Rev. David Libbon / Photo by Dave Yochum

FAITH COMMUNITY| By Dave Yochum

April 3. The new rector at Good Shepherd Anglican on West Catawba is steeped in the traditions, beliefs and rituals that are making the relatively new denomination—founded amidst turmoil in the Episcopalian denomination 16 years ago—among the fastest-growing nationwide.

“We live in a world that is rapidly changing. There is a hunger for something that is grounded and deeply rooted,” said the new leader of Good Shepherd, David Libbon.

He was installed March 30 at the 160-plus member church.

Background

Good Shepherd is part of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) which has grown to more than 1,000 congregations and 128,000 member in 16 years.

The ACNA was founded in 2009 by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada, who were dissatisfied with liberal trends that also affected Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian denominations.

In the ACNA, worship follows the traditional Anglican liturgy, including weekly communion and reciting the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed, traditions that date back to the early Christian church.

Libbon thrives in the traditions.

“There is no dryness to the tradition, but we treasure the living faith of those who have gone before us,” Libbon, 44, said. “What sets us apart is this rootedness is an ancient faith that goes back to the first century. It goes back into the roots of Christianity, more so than the latest culture.”

Deep experience

A band kid in high school—a trombonist—Libbon was raised in a family of infrequent church-goers. His parents might attend an Easter or Christmas service, but religion was not a big factor while he was growing up.

His mom was a homemaker and dad was a buyer for a department store in Pittsburgh, PA.

Libbon got into Grove City College, well-regarded for its music program, but a brutally frank counselor told him his talents might lie elsewhere.

At the same time he met a janitor at a local health club who led a Bible study at a local McDonalds. Libbon had a conversion experience at 17.

“I believe the Holy Spirit caused the moment. He created a hunger in my heart,” Libbon said.

From Grove City, he earned a degree in Christian Thought. Coursework for the former would-be musician included Systematic Theology, Church History, Apologetics, Philosophy of Ministry, Christian Education and Biblical Theology, as well as an independent study on the effects of Postmodernity on the Western Church.

His profound change, his epiphany, could not have occurred at a better place.

Libbon went on to the Ridley Institute which began as the St. Andrew’s School of Theology. Ridley partners with churches and dioceses to train pastors and leaders through online courses and other discipleship resources.

His first position out of Grove City was director of youth ministry at St. Paul’s Episcopal in Conway, SC followed by a similar position at St. Andrew’s Mount Pleasant for nearly 10 years, before planting St. Andrew’s Park City where he was founding pastor in 2014 until coming to Good Shepherd in Cornelius.

Quotable

“It’s an incredibly loving, generous and joyful community that has been an honor to step into,” Libbon said.

Rev. David Libbon 

Quotable: I am passionate about seeing the lives of men, women, and children transformed by the presence and power of Jesus Christ and to equip us all to fulfill our gospel-centered, kingdom call in every area of our lives.

Call him: Rev. Libbon

Lives in: Oakhurst

Family: Wife, Lisa, two daughters

Good Shepherd Anglican Church

18745 W Catawba Ave.

Services: 10 am Sunday

Easter: 8:30 am and 10:30 am

In May of 2019, 10 families pledged $850,000 for the purchase of the Catawba Avenue property, allowing them to move out of the YMCA on Davidson Street in Cornelius