How Jesus Changed Us :: God's Work at TCU

Over the course of the last school year dozens and dozens of college students have come to call The Paradox their home. This didn't happen because of anything we've done, but because God is growing students in their desire to worship Jesus and learn how the Gospel affects their entire life. Students have grown tremendously as they have learned about who Jesus is and who they are because of Him. As they've learned how to live on mission as part of a family that worships Jesus they've seen their desires, focus, and the lens through which they see the world, change. If you're interested in being a part of what God is doing through The Paradox on TCU's campus by leading a TCU Area City Group, hosting a TCU Area City Group, or just getting involved, email Matt Allen at matt@theparadoxchurch.com.Here are some stories of how God has changed us, and made us look more like Jesus in the past year.Brian McDermott :: Student"It was during a search for a new church that I decided to attend a service at The Paradox. Listening to the services over the next few weeks, I discovered what the void in my life was. I was not a follower of Jesus Christ. While I had listened to the Gospel many times in my life, I was truly hearing it for the first time. The life of Jesus was no longer just a story to me, it was real. He was my savior who in His death took my sin and conquered it through His resurrection. The walls that I had been putting up around my heart were torn down and His love overtook me. His love was overwhelming. I had lived a life in which I repeatedly spurned my savior, yet he never stopped pursuing me. I had been longing for many things. I longed for acceptance, belonging, and purpose. Yet all I was really longing for was Him. And He was there. Just as he always has been; waiting for my heart to open to receive His grace." Rachel L'Antigua :: Student"Last summer I asked Jesus to be Lord over all aspects of my life. The way I did friendship, relationships, school, and work all changed. I wanted to grow daily in the Word, Prayer, Fellowship, and sharing my Faith. The morning I walked into The Paradox,  I knew it was where I was called to be- the Gospel was clearly preached and Jesus was honored. I am continually humbled by the Love for Jesus that is demonstrated through the lives of my Paradox family. My City Group leaders and  family have poured into me and helped me grow deeper in my Faith. I just finished up becoming a partner here at The Paradox and can't wait to see all that Jesus continues to do." 

"I longed for acceptance, belonging, and purpose. Yet all I was really longing for was Him. And He was there."

  Preston Chastine :: City Group Leader at University West"The Paradox has given me a community that has consistently pointed me to the Gospel. At The Paradox we fight sin together and walk through life together. I love the community here." Trevor Powell :: Student "The biggest and most important thing to me about City Group is the fact that I am able to fellowship with people who love Jesus and are there to fight alongside me wherever I am in life. Too many times as Christians we gather together to pat each other on the back and go on with life as if there is zero need to recognize the sin in our lives and repent from it. That being said, I am fortunate and incredibly glad to be immersed in a culture of love, reality, and life change in my City Group and at The Paradox as a whole." Kylie Hower :: Student "Having a City Group meet in my apartment has been such a blessing this year. I am a part of a community who fights sin together, strives to grow in godliness, and ultimately desires to worship Jesus more. The Paradox has been a family for me; I feel accepted, loved, and pursued each time I am with my Paradox community. One thing I really love about our City Group, and about The Paradox as a whole, is that no one will let me sit and sulk in my sin. Every conversation strives to answer, "How can I glorify Jesus more in this? Where in my life can I see God's grace toward me?" Being immersed in a community who deeply loves Jesus and lives to glorify His Name has completely changed my life. Because of these people and because of God's grace toward me, I am able to understand God's love for me and His endless pursuit of my heart." Brigette Adams :: Student "What I have loved most about The Paradox and City Group is that I have found a place where I am cared for, loved and known. I have felt pursued by people who genuinely want to know me and help me grow in my faith. This is a community of people who help me fall more in love with Jesus and are able to go on mission, together, for the sake of the Gospel. I am thankful for a community that isn't content with complacency and pushes me to the cross daily. The Paradox and its City Groups have been one of the biggest blessings in my life thus far." Kyle Cotten :: Student"City Group has been a refreshing opportunity to have a community that isn't made up of solely college students. I've learned a lot from some of the older people in our group who are all at different stages in life. Having that example of how to live a Christ centered life has been a huge blessing. City Group is a great chance to pour into people as a family but also be poured into." Lisa Thompson :: Student "I am new to Paradox and City Group, but I can already say that I love everyone I have met in this past month. Paradox is not just about giving me the resources I needed to follow Christ, but also a community of believers who truly love me and want me to succeed. The Paradox has made me excited to start my journey with Christ and to leave behind the unfulfilling things that college has put my hope in." Grady Spencer :: City Group Member at University West"The Paradox has ignited a fire under me in a way that I never thought possible. It's changed the way I work, sleep, play, and conduct myself as a husband. No longer do I strive for self-centered goals. I want to be a man that lives and breathes to glorify the kingdom of God." Lauren Fowler :: Student"Through the community of my City Group, I have been able to see and experience what the real body of Christ should look like. It was at City Group that I was convicted of certain sins that I had been trying to avoid. In particular, I have spent most of my life trying to go through life with just Jesus and me, avoiding all types of Christ-centered, real, deep community. Because of the example of love and support displayed by my church family, I shared with the group my fears of talking about my sin, and then shared my sin itself. Just as Jesus never leaves me in my darkest times, I have felt nothing but acceptance and have now gained a new family through my City Group. For that alone, I am so thankful for The Paradox Church and it's community that will never stop challenging me and loving me." 

