Thursday, September 07, 2017
A Great Church in Caribou, Maine
There are not a lot of churches in Northeast Maine. Of any kind. Sure not many churches of Christ. In fact, the nearest church of Christ to the one in Caribou is a good hour away. The Caribou church has about 20 members. Over 25% of their church has to drive an hour to worship. The church has white, black, and brown members. One family drives in from Canada.
The church used to be about 150 members thirty or forty years ago. Then the Air Base closed. No more military families. Lots of businesses closed too.
The preacher works full-time at Walmart so he and his family can stay up there and do ministry.
But that church will not give up. They will not close their doors. They are determined not just to stay alive, but to grow. And by grow, I mean real Kingdom growth. New disciples.
And that is how I got involved with them. Hope for Life agreed to help them in a campaign. So I got to do a seminar on how to share the story of Jesus. More than 1/2 of their church participated. Because they want their friends, neighbors, and families to know Jesus.
I was there a couple of weeks ago to speak in an evangelistic event. Averaged over 20 every night. Lots of people they asked did not come. But they asked. And conversations about Jesus took place.
God must be getting ready to do something amazing there because Satan is on the attack. That small group of disciples are dealing with serious health issues, bad family crisis, job struggles, spiritual battles, and well ... you get the idea.
But they have friends and neighbors checking out Jesus and his people. One sweet lady came every night. She has been coming to church with her kids. She even brought a couple of neighborhood kids. She told me she does not have a Jesus story or a spiritual journey. Yet. Life has been hard for her. Is hard. But this community of faith is there for her. Sharing life. Sharing Jesus. I told her to be sure and let me know when she decides to follow Jesus.
They have some on-going conversations started. They have a few people interested. They are expecting visitors from the community to show up over the few weeks and months.
I like that church. I am proud of that church. Even better, God is proud of his people there in Caribou.
They are committed to continuing to sow seed and trust God to give the harvest.
I think he will.
I want to be like them.
So God bless my Caribou family. Give the harvest they are working for. Connect them with those seeking you. Bless the conversations going on even now. And bless those making decisions for and about you. Grow your people in Maine.
The church used to be about 150 members thirty or forty years ago. Then the Air Base closed. No more military families. Lots of businesses closed too.
The preacher works full-time at Walmart so he and his family can stay up there and do ministry.
But that church will not give up. They will not close their doors. They are determined not just to stay alive, but to grow. And by grow, I mean real Kingdom growth. New disciples.
And that is how I got involved with them. Hope for Life agreed to help them in a campaign. So I got to do a seminar on how to share the story of Jesus. More than 1/2 of their church participated. Because they want their friends, neighbors, and families to know Jesus.
I was there a couple of weeks ago to speak in an evangelistic event. Averaged over 20 every night. Lots of people they asked did not come. But they asked. And conversations about Jesus took place.
God must be getting ready to do something amazing there because Satan is on the attack. That small group of disciples are dealing with serious health issues, bad family crisis, job struggles, spiritual battles, and well ... you get the idea.
But they have friends and neighbors checking out Jesus and his people. One sweet lady came every night. She has been coming to church with her kids. She even brought a couple of neighborhood kids. She told me she does not have a Jesus story or a spiritual journey. Yet. Life has been hard for her. Is hard. But this community of faith is there for her. Sharing life. Sharing Jesus. I told her to be sure and let me know when she decides to follow Jesus.
They have some on-going conversations started. They have a few people interested. They are expecting visitors from the community to show up over the few weeks and months.
I like that church. I am proud of that church. Even better, God is proud of his people there in Caribou.
They are committed to continuing to sow seed and trust God to give the harvest.
I think he will.
I want to be like them.
So God bless my Caribou family. Give the harvest they are working for. Connect them with those seeking you. Bless the conversations going on even now. And bless those making decisions for and about you. Grow your people in Maine.
