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Candid conversations for the church. Host is Ardin Beech of Windsor District Baptist Church, Sydney, Australia. Co-hosted by Jonathan Hoffman.
Well, it feels like it's been so long, but thanks for coming along for another episode. All our listeners, Doctor J, thanks for joining me.
Jonathan:Great to be here, mister Beach. How are you?
Ardin:Good.
Jonathan:That's good.
Ardin:Feels nice to be back.
Jonathan:Yeah. You're surviving all this rain and
Ardin:humidity? Man. Yeah. When is that gonna end?
Jonathan:How's how long does it take you to cut the grass in your in your house?
Ardin:Couple of hours, I reckon. Wow.
Gino:A lot of edges.
Jonathan:Okay.
Ardin:Because we live on the corner, so there's 18 miles of edging. Yeah.
Jonathan:Are you electric or petrol? Electric sissy.
Ardin:Wow. And we're we're off and running?
Jonathan:No. It's okay. I I own electric things as well.
Ardin:The battery ones or the cord? I had a cord one briefly, and that was just a recipe for death.
Jonathan:We had a cord one too, and it it just kept it pretty quick. I think we waited too long, and it was like, there's not enough bolts here except to trim this.
Ardin:Now what's happening?
Jonathan:Well, we are right on the cusp of Easter, so it's coming up. Do you have plans for Easter this year?
Ardin:No. We do not. We're going on a cruise Okay. In a few days time. Oh.
Ardin:And we get back right before Easter, so I don't think we've even thought that far ahead.
Gino:Oh, brilliant.
Ardin:Just be ragged and exhausted.
Jonathan:Well, how about I take this opportunity to let you know and our listeners what's going on at Easter? Then they can be ready to go. So you'll miss Palm Sunday, is the twenty ninth, but then that week is holy week. And so on Thursday night, we're gonna be having what we call reflections at the table, which is just kind of quiet reflective service. A simple service, everything's acoustic.
Jonathan:There's just gonna be, yeah, time to reflect on Jesus' last words with his disciples. Then on Good Friday, we're not inviting you to just one service, we're inviting you to two, which you gotta pick. So, one of those is gonna be a combined churches service at McQuade Park, so that's gonna be 09:30 in the morning. Us, Strong Nation, I think Vineyard, maybe a few others.
Ardin:That was great last year. It was amazing.
Jonathan:It tends to be a really encouraging, time, encouraging atmosphere. We also realize though that some people find that environment difficult, you know, outdoors and and whatnot. And so we also run here at our church at 09:30 in the morning. Yeah. A real stripped back simple service.
Jonathan:And so, yeah, pastor Chris will be here, yeah, leading that service. And then I know that in the evening of Good Friday, pastor Aiden is going to be, yeah, running a showing of a Good Friday film. We're not quite sure which one just yet.
Ardin:Passion of the Christ.
Jonathan:Okay. There you go.
Ardin:No. That he's not doing that. Oh. That is extremely violent.
Jonathan:Yeah. Okay. Alright. I didn't know if that was a suggestion. No.
Ardin:Steve O used like, for Easter, Steve O used to watch that every year.
Jonathan:He he might still.
Ardin:He probably does. Yeah. It's just It's gruesome.
Jonathan:Yeah. Yeah. It's big. It's big. But, yeah.
Jonathan:So that's a good Friday. Then Easter Sunday, great, you know, fantastic day to celebrate the resurrection. Again, 09:30 in the morning, invite your friends and family. And, we have a little more of a truncated service that day, about an hour, but that's the only service we do. Yeah.
Jonathan:Just to give people an opportunity to really rest and enjoy and, yeah, spend some some days reflecting on the good news and what it means that Christ is alive. So, yeah, really, really excited for that. And then coming up right after that during the school holiday break, we're taking a bunch of kids to kick. So we've got more going this year than I think we have in a very long time.
Ardin:It's only
Jonathan:I think we're near 30, and then we got leaders to boot, taking a bus. So it's gonna be it's gonna be really good. Yeah. So I think they're just about full, but, we would invite anyone who's listening to be praying for that time. And it's really exciting to have one of our youth leaders coming on the show today.
