Episode 260 | Unity Rejuvenation - Bro. Cranston (Part III)

Division does not just break relationships, it breaks momentum. We sit down with Brother Steve Cranston, a young pastor serving at Rodburn Church of God in Moorhead, Kentucky, to talk about what it really takes to rebuild church unity when people are tired, suspicious, and worn down by years of conflict. Along the way, we share how simple tools like a congregation directory and updated contact spreadsheet can help believers find fellowship when they move, travel, or feel isolated.

We also raise a burden that hits hard: some places appear to have few known congregations, including Utah. That is not a reason to despair, it is a call to connect, pray, and reach out. If we want a stronger holiness witness and healthier Christian community outreach, we have to know where people are and make it easier for seekers and saints to find each other.

Then we get to the heart of it: forgiveness, reconciliation, and holiness. We talk about how unforgiveness can get passed down to the next generation, how misconceptions thrive when we never sit down for real dialogue, and why “sheep stealing” creates the illusion of church growth while starving evangelism. We speak directly to young adults who feel crushed by church politics and drama, and we end with a practical challenge that applies to every age: be willing to do hard things, make apologies, and remember this truth, you’re never gonna be wrong for treating somebody right.

If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Visit us online: https://woundedheartswoundedchurches.com

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

Dr. Jamie Mitchell 0:02

Hello friends, this is Dr. Jamie Mitchell. I'm the director of church culture and pastoral engagement for the American Pastors Network and one of the hosts for Standin' the Gap Today radio program with a listing audience of approximately two million people in all my crapples and encounters. I have no other program. It's a great show.

Prince Moon 1:09

Like I said last week, he's a busy guy. I can't imagine. New ministry, new pastoring, new congregation, new employment, new little one, and a new podcast. He's on. So Brother Steve, glad you're here tonight. Thank you, man.

Steve Cranston 1:28

Thank you.

Prince Moon 1:29

He's from Moorhead, Kentucky. And we're just glad to have him here tonight to be part of the program.

Rodburn Church Contact Details

Prince Moon 1:35

First of all, the church, tell us about it. Where can we contact you?

Steve Cranston 1:39

Well, first of all, I'll just say my background's a little different this week. I want it to look more like you, Brother Prince.

Prince Moon 1:46

So our okay, let me know that in six months.

Steve Cranston 1:54

So our our congregation uh the name we're in Moorhead, Kentucky, but the name is Rodburn Church of God, R-O-D-B-U-R-N. That's the road that it's on. And uh we're located at 1477 East Main Street, Moorhead, Kentucky. And um we have a website, www.rodburnchurch of God.com. We have Facebook, uh, YouTube, where we're posting songs and sermons. That's just Rodburn Church of God, if you type that in. And then also you can reach us at 503-730-2496. We'll be happy to talk to you.

Prince Moon 2:30

The phone number one more time, please.

Steve Cranston 2:32

503-730-2496. And we have Sunday morning at 1030, Sunday p.m. at 4 right now, and then Wednesdays at 6.

Prince Moon 2:43

All right. Let me say this. I'm excited. We got some young folks on today. Our engineer, our brother Cranston here to give us a perspective of how the young folks see what's going on because they're the future church. It's going on right now. So we want to hear from them, draw from them, and just see what is on their heart.

Where Congregations Are Missing

Prince Moon 3:02

All right, let's talk about Utah briefly. No churches in Utah, am I correct?

Steve Cranston 3:07

Yeah, that's not the only state either. Um, the Dakotas, Minnesota, uh, to my knowledge, Iowa. Well, I'm sure that there are safe people there, but as far as uh we would, you know, consider there's no congregations there um that we know of. And so those are just a few off the top of my head, but there are many places that um don't have a light shining, I guess you could say.

Prince Moon 3:35

Friends, if you know anyone that lives in Utah that's saved or seeking truth, please let us know. You can contact us at the email, R-E-E, E-E-C-H-O-N-E-A-O.com. Or you can call me on my cell phone 478-283-9093. All right, so if you know someone in Utah, let us know. ASAP. Thanks so much for that.

