"Five years ago, Brad McKoy, walked into our house for the first time. Even though he was a stranger we were just meeting, there was something familiar about him. Shortly after introductions and topical conversation, our two year old son started having a tantrum. He threw the toy he didn’t want right in my face and yelled "No!". I excused myself from the room while my husband, Josh tried to keep the conversation going. After a few minutes, they turned to watch the fit escalate. “Excuse me for a minute Brad," Josh said as he walked over to our son. He picked up the little whirlwind of flailing limbs, risking a kick in the face, and took little Jack into the back room to put him in his playpen, saying very firmly, ‘No fits.” He walked out of the room, and left our son to sort out his feelings about being quarantined in timeout as a discipline for his fit. I searched Brad’s face to see his response to the awkward interruption. Would he be annoyed at the dramatic disturbance? Would he look down on us for having a son who had these kind of outbursts? Would he judge the way we disciplined our boy and misinterpret our pursuit to train Jack’s little heart to learn patience, self control and honor?
But when I looked at Brad, he smiled. His smile was full of a father’s joy. His eyes sparkled. “That was the most powerful display of love right there. You communicated so much by how you handled that little scene. You’re a good dad, man,” Brad lovingly explained. Since Josh and I didn’t know Brad very well yet, we were shocked to hear his words. He brought something into our house that day. It was the kind of conversation you would have with a close friend, a mentor or a family member. Brad cultivates an environment of community around him and carries something unique: safety. We had a platinum record for selling a million albums in a band called Flyleaf and other accolades most people bring up immediately, but he never mentioned those things. He seemed to be more interested in how we loved our family than anything else. I have tears in my eyes as I think of how few people there seem to be who care about that priority like we do. He genuinely cared about our family. Why? As our relationship grew, we realized something about Brad: he carries the Father heart of God.
Brad invited us to come out to Grove City to meet the community of people he works with and disciples at AOX. In every conversation we had with them, we could see that each person had a clear understanding of their identity as sons and daughters. This type of confidence doesn’t happen overnight. Most of us carry a lot of baggage we need to get rid of before we can see ourselves as God sees us. I believe this happens through close, consistent relationship. As I looked into each of their eyes, I could see the time that Brad had poured into each of them- making sure they felt heard and understood, but no longer allowing them to believe lies about themselves.
In this book, Brad talks about what it means to cultivate spiritual family. He talks about what it means to know who you really are as a child of God. He talks about how the transforming power of the Love of God flowing through us to others is the way the world gets changed. But what's important for you to know as a reader, is that Brad doesn’t just talk about beautiful ideas. He lives them out.
His love is transparent, selfless, consistent, intentional, and beautiful. I’m not saying this to point out how great Brad is, although he is pretty great; I am pointing it out because this is what the heart of God is like towards His creation. Towards His children. Towards His son, Brad. And you can’t help believe in Jesus, when you encounter the genuine love of His followers. It is miraculous. Brad’s intentional, focused, loving pursuit of the few that God has given him to be family with doesn’t just transform the lives of those he touches directly. This love shifts the atmosphere of the coffee shop where spiritual family is simply living life together. Somehow, this love coming from the coffee shop pours out into the street and begins to fill the city. You can feel it when you see the ‘Welcome To Grove City’ sign.
The love of the Father for his sons and daughters will change everything. But Brad isn’t trying to change a city. He is just loving his Heavenly Father back. That love manifests Christ's love to and through others. Relationships that come from this kind of love have consequence. The consequence is changed lives and a changed city. Love and community like Brad talks about in this book will ripple change through generations. It is the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven."
-LACEY STURM, Author of The Reason: How I Discovered a Life Worth Living