God's Will: The Story Continues

In high school, I had a friend who was a foreign exchange student from Germany.  She told me that church in Germany was only for the very young or the very old.  Many churches were empty, abandoned.  She even told me of a church that had been turned into a climbing center for fitness enthusiasts.  I couldn't believe it!  That sounded so unreal, and that was in the 1990's.  Sadly, this is becoming the norm for many churches in our part of the country.  So many churches are dying and closing their doors.

During the summer just before our move, we visited one of the churches my husband went to ask a boy.  It was a tiny country church that his dad pastored when he was young.  Counting our family, I think there were 9 people in attendance.  I had never been to a church that had so few in the pews!

After the service, we visited with my husband's old friends, and the wife of the couple pulled us aside.  Tearfully, she explained how people had left the church, how she still loves the church, and wished it were thriving again.  No one wants to see their church die.  My husband and I were profoundly affected by this visit.  There was a stirring in our hearts and together we discussed, if it were ever in our power, we would not let a church like this die.

Fast forward to the fall.  We had made our decision.  We were going to do our best to help revive this small-town church.

Before we met the people, we assumed the people would be set in their ways, resistant to change, and hard to work with.

These people are the exact opposite of what we expected.  Friendly, down-to-earth, really good folks.  Some of my husband's early sermons had to do with preparing the people for change.  We then went through a Francis Chan Bible study called Forgotten God.  This reminded us all about following the Holy Spirit's lead, even when it's counter-intuitive.  I think this might have enhanced their willingness to move forward, but God had already prepared their hearts.

These people surprised the socks off of us!

God answered our prayers through the people of this church.
 
Time after time, when my husband or I would suggest and addition or a change, the board and the congregation members would approve it wholeheartedly.  In the past year, we have revamped the coffee/welcome area, added two projectors to the sanctuary (adding multimedia capabilities for worship. yay!), streamlined the service, added an evening service called UnChurch for younger adults, added a kids' Sunday school class to provide for preschool/elementary needs, increased advertising in the community, added a kids' activity area for kids to play during our monthly community spaghetti dinner, added music and video to kids' Sunday School, began a praise band that leads worship twice a month, hired a choir director and started a choir, bought into a church growth program, and started an outreach committee.  And two weeks ago, we held our first kids ministry outreach event!

(We had 6 adult volunteers, 2 teen helpers, and 5 kids.  I was ecstatic!)

God had already prepared their hearts.  These people raised their families in this church.  They love this church, and they want to see it continue for generations to come.  Each step of the way, they have supported progress and change toward making the church more inviting to visitors, especially those of the younger population. 

We are blessed, honored, and humbled to be a part of this church family.  I can't wait to see what God has planned for us next!!  I'll keep you posted.


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen."     Ephesians 3:20