06/19/2026
Who Is This?
A Letter to Perry and Taylor County
To my beloved city of Perry and the people of Taylor County,
As I was reading the Gospel of Mark, I was struck by a question that still confronts every generation.
Who is this?
Before Mark chapter 6, Jesus calmed a storm with a word.
He delivered a man tormented by demons.
He healed a woman who had suffered for twelve years.
He raised a twelve-year-old girl from the dead.
Mark places those two miracles side by side for a reason.
For twelve years, a woman suffered while a little girl lived and grew.
One was watching life slowly drain away.
The other suddenly faced death itself.
Yet Jesus stepped into both stories.
Whether the struggle had developed over years or arrived unexpectedly, He proved Himself sufficient.
Then Jesus did something unexpected.
He went home.
He returned to Nazareth.
The people knew His family.
They knew His history.
They knew where He came from.
Yet instead of embracing Him, they questioned Him.
They were astonished by His wisdom.
Perplexed by His power.
And offended by His identity.
They asked,
“Who is this?”
The problem was not that Jesus lacked power.
The problem was that they thought they already knew Him.
Familiarity became a barrier to faith.
As I reflect on that story, I cannot help but wonder if that danger still exists today.
Not just in churches.
Not just in homes.
But throughout our community.
Have we become so familiar with Jesus that we no longer expect Him to move?
Have we become so accustomed to division that unity seems impossible?
Have we become so comfortable with labels that we have forgotten people?
Black and White.
Young and old.
Rich and poor.
Republican and Democrat.
Denominational and non-denominational.
Yet Jesus still crosses barriers.
He still heals.
He still restores.
He still forgives.
He still transforms lives.
My prayer for Perry and Taylor County is not that one church becomes greater than another.
My prayer is that we encounter Jesus in a fresh way.
That hearts would heal.
That families would be restored.
That sons and daughters would discover purpose.
That marriages would be strengthened.
That churches would love one another.
That hope would rise again.
That we would become known more for our love than our differences.
The people of Nazareth asked,
“Who is this?”
It remains the most important question we will ever answer.
Because our future will be shaped by our response.
My heart aches for this community because I love this community.
I have celebrated here.
I have grieved here.
I have raised a family here.
I have witnessed both the beauty and the brokenness of this place.
And through it all, I remain convinced that God has not forgotten us.
So my prayer is simple:
May we never become so familiar with Jesus that we stop expecting Him to move among us.
May our hearts remain open.
May our faith remain alive.
May our love for one another grow deeper.
And may we become the kind of community that fully embraces all that God desires to do in our midst.
Taylor County, I still believe.
Jesus is not finished with us yet.
Pastor Kelvin R. Ellis
Kingdom Culture Church
With Deep Love, Prayer Forward
