I’ve been swimming in an ocean of memories as of late. With our 25th church anniversary approaching (August 10 if you haven’t yet registered!), countless occasions have come to mind … our first house, our first friends, our first teammates, our first informational dessert, our commissioning, and our first worship gathering … all just the tip of the iceberg.
Those moments are testimonies to God’s faithfulness throughout our journey of faith, particularly the leg of the journey that has been anchored to Murfreesboro. But that journey began long before our arrival here.
Kimberly and I launched our great adventure together in Little Rock, AR (1991). It was there we were introduced to a Fellowship Bible Church. We truly were stunned by the community of faith we encountered, and it left an enduring imprint on us that would shape our view of Church thereafter.
When prayerfully seeking direction as to where I would plant a new church, the Lord continued to provide abundantly. Two dear friends of mine launched a Fellowship just down the road in Franklin, TN (1997). They were sent by Fellowship Little Rock. Both churches urged me to look at Murfreesboro as a new location, and committed themselves to help us get off the ground financially and otherwise. Not only that, Kimberly and I had almost 200 ministry partners who supported us during our days with FamilyLife, then four years at Dallas Seminary, who locked arms with us to start a church they would never attend. What generosity!
I truly could go on and on.
I’m certain many of you reading this blog have your share of testimonies to God’s faithfulness shown you through your journey with this community of faith.
That is at the heart of what we’re doing Sunday, August 10. We are remembering, reminding, celebrating and taking note of who God has been and what he has done for whatever length of time we have walked together in this church. Even if you have only been at Fellowship for a few weeks, you are a part of our story, and we want your voice in the air as we proclaim God’s goodness together.
You could say that we are joining our voices with David’s in the opening lines of Psalm 103 … Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (Psalm 103:1-2) We’re endeavoring after 25 years of his faithfulness to rehearse the countless benefits we have experienced as his people.
Not only that, we’re looking forward to all that he is calling us to in the days ahead. We do that because biblical remembering is about far more than memory. It begins with memory, but moves to action of some kind based on the thing remembered.
We have known his goodness, and we are compelled to share it with people of this world who have yet to taste and see that He is good. I wonder what stories we will tell years from now about the days ahead? I can tell you, I am as excited about the good work God has for us as I have ever been.
I look forward to blessing the Lord with you August 10, and I treasure the connections we will cultivate together for years to come. May the Lord cause the work of our hands to bear fruit beyond all that we ask or think.