As Tony Hemphill sat in a Hartsville courthouse, he had an epiphany that changed his ministry philosophy.
Having never served on a jury before and after navigating his way around the courthouse system, Hemphill found himself listening to a lawyer give instruction on the jury process in legal jargon completely unfamiliar to an untrained ear.
It changed his life as a pastor.
Hemphill returned to West Hartsville Baptist Church with the belief that an average person attending church for the first time would feel uneasy, not understanding church language and navigating the halls of a maze-like church. That is, if they come inside at all.
Fortunately, Hemphill had only to look out the churches’ window to see opportunity. Across the street from the West Hartsville sits a multi-family housing project with some of the poorest children in the town as residents. Hemphill found their school, Carolina Elementary, and approached with a simple question, “What do you need?”
That simple question led to a school adoption that includes a study hall for 1st through 3rd graders who receive help with their homework, aid with their spelling tests and a short Bible lesson. The students are also fed supper each night. The church also supplies the school with boxes of tissues and antibacterial soap throughout the year.
“Overall, the reaction of the congregation has been very good,” Hemphill said, adding that 13 to 14 adults are assisting with the study hall.
To date, an 11-year-old boy has accepted Christ, and some children have begun attending the worship service as a result of the study hall.
“Our hope is to also reach the parents, but those doors haven’t opened just yet,” said Hemphill.
Each teacher at Carolina Elementary also has a prayer partner assigned from West Hartsville. The pair exchange cards with contact information, so if a prayer need arises, each is easily accessible.
The community concept is a perfect outlet for churches to connect with their communities, according to Reggie McNeal, director of leadership development for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
“They deal with all the issues that confront their community. Every church who wants to connect to its community should get involved with their local public schools,” said McNeal.
McNeal, who champions church/community partnerships, says schools are microcosms for the problems facing communities, but the church paradigm is shifting to moving toward a missional, “beyond the walls” approach.
“One of the hallmarks of the missional church is its move to connect to the community. We have been trying for years to get the community to connect with us. Now the church is connecting to the community.”
In addition to the school partnership, West Hartsville is embracing this missional thinking by working on a spring tent revival.
“We wanted folks in town to know they do not have to come inside the walls of a church. We can come to the street,” he said.