Few leaders carry the identical degree of ardour for the native church as Pastor Dino Rizzo. After almost 4 many years of ministry, he nonetheless speaks in regards to the church with the thrill of somebody whose life was modified by it. For Rizzo, the church isn’t only a constructing or an establishment—it’s the place the place misplaced individuals discover hope, the place households are restored, and the place communities are remodeled.
A Life Modified By Outreach
Dino Rizzo didn’t develop up in church. Raised in Myrtle Seashore, South Carolina, he admits he was “doing what misplaced individuals do.” However the whole lot shifted when a small church in Tabor Metropolis, North Carolina, determined to do an outreach. That single act of kindness launched him to the love of Jesus and set him on a brand new path.
“I got here to Christ due to the church,” Rizzo recollects. “I wouldn’t be right here if it weren’t for the church. I’m a church fan, a church cheerleader. I’m pro-church.”
That encounter fuels his ardour to this present day. For Rizzo, the church isn’t simply an establishment—it’s a household, a rescue mission, and a spot the place damaged lives are made entire.
Selecting Compassion Over Criticism
In right this moment’s world, criticism of the church usually comes simply. Tales of failure, hypocrisy, or harm dominate headlines and conversations. However Dino Rizzo has chosen a unique posture.
“I do know there’s ache. I do know there’s harm. I do know there’s disappointment. That’s known as humanity,” he says. “However I’m not going to be the choose and jury. I’m going to be the palms and ft of Jesus.”
This attitude permits him to remain rooted in hope, even after years of ministry challenges. Relatively than specializing in the failures of the church, he chooses to have fun the numerous tales of transformation that occur inside it.
Sustained by Grace and Neighborhood
One of many causes Rizzo continues to like the church is as a result of he has skilled its grace personally. He overtly acknowledges his personal failures and shortcomings however factors to God’s mercy—and the help of trustworthy associates and mentors—as what has sustained him.
From pastors like Chris Hodges and Greg Surratt to his intercessors and shut associates, Dino Rizzo has surrounded himself with a neighborhood that believes in accountability, prayer, and encouragement. That type of help, he believes, is important for each pastor and each church.
Why the Church Nonetheless Issues
For Dino Rizzo, the case for the native church is easy: with out it, numerous individuals—together with himself—would by no means know Christ. Each act of generosity, each small group assembly, each Sunday service creates alternatives for individuals to come across the gospel.
“Sure, the church has flaws,” Rizzo admits. “But it surely’s nonetheless God’s chosen vessel to achieve the world. And I’m going to spend my life cheering for it.”
After 40 years of ministry, Dino Rizzo’s conviction hasn’t wavered. The church continues to be the hope of the world—not as a result of it’s excellent, however as a result of Jesus works by means of it.
About Dino Rizzo
Dino Rizzo, a 40-year ministry veteran, co-founded Therapeutic Place Church together with his spouse, DeLynn, the place he served as senior pastor for twenty years. By his ardour for uplifting believers to serve their communities, Dino Rizzo based Servolution and authored “Serve Your Metropolis.” Rizzo serves because the President of ARC (Affiliation of Associated Church buildings), which has planted greater than 1100 church buildings worldwide, and is on the Senior Management Crew at Church of the Highlands.
