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Pastor offers the power  of prayer to area groups

Staff photo by Samantha Grier. John Goss, known as Pastor Jack, has been pastor of Faith Community Church in Liberty Township since 2001.

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer 8:30 PM Sunday, November 1, 2009

LIBERTY TWP. — After 23 years teaching physical education in the East Noble School District in northeast Indiana, John Goss changed careers.

“It wasn’t until I was back in college that I felt that I was on the right path,” said the 58-year-old pastor.

Goss grew up in a Roman Catholic household in Dayton. He had a passion for the church, but knew the Catholic priesthood wasn’t for him. Later in life, he went back to school to study to be a pastor at Taylor University in Indiana.

On July 1, 2001 — which is also Goss’s birthday and wedding anniversary — he became the pastor of Faith Community Church in Liberty Twp. and the director of the Children’s Center at the church. In 2001, the average number of those attending Sunday service was eight.

Today, the average is 26, with about 40 members.

Known as Pastor Jack, Goss isn’t limited to his church to spread the word of God. He’s been invited by many area government and organization functions — such as the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce — to say a prayer.

Goss said he believes the Christian faith needs to be “practical, logical and reasonable,” which explains his down-to-Earth, engaging approach.

“I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want me to pray for them. They may not even believe in God, but they won’t refuse prayer. All prayer is is talking to God,” Goss said.

“If you’re going to have this relationship with God, it ought to make sense, and that’s where public prayer comes in. It’s making sense out of every day existence,” he said.

Goss usually starts a public prayer with an ice breaker.

“If you want people to feel anything, you got to get them to tune in,” he said. “If you’re interested in making a sensitive point with them, and you’re going to in prayer, you better have their attention.”

“God’s got a sense of humor, I mean he put me in charge of Faith Community Church,” Goss said. “He’s the god that created skunks.”

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