Help Us Find Believers In Utah

Prince Moon 4:00

Well, Steve, how can we any more comments on your charts? Francis got some charts here that are pretty accurate. They really are. Check them out. Churches around the country. If you want a copy, he may be able to sell you one at a reasonable price, I would think. Any more comments on the charts?

Steve Cranston 4:16

You know, I really should hire you as my promotional man. Uh no, you can have them for free. And um, I also have a spreadsheet that is a little bit more up-to-date. And uh, I can make that available if anyone wants that. But basically, that just has a list of congregations, contact information, um, who the pastor is, if if there is one, uh, whatever social medias

Building A Church Directory Spreadsheet

Steve Cranston 4:40

that they might have. I just want it to be accessible so that if people um are taking a trip or maybe just move somewhere, they can go and find out for themselves. It's not necessarily that I'm recommending or not recommending, I'm just putting the information out there.

Prince Moon 4:55

Well, that's beautiful. That's nice to do because as people travel or fly, they know where to stop. I mean, that's beautiful. That's that's why we want young folks to get involved with these things like this. That they got some fresh ideas, some new eyes on things. Thank God for you all. I mean that. I really mean that. It's important.

Forgiveness As The First Step

Prince Moon 5:13

How can we encourage unity?

Steve Cranston 5:16

Well, if you want to start uh somewhere, a good place to start is forgiveness. Um, being able to forgive for things that have happened in the past. And for a younger generation, for my generation, most of these problems occurred well before we were even on the scene. Um, but when you have an attitude of unforgiveness, a lot of times that's passed on down to the next generation, and the next generation is carrying this burden that they don't even know anything about. And my worry is God forbid, there are people that are going into eternity with unforgiveness in their heart. And that's a dangerous place to be. And so if we want to start somewhere, we have to let the love of Christ in our hearts be shown about by forgiving one another and doing our best to reconcile. Reconciliation is important.

Tennille McLeod 6:09

Amen.

Prince Moon 6:10

You know, Brother Steve, I would as a new convert some years ago, they would tell me what we stood for and what we stood against. And most of them couldn't even explain it. They couldn't, they said we just feel like this, and could they could not explain sanctification, right? Or it was funny, they're standing by it, but they can't they can't break it down, explain it themselves, but yet they stand for or against or whatever the place may be. And whatever their stand is, can they explain it and discuss it to make it make sense? And many times those in my area that I was in in Detroit, they were unable to do that. So forgiveness would be the first step in real unity and getting back together again.

Steve Cranston 6:51

Well, and not only that, but a lot of times you'll see people, because I agree, there are a lot of people that perpetuate ideas about other places when they've never been there. They don't know anything about those people. They're just going off of something that they've heard. And to me, it it kind of reminds me, I love history. And if you read about the American Revolution, for example, uh the Americans would use hit and run tactics or guerrilla warfare. And a lot of times, you know, people will bash each other and then run away and not even give opportunity for a conversation. And that doesn't help anyone. And so it is important that we have dialogue with one another, true, and take time to sit down and try to work because if we don't try, um, I mean, I hate to say it again, but that's a dangerous spot to be in if we're not willing to try.

Prince Moon 7:45

Right. And I mean, can't we discuss these things? I mean, it's I would hope so. I mean, sit down and discuss these things publicly if need be, and find out where we agree.

Steve Cranston 7:55

Well, brother, brother Prince, one time I had somebody come up to me, and uh, you know, growing up where I grew up, I I had the label of a one cleanser. Okay, and if if you go to church where in the circle that I was raised in, you'll never hear anyone refer to themselves as that. That's kind of a I would say almost like a demeaning label that was put on. Uh, and so I had one person come up to me and they said, You believe in one saved, always saved, don't you? You one cleanser. I don't know who told you that, but it's just misinformed. But then on the other hand, I've heard some misconceptions and I've gone places and I've met people, and I said, Well, that's that's not accurate information, but I've heard, and so it is like what it is with anything. Once you meet people, you find out that if somebody really is doing their best to live for the Lord, they have a heart that wants to have unity.