Ardin:Oh, very exciting. Okay. Okay. Okay. Enough of the church news and all the other things that are going on.
Ardin:I know you love to spruik all of the things.
Jonathan:We have to spruik all of the
Ardin:things. We have to spruik all our things. But it's time for our guests, and we're staying local this time. I know we kinda travel the globe, but we're bringing it back home. One of our very own, Gino Rositano.
Ardin:Thanks for joining us.
Gino:Well, I'm happy to be here.
Jonathan:Really excited to have you, Gino.
Gino:Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Jonathan:I know this is you're on a podcast circuit, so this is sort of, you know, old hat for you. But but, yeah, really keen to have you on and, yeah, hear a bit about your story. I guess maybe before we get into it, tell us a bit about you and your family. Where where are you from? Where do you live?
Jonathan:What's life sort of home for you?
Gino:So Penrith has always been my home, to be honest. I was born in the Penn Hospital, so was living in Glenmore Park till about age 10, I'd like to say. So we've always been local ish, and we haven't really traveled much internationally. So to me, this is home.
Ardin:This is
Gino:this has always been home to me. So
Ardin:And you're I mean, I I kinda know you outside church Mhmm. Because you did all the wiring in our house Yes. And all our lights. Yes. Yeah.
Ardin:And you helped me with some air con issues I was having.
Gino:Yes.
Ardin:True. Namely mice and how to kill them. Oh, man.
Gino:That was a that was a good brought me to daily.
Jonathan:Tell us what you do kinda nine to five, and what's your
Gino:I do air conditioning and electrical. I've been doing it for, I think, seven years now officially, but I used to help my dad on the weekends every now and again. So I actually work for my dad, and it's not just me. My whole family works with my dad. So I'm one of five.
Gino:So there's four of us, four four boys and one girl with the girl being the youngest, and the oh, and I'm the middle. So we're all two years apart. So it's a pretty pretty close age gap, and we all sort of, like, grew up together, which is good.
Jonathan:So your dad's either, like, the best boss ever or he has a lot of control making his kids work.
Gino:So Yeah. Well, we I mean, all besides one of us still lives together. So we work together and live together. So Wow. He's doing something right for us not to have tearing each other's throats out.
Jonathan:So You have been at our church for a little bit of time, but not like a long time. So, yeah, tell us a bit about, yeah, what brought you to this church and, yeah, how you what's your experience been like?
Gino:So I've probably been here now a year and a half. Would be a year and a half. Sort of it's an interesting story to to how I got here. I'm sort of finished up with another church and was at home just sort of doing my research because, like, none of my other family members really go to church all that often, and they're sort of born and raised Catholic. So I was just doing my own research and just sort of, like, scrolling through different churches and sort of, like, watching the sermons and doing all that.
Gino:And then, yeah, just said the same prayer sort of every time just as if if this is the one, you know, sort of. So I ended up getting to this church and sort of, like, yes, doing that prayer and then felt the need to go check this out for the night service, which is good. From there, it feels like it's gone in the flesh, honestly. Just impacted me in a different way and happy that I'm here.
Jonathan:How far down the search list were we? Like
Gino:Yeah. Don't know. I don't
Ardin:know exactly. Page three of the Google results.
Jonathan:Does anybody go to
Ardin:page three of the
Gino:Google results?
Jonathan:Not one.
Gino:I might have. I might have, to be honest with you.
Jonathan:Oh, man. We're that far down.
Ardin:So so from a a family of Catholics then Mhmm. Which I assume it probably would go back generations if I had to guess. Yes. What led you away from the Catholic faith thing?
Gino:Well, sort of like, I guess we grew up traditional mostly because my dad's side's Italian, and then sort of that Italian heritage sort of just was culture for us. But just sort of in my time before coming here as a Christian, I was just reading the Bible by myself and just sort of, like, getting my own interpretation of things. I feel like it's really important to have your own thing before someone telling you otherwise. And, yeah, just sort of spent time with just me and God, just doing my research, reading the word, sort of praying daily, and just, yeah, didn't really honestly have much research on the Catholicism side and what they do and what they believe. So I just sort of yeah.
