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.
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!
Awesome, Sherri. A servant's heart leads to contentment.
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If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
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.
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!
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"The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character."
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?
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?
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.
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