Almost exactly one year ago Melinda and I discovered ourselves in Albany for the first time. We were staying in the Hilton having arrived in town around 8 PM on Saturday night. Since we left California at 5 AM we were tired, but still we had a nice dinner and a guided tour of the church. I remember looking at the pictures of pastors past. So many people had led this place, and I could sense the history around me. Here there was a church almost 160-years-old, and a building 90-years-old. Pictures of past joys, smiling children, a full sanctuary, and a prestigious building were offered to me as proof of past success.
The next morning we arrived to the service at 11 AM. I could see little remnant of the joys and successes of yesteryear. Entering the building, now in full light, it looked every bit its age. Including the two of us, and the person preaching, there were 18 people in the service. As I sat in the service I prayed to my God, believing that if this church could be turned around I was not the person for it. How could I, a young man with little experience from a foreign land, lead this church to a new success?
However, during the interview afterward I learned more about faith. There sat before me the remnant. Those whose faith in God and God’s purposes for this church would not allow them to succumb to the belief of defeat to which so many others had succumb. From my time with those people I saw hope. Hope that a church given little chance could make it again. Hope that God had plans for the church and the town. Hope! Questions directed toward me were altogether different than in any interview I had been in before. I was not asked about what I would do in particular situations, no, instead I was asked questions which demanded if I too had this hope. And as I felt the hope saturate the air around our interview table I could feel the Spirit move. Yes, I too had this hope planted within me by the faith of the remnant, and already the Spirit was growing that seed!
Alas it was by faith that decisions were made to call me to this place. My faith in the hope I saw in people who were in a hopeless situation, and the faith of the remnant that God would chose a novice with a strange preaching style to be the next of a long line of pastors to fill this church’s holy pulpit. There is a song I love entitled, “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.” This church is now a living example to the truth and power of the words to this song.
We’ve come this far by faith,
Leaning on the Lord,
Trusting in His Holy Word,
He never failed me yet.
Oh’ can’t turn around,
We’ve come this far by faith.
Last Sunday, a year after I first saw this place I looked out upon a sanctuary with 117 people in it. I saw a majestic building being renovated and made alive once more. And I saw the hope, that same hope I had seen only in a few people now being displayed by many. As I stood there upon a scene of such glory the only word that can explain it is miracle, I sung to myself, “We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word, He never failed me yet. Oh’ can’t turn around, we’ve come this far by faith.” We can’t turn around, there is no going back, there is only now and moving into a future filled with hope and joy! I thank of each of you for your faith it has strengthened mine. I thank each of you for your hope it has given me hope. I thank each of you for all you have done. Now let us do more so that people will know when they see this church, that with Christ all things are possible!
Riding the wave of the Holy Spirit,
Garrett
No comments:
Post a Comment