The little church I grew up attending had, at one time, had a balcony. Over the course of time, they’d closed it off and turned the upstairs into two classrooms for kids (with a really steep stairway). I always thought it would be neat to sit on a balcony, so the first Sabbath I attended Pioneer, when I discovered the balcony, I proceeded to find a seat up there. A few minutes later, two other fellows came up and sat down beside me. Uninvited. A few minutes after that, three girls came and sat down right in front of us. Again, uninvited. That was an invitation to trouble.

The passage in Matthew 12:48 has always captured my attention. That moment can feel a little uncomfortable. Jesus is told that His mother and brothers are outside, and His response seems… distant. Almost harsh.

It raises honest questions. Was He being disrespectful? Was He different at home than He was in public?

Johnny Schnepp has joined the Pioneer Team as a part-time, locally-hired worker assisting with youth ministry for the summer and the 2026-2027 school year. His official start date was June 1. Pastor Johnny recently graduated from Andrews University with a major in Religion and minors in Aviation and Mathematics. He will be ministering to our Andrews Academy and public high school students and overseeing a summer vespers program, Satellite Vespers, and Youth Sabbath School.