The Impact of a Local Church

Local churches (community churches) seem to be getting a bad rap these days as being out-of-touch and slow to change.  But I believe the local church is still God's chief headquarters.  When I read the New Testament, Paul always identified the churches by the towns in which they served.  It was always a local church.

But the church is more than a location, it is a people.  I remember the story of Dr. W.A. Criswell, infamous pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, TX - at the time the largest Southern Baptist church in the world.  A reporter came to visit one day to his office asking about the ministry there.  As the interview was coming to an end, the reporter asked Dr. Criswell if he could see the church.  The Pastor responded with a surety but did not immediately make jesters to leave the room for a tour.  After a few minutes, the reporter pressed again to which Dr. Criswell replied, you will have to come back Sunday.  The church today is scattered all over the world. But on Sunday, it will come back together.

When I think about the local church in Rainsville called Rainsville First Baptist Church (where I am privileged to be pastor), I am amazed at the reach this church has from a small community.  We reach nine schools in DeKalb County as students and teachers serve in these areas.  Plus, we have students in seventeen different colleges. We have people who work from south Tennessee to Marshall County to Huntsville to west Georgia.  We have others who may be in Florida today and Arizona next week.  During the course of a year, you will find individuals and teams going to places like Massachusetts, Honduras, Nicaragua, Uganda, and other places where God is calling.

While the place where the church meets in located at 223 Church Avenue in Rainsville, AL., the church scattered is all over the world.  Don't underestimate what God can do through His local church.