Prince Moon 8:52

And we can discuss these things right in in a loving way, yes, and and and can't God can't God work these things out? I mean, can I believe God work these things out? Man, oh man, oh man, oh man.

Steve Cranston 9:05

I I believe I believe that he can, but you know, the Lord wants us to do our part too. It's true, it's not just gonna snap the fingers and then everything's fixed. We have to be willing to reach out. And the unfortunate thing is you have some people that are reaching out and they're just left hanging. Um, and so you know, I challenge younger people, I challenge older people, whoever else, don't be afraid to have a conversation. And if you don't know about something, just study it. Right.

Prince Moon 9:34

Look it up. Look it up.

Tennille McLeod 9:35

Why do you think people are afraid to talk

Fear Of Change And Sheep Stealing

Tennille McLeod 9:37

about it? What what is the hesitation? What is it fear? Is it what what's the cause for all this uncertainty?

Prince Moon 9:45

Good question. Good question.

Steve Cranston 9:46

Yes, I've heard several things, and I think part of it is people are afraid of change, and um, it's the idea of what if what if I lose somebody to this other congregation? Because another unfortunate thing with with the state that we see the church in is there are those who their ministry is built up by stealing sheep.

Prince Moon 10:11

Sheep stealing.

Steve Cranston 10:12

Yeah, they go around and and they just try to pick up all the disgruntled and bring them along. And so a lot of people, uh, I mean, I understand we just moved across the country, we sacrificed everything, had a good job that we loved, and we were comfortable where we were at, but we moved and uh are giving our life to this work here in Kentucky. And so you have a lot of ministers, they've given their life where they're at, and they're afraid of all their work being in vain just because somebody else may come along and and influence people, but you can't throw the baby out with the bathwater because there are people that are earnestly endeavoring for unity that do not have bad intentions.

Prince Moon 10:53

And and that's life. Yeah, churches grow and it that that's that's life. But what I found out in these years, uh as a minister, as a pastor, the most important thing is to be in God's will. Yes, whether you have 2,000 or 20 or 2, yeah, it's best to first be in God's will. That's the most important thing. So we thank you for that. What's your hope? What is your desire? What's your hope?

Local Impact And Needed Fellowship

Steve Cranston 11:19

Well, my greatest hope is to have an impact where God's put us in our community. But because I believe sometimes we can get so focused on what's happening on the other side of the country. But um, so definitely working locally is our greatest hope is to impact our community here. Um, but on top of that, fellowship is important. It is important to have fellowship with people that are living right, uh, especially in the religious landscape that we have today. There aren't a lot of people that profess holiness. And we all know how it is. When you go to a revival, when you go to a camp meeting, it's just so much better when you have all these people from all over the place coming and worshiping together, singing the saying songs, all of that. It's encouraging. And uh now more than ever, we need each other. We really do. And so I want to see some of these divisions mended because I believe that we are being starved of friendships, marriages, all sorts of things just because we're we're stuck in division.

Prince Moon 12:23

And with that, we'll be right back to take a break. And we're back, Pastor Cranston, talking about unity, Kentucky area, new pastor, uh, new

No Unity Without Holiness

Prince Moon 13:46

church, new job, and new podcast. We're glad he's here tonight. My friend, I just want to get your comments on this. We asked the hindrances and the hope for unity. I want to get your comment. D. S. Warner in Sermon Index said, No unity without holiness. What do you feel about that? No unity without holiness. What do you think about that?