Gino:Ended up watching, like, a video, like, because when I was doing different things, was just watching a video of, like, oh, all these different denominations and what they believe and all that. Then sort of, like, come across a couple of things that I strongly disagree with, you know, such things as, like, doing having to do the seven sacraments and having to, like, pray I'm praying to Mary. You have to go confess to a priest. You know? If you if you're good sins, you know, you don't wanna die having mortal sins, you gotta go confess them.
Gino:You have to go to church, sort of that. It's a little legalistic in terms of, like, you have to do all this stuff or you're not it's not you're just justified by grace. You're Yeah. Justified by works as well Yeah. Which is obviously wrong if you take the time and read.
Gino:So, yeah, that that for me was definitely, like, what stuck out to me the most and sort of like I don't know. And it's just a different vibe now when I go there as well. It just feels different, like, the community aspect especially. Everyone just rocks up there just to get there because they have to be there, and you can actually feel it. And then as soon as as soon as it goes and the priest is gone, everyone just sprints towards the door just to try to get out there quick as possible to not get caught with anyone.
Gino:So Wow. Definitely a different feeling to this place as well.
Jonathan:Where did you start reading the bible?
Gino:Well, I started four, three years ago Mhmm. After having an I guess, I'd say an encounter, I guess. Sort of like growing up, just sort of what I was told and raised to do being Catholic. Just sort of knowing a little bit about Jesus, but just also thinking that, you know, if I just pray enough and just do my things, you know, that's just the way it was. And then, yeah, as I got older, I grew away, sort of, I guess, distanced myself, just stopped really caring about it.
Gino:And then, yeah, I was struggling with bad social anxiety, especially at this one event that I was at and just had the feeling like, oh, yeah. Just, like, go that could thought just popped up in my head, like, go and pray about it. Was like, okay. So I was just like, you know, it's been a long time since we've done this, but I just but I just, like, need to help with this situation. I'm just like, I know, like, struggling with these feelings and that Yeah.
Gino:Of anxiety. And so, yeah, then it sort of, like, come into my head, and then I prayed it. And then, obviously, for the rest of that event and that, I I felt good, and I didn't feel any anxiety at all. But I sort of, like, brushed it off, like, just like a just, you know, intrusive thought. I can see it.
Ardin:Coincidence or something.
Gino:Yeah. It's alright. So then for the next month or so, it was, like, really harping in the back of my mind, sort of, like, nagging. So but I just kept pushing it away. And then, yeah, come to after doing work, come home, just usual scroll through social media, and then come across a Billy Graham video.
Gino:I don't really remember what Billy Graham was saying, to be honest with you. But just the realization in it all just hit me, like, Jesus loving me. Jesus died for me, and that, you know, he cares for me deeply. And, yeah, just that realization just had that change of heart. I couldn't really describe the feeling if I wanted to.
Gino:The oh, like, my heart's sort of, like, cracking open and just, like, bleeding out. So but it was, a a feeling I can't describe, definitely, like, just changed my path of life. So yeah. And from there, it's sort of like because I knew no better than I knew no one else. Like, I got the my first incident that come to my head was like, okay.
Gino:Gotta buy a bible. I gotta read. So, like, that's how that come. But then Did
Jonathan:you just start in Genesis and get going?
Gino:Or Well, yeah. Yeah. That's right. I mean, I lacked knowledge. Midly, I didn't do any research and sort of, like, got the King James version.
Gino:Nice. Sweet. Putting myself, you know, in through trial by fire, honestly. But but, yeah, started reading Genesis. Sort of like, oh, I gotta buy a new bible because this is just too hard.
Gino:I was just, like, struggling with every single word. So then I bought a new bible, Yeah. New King James, actually. So I was starting to regularly attend Catholic mass at this point Yeah. Because that's all I knew.
Gino:And then my mom must have said something to my nan, and then she had like a bible in the cabinet. She sort of like, gave it to me. It was a Catholic edition of the bible. But then she sort of said, oh, like, I can give you some advice. It's like, start from the New Testament.
