We are very blessed that God called our pastor to our church over 10 years ago now. There are few people I have met in my life that have such a sincere and desperate desire to live a Godly life. In a world full of compromise, arrogance, and selfishness, it has been such a blessing to have such a humble, servant-minded, and wise leader. He has a heart for the hurting world and a strong belief in the great commandmant and the great commission. This is our pastor with Ben and I at our wedding in 2004:
Our church when it snowed in South Alabama: (you know that when it snows in South Alabama, you gotta ride around the community and take pictures of everything:)
I would say that God is moving in our church in several ways, but there's no doubt that our church (in the last 10 years) has become a mission-minded church. That's probably our biggest growth area. We are relatively small (about 200 people each Sunday) and in the last ten years, I would estimate we have around 50 people who have gone on overseas mission trips (and most of those have been on multiple trips). We have now been to seven different countries and many of those several times. We definitely feel the call of God on our church to reach out to a hurting world. We have been on construction trips, medical trips, prayer-walking trips, evangelism trips and teaching trips. My dad went to Nicaraugua a few years ago to help build a church:
I have been to Ecuador and am going on a teaching trip to Haiti in July (so excited). We have a group that just returned from building a church in Haiti last week. We also have a jail ministry every Sunday night and other outreach programs. I don't say any of that to brag on ourselves, but to brag on what a big, powerful God we serve. We have found that He WILL work through a life that is obediant and willing to go where He calls them and has a sincere love for His people. We like to say that we are a mission command center that God is using to not only reach our community with the love of Christ but the entire world. We're not a perfect church or perfect people but are a people and a church who have experienced amazing grace, unfailing love, and great mercy. The reaction from that is to show others that God wants to them to experience that as well. I love my church and I will always be thankful for the place God has allowed me to serve and worship.
Linked up with Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life - My Church"
11 comments:
Great post! It sounds like you belong to a wonderful church. I think people who are willing to go on mission trips are super awesome! I'm glad your church makes it a priority!
Lori,
Reading this as a minister I want to say, Wow!!! This is just what church should be!
Thank you for sharing this. I'm so glad to hear of ways God is working in the world to bring people together in reconciliation and peace. And he wants to do it through his church. Great post.
wb
And I agree with what Megan said - it is good that your (and any)church makes mission trips a priority. We have done that where I am at in Kansas, but need to do it more.
That is so neat that you've attended there your whole life! Sounds like an awesome place to serve God!
I loved reading your post-you should follow up with some pictures about your mission trip experiences-or maybe you already have, I am going to explore your blog and find out! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment on my blog. I love small country churches too. Since we have joined our church it has almost doubled in size! Which seems crazy to me but it has still kept the same small town feel that I love.
I also think it's really neat that you are still at the churhc you got married in. Unfortunately we are not but I still stay in contact with the pastor that married us.
Melody
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Your church sounds really loving and a wonderful place to worship and serve. I know we don't attend mega-churches but the special bond that a small church has is so special. I love my church family, too. Nice to "meet" you!
I miss Hopewell so much sometimes! (especially now that yall are so involved in missions!!) As much and I love my new church on some deep level, Hopewell will always be "home" to me! Love yall!!
I thank God all the time that he led us to Hopewell!!
I just love that you have a church that you feel so strongly about. We joined our church when Big was in my belly, and it is a wonderful, huge church. It does so much for the community and the world, and thanks to the "stature" of many of our members, there is a lot of funding for these things.
However, I have never felt at home in the adult portion of the church. I am pretty active with the children's church and VBS, but have never stepped out of my comfort zone to join a Sunday School group or any other group where I would become more active. I don't know why, but it makes me feel like I may not be in the "right" place for me. I will continue to search for a place for myself there, but I love that you have found your place and that it makes your life so full!
Y'all are SO lucky to have such a great church family. We are still trying to find our "home" church and nothing has felt right yet. It's hard not to get frustrated.
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