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Numbers jump at Santee United Methodist Church

Pastor Christian DeMent opens the door to God's love

Pastor Christian DeMent
Pastor Christian DeMent
Place

Santee United Methodist Church

8964 Magnolia Avenue, Santee

Santee United Methodist Church

Membership: 200

Pastor: Christian DeMent

Sponsored
Sponsored

Age: 43

Born: La Mesa

Formation: San Diego State; Claremont School of Theology, Claremont

Years Ordained: 10

San Diego Reader: Why did you become a minister?

Pastor Christian DeMent: My call to ministry came to me when I was called to help build the United Methodist Church’s presence in Vladivostok, Russia, which is the sister city of San Diego. When things changed in the Soviet Union, the doors gradually opened to churches that had a presence there previous to the USSR, churches which included the United Methodist Church. We were working with people to plant United Methodist churches in the far eastern part of Russia. While there, a group of college students we met took us out to a farm in the region. These students weren’t Christians and they wanted to show us the farmland in Vladivostok. At some point, we sat down for a picnic on this visit and one of the pastors who went on the trip with us shared communion with all of these young people who had never been offered that gift of that sacrament, God’s grace through communion. Quite a few of them said that was a transformative experience; that they had never been invited to the table before. I remember my heart being warmed — that’s a John Wesley expression — to realize this is what I want to do. I wanted to be someone who can offer that gift of God’s grace to someone who has never experienced it before, and to help open that door to God’s love in a unique and special way. In that moment, it affirmed my gradual call to ministry. That moment I said, “Yes, this is it!” So I came back to the U.S. with that spirit and dug deeper to become a pastor.

SDR: What is the mission of your church?

PD: We’re a 105-year-old church. We’ve been in the community and serving the community for a long time. I’ve only been here for 14 months and we’re experiencing a revitalization. I’ve been appointed here to create more stability and to cast a vision for the future. We’ve already seen it become fruitful with an increased spirit of engagement of those already here and an increase in numbers with quite a few new members — about 25, which is a 10 percent increase — joining us in the last 14 months. I want to create an environment where everyone knows they are loved and know they belong.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PD: I do hold the traditional Christian view that those who have a relationship with God will share eternal life and joy with God in heaven. Our Methodist theology informs us that those who refuse God’s love suffer endless separation from God. Indeed, that would be what some would call hell, which is much different from the mythical “fiery place with cold coffee” I remember seeing from an old Far Side comic. Methodists don’t have a theology of hell. I do believe though, that God is constantly working on our redemption and salvation, and that may even extend beyond our life on Earth. This could be one of God’s great mysteries; that we can be redeemed and saved beyond our death and that God continues to make God’s love available eternally. This may stretch traditional theology, but it is something I personally hold. I don’t believe God ever gives up on us.

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Pastor Christian DeMent
Pastor Christian DeMent
Place

Santee United Methodist Church

8964 Magnolia Avenue, Santee

Santee United Methodist Church

Membership: 200

Pastor: Christian DeMent

Sponsored
Sponsored

Age: 43

Born: La Mesa

Formation: San Diego State; Claremont School of Theology, Claremont

Years Ordained: 10

San Diego Reader: Why did you become a minister?

Pastor Christian DeMent: My call to ministry came to me when I was called to help build the United Methodist Church’s presence in Vladivostok, Russia, which is the sister city of San Diego. When things changed in the Soviet Union, the doors gradually opened to churches that had a presence there previous to the USSR, churches which included the United Methodist Church. We were working with people to plant United Methodist churches in the far eastern part of Russia. While there, a group of college students we met took us out to a farm in the region. These students weren’t Christians and they wanted to show us the farmland in Vladivostok. At some point, we sat down for a picnic on this visit and one of the pastors who went on the trip with us shared communion with all of these young people who had never been offered that gift of that sacrament, God’s grace through communion. Quite a few of them said that was a transformative experience; that they had never been invited to the table before. I remember my heart being warmed — that’s a John Wesley expression — to realize this is what I want to do. I wanted to be someone who can offer that gift of God’s grace to someone who has never experienced it before, and to help open that door to God’s love in a unique and special way. In that moment, it affirmed my gradual call to ministry. That moment I said, “Yes, this is it!” So I came back to the U.S. with that spirit and dug deeper to become a pastor.

SDR: What is the mission of your church?

PD: We’re a 105-year-old church. We’ve been in the community and serving the community for a long time. I’ve only been here for 14 months and we’re experiencing a revitalization. I’ve been appointed here to create more stability and to cast a vision for the future. We’ve already seen it become fruitful with an increased spirit of engagement of those already here and an increase in numbers with quite a few new members — about 25, which is a 10 percent increase — joining us in the last 14 months. I want to create an environment where everyone knows they are loved and know they belong.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PD: I do hold the traditional Christian view that those who have a relationship with God will share eternal life and joy with God in heaven. Our Methodist theology informs us that those who refuse God’s love suffer endless separation from God. Indeed, that would be what some would call hell, which is much different from the mythical “fiery place with cold coffee” I remember seeing from an old Far Side comic. Methodists don’t have a theology of hell. I do believe though, that God is constantly working on our redemption and salvation, and that may even extend beyond our life on Earth. This could be one of God’s great mysteries; that we can be redeemed and saved beyond our death and that God continues to make God’s love available eternally. This may stretch traditional theology, but it is something I personally hold. I don’t believe God ever gives up on us.

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Previous article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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