We have now finished three preview worship services as a new church. We have been doing preview services once a month as we prepare to launch in the coming months. On Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching the good news of Jesus at two different churches. I first preached for two services at Shepherd of the Hills UMC in Douglasville, GA, which was a church plant about 15 years ago. It was neat to be there and see what God has done through that time.
This Sunday night we also had our 3rd Preview Worship Service at Johns Creek Elementary. As Mandy and I drove back up to lead The Fountain, we noticed something really interesting. Going to The Fountain and seeing the people from our church is starting to feel more and more like we are going home. I simply mean, when we first started having services (just two other times), we did not know who our church people would be. Now, The Fountain feels like it's "our" church. I'm already excited for our Christmas focused worship service coming up on December 4 at 6pm at Johns Creek Elementary. The sense of community, belonging, and relationships that are forming at The Fountain are encouraging given our short history. I believe that is a testimony about how God’s hands are on us, molding our relationships, hearts, and somehow making The Fountain a place to experience the love of God in our church community. I believe that means that we are starting to have an identity as a church.
Before The Fountain preview service, we circled up to pray with those helping with the service. As I looked around, it was pretty exciting and overwhelming for me as the pastor of this new church to have so many people so invested in what God is doing through our ministry. We had over twenty volunteers that assisted and many more that have recently committed to help us launch the church. When Mandy and I first moved into the area on July 1st to start this church, we were the church. Her and me. That was it. We are now only a few months into the planting process and I am already overwhelmed to have so many that are not just attending The Fountain, but are actively part of our team. They are starting to feel God’s heartbeat for the people in this area and catching onto God’s dream of reaching so many disconnected people with God’s love. I love it!
On Tuesday, I got to speak with some people on our team about where we are going as a church. They spoke about the excitement and opportunity to be standing at the early stages of redemptive history that is being written right now. I love these people. Not because they want to build a church, but because they want God to touch the lives of so many new people through us. We have over 140,000 people within a five mile radius of our church and the area is projected to grow another 30 percent in the next five years. Right now, there are over 80 percent of the people in our area who are not connected to a church anywhere. I think we are all catching the burden and passion for how God wants to use us to stand in that gap. I’m learning when people ask me about our vision, that’s what they are really asking. They want to know what makes our heart tick and what is our burden for planting a new church. Standing in that gap to touch the lives of the 80 percent is my heart as the pastor and that will become the deep passion of The Fountain.
