Today I am overflowing with joy and excitement over what God is doing with 5point7 ministry. The Lord has recently blessed us to purchase a church building within the 48224. This church was once home to Jamison Temple Missionary Baptist Church. It seats roughly around 200 people, has a nice size fellowship area, and space for children’s ministry and class rooms. My excitement is not with the building as a material thing in itself, but my excitement is over what this building now gives us the ability to do in the community.
First of all, it narrows down for us a specific neighborhood within the zip code to focus our attention on. One of the things I love most about the church, is how it sits on a residential street in the middle of a neighborhood. That is exactly what we want, we want to be a part of the community. Our hope is that 5point7 Community Church be a faithful, living witness to the message of Jesus Christ within this neighborhood. Our hope is that, by Proclaiming God’s gospel, and by sacrificially loving and serving the community, we will see gradual transformation in every aspect of the neighborhood surrounding our church.
Secondly, having this building means that the plan can be put into full effect. We now have a place to gather and worship together as a family in Christ. We now have a place where people can come and here the gospel proclaimed regularly, where they can be discipled and taught. We now have an established beachhead from which we can fight for the transformation of the community. Our hope is that 5point7 Community Church will be a base from which the light shines, driving out the darkness.
The acquisition of this building has caused me to dream as never before. With much delight, I dream about all the Bar-be-ques and cookouts we will have with the community on the lot outside our church. I dream about all the children from the neighborhood having somewhere to come in the summer for a good meal and Vacation Bible School. I dream about all the young adults from the neighborhood being able to come and get connected to mentors who will help them to reach the next level of achievement in their lives. I dream about all of the families that will find the help that they need to save their marriages, raise their children, and bring stability to their homes. And lastly, I dream about how much glory will be given to God, because of all the lives that will be transformed by the ministry of 5point7 Community Church.
Please pray with me that this vision comes to pass. And I pray that as you read this, your heart is being moved to offer whatever support you can. Through God, all things are possible.