Gino:You know, I did some other research as well where a lot of people were saying the same thing. Now reading it all makes sense because a lot of the New Testament, like, refers to the Old Testament. Yep. And sort of, like, the New Testament shows you, like, what he did for us, why he died for us, why we need him in our lives. You know?
Gino:So, yeah, like, after that troubling time doing Genesis, started from Matthew and worked my way through to Revelation, then started from Genesis back through.
Jonathan:It's awesome.
Ardin:Anyone will say the same thing. When you meet Jesus, it is it's transformational, and it's just the most incredible thing that happens in your life. But, unfortunately, not everyone else comes along for the ride. So how were your family with all of that?
Gino:So they definitely I'll never forget. It was, like, Ash Wednesday. And then I was like, oh, you know, get me some too, and I'll put it on my head. And then they're like, okay. That's my brother's straight away, obviously, pointed out, okay.
Gino:That's weird. Like, you never do that. So then I remember, like, a week after or something, we were just working at a job, and then just come up and I just said, hey. Like, you know, I've had this thing, and I just wanna start going to church now and start getting to know. I was like, okay.
Gino:Weirdo. Like like, at first, I was just attending catholic and mass, and my dad was like, yeah. Alright. You just do you. And then I sort of started to, like, pull away from that.
Gino:And at first, it was definitely a bit of, like, why are you pulling away? Like, what's wrong with this? Like, you know, this is what we do. Like, it was definitely a couple of, like, arguments, I guess, why I'm pulling away. And then I tried to obviously tell them, but, you know, it's very hard to tell someone who doesn't wanna listen at the time.
Gino:But now, couple years afterwards, and now that they when they come towards me get baptized in February, they definitely had misinformation on what else was out there. So now they're actually like, okay. We we get it now. Like, we see why you like this place so much, which is good to hear considering now. So now they're actually happy with me being outside of Catholicism.
Ardin:Did they notice a change in you? Like, hey. Do you know you know, he's a nicer guy now. He actually showers and stuff. He's turned himself himself around.
Gino:Cleaned up a little. But that's that's the thing. Like, I've always been, I guess, a nice, just quiet guy. It was more so like the internal sort of for me. They definitely it's funny because my mom coming into my room a couple months ago and was like, are you dating someone?
Gino:Like, why are you so happy? Like because I I was like, that's definitely not the case. I'm dating Jesus. I was like, that's definitely not the case. But they definitely noticed that I'm a lot happier and a lot more relaxed and, I guess, a lot more alive and vibrant, I guess, is the word to say.
Gino:But definitely, like, in terms of when I first come to Jesus in that sense, the externals already there. Like, I was already nice. Already just due to my childhood experiences, it's already it's already nice, patient, like, loving, caring. I was definitely was a lot more angrier, though. Would definitely say, like, a lot more angry issues, I guess.
Gino:But in general, it was more the internal for me. Yeah. It's just, like, knowing that someone cared for me and, like, what he did for me and why he did it for me. Definitely.
Jonathan:You mentioned you got baptized in February. Yes. Which was awesome. I wonder if you could, yeah, share a little bit with us about what you shared on that day. I know it's a powerful testimony and people, you know, were really encouraged.
Jonathan:Tell us a bit about that decision to get baptized and what it was like for you kind of being vocal about your faith in front of the whole church.
Gino:From when I had that experience three or four years ago, sort of like that was one of, like, the first things that come up. But, obviously, at the start, not knowing much better, I was like, oh, I've already been baptized. I don't you know, there's probably no need to do it again. Don't just do it again for the feeling of it all. So I definitely had a struggle with that through my three, four years, however long it was.
Gino:Just like, oh, maybe I should do it now. Maybe I'm just doing it because of being selfish and sort of doing it for the feeling. So definitely, but, you know, at the same time, I don't think I was ready yet because I don't think I'd actually, like, sorted myself out in a sense. So I think definitely, like, I think God put me on that track in at the same time, if that makes sense. Because I don't think I could've shared it the way I shared it if I didn't go through the things that I went through beforehand.
