From House to Home
Our open house was a blast, now we settle in with our very first Sunday worship service.
Time to Find Our Pace
We have been sprinting the last few months. It’s been relatively comfortable trails by God’s grace. Now we get to set our pace for regularly weekly ministry, as much as we can. There are still plenty of questions ahead of us, but I suspect that will always be the case.
Last night we had a marvelous open house. Roughly 30 adults and a pile of kids showed up to support us. They came from various churches, several pastors, and even one Icelandic missionary came all this way! I mean, he didn’t come for us, but still! One pastor jokingly recommended our church claim international missions as a current accomplishment.
While that room did not represent the whole breadth of support we’ve received, I don’t think that room could contain that many people, it did show a real and tangible manifestation of God’s provision through people who love Him and love us. It’s honestly humbling. A dear brother and pastor reminded me recently, “You can’t do this”. I agree whole-heartedly. I need the Lord first to build it. Then I need, with the support of wonderful godly people, to put hand to the plow ever-dependent on the Lord.
This was especially evident as Rachel, Linda, and I stood before the whole church and covenanted together. I affirmed vows before the church and God to shepherd faithfully. They affirmed vows to serve faithfully. We partook of the Lord’s Table together, and by the power of Christ Coram Deo Baptist Church was formed. What we were doing wasn’t casual or trite, but weighted with gravity.
While this stands as one of the most precious moments in my life, one I’ve certainly longed for for decades, something was evident to me in the room. We stood there before our God and before our church family, with their witness to God’s work in our lives. Furthermore we stood there as a testimony of their faithful labor in equipping men to plant and pastor churches. Yesterday was a moment where our King’s words were embodied,
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
— Matt. 16:18
A healthy church worked hard by the power of God, and Jesus built a church that went out into a dark world. Our very existence as a church is a testimony that God is still working the way He promised us He would.
We serve a glorious God!
FIRST SUNDAY
DATE: 8|2
TIME: 4-6pm
ADDRESS
612 Main Street,
Springfield, OR 97477
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray for Riviera Baptist Church and Pastor Matt. I don’t say this because of some sense of inflated ego, but because others keep telling me. Our departure is going to leave a hole. There is a great opportunity for the church to grow even in the midst of filling that hole. We so desperately want their experience not to be so much missing the days with the Moores, but rather to grow and fill whatever gaps we left behind.
Pray for us this Sunday. Our very first Sunday as a church coming to worship God together, for me to shepherd Christ’s flock He’s entrusted to me.
Pray that the Lord blesses all those who have cared for and served us so well in these last few years. We are indebted to them. But, the Lord keeps good books.
Pray for fertile soil in Springfield. That the Lord uses us in the harvest of those who He will save.