Steve Cranston 14:11

Well, the Bible, the Bible is pretty clear that we have to walk in the light that God has given us. And so if we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another. So if we're walking in all the light that we have, I believe that we can have unity um in that sense. But I do think holiness is important. We all believe that God cannot fellowship sin. Um, and so holiness is necessary. Uh, but there are those whose um levels of understanding vary. I mean, there are many people that have been saved twice or three times as long as I've been alive. And so I'm not to that level of understanding. There are some, I'm sure, that have forgotten more of the Bible than I've ever learned. And so we're all at different places, but yes, there is there is unity that's found within the spirit, and also I believe that if we're truly pursuing the Lord to the best of our abilities, he will open our eyes up to living a holy life. And and the Christian will want to live right.

Prince Moon 15:09

That's true, that's true. That's true. You know, uh I believe that if we come together and have differences in whatever area it is, and we both have the love of God in our hearts, that's burned up carnality, that's burned up ambition, this burned up controlling, whatever it might be, I think we can get together and and and love one another. I mean, can't we? Because we're known by our love. I I I thought I read that in the Bible somewhere.

Steve Cranston 15:43

Yeah.

Prince Moon 15:44

I mean, should can't shouldn't that be all those things to be burned up and put out of the way where we can fellowship and love God together? If I'm wrong, tell me.

Steve Cranston 15:53

Well, I've you know, I've quoted this verse, and it says, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. It's if we have love for one another, at least I hope that's in the Bible. Otherwise, I don't know what I've been quoting. But yeah, anyway, I'm I'm just joking. But yes, it's important that the world knows us by our love. And if the message that we show the world is that we can't even get along, and all we're interested in doing is fighting like cats and dogs, that's not putting a very um attractive picture forward to the world. But you know, I just wanted to say this as I was thinking about it. The Bible stylizes it like a body, and people have different talents. And I may not be as well

Competition Blocks Real Church Growth

Steve Cranston 16:35

versed in something that you're well versed in. You may have a knack for graphic design or a knack for music or preaching or whatever it may be. And if we are in division with one another, we can't benefit from each other's gifts, and it it almost becomes that we're just competing with each other.

Prince Moon 16:55

Competition, yeah.

Steve Cranston 16:57

Yes, and and that's the sad reality is yeah, you have so many people rather than working together, they're in competition with one another, and it's it's almost uh well, let's steal somebody from here, let's take somebody from there, and that's how we're really making an impact. Well, you're not actually making an impact on the outside community, no, not at all.

Prince Moon 17:16

Uh, there was a guy who wrote a book years ago called Each One of Each One. Growth in the church, there's growth when when the couples have children, that's a growth. And of course, when a person gets saved, that's a growth. Yes, and also when when people go from church to church, that's a growth, but not really, it's just a transferring of numbers, not a real church growth. And in this book, he lets us know that the the least amount of growth are those that are being saved. We mentioned last week when people have this unity that affects our soul-winning apparatus. What do you think about that, Brother Cranston?

Steve Cranston 17:53

100%. Um, because I I'm trying to tell you there are people that have all sorts of varying different interests. And one thing I love to do is to connect people. I love to connect. If if I know that you're interested in something that is maybe just something that's not sinful, but a hobby. For instance, I love to run. I want to talk to a another saint that likes to run because that's something I'm interested in. Other people are interested in other things, and uh that builds camaraderie, and we need camaraderie if we you know if we want to be successful and really reach out to others, and that's the other thing is we can't win the world if we're so insular and just looking in. We can't we can't win the world that way. I'm not saying that we become like the world, but we have to have methods of reaching out to the world, and they have to see us in unity.

Prince Moon 18:48

So, friends, tonight you're able to contact us, very important subject about unity of God's people. But Prince with my my mom and dad were married at 18 or 20 years old, and there were a couple of other fellas after her to marry her, our Villa Gould, her name was in Detroit back in about 1940. And she said, What won her is my father's love. My dad loved my mother, and that got them through so many things. Difficult children. They had a son that was just a bonehead of a guy. This guy was on drugs, you know, that but they got through all of that, married 50 years, went through the part of the depression and laid off, but that love kept those guys together, and and that gave me uh an example of how to love my wife, and on and on and on. So if if we can get back to that, to where we can let the Holy Ghost burn up the things that are not essential, that would really have an effect on the devil's kingdom. True. Your thoughts, yeah.

