We’re excited to share about our mission this summer: Our third-born child, Kennedy, has been taking French lessons, will be graduating from high school and majoring in International Studies this fall, and has an opportunity to practice both of these passions while serving at a Christian conference center (which doubles as a 100-year old castle)! “The Chateau” is a ministry outpost for outreach and soul-care in the French town of St. Albain. Our church has worked with this ministry for many years, and it’s with great anticipation that we step out to partner with the Chateau for a week of outreach this June! WE LEAVE THIS SUNDAY!!!
I’ll be joining Kennedy as “designated Trip Leader”, travel manager, and sidekick as we encourage and help the Chateau team through musical outreaches, relationship building, construction projects, hosting ministry guests, and maybe even digging a ditch or two. Our time there will coincide around a local music festival called “fete de la musique”, where we hope to reach out through local church partnerships in creative ways.
Here’s a word from Kennedy: “Expanding on what my Dad said, I am taking French lessons and will major in International Studies in college because I have a passion for language and culture. Having already known American Sign Language, I thought it would be a great challenge to learn another language since it fascinates me so much. When my Dad told me about this trip, I saw it as a perfect opportunity to delve into different cultures and learn from their lives and experiences. It was crazy how God presented this opportunity for us with such perfect timing! I think this mission will be an amazing chance to see where this love for language and helping others takes me in my life for the future.”
We’ll keep you updated on this page as our trip unfolds… Pray for us; that God will grow us and use us to share His love to many!
I’m grateful and honored to be a contributor to this season’s issue of Worship Leader Magazine. It’s been a passion of mine to encourage worship leaders in their shepherding, pastoring, and formational callings.
My inclusion in the magazine all started with a surprise phone call from an old friend; David Bunker. I was signed to a record label that David worked with back in the day. We’d had some rich ministry memories over the years, and it was encouraging to hear his voice – a blast from the past! David had been following my work with worship leaders and as a spiritual director, and he challenged me to write about the intersection of those two ministries.
My first step in tackling a writing project like this was to do a quick Google search on “spiritual direction and worship leading” to see what others were saying about the topic. Well, to my utter astonishment, guess who was listed on the front the page of the internet?
Me.
Believe it or not, it seemed I might’ve already been an expert, a primary voice on the matter…and I didn’t even know it!
I set to work right away fleshing out the ideas, concepts, and practical advice floating around in my head, and with David’s continued encouragement, a few articles began to take shape. I was grateful to get rich input and suggestions from colleagues at Biola University who’d studied with me and from other worship leaders in my community. The resulting articles formed three blog posts, available on this site.
David had begun working with Worship Leader Magazine as a guest-editor, and he’d mentioned the possibility of including some of this writing of mine in an upcoming issue. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but one hazy, golden-hour evening, out on a restaurant patio in Ojai with a longtime surfer buddy, a text came through from David with the news… “Justin, I believe you have something important to share. Darlene Zschech, Rory Noland, John Michael Talbot, Carolyn Arends, and Ruth Haley Barton are IN! Are YOU?” I was so overwhelmed by the weight of these well-known names all strung together that it took me several minutes to even realize what he was talking about… Oh, the magazine! Yes! Of course I’m in! *raising-hands emoji*
It truly is a huge honor to be included in this company of leaders, authors, spiritual directors, and musicians. I’m thankful to Chuck Fromm, David Bunker, and Worship Leader Magazine for inviting me in and for believing my experience in practice could contribute to this important conversation. The intersection of spiritual formation and worship is a place of deep soil, the spot where real growth happens. I’m looking forward to all that God can do in and through us as we continue to cultivate the ground here and plant seeds for generations to come!
I have been encouraged to write a book for quite some time now, and that season has finally arrived! To keep things interesting and moving along, I’ve decided to release one chapter at a time on a donation basis. So here’s how it works:
I will be sending out the first sneak preview of my new book Trailmap…to Spiritual Adventure. Each contributor in the next 30 days will be emailed an unedited, straight from my heart, first-draft version of Chapter 1; “The Invitation”, which includes instructions on a unique form of prayer and reflection questions to jump start your own conversation with God. Every donation amount matters, and every dollar goes to strengthening the soul of the Church and helping this ministry develop fresh ways to reach out. So, click the button below and begin the adventure!
Of course, you can always support our nonprofit through a check or use your credit card over the phone. Here’s the info:
Justin Fox Ministries
2356 Edgeview Ln.
Midlothian, VA 23113
(804) 318-6477
Our next one-day retreat is coming up, and I’d love to have YOU there. Come experience another restful (but intentional) day with Jesus at Still Waters Retreat Center in south Chesterfield.
“FALLing into grace” is an ecumenical, inter-denominational, open retreat for anyone who’d like a little peace and quiet in a beautiful setting with some prayer encouragement and reflection opportunities. This is a restful, contemplative day – a “choose your own adventure” type set up, where you’ll get the space and freedom to spend time with God in whatever way you choose (with lots of options to get your creative wheels turning). There’s even a canoe!
Bring your lunch (a fridge is available), and we’ll have coffee, water, and tea provided. $25 covers the retreat space fees and instructional materials. Payment is made online through CRM, our missions partner organization (you can also pay with cash or check on arrival).
