Sometimes it takes a while...
A little over a year ago, our church family “commissioned” one of our members, Tom McConnell, to a particular work. Tom grew up in a small church filled primarily with senior adults. When he and Lisa moved to Georgetown, South Carolina, they began to visit several small churches in their area. Most of the churches they visited were attended by just a very few senior adults with almost no young adults or children except for the occasional grandchild attending with grandparents. The Lord started working on Tom McConnell’s heart about how to see God reclaim the glory for these dying churches. Tom asked me if I thought there was any place for a ministry like he was thinking about. His desire was to offer his time and love to a church, at no charge, to help them take a realistic look at their future. I knew many churches would love the price…free! I also know there is a need. I just did not know if the dying churches were willing to admit they had a need and/or would they be willing to do what is necessary to change. Our staff, elders and leaders agreed that we would commission Tom, pray for God’s blessings and offer to help however we could.
In a God inspired coincidence, almost a year later, I was nominated to serve the Charleston Baptist Association as the Church Health-Revitalization Team leader. My assignment is to put together a team to assist local churches desiring church health and growth. See where I am going with this? Can you guess who I chose as my first team member? You got it…our church member, Tom McConnell. This past Sunday was Tom McConnell’s first Sunday helping an area church. He starts by teaching a Sunday Bible Study each week as he builds relationships with this small handful of people. In April he will most likely start preaching and teaching. At least that is the plan. Remember Tom McConnell and the Riverbend Baptist Church is your prayers. How great would it be to see God reclaim the glory the resurrecting a dying church! You gotta love it when a plan comes together…even if it takes a while.
Pastor Tom
