“It felt like an answer to prayer.”
This is my Relevant story
Angela.
My family and I have been attending Relevant since 2017, but before we ever walked through the doors, I had already been praying for a church home.
At the time, my daughters were in middle and high school, and I wanted a church where they could grow in their relationship with God, build real friendships, serve, and actually want to be there. I also wanted a church where the Bible was taught clearly, where the messages were honest, and where faith felt real.
When we finally visited Relevant, I remember feeling from the moment we pulled into the parking lot that this was where God was leading us. It felt like an answer to prayer.
Over the years, I have watched God use Relevant to grow my faith and strengthen my family. My daughters found community, I found people who prayed for me and walked with me through difficult seasons, and I was continually challenged to grow through the teaching and relationships around me.
One of the biggest surprises has been the way God has stretched me through worship. I never imagined I would stand on a stage and sing in front of people. I was perfectly comfortable staying in the congregation, but after some encouragement, I auditioned.
Now I get to help lead worship on Sundays and at Celebrate Recovery, and it has become one of the greatest joys of my life.
When I look back, I can see God’s faithfulness in so many parts of my story. He answered the prayer I prayed for my children, gave me a church family I could truly call my own, and opened doors for me to serve in ways I never expected.
Relevant is not just a church I attend. It is my church home.
“Church is not just somewhere you go on Sundays.”
Growing up at Relevant
Cooper.
Relevant has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started coming here when I was a toddler, so I have pretty much grown up at Relevant.
I have been here through different buildings, different stages of life, and a lot of changes, but Relevant has always been a constant for me. This is where I learned about Jesus, made friends, grew in my faith, and learned what it looks like to actually be involved in church.
The motto of Relevant Kids is ‘Never know a day without knowing Jesus.’ I am really thankful that has been true for my story.
Now I get to serve in the Preschool room every Sunday and help younger kids learn about Jesus too. I am also involved in YTH and try to be part of as many events and opportunities as I can.
Relevant has shown me that church is not just somewhere you go on Sundays. It is a place where you can grow, serve, build friendships, and be part of something bigger than yourself.
I am thankful I have had a church like this to grow up in, and I hope the kids I serve get to say the same thing one day.
“We are still here, still saying yes, and still trusting God.”
A family that keeps saying yes
The Suiters.
Our story with Relevant began in April 2016. We walked through the doors not knowing how deeply this church would become part of our story. Before long, we were encouraged to lead a small group, and that group became family.
In 2017, after a message that challenged our church to take action, we said yes to becoming foster parents. Charlotte was born that November, and after walking with her through foster care, we had the incredible privilege of adopting her in February 2020. A few months later, Dax was born.
In 2021, our family entered one of the hardest seasons we had ever faced when Dax was diagnosed with multiple serious medical conditions. There were surgeries, hospital stays, therapies, uncertainty, and so many moments when all we could do was trust God for the next step. Through every part of it, God remained faithful.
He surrounded us with the people we needed before we even knew we would need them. Our Relevant small group, foster care community, friends, and countless people praying for our family carried us through some of our hardest days.
Because of that community, and because of God’s strength, we were able to keep saying yes to whatever our family needed next.
What started with simply showing up at Relevant has become a calling that continues to shape our family. Our kids are now the first to say, “Let’s do it,” when we hear about a child or family in need. They are learning what it means to serve others and to be the hands and feet of Jesus right here in our community.
We are still here, still saying yes, still trusting God, and still believing that every step of obedience is worth it.
“He was not finished with us yet.”
Healing · Forgiveness · Redemption
The Wackerlins.
Relevant has been an incredible gift to us and one of the best next steps God has given us.
We married in 1971 and built a life together in Illinois, where we raised our family and lived for 50 years. Over time, alcohol abuse began to take a toll on our marriage, and eventually our lives started to fall apart. In 2007, I reached a point where I had to leave, and Gary had a decision to make about whether he was willing to get help.
What followed was a long journey of rehab, Al-Anon, counseling, and years of commitment to Celebrate Recovery. Through it all, God began restoring what had been broken and giving us new hope for our marriage and our family.
When we retired to Georgia almost nine years ago, we had no idea what God had planned for us here. We only knew He was not finished with us yet.
At Relevant, we found a place where we could continue to grow and where our story of healing, forgiveness, and redemption could be used to encourage others. God has taken some of the hardest parts of our marriage and turned them into opportunities to serve through Celebrate Recovery, Pathways, and the Sunday morning prayer ministry.
Relevant has also encouraged my lifelong passion for missions and opened doors for us to be part of what God is doing in Honduras. Through this church family, we have been reminded that there is always another step to take and another way to serve.
At a stage of life when many people are asking what could possibly be next, we feel energized by the opportunities God continues to put in front of us.
We are grateful for our Relevant family and for all the ways God has used this church to remind us that He is still writing our story.
“Healing in one generation can change what is passed down to the next.”
A different future together
The Smollens.
Our family first walked through the doors of Relevant in August 2025 during a season when we made the decision to restore our relationships with God and get sober.
We knew we wanted something different for our lives and our family, and Relevant quickly became a place where we could rebuild our faith surrounded by people who loved us, encouraged us, and continually pointed us back to Christ.
Celebrate Recovery has been an especially important part of that journey. It has given us a place to be honest and allow God into the parts of our lives that needed healing. What God has done through CR has followed us home, changing the way we approach our marriage, our family, our faith, and the example we want to set for our children.
Through Relevant, our children are learning what it means to know and trust Jesus, while we are learning the importance of serving, building relationships, and using what God has given us to pour back into others.
We are learning that when God brings healing to one generation, it can change what is passed down to the next.
In just over a year, Relevant has become more than the church we attend. It has become our church home, a place where our faith has been strengthened, our family has learned to serve, and God has given us space to heal, grow, and build a different future together.
“Faith is not just something you have. It is something you live out.”
From Relevant Kids to leadership
Jabari.
As I’m in my final year of Relevant YTH, I’ve been thinking a lot about the memories, friendships, and experiences that have shaped me throughout the years.
From small groups and worship to BeachXP, YTH has given me a community of friends who push me closer to God and remind me that I do not have to walk through life alone.
Some of the most meaningful moments have come from being able to be honest with my friends about the things I struggle with. Having accountability and people around me who point me back to God has helped me grow in areas like anger, self-control, and the way I respond when I make mistakes. I’m far from perfect, but I can look back and see how much God has changed me.
Relevant has also given me opportunities to grow in ways I never expected. I was 9 years old when I first started serving in the Toddlers Jr room. Now I’m 17, and God has opened doors for me to preach, serve as an intern at the church, step into leadership, and invest in others.
Growing up at Relevant has shown me that faith is not just something you have; it is something you live out.
As I finish my last year as a student, I’m grateful for every memory, every friendship, and every opportunity God has given me here. Relevant has played a huge part in helping me become who I am and in teaching me to keep growing in my relationship with Jesus.