Steve Cranston 19:57

And you know, I've only been married for about four and a half years, so I'm I'm

Love That Endures Real Differences

Steve Cranston 20:01

no expert, but just because I want hot dogs for lunch and my wife wants hamburgers doesn't mean that we get a divorce. And unfortunately, there are some differences in administration, but that's not necessarily a sinful thing. No, it's not, no, it's not, no, it's not, and we can we can look at maybe a difference of how somebody chooses to run their service and we say, see, they're not spiritual because right, but God hasn't called us to work in that community, right? That community is totally different from the community I'm in. I mean, I'm in the hills of Kentucky dealing with a bunch of mountain the tactics that we may use may not work in New York City, right? Right, right.

Prince Moon 20:43

Uh I I've had pastors in my life, excellent pastors. I've had about four since I've been a child. They'll all be different in administrations, all were different. But if I'm under them, I I love them, but I'll work with them. Yes, because I love them. So I I'm able to work with them and submit to them, not in a slavish way, but in a supportive way. And then when that type of unity goes a long, long way. Your thoughts on that, Brother Granton?

Steve Cranston 21:09

I agree 100%. There is diversity in God's church, and I'm thankful that there's diversity. I'm talking more than just racial diversity, there's cultural diversity, there's diversity and interest, all these different things, and that benefits and strengthens the church. But if we look at each other suspiciously because of some of our differences, all that does is just hinder and and I would even say uh stunt the growth of the church.

Prince Moon 21:37

Any commissar engineer?

Tennille McLeod 21:38

No, not at the moment.

Prince Moon 21:41

I've been in a lot of ministers meeting the past four years, and if if ministers come together in love, that is a real big deal. You can work on a lot of things with that going on. Brother Crans, people, what is your thoughts before we go tonight? The young folks that are watching these things, seeing these things occur, have been a part of this. Many have just given up on God, left the church. They've been they've been chiming in the past five years. What is your message to them tonight?

Steve Cranston 22:11

Well, I was talking to one of them today, and they told me, they said, I'm so sick and tired of all the drama. I said, if this is the experience that I have to have in order to be accepted, I'm I don't want to do it. And so I I understand that. I don't I don't think that uh they're crazy for feeling that way. Um, I choose to look at it this way. If we want to see change, we have to be a part of that change. I have a love for the church, as I'm sure everyone listening tonight does. And if we really love the church, we got to be willing to endure some hard things. We can't just pack our bags and leave as soon as it gets tough. And so, to the young people that are looking at the situations that lie in front of us, it's gonna be on us. That's that's just the reality. It's it's gonna be on us, and so either we can sit around and complain and twiddle our thumbs or or we can roll up our sleeves and and get to work. Work and be willing to do some hard things.

Prince Moon 23:09

And it can work. Yes. I've I've seen it work. I've seen it work. I've seen situations where there was division, but love brought them back together. I was there, I saw it, it works. Any questions,

A Message To Young People

Prince Moon 23:24

comments from our engineer?

Steve Cranston 23:27

I I want to I want to say something real quick with that. There there was um there was a situation, it was a misunderstanding, and I was the one that caused offense. And I didn't mean anything by it. And this particular person where this happened, they let me know. And you know, in that moment, I was warring against myself, just as anyone else would say, I didn't mean anything by it. How dare they feel that way or or whatever it may be? But if we really want to have unity, that also may mean that we have to make some apologies, make things right, even if we didn't even mean anything by that.

Prince Moon 24:04

True, that's true.

Steve Cranston 24:05

And it's it's it's not easy to do that, you know. Growing up, my best friend's dad, he would tell me he'd say, A real man never apologizes. Wow, I disagree with that 100%. A real man knows that he can humble himself and apologize.

