Acting Like A Church Plant

Last Sunday I used words from an old song, which are also words in a new song.  The old hymn is "The Solid Rock."  The line from the song is "I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name."  I love this line about relying on the right thing.  This is especially important in our current state as a "new congregation."

Many of you probably wondered about that last phrase ... "new congregation."  Some are saying, "We have been right here since 1896!  We aren't new!"  Others are saying, "My sons and daughters were part of this church!"  But let's remember, on November 7th, 2022 we became one of the first Global Methodist congregations in the old Alabama-West Florida (Now Alabama Emerald Coast) Conference.  I hope we can lay claim to the "new thing" God speaks about through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 43 ... "See, I am doing a new thing.  Now it springs up!  Do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

On July 2nd I spoke to about 30 people at Webb Methodist.  They were from Webb, Denton Road Methodist and Mt. Zion Methodist.  They were small congregations and were concerned that they were alone, isolated and simply forgotten.  I wanted to assure them that the Global Methodist Church would not forget them and that the "new" focus was not on what a Bishop called the "mother church" but was on the local church, whatever the size.  As I spoke to these good people, I came to a realization.  If one of our goals, as Global Methodists, is newness and not repeating the errors, omissions and mistakes of our former denomination, what could we do?  How about this novel idea?

1) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and become a "new thing" that God is doing

2) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and become a way in the wasteland

3) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and becomes streams (living water) in the wilderness

4) Claim Isaiah 43:18 and "forget the former things and do not dwell in the past."

Another way to frame this conversation is ... act like a church plant!  During the month of July (a month in which we remember freedom and liberty) we will intentionally focus on this idea of newness, becoming a way, becoming living water and becoming those who look forward, not back.  Our Vacation Bible School will invite adults to a 3-day series called "Still Day One - Living In The Day After The Day Of Pentecost."  Nicey Eller will lead this study, and it will be awesome!  I will send a link to the book, and you can come at 5:30pm July 8-10.  Our sermons in July (and maybe August) will focus on being/becoming like a church plant.

When I read Isaiah 43:18-19 and overlay it on the book of Acts, I am shocked by the suddenness of how new life, new believers and new problems/solutions just happen.  We will talk about some of these stories and how the Acts church can inform a little congregation in Abbeville, Alabama.  I invite you for how we become a way, living water, a church that lives into a new future, and a congregation that "wholly leans on Jesus' name."  Randy