Rev. Eric Verbovsky is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, as well as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve. He and his wife, Kelly, live in the Buffalo, NY area, working on organic and house-church ministry focused towards authentic discipleship in Jesus Christ. He is also a graduate of Dickinson College and Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Eric is a preacher and would love to come preach and teach at your church and in your community. If you’d like to have him come, please send him a message using the form below with your contact information included.
The Kayaking Church
You might be wondering: Why “The Kayaking Church”?
For years, Eric was heavily involved in kayaking and completed multiple marathon and ultra-marathon canoe and kayak races in the American Midwest, including races such as the MR340, a 3-day race across the state of Missouri, the Texas Winter 100K, and the 2 Dam Days, a 2-day race across the entire Lake of the Ozarks.
Kayaking is an active sport; the Church must be active as well. And that includes every single disciple. Therefore, “The Kayaking Church.”
Here’s a short message Eric wrote a few years ago that sums it up:
“As I paddle my kayak over miles of water, it is easy for challenges to bring me down. A headwind may slow me down to nothing. Waves may build, crash over my boat, and throw me off balance. Rain, hail, thunder, and lightning may force me to pull over to the side and wait. But during a race, I have the goal to finish. This purpose helps me find the strength to overcome challenges like these. Moreover, if I rely on the river’s current, I know it will bring me to my destination. At the same time, I know that if I do not use my paddle, I will inevitably crash into the bank, a fallen tree, another boat, or other obstacles that may come towards me. I must be active and alert; I cannot be passive.
“There are challenges in following Christ. When we lose sight of our purpose, it is easy for those challenges to overcome us. The Church must remember our purpose to demonstrate Christ’s love. We must rely on God’s Spirit to guide us. Yet at the same time, we must not be passive. If we are passive, we will crash, fall to the world’s temptations, and become unrecognizable to anyone observing. A passive Church will only degenerate. Instead, we must be an active and alert Church with our paddles in the water, constantly aware of any obstacles before us, yet vigilant for opportunities to make a positive difference in people’s lives. We must respond to the guidance of the Spirit. We must take care of the poor, sick, and homeless. We can not stand by idly when injustice occurs. We must take care of God’s creation. We must show love even when it is painful to do so. We must be the Church God has called us to be.
“Here is the challenge, and it is simple: be the Church. Live your life according to God’s will and demonstrate Christ’s love to all people. Rely on the Holy Spirit. God has given you gifts and passions; use them to bring glory to God and to God’s people. Be the active kayaking Church. In doing these things, Christians will once again be the Church God has called us to be.”
The Kayaking Church 