My Church

Eleven years and three months ago, we started a new church. In that time, we've met in 2 hotels, 2 schools, and are currently renting space from another church.

This is our last Sunday in someone else's space, our last Sunday of renting space. Next Sunday, we will be in our own building.

It's been a wild trip getting there. We started off as a small group of people who wanted a church where the truth is preached, and whose foundation is Christ and Him crucified. Over the years, the church has grown, and grown, and grown more (both through people joining and people having babies).

To give you some idea of growth, based on my ministry (children, of course): When we started, we had 2 Sunday School classes from preschool-grade 6 (with only a few children in each class). I'm not sure there were enough children for a junior/senior high class (and the ones we had were all siblings or cousins), and Junior Church had about 4-5 children ranging in age from 3-8.

Currently, we have 5 Sunday School classes from preschool-grade 6, with over 60 children registered. Junior/senior high has up to 15 students each week, and that doesn't count the ones who attend the adult class. Junior Church was seeing about 18 children each week, and we cut the ages back to only 4 and 5 year olds (the 3 year olds are in the nursery, and the older children are in the service). I have no idea how many children are in the nursery, only that it's a lot.

There have been some bumpy spots along the way, but God has blessed us greatly in our desire to serve Him and to bring Him glory. He has given us godly pastors and elders who teach His word faithfully (even the tough parts), and who genuinely love God and the church. We don't really have impressive programs or an exciting children's ministry; we just teach the truth from Scripture every week. Far from turning people off or boring the children (both assumed if you don't have the right program with glitter and glitz and excitement), I have watched my students grow up and get baptized, confessing Jesus and Lord, and I have rejoiced at God's faithfulness.

Don't misunderstand: we're okay with having fun. There's a lot of laughter in the classes (and it's not all me laughing at the children). Sometimes the younger children colour, and we have silly Bible quizzes (such as "What is the 7th word in the 3rd chapter of Isaiah, based on the version I am looking at right now?"), and we enjoy ourselves. Sometimes we even laugh in the service (gasp!). It's just that our goal is not to have fun or make people laugh; it's to teach them solid, biblical truths, and to become more like Christ.

Today will close another chapter in the church's life: that of renting. Next week, we move into the building that He has provided, with its lovely Sunday School rooms and a library big enough for all our books. It's an exciting time.