"Imperfect people Serving a Perfect God"
Dateline: New Hope Baptist Church
I remember when I was first called to pastor New Hope Baptist Church, my mind was given over to confusion and uncertainty. I had no idea what a pastor did on a daily basis. I did not know how to plan, had no idea what "visioneering" meant (still don't), and really did not know what was expected of me. My idea of success was solely based on past experiences with business models and I thought the end result was "mega church or bust." Fast forward a few years and I realize that God has indeed built a big church here. Just not in the way I had imagined it.
We had gone through some tough times in the early 2000's. Pastor Bob was taken home. The SBC structure was changing. Pastor Bill had to move out of state. All the while, the neighborhood surrounding the church building had become a warzone and the church parking lot was ground zero. The blight created by dilapidated homes and broken street lights was reinforced by open drug use, prostitution, gunfire, and violence. Admittedly, several times I wondered if we should get out while were still alive (literally)... but God kept me there. God kept us there. Things began to change- on God's time.
Buyers began to call me to inquire about purchasing the abandoned homes in the area. They wanted to know if we were for real and planned to stay in the area. The police dept. was accessible and began to work with us to make the block a safer place. Churches and their pastors came and worked with us. I began to understand that influence was a greater force than size. The Lord took back this block.
Instead of the whistles and code words used by drug dealers, people hear songs of praise sung and the Gospel preached in the churchyard on warm summer nights. A baptistery has become a fixture In the church yard, where prostitutes used to turn their tricks. Today you'll find neighborhood kids playing basketball and soccer in the parking lot, not gunshot victims.
Many ministries and churches have left this place. We are still here. This is a battle and we have not won. But we are still here. Please pray for us. Pray for insight. Pray for power. Pray for revival.