Prince Moon 24:21

Wow. Uh, before we go, the friend that came to you, was it anything major? Was it major?

Steve Cranston 24:29

I mean, uh catastrophic, or uh a lot of times it's just a buildup of little things. There are there are some hard situations where it just it's a giant hurdle for

Apologies And Small Offenses

Steve Cranston 24:40

some people. I know that's happened, but a lot of times it's a buildup of of little grievances, but when the an attitude of love has not been manifest, those things build up over time, like a dam holding back a bunch of water. Eventually the dam's gonna break.

Prince Moon 24:56

The person that came to you about your indiscretion, was it a small thing, big thing? Was it was it? I mean, uh you don't have to go into I mean, how would you rate it?

Steve Cranston 25:06

It was it was pretty small.

Prince Moon 25:08

Um okay, well, okay, now shouldn't love look cover that? I mean, on their part, on their part, shouldn't love have covered that and just go on and praise the Lord?

Steve Cranston 25:19

Well, I would I would think I don't have a problem with them coming to me because if it if it caused a problem to them, if I'm spiritual, I should be able to recognize I'm sorry that I offended you. So I know sometimes people get caught up in petty things, but if it matters to somebody else, I want to do my part to make it right. And I think part of the problem also is I would rather have somebody speak out about something that is causing them a problem than just internalize it, and there's already been a division that's happened silently.

Tennille McLeod 25:54

You know, I agree. Speaking on that, you know, what I find surprising is that a lot of times is not as pastor mentioned, it's not doctrinal because I've seen where people have the same doctrines still split. So it's not uh it's not these big hurdles, it's not, it's these little, little things, and it's it's very shocking to me to see, you know.

Steve Cranston 26:19

I told you all before before the program began, a lot of these things are just purely politics, purely politics. And you know, that's the ugly truth. Some people may dismiss that and say, well, he's just young, he doesn't know what he's talking about. A lot of these things are just politics.

Prince Moon 26:35

Brother Crenson, uh, uh when I was in Detroit, I was working as a counselor and I left the preacher to the guys. I came in with a gray shirt on, and the guy says, That shirt you got on is whirly. So I took it home and put it in the trash. My wife said, You get that shirt out of that trash right now, nothing wrong. And so sometimes we can be we we can follow people's lead, yeah, and it be off. But again, that person, what you said is true, I agree. But also, that person should have had enough of the Holy Ghost to love you, to love you

Petty Politics That Cause Splits

Prince Moon 27:08

enough to say, Hey, he didn't mean it.

Tennille McLeod 27:10

That's true, yeah.

Prince Moon 27:11

That was not his intention. That because I I know that guy loves me, and just go on, yes.

Steve Cranston 27:18

There there is a ditch that's on both sides of the road, without a doubt. Um, but you know, if we really want to see long suffering, yeah, we we're gonna have, or if we really want to see unity, you may have to be the long suffering one. Right. Um, and I I've told the people there in Kentucky this I say, you're never gonna be wrong for treating somebody right.

Prince Moon 27:39

Amen. Say that one more time, brother. That's beautiful.

Steve Cranston 27:42

You're never gonna be wrong for treating somebody right. Like I said, brother Prince, he's my promotional man. Get me all hyped up.

Prince Moon 27:51

That that should be a song. That should be a church of God song. Beautiful, beautiful. Well, friends, our time is gone tonight. Brother Crenson, thanks so much. We've give us your number one more time, please.

Steve Cranston 28:02

503-730-2496. You can find us at Rodburn, R-O-D-B-U-R-N, church of God.com, or just type those into Facebook or YouTube.

Prince Moon 28:13

Any questions from our engineer?

Tennille McLeod 28:14

Where else?

Prince Moon 28:16

Again, friends, if you know anyone in Utah, please contact my office. We want to find out about that big stick there. Salt Lake City is the capital. Uh, my personal number is 478 283 9093. You can email me at R-E-E-E C H O N E A O dot com. Thanks so much. The Lord bless you. Have a good night.