Ten Years!
 

Today we celebrated ten years of pastoring in Jackson, TN. We started in 2001 with one committed family besides ours. We met in the Holiday Inn for one year, in a strip mall for one year, and then on our present property in our first building there. We moved in our new building in March 2010. It doesn't seem possible that we've been here ten years! God has been SO good to us.

I was reading yesterday in Proverbs where we can make our plans, but God directs our steps. My plans eleven years ago would not have included planting a new church in Jackson, TN! I was settled and comfortable in the place that we had pastored for almost two decades. I thought we would be there for the rest of our lives. God doesn't like people to get "comfortable". He picked us up and put us here, and the rest is history. Now I'm so happy and fulfilled like never before, but the transition was emotionally difficult back then. I didn't think I could ever love any other people like I loved those that we had pastored for all those years.

I'm thankful that this house has let me stretch my wings and find my destiny. I always loved pastoring but felt a little unfulfilled, like I hadn't found my niche. I had taught, cleaned the church, done the books for years, led the choir, led worship, and anything else that needed doing, but never felt complete. When I came to Jackson, I started doing missions, and I'm more content today than ever. I guess I had to wait until my kids were grown, but this church has been so accommodating in letting me go to the nations. They have a huge vision, and for that, I'm so thrilled.

Ok, so I'm done bragging on my people. But they deserve a big THANK YOU, because they're awesome. And God deserves all th glory.

Re: Ten Years!
 

congratulations sherri. your testimony is uplifting. I especially like the part where you said that you found fulfilment in missions. I feel the same.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Thank you for sharing Sherri! This is an encouraging post. We pray that you will have many more years of fruitful ministry in Jackson and around the world!

Re: Ten Years!
 

Awesome, Sherri. A servant's heart leads to contentment.

Re: Ten Years!
 

I would have never driven to Jacson if it wasn't for your church there.

Neither would I have met you, your husband and all the other WONDERFUL "Love and Truth" and AFF people I met on that trip.


Congratulations to you, your husband and your church for reaching this milestone!

Re: Ten Years!
 

Thanks, everyone! It was a blessed and exciting day for us. Attendance yesterday - 1387.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Sherri,

Don't want to be (too) nosy, so feel free to answer as little as you want. I'm curious - did you have any financial backing or sponsoring when you started this church?

Re: Ten Years!
 

Congrats! You all deserve the good stuff coming your way and that city deserves another great church ran by great people.

Re: Ten Years!
 

We were pastoring in another town for nearly 20 years when we started this one. We pastored both for three years, so we were able to be paid by the original church. This one was actually started as a daughter work of the mother church. Since that time (LONG story), we have separated from the mother church and they are independent and Jackson is now the "mother church" of Love and Truth Ministries. That's the condensed version.:thumbsup

Re: Ten Years!
 

Congratulations Sherri,
It's exciting to see how you, your husband's, and your member's hard work and sacrifice have paid off.

Re: Ten Years!
 

:thumbsup

Re: Ten Years!
 

:happydance :happydance :happydance


CONGRATS!

Re: Ten Years!
 

Oh my word..........there is a huge picture of me in the Jackson Sun. Lol! (I should have lost that 20 pounds).

Re: Ten Years!
 

lol Sherri. Only a woman could think this way.

Re: Ten Years!
 

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20...CFRONTPAGE%7Cp

I think you are beautifull :)

Re: Ten Years!
 

Aw, thanks! Thanks for posting this link too - I didn't know how to do it.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Just curious, how much do you folks make salary and benefits.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Wow - what a question...

Re: Ten Years!
 

bwahahahahahahahahahaha!

Re: Ten Years!
 

What? :yahoo

Re: Ten Years!
 

Wonderful Sherri!!!!!

Re: Ten Years!
 

The formula for Sherri's compensation package:

Her # of forum posts multiplied by the number her husband ranks her on the attractiveness scale :)

I'm sure that'll give you a ballpark figure of her weekly pay :D:D:D

Re: Ten Years!
 

If it's any of your business, I worked here full time for 8 years and took ZERO money. Now I do get a check, but we took Eddie's check and split it and gave me part of his income. It was mainly done for tax purposes. I really never wanted to get paid here, because I didn't want to feel like I was expected to be in the office every day.

However, I am in the office nearly every day anyway!

Re: Ten Years!
 

It is no one's business!

Re: Ten Years!
 

:thumbsup

Re: Ten Years!
 

Since I'm not a supporter of your assembly, it's really none of my business. I was just curious how much a church like that paid.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Well, we're definitely not rich, but we're not hurting either. Moderation in all things!:thumbsup

Re: Ten Years!
 

As a friend of Sherri's I can personally say they are an example in giving and sacrificing...God has blessed them and they so kindly give back to God and His work all over the world.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Congratulations. You are blessed, but you are also very gifted. Thanks for submitting yourselves to God's will. You are making a huge difference. God bless.

Re: Ten Years!
 

Nice article......something the big metro areas would not do:foottap.
Congratulations on your ten years.