has sharpened me,” he explains. “There’s a verse in Proverbs that says, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.’ That’s what these guys have done for me.”
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. That’s what these guys have done for me.”
Derek, who originally invited Jeff to the Group, puts it this way: “If you're going through something and you ask the guy next to you, chances are he's been through it or knows someone who has. We’re all here to sharpen each other and become better, together.”
Jeff reflects on how the men’s Group helped him grow in his faith and his role as a leader in his family. The relationships he has formed in the Group are some of the most important in his life. He knows that no matter what comes his way – good or bad – he won’t be facing it alone. “I know God brought us together for a reason,” Jeff says with confidence. “I am a life changed by Christ.”
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If you’re looking for the community and spiritual sharpening Jeff found, join a Group! There are all kinds of Groups available across our locations that will help you find community, grow in your faith, and build meaningful relationships with others. Find a Group near you today!
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LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!