"I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me" (1 Corinthians 16:8-9).
We have been praying for over 19 years that God would open a door for us to reach the city of Wilson for Christ. Through the years our church has met in homes, schools, parks, and even in some church buildings that we rented. We have seen people come to Christ. We have grown little by little. But we have yet to see a movement, a great season of exponential growth.
This has never stopped our praying, "Lord, open a door for us."
Recently, it has happened. It seems a door is swinging open in Wilson. Have you noticed it?
The door to having a home of our own has been closed for 19 years. We've tried and tried, but we've remained portable. Suddenly, this past year, God gives us this new home. We're moving there in three weeks!
On top of that there's this great sense of spiritual receptivity. Everywhere we turn people are ready to respond to the gospel. Believers are ready to increase their commitment. People are visiting the Wilson County Jail to deliver Bibles. People who never trusted God to tithe, are starting to give. New small groups have been started. People are reading through the Bible. Ministry and mission are on our members hearts like never before.
Where in the past we encountered closed doors and hearts, these days it seems everywhere we turn, the door is swinging open!
Now, the question is how do we respond? I don't want to take this time for granted. With opening doors comes greater and greater need for those who will walk through them. There is work to be done while the sun is shining because the night may return when no one can work. Open doors don't stay open.
So, let's rally ourselves and pray for more workers. Let's walk through the doors that God is opening. Where are some of these doors?
- Saturday, April 9th, 10 AM - Food Drive "Hanging the Bags"
- Sunday, April 10th - Compassion Sunday "Sponsor a Child"
- Saturday, April 16th, 10 AM - Food Drive "Picking up the Bags"
- Saturday, April 23rd, 11 AM - Easter EGGstravaganza
- Sunday, April 24th - Easter Sunday/Baptism/Last day at CCS
- Saturday, April 30th, 10 AM - Parade/Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
- Sunday, May 1st - First Sunday at 2301 Montgomery Drive!
Some would say that we've put too much on our calendars, but to me, it seems like 19 years of perseverance and prayer are all coming to fruition.
When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Corinth, he must have felt this way. He had been in many cities where the people rejected the gospel. He'd been beaten, stoned, imprisoned. But in the city of Ephesus people were receptive. There was an open door. He was finding that the work of ministry was suddenly effective. He knew he couldn't leave and he couldn't let up. He knew he had to stay "on."
I don't know how long this door will stand open, so I'm not letting up, I'm staying "on." There will be time later to take time "off."
Let's stay "on" together while God has opened the door.
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