The Courier’s story about Greenville’s Laurel Baptist Church (www.baptistcourier.wpengine.com/6442.article) published a year ago gets more valuable every week with its anticipation of a day – in the light of the church’s low attendance, low offering and no baptisms – when the hopes and wishes of the faithful few would be validated.
It appears you are more of a prophet than you realized, since very few plateaued or declining churches have experienced such a resurgence in attendance, baptisms, offerings, enthusiasm, unity and loving fellowship.
What happened? That faithful few at Laurel gained a strengthened faith and pledged over and above their weekly tithes and offerings to fund a worthy salary for a new full-time pastor.
They deleted several bylaws, opening the way for the adoption of an “Acts Ministry.” Many attended Forestville Baptist Church for the training and insight important for implementing this biblical plan of governance and ministry function – almost no business meetings, no nominating committees and no committees at all. Paul Fleming and the pastor and members of Forestville were like a Barnabus to Laurel.
They called a God-called, soul-winning pastor by the name of Danny Burnley. The rest of the story is self-evident, with nearly 200 in attendance today and the church running over budget. It can happen to any church if the people are available and the formula above is duplicated. Praise the Lord!
Thank you for your years of service and encouragement to pastors and churches.
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