Pastor Glis Crib of Antioch Baptist Church, Camden, is on a twofold mission. He is determined to encourage his church to grow, and he wants to complete a marathon.
Pastor Glis Crib stands beside the Antioch Baptist Church sign, which not only encourages his personal quest, but generates attention in the community and attracts visitors to the church.Antioch was founded in 1824, and when Crib became pastor two years ago he saw that the church had changed little since it was established 184 years ago.
Impassioned by the experience of growing up in a thriving, active church, Crib knew Antioch could be revitalized if church members were called to renew their commitment to personal sacrifice. Through a program called “Operation Facelift,” they indeed gave sacrificially to renovate the church’s existing facilities.
Out of “Operation Facelift” arose a new challenge that prompted Crib to announce his own special commitment to the renewal of his church.
While completing the steps toward renovation, Antioch soon realized its existing buildings would not be large enough to accommodate a growing youth and children’s ministry. The church found itself in a dilemma, with current funds for renovation not enough to construct a new building adequate to meet expanding needs.
From this predicament came the “Marathon Miracle,” where church members committed to sell pledges at $10 a mile for their pastor to complete the Georgia Marathon in Atlanta on March 29 – and to lose 40 pounds. Antioch members have agreed to sell 1,000 pledges at $260 for a total of $260,000. If Crib is unable to finish the marathon and lose 40 pounds, no payment is required on the pledges sold.
For Crib, this is not only a way of helping his church, but also a chance to fight a personal battle with his weight and fulfill a long-held dream.
“For 18 years I have dreamed of one day completing a marathon, and I have struggled with weight all my life,” said Crib, whose weight has fluctuated throughout his life from 190 to all the way up to 400 pounds.
From the efforts of “Operation Facelift” and “Marathon Miracle,” the church has generated attention in the community, which Crib said has led to eight recently baptized believers and more visitors than in recent years.
Crib said he wants to make it known that the purpose of these two projects is not for him to lose weight or to bring attention to what his church is doing, but to glorify Christ and reach the community.
“?’Operation Facelift’ is lifting up more than our facilities.” Crib said. “It’s lifting our hearts. The ‘Marathon Miracle’ is not about the race or losing weight, but about the body of Christ working together for a common purpose in order to transform the community.”
Additional information is available at antiochbaptistsc.org (click on “Vision 1000 Marathon Miracle.”)