Although Victory Baptist Church, the church I attend isn’t considered small by our county standards, to city folk it would be a small country church; and to those who meet the souls who dwell within on Sunday, you would assuredly believe that it is a small country church. It’s because they’re good country people who love each other and it’s evident. It’s not a Sunday morning only love, but it’s an “I’ll be at your house on Monday to help,” kind of love. And a “I’ll pray for you… really,” kind of love.
I was saved in that church in 1996 and it set me on a journey to experience Jesus in a way that I am forever grateful for. It placed burdens upon me and within me, and one such burden is that if I’m given the opportunity to minister in a “little country church,” that I go without hesitation. It’s not that I’m a billionaire who can afford to traverse all over the country, I would be the antonym of that word. I just know my calling and I go believing the Lord will provide the means.
The desire to encourage the little country church came from Pastor John Powell, who has since gone on to be with Jesus. He operated a mission called “Appalachian Independent Baptist Missions” (AIBM) that provided support for the little country church up the hills and hollers of West Virginia. Those who couldn’t always afford the gas or electric bill in the winter, and a Pastor’s salary in most instances was a dream. They were seldom afforded the opportunity, as many of us have been, to candidate a new Pastor. But, rather, they’re grateful when a Pastor shows up willing to serve. Which puts many of them in the position of not always being led by doctrinally sound Pastors and causes confusion and turmoil that often leads to churches falling apart. AIBM would often find men willing to serve in those communities and do what they could to help the churches grow and become self-sustaining. When Victory Baptist Church was being newly constructed, AIBM organized a work crew from Ohio that came up, donated materials and did physical labor to help us, believing that God had a mighty work to do with us. And He has! AIBM no longer exists. And although I would love to pick up that ball, God will have to open that door.
As times get tighter on families, it get’s tighter in the church house too, and many churches do with the bare minimum to survive, and unfortunately many don’t. Every week I pass grown over churches with weeds up to the windows. That breaks my heart! Because if you’ve never been in a little country church, let me tell you what you’re missing…
You’re missing Boyd Duskey, who set on the front seat of the Cremo Community Church and testified of his mother’s trips to the altar with tears in his eyes and a glad heart that he had that memory to cherish. He described in detail of what she wore, how she walked and how she knelt and what God did in his life because of a God fearing mother.
You’re missing Buelah Shields, a widow with very little means; but every time the Pastor mentioned a need in our church, her thin frail frame would make it’s way out of the seat and down the isle she would come with an old fashioned pocket book swinging on her arm, unlatch the top where she’d pull out a twenty dollar bill, and tell the Pastor, I’ll start the giving.
You’re missing a young man who’s now in my teen ministry, who “walked like an Egyptian” across the platform in the Christmas play as we rolled laughing, and his momma wanted to crawl under a pew, but it’s still one of my favorite memories. Because that little boy loves Jesus and he’s not a teen and apart of a church that loves him.
You’re missing the 5 day tent meeting that went on for 21 days in 2010 because some teen agers got a hold of God and Heaven came down. Ten men were called to preach, and lives were truly changed that year.
You’ll miss the lady in the photograph, Miss Lula Hughes who at 102, came to the Cremo Church Homecoming, and forgot she was blind for second, causing her family to run to her side for rescue from a fall. But she had people she wanted to talk to!
These are just a couple of the memories and I have dozens and dozens that I can recall because God showed up in a little country church and did something amazing. Not just my own church, but countless other churches that I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to sing and speak in. It’s not that God won’t do that in the big churches, but I still think you need a country heart. One that knows God, knows the people in the church, and truly knows when there’s a need.
This weekend I ministered in song at Cremo again. There was dinner on the ground in a little shed to the side of the church, old time preaching in the afternoon and singing to close the service out. There wasn’t as many people there as there once was, but the Spirit of God was there as He’s always been.
Country churches don’t hold the exclusive right to the Spirit of the Lord. God is where His people are regardless of how large or small the congregation is. I’ve been in some huge churches where the Spirit has done amazing things too. My point of emphasis on the small country churches is that they’re a dying breed and it’s a sadder world because of it. Many people assume because of the lack of attendance that God is no longer doing a work there. It’s not that God’s not working there, it’s often that the servants of God are worn out there. While it’s said that 10% of the congregation does 90% of the work, (which I believe is true, or possibly even less) What that looks like in a congregation of 20-30 people, is 2 or 3 people are trying to keep the whole thing afloat. And the ships are sinking because the crew is tired.
Come Saturday, September 28th, my friend Gloria and I will be winging our way across the country to two country churches in New Mexico, ready to do what the Lord has laid upon our hearts to do. Encourage them through music and any other way He might lead. I pray He’ll do something amazing! And I pray you’ll pray too. God is always ready and available to do a work with us if we’re ready and available.
I view my work in the United States as a mission field. The world does not. They think we as a Nation are fine. We as a Nation should know better. We’re not fine. We need folks to encourage us with hymns of the faith and a battle cry that says “Onward Christian Soldiers!” We need to extend a hand of love that tells someone from another congregation, “we’re in this together.”
Apostle Paul spoke to the Romans whom he’d yet to meet when he said “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you that I may import unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established, That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” ~ Romans 1:10-12
In 2014 or there ‘bouts, I put a note in a box on my mantle that simply said “New Mexico.” It was my desire to go there and minister someday. God has opened the door. The day is fast approaching and I’m excited! If you’d like to support this trip you can do that in two ways: Ernestly pray that God does a great work, and let me know you’re praying. And if you have the means and desire, please click the give button below. As I said, I’m not a billionaire, just a willing vessel for the Lord. But I’m going, believing that God’s got a work and I got a will!
To Contribute to this ministry follow the Paypal Link!
