In a bold partnership, a Pageland congregation is crossing boundaries in a ground-breaking venture to become a satellite of a thriving church in another state.
New Covenant Baptist Church had dwindled down to about 35 people, and the members were becoming increasingly concerned about their church’s survival. Last year, they approached First Baptist Church, Indian Trail, a mega-church in suburban Charlotte about 28 miles away, about the possibility of providing support.?Indian Trail’s pastor, Mike Whitson, had preached at New Covenant earlier and its members were familiar with his church’s reputation for prioritizing missions and evangelism.
Kevin QuallsInitially, Whitson was intrigued with the idea, according to Kevin Qualls, who now leads the Pageland satellite. “God had been impressing upon his heart to start another campus ministry,” Qualls explained.
Indian Trail, which averages about 2,500 in Sunday school attendance, had previously started an east campus in Marshville, N.C., several years earlier, Qualls noted.?
So after much prayer, the members of New Covenant Baptist Church, which also directs a Christian school, turned over its ministries to Indian Trail – in effect, becoming its south campus.?Qualls, former pastor of First Baptist Church, Florence, was later called as its pastor.?
After one Sunday in the small sanctuary, which had a seating?capacity of about 100, the congregation moved its services to FBC, Indian Trail, for three months. The two congregations worshipped together and Qualls taught a Sunday school class for the south campus’ core group.
“This was a great time of bonding and connecting to the ministry at the main campus,” Qualls explained.
Meanwhile, New Covenant changed its name to South Pointe Fellowship and transformed a high school gymnasium into a worship center.? A modular unit was also outfitted for children’s worship and nurseries.
The new ministry was launched in Pageland on Easter Sunday with more than 220 people attending – more than six times the number of people who had been previously coming. During its first six Sundays, South Pointe averaged about 170.
“People are traveling from as far as Chesterfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, and Monroe, N.C., to worship each week,” Qualls said. South Pointe will hold its first baptismal service June 24 with 15 candidates, he rejoiced.
“Our goal is to be authentic, real, and to win people to Christ no matter what state they live in,” Qualls added.?