Thursday, July 19, 2007

A small part of something big

Sorry I haven't posted anything here in the last couple of days. I was in Columbia on Tuesday and Wednesday for a training conference. I was learning how to interview potential church planters. Before we started Freedom, Sherry and I endured a four hour interview that covered every area of our lives to determine if we had the right make-up to plant a new church. I know that the main reason we passed was because of Sherry. I'm like most guys, I married way out of my league! Anyway, I was learning how to be on the other end of the interview this time.

The best part of the training was getting to hang out with some great guys who are planting churches all over the state of SC. When I go to these things it humbles me to realize that Freedom Fellowship is really just a small part of a much bigger movement. God is using couples all over this state to start new churches that reach people no other church is reaching. I think it's awesome that we get to be part of that!

Let me quickly tell you about three guys I was this week that you can be praying for. (Anyone starting a church will tell you that prayer is what they need most, the second thing they need is money)
- Carl Martin: Carl was pastor at East Pickens Baptist Church for many years, but God has called Carl and his family to move to Bluffton, SC (outside of Hilton Head) to plant a new church. The area surrounding Hilton Head is the most un-churched area of our state, and Carl is committed to planting a church that plants churches in order to penetrate that area with the message of Jesus.

-Ronny Byrd: Ronny is the pastor of Palmetto Shores Church in Myrtle Beach. Palmetto Shores began on Easter of this year and they are already seeing over 150 people a week come to worship! Ronny has a vision for Palmetto Shores to plant 10 new churches in the next year.

The guys from Mid-Town Fellowship: Mid-Town Fellowship is a one year old church in Columbia that currently meets at the State Museum on Sunday nights. They are reaching lots of USC students. They have a full staff of guys who moved to Columbia with their pastor Dustin Willis, and got jobs in the business and retail world in order to finance this new work.

Each one of these new churches are facing different challenges. Pray for God to meet the needs of the pastor's and their families, and pray that they would reach the un-churched in their communities.
Be sure to check in tomorrow. I will be giving a baptism update as we look forward to throwing a big baptism party on Sunday afternoon!

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