I really enjoyed yesterday – and not just because UK won their NCAA tournament game. What really gave me a great sense of satisfaction was being part of two experiences that reminded me how much our church is doing to change the world. Let me explain.
First, Elliot Sneed preached a strong Biblical message on what it means to be a kingdom minded follower of Jesus Christ. His sermon was good, but what was better was the fact he is planting a church in a city that is 90 percent lost. Think about that for a minute. Even more astounding, that city is in America. Rochester, NY is the third largest city in that state. We support church planters like Elliot every Sunday with our offering because part of our budget supports the work of our North American Mission Board via our contribution through the Cooperative Program. We also support Elliot directly. He and Discovery Church are one of our Acts 1:8 Partners and we send funds directly to them. We are helping him and the young church he leads impact their city and the people who live there.
Second, twenty of us gathered last night for a light dinner, fellowship, open sharing, and prayer. There were 10 of us from First Baptist and 10 from First Calvary Baptist Church here in Rock Hill. First Calvary is a predominately African American Church that is seeking membership in the York Baptist Association. We are sponsoring them for membership, similar to what we did with New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church over 20 years ago. Pastor William Buie and I have been meeting for breakfast or lunch for nearly three years. We’ve preached in each other’s churches and some of our women have been meeting for fellowship and service projects. Last night’s gathering was a time for a small group of ministry leaders from each church to get to know each other as we continue this journey together. More will be done in the days ahead, but last night was a lot fun.
This relationship is about more than First Calvary joining the YBA. It is about black and white brothers and sisters coming together. It is about showing our community and our children what the church looks like. It is about changing attitudes and perceptions that often get in the way of authentic relationships. It is about making Rock Hill a better place.
Sometimes we fail to see the impact our church is really having in this world. It’s like we are in the forest and all we see are the trees. It helps to step back and look at the forest from a higher perspective. That happened for me yesterday. FBC is impacting our world and I praise God for that.
Pastor Steve Hogg
Mitzie Rock says
Wonderful service. So greatful to be a part of God’s family.