It was February 20, 1995. I remember the date for two reasons.
1. Hulk Hogan was taking on Vader in the dream match up for hardcore wrestling fans like myself.
2. Allen Bartimioli was debuting as the new youth pastor at KCC that night.
Thankfully, I got to see both. Hogan vs. Vader was fun…for the first three minutes. Allen on the other hand wasn’t fun at all.
He was brutal.
He was Brash.
After all, he’s Italian. Who else could have seafood for thanksgiving and consider it….ehh….normal?
And most important….he was truthful and right. He railed against shallow, entertainment-driven youth ministries which were a mile wide and an inch deep spiritually. And although I was a “Guest,” I was listening.
Allen shattered some sacred cows while he was at KCC. He ripped into the typical Bible-belt, Southern-genteel Christianity with accurate and at times brutal force. And his shattering of those cows had a dual effect:
-It created a community of hardcore worshippers.
-It instigated some unhappy complacent people who were more than likely convicted of their apathy, and used Allen as a scapegoat for their own sin and lack of passion.
And by the way…Allen didn’t help that. WHy? Because he wouldn’t back down. Part of that was his calling. And part of that was because Allen was competitive….about everything. Basketball, video games, board games. Allen wanted to win. And he would do anything within the rules to win.
His fierce drive would be a catalyst for people to follow Christ in ways they’d never have dreamed. And he is a huge reason I’m the person I am today.
I’ll have more on Allen tomorrow, including his intensity in worship, specific instances in which he challenged me and our journey together on staff at KCC.
Allen B. is a great man.
Jason