"The Paradox has made me excited to start my journey with Christ and to leave behind the unfulfilling things that college has put my hope in."

 Clare Williams :: Student "I have loved being a part of City Group because it finally feels like I have a community where people are going through the same things as I am and all have the same desire to grow closer to God. It's been really cool to see how quickly friendships can start and the depth they can reach on such short notice. I was having a hard time in a relationship where I was dating someone who doesn't love Jesus, and my City Group was able to give me advice and guide me to ultimately the right decision. I know they were praying over me and now I am in a better place. I have loved getting to see such growth in a little amount of time and can't wait to see what else both City Group and The Paradox has to offer and teach me." Andrew O'Brien :: Student"What I love about City Group is its genuineness. There's no pretending, no hiding behind masks. That's because City Group isn't just another Bible study. There's accountability. It's not about spiritual generalities and "What should Christians do?" It's about real Christian life and "What will we do?" Meredith Trank :: Student"The difference between this semester and last is so great because of the impact The Paradox and it's community me has had on me. Going to church Sunday morning is the highlight of my week because I get to worship and learn so much about God through the Word. Being in a City Group has changed me so much for the better. Through the group I've made incredible friends I never would have made otherwise: both my age and older. I feel so comfortable there with people who love me surrounding me. I always learn so much from City Group and am able to dive deeper into the message from Sunday so it's not just a once a week message- I learn about how I can apply it to my life more. " Brittany Carroll :: Student"Finding The Paradox my Freshman year was the greatest blessing I could have imagined throughout my college career. It was so new to me and so different than the church I was used to. It was a refreshing service that completely opened my heart to God. I started going to City Group sophomore year and it has strengthened my faith even more. It's just an awesome feeling creating community in a church you love so much and knowing you are not alone. The people in my City Group all genuinely care about each other and are eager to help each other grow closer to God. It's amazing the nights when I am blown away by how God chooses to speak through my City Group members to get a message across. Jesus is so present among the fellowship we have created and it's the most joyful feeling in the world." Jake Wallstedt :: Student"College had been a difficult time for me spiritually up to this point. Trouble had found its way into my life far too often over the past year. There came a point where I laid it all out, asking God to help me with the struggle he had been witnessing me go through over the past year. Yielding it all to him, I remember walking into The Paradox for the first time, with no relationships and no idea what to expect and just getting blown away, lit on fire. At the end, Pastor Jim commissioned a man named Preston Chastine and his wife Stephany to lead the West University City Group right down the road from me; “knock and the door will be opened to you”. I jumped head first into a group of people I had never met and fell in love with every person in there. City Group has helped show me that there are others in the same stage of life as me, earnestly desiring to grow in the love and grace of God and City Group has given me the opportunity to do just that."Watch a video below of our hopes and prayers for TCU: