Looking Back - Looking Forward

Some days in the Lord’s work tend to stand out among others. Today was one of those days. Today I caught a small glimpse of the mighty hand of God at work in a church and a people. As I sat in a church building that had been vacant for months and looked around at the crowd of hundreds I could not help but to reflect what had took place in the last year at the church we call home. I recall pulling up that Sunday morning at church and seeing the long look on the preacher’s wife’s face. The look that something bad was about to take place. When I saw him my bad feelings were intensified as he avoided talking with me. That was the morning that my friend and preacher resigned and announced that he was moving on. The months following were full of many tough times. Tricia and I are only home every other week. It seemed like every time we would return one or two families would be gone. These were people who we loved and called our friends, but yet they would be gone without even saying goodbye. I know it is hard to move from a church, but is it that hard to say goodbye. For months we prayed that God would allow us to leave this body of believers. It was so discouraging to see a church slowly dying. It absolutely broke my heart to see such a beautiful sanctuary not being used due to the lack of people. What once was a small chapel off from the main sanctuary now served as our meeting place. To add to the discouragement was acres of land, an academy building, and gymnasium all sitting idle. Tricia and I would spend spring evening s walking around the grave yard at the back of the property praying that God would heal our church or completely kill it so that those families that were holding on would be released from the pain of seeing a church die. What I did not realize was God was doing a work that only He could do. It seemed that God was absolutely breaking our church. Breaking us from pride, self sufficiency, and perhaps even some arrogance. This body of believers was and is still on the potter’s wheel being molded into something He can use. It would appear that in the molding process that some of the clay either fell of the wheel, leaving the church or they chose to be on a different wheel by joining a different body of believers. I can say that I really don’t blame them because God was pressing this clay very hard.
As weeks passed I could see people trusting God and truly praying for His will to be done, no matter how bad it may hurt. It seemed like the passage from 2 Chronicles kept coming to mind during those dark days. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. God truly had put our church on its knees praying and seeking his face. I remember attending a Sunday morning service in which there were appox. ten to twenty people present. I recall our piano player, April Dean playing that piano like they were 10,000 in attendance. The Music minister, Jamie Hagar sang to an audience on one, the Heavenly Father and we were blessed enough to hear his heart’s song. I know without a doubt that God purposely placed April in our midst during this dark time. When she plays the world stops to listen. It is as if the Holy Spirit is speaking through those notes to bring a time of rejoicing and a time of praise. When she would play people were not thinking about the small number in attendance. Nor were they thinking that we didn’t have a pastor. The only thing that was on my mind is what an awesome God we all serve. I thank God for giving people like April and Jamie talents to share with us.
After months of being on this wheel being crushed, God started reworking the clay by adding some more ingredients. He allowed us to cross paths with Hulls Grove and Pastor Harvey Gates. Pastor Gates brought with him a love for this body of believers who was now broken. God was orchestrating the “healing of the land” now. It was announced that Hulls Grove Baptist and New Life Baptist Church would merge as one entity. New Life would be Hulls Grove North in reference to our location in the county. I could see that this was a answer to prayer and was praising God for what He was going to do which led to today’s events.
Waking up this morning there was a charge in the air. I know that this was going to be a great day in the Lord. New Life would be hosting a Fall Festival and would officially become Hulls Gove North this evening. As we arrived at church this morning it was a blessing to see so many people sitting in the main sanctuary. We were finally out of the small chapel. Pastor Harvey preached a sermon from Ephesians 4. The message was about unity and defeating pride. When we arrived back from a quick visit to our home we saw a parking lot full of cars. We were blessed to see hundreds if not a thousand people on the church grounds. We grabbed out tracts and went to meet our neighbors from the community. I froze in the middle of the parking lot and prayed a prayer thanking God for healing our church and for the event that was taking place. After praying that prayer to myself I began to just look around and took the moment in. To the left was a drag car revving up its engine drawing a small crowd of racing enthusiasts. To the right of the race car was the Cowboy Church’s horseshoe ministry stamping the visitor’s names in horseshoes. Right being that was a motorcycle ministry showing off some very nice motorcycles. Beside of the bikes were several inflatable slides and other things for the children. In front of the gym a skateboard ministry had set up their ramps and where showing off their smooth moves. Moving on past the skaters was a station for a train ride which was a huge hit for the young ones. Next was horse carriage rides which went around the property. In the background I could hear a band playing their hearts out for the Lord. After soaking in all the sights I began to pass out tracts to everyone who would take one. My heart was blessed to see so many people.
After another quick home we return for what would be the last service of New Life Baptist. When we walked into the building I could feel the excitement. We were instructed to sit on the right side of the sanctuary and Hulls Grove sat on the left side and in the middle. The music concert was totally amazing. After the legal stuff took place we were instructed by Pastor Redding to find someone we did not know to sit with. We sat with a man named Jesse, who was very nice. Song after song was sang and God was glorified not the people or the body of believers but all mighty God was exalted. To close the service we grabbed the hand of the person beside of and sang “How Great Is Our God” followed by a prayer.
I can’t wait to see what God is going to do at the North Campus. I feel blessed to experience an awesome day like today. I pray that this only the beginning of a great movement of God. A movement this will reach out to a lost and dying world and tell them about Jesus.