Gino:But definitely coming towards the day talking about that. Just at the time, obviously, I didn't know my dad was coming as well. It's it was like, oh, I don't like to share my feelings and emotions a lot of the time. But definitely
Ardin:First first bloke to ever say that.
Gino:Yeah. Know. I know. I just like to play basketball. But, definitely, like, in terms of, like, my story and that, just being able to share that, you know, I was obviously, like, there's a bit of a stigma as well with, like, mental health and that.
Gino:So being able to share just what I was struggling in that in back in 2024, like, I was ready to, like, sort of end it all. Just sort of, like, you know, feel hopeless and just honestly hated myself. Even though, like, I was a Christian as well, there was always that thing inside of me that just didn't like any part of myself and sort of just like, you know, maybe it's no one really cares about me. So it's like, just you know, should I should I really be here anymore? And just fell in that hard time where it's just like, you know, I was basically ready to just that's it.
Gino:Yeah. Call it a day and sort of wrap it up at that time, which is, yeah, not the best that I usually like talking about it even still. But, yeah, I definitely know that it's a part of who I am and why I'm here, and I feel like it's important to share that.
Jonathan:I remember you shared at the time, like, you just really put a lifeline out to a lot of people to say, hey. Maybe you're struggling with this. Maybe you're feeling these this way, thinking thoughts like this, and you just need to know that God absolutely cares about you, and he loves you, and and he's got he's got more for you. I know you've shared, and I don't know if you wanna, you know, how much you may or may not wanna talk about this, but you've shared in the past that, yeah, there were some parts of your upbringing that were tough. You know, people you felt a lot of rejection from people and felt like that was it was really hard to kind of weather that storm through those through those early years.
Jonathan:I wonder how would you encourage somebody who maybe is in a season right now where they feel like, you know, maybe they're getting bullied or or abused or they're just feeling a really strong sense of rejection. How would you encourage somebody in that in that space?
Gino:I just Mike, when I pointed out, like, it's not to feel that way, don't put yourself down fulfilling that way. But I also just wanna say that God will meet you where you're at. You're in your lowest to the lows or your highest to the highs. You know? God's always there.
Gino:He's always ready to just sort of take over your life, if that makes sense. I just wanna say, you know, that if you feel that rejection, just go to the gospels. You know? Look at what why Jesus died. You know?
Gino:Jesus died for us. He cares for us so deeply that, you know, he went through all that pain, through all that suffering just just to literally be with us. You know? And, yeah, and, obviously, in the other side of things, you know, speak out about it. Talk to a loved one.
Gino:Talk to anyone because I know it feels like that, and I've been there myself and sort of you don't want to talk out. You feel like, you know, oh, what's the need? You know, no one's gonna really care, but people do care. People really do care.
Ardin:And you've become a a a big part of our church family here. You're involved in the in the youth group even now for people that may not know you. You sit in the front row
Gino:every week. Crazy. I'm crazy. And,
Ardin:you know, and people might say, which which guy in the front row? The only guy.
Gino:The I'm just known as the front row guy these days.
Ardin:Yeah. I think, you know, Windsor District has really become your your church family.
Gino:Yes. It definitely has. I can feel and I'm very grateful for the community that I have now because, like, growing up, obviously, being bullied in that and, like, just sort of I don't know. Always just distancing myself from people and making sure people didn't get too close to hurt me. But now it's different.
Gino:Like, I consider this family now. You know? I consider everyone here family, and it's it's a great feeling. It's like, you know, everyone's so close and tight knit and just sort of, like, there to help each other. So I'm definitely very thankful for what this church has provided for me.
Gino:I don't know that I'm obviously helping now in these other ministries, but definitely wanna thank God for putting me here. And I was yeah. Thank God for the opportunity to be able to help people, and people help me.
Jonathan:Arden mentioned it. You're serving with our youth ministry. It's good for us to, you know, from time to time, have have along somebody who's involved leading youth. What can you tell us is going on in that space? What do you see God doing, with their young people?
