Family Worship Center of the Wabash Valley

I was recently afforded a visit to my home church, while I was at my 35 year high school class reunion. I know it is hard for you to believe that I graduated from high school, much less being old enough for it to be 35 years ago. Nevertheless it has been that long and I did graduate high school. In fact the 11th grade was the three best years of my life....lol just kidding.

I was able to go back to a church, very similar in size and close in constituency make up. What I mean by that is they were blue collar people who worked hard and had their share of problems too. In those days, my dad bought a piece of property that I believe they paid approximately $7000 for. The vision was that First Assembly of God in Monticello Arkansas would move out to a more visible and accessible location. In those days there was not much money and some people thought we were making a mistake. In fact before the building program actually started many years later, the church went through a time that it was not able to pay even the interest on the note. By that time Dad had moved to another church and that vision had grown dim and had never caught on with the next couple of pastors that followed. But in those people who had been there for those drought years there was a real yearning to carry out the "vision" of seeing a new start, a fresh excitement, to get busy working to build a future for the church and the community. Finally a pastor came and the work began. There were 100, then there were 200, then there were 150, then there were 175, then there were 250 and finally over 300. As the vision gained momentum, the excitement built and the church grew and is still growing. Looking on that platform at middle aged men and women who were teens when I was there and seeing them grow through all of the trouble that life affords. Seeing them working through financial difficulty and circumstances that seemed to be too great to overcome. Yet here they were singing and serving God. That spoke to me. The vision is clearer today. The drive is greater. We must continue to do what God directed us to do.

The first step is to begin a process of teaching. Not a traditional Sunday School that was boring and hard to sit through but a group class room settings that will afford people an opportunity to get to know one another and the God that they love so dearly. We need teachers, sponsors, people who see the excitement building. We need financial help from those who are willing to give above and beyond their tithes and offerings and take ownership of a vision that says, "I will be obedient to the voice of God!" We need workers that will help with illustrations and fun events that will make people work to get there. We need people to fall in love with their God and their church and begin to work. It is work. It will always be work but we are His hands and we are His feet. Let us do His will!

As I looked at that auditorium that was filled with people from every back ground, I understood more clearly where we are. We are laying the ground work. We are sacrificing so that as the days pass the work of the ministry is accomplished in our harvest field. Will you be a part of that vision? Will you work to make it the church of second chances? Will you sacrifice for it social, spiritually and financially? I hope so, cause it is your church. It is your field of labor. Help me. Will you? I pray that you will, and I thank you in advance. Love ya, Padre'