Gino:Well, it's it's always good. I mean, I'm only, I think, six I've only just started this year for youth. Sort of felt like, yeah, this is where my gifts were leading me to. I'm surprisingly good at encouraging people and sort of being part of that and being just able to keep up with the kids essentially with energy. Definitely can see God moving in the youth.
Gino:Just seeing the community as well that they're part of, just sort of, like, growing up together and sort of, like, yeah, leaning on each other and establishing that the community that they can lean upon each other when hard times come and be able to lift each other up in the word of god. And especially Mel, you know, she runs it all. She does a good job. Just sort of like yeah. And there's videos that we watch and sort of reflect on.
Gino:You can definitely tell that people become more receptive to it. And even in the short time I've been here and sort of, like, the kids can see, you know you know, when school schoolwork or hard times is just like that god is there for you, and it's good to see that. And it's good to see them as a community sort of, like, coming together and just sort of, like, every Friday night. You know? This is, like, they're probably, like, I know I am keen for Friday nights, so I can just imagine how the kids feel about it, which is a good feeling.
Jonathan:I know you guys did an outing last week, with the youth, and it was really cool because apparently, it was like this scavenger hunt around Windsor. Mhmm. And you guys got talking to a stranger. Yeah. Who apparently one of the some of the teams thought that this was like a way to sandbag that team.
Jonathan:But, all of a sudden that stranger you guys were talking to shows up at church on Sunday morning.
Gino:I know. I didn't get it. I didn't get it. I was trying to talk to him, but I didn't have enough time to get to him. Oh, man.
Gino:I didn't know that. I I I remember seeing him with his dog as well. Yeah. That's good to say. I gotta talk to him.
Jonathan:I gotta talk to him. Yeah. But he was like, he was saying, yeah. They were just so excited and
Ardin:that they they just
Jonathan:like they were just so happy, and they they're like, well, you can come along too. And
Gino:he's like, okay.
Ardin:I will do that.
Gino:That's great to hear. That's great
Ardin:to hear. Little teeny tiny evangelist.
Gino:Yeah. Look at us go.
Jonathan:Bang. What a great interview.
Gino:Oh, it feels good for being here.
Ardin:Awesome to have you along, Geno. Thanks for joining us and for being so honest and open about your story, and it's great to hear from you.
Gino:Thanks for having me. Well It's a good experience.
Ardin:I can promise you I won't be joining you on the front row, but I'll I'll I'll look at you from the back.
Gino:The front row is always open. That's all I'm gonna say.
Jonathan:Great having you. Thanks for coming on.
Ardin:What an inspiring young man.
Jonathan:Absolutely fantastic. I love how just easily he shared how vulnerable he was, but just that truth that God will meet you where you're at. I mean, we seek the Lord absolutely, but it's it's not about trying to you know, he's not hiding. He's not he's not trying to not be found. He's there.
Jonathan:And it's really great to hear Gino's testimony of seeking the Lord and, yeah, finding him and and finding peace for his soul and for his for his heart.
Ardin:Yeah. And what a I mean, I'm hesitant now to say it after your previous comments earlier about me being a wuss with the lawnmower. But what a testament to your ministry here and the ministry of our leadership here here to create a place where people feel like it's family.
Jonathan:Well, look, it's really all the credit goes to the Lord. It's it's a joy to be in a church like this where everyone is keen. You know, they love the Lord. Their love for the Lord is so strong. They wanna serve him, and it's our privilege as pastors to try to create an environment where they can do that.
Jonathan:We don't want anybody to be anybody other than who God's made them to be, and so we're not trying to squeeze people into a mold or a particular thing. And when you have that mindset of we're gonna paint with the colors God gives us, we're gonna let people be who they are in Christ. Then Jesus really does the work. He builds up his church. And I wish I could convey to people how often I'm in a conversation with them that feels like I'm ministering to them, but really they're ministering to me.
Jonathan:And, you know, Gino's certainly one of those.
Ardin:Another great episode, I think. Everyone has a story. Look. If you wanna come on the podcast, by all means, you know, come and join us. You'll have a good time.
Jonathan:We don't bite.