Nadine and I just finished spending two days in Akegera National Park in Rwanda with our son, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. We experienced many game sightings including close views of giraffes, zebras, baboons, monkeys, waterbuck, impalas, hippos, topi, crocodiles, elephants (a bit too close when a large male blocked the road and aggressively swung his trunk), and a lion lying on the road immediately in front of us earlier in the day. More distant views of eland, white rhinoceros, warthogs, and cape buffalo added to the delightful experience. Our son and daughter-in-law observed, “We saw more animals up-close than in eight previous visits to the park.” They had only sighted elephants in five of their visits and never the number we saw, noting the unusual blessing of closely viewing so many animals. The location of our final picnic lunch, where a large grass-filled meadow joined the savannah, found sizable groups of topi, cape buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, and two ambling warthogs. Over two days, the drives through the park gave a wonderful and relaxing environment, viewing God’s amazing creation and experiencing His refreshment.

We do not know why we experienced such a blessing of seeing so many animals up close, but we thank the Lord for such a wonderful and refreshing time. It followed a season of what seemed like weeks of work crammed into the final days before our departure. Life compressed a great deal of labor as we graded master’s level theses, concluded an interim pastorate, promoted Trinity at a district council, and then drove a distance to catch the flight to Rwanda. The sheer volume of work left us physically and emotionally exhausted. Life’s seasons can include both harrowing amounts of work and wonderful times of refreshing from the Lord. Rural ministry may seem more difficult than refreshing if we do not continually look for blessings. We often find either fulfillment or disappointment in where we place our focus.

When writing his joyous epistle from a Roman prison, the Apostle Paul reminds the church in Philippi about the necessity of focusing our thoughts and hopes in the right places. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things (Phil. 4:8).” The joy in rural ministry comes from embracing Paul’s encouragement on the placement of our focus and what we choose to remember.

Nadine and I recently recalled a difficult season of negative events early in our marriage. In a matter of months, our first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, Nadine’s 14-year-old brother died in an auto accident, and her parents’ separation turned into divorce. If these challenging events had become the focus of our lives and a centerpiece in our memories, we could have continually recounted the pain and challenge, instead of the dream of launching into a life of ministry. David G. Benner (2002, 53) challenged, “Praying we can know God’s presence in difficult circumstances is praying for new eyes to see where He is, not where we expect him to be.” God’s promise of His continual presence includes times of difficulty and joy. We often find the beauty of His presence in places we did not expect.

Several seasons of ministry have included occasions that required extra dependence on God’s strength and power (Zech. 4:6). Our experiences in walking through the valley of the shadow of death represent companionship with the Good Shepherd in hardship and His presence in green pastures and still waters (Ps. 23). We now temper those early disappointments with hundreds of positive memories of raising seven children, 17 amazing grandchildren, four decades of wonderful friendships, and a rich, full life of ministry. The early seasons of pain cannot compare to the joy from years of positive ministry.

Paul Davidson taught Bible classes at Trinity Bible College, which we attended four decades ago. He mastered profound, yet simple communication that brought biblical truth to practical living. He would often say, “Remember ‘it came to pass,’ it didn’t come to stay,” taking an often-stated phrase in scripture a bit out of context to make a point. Life’s temporary difficulties do not represent all that we will face. The challenges become a minor inconvenience when keeping eternity in focus because they “came to pass,” and do not compare to the joys that follow (Heb. 12:20).

Rural ministry brings challenges and hardship that can either cloud our thoughts or provide an opportunity to see the goodness, mercy, and grace God continually extends. When focusing on the true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good reports, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8), ministry yields a myriad of experiences that produce great joy. Meditating on these things allows the joy of life’s journey to reflect the goodness of God through every circumstance. The temporary experiences of this life do not compare to the good God brings, both in this life and the life to come.

Benner, David G. 2002. Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship and Direction. Downer Grove: VIP Publishers.

The post Finding Joy in the Journey appeared first on Rural Advancement.

by Hope Mayes

A woman nine months pregnant, kicked out of her house by her husband, had almost no belongings, and baby arriving soon. Feeling hopeless and alone, she surprised New Life Assembly of God by stumbling into the building of what would soon become the Woodstock Hope Center. Upon seeing her situation and the opportunity to show the woman she was welcome and loved, the lead Pastor Chad Payne and church volunteers packed her car with a baby crib, play place, car seat, diapers, baby clothing and food. As she drove away, they thought this act of compassion would not change her life forever, but it would give her threads of hope.

Threads of Hope in the Form of Community

Right at the top of the second poorest county in Alabama lies a unique church, equipped with creative vision and eyes that see through the lens of hope. New Life Assembly of God, led by pastor Chad Payne in Woodstock, lives out their motto “healing for your past, hope for your future” with every person that stumbles into their church. However, in the twenty years Pastor Chad has pastored at New Life, he learned the importance of knowing he pastors every person that walks into his church, and every member of the community as well.

 “It’s an essential and key component to see yourself as pastoring the community and not just the church” – Pastor Chad Payne

Pastor Chad has intentionally spent significant amounts of time “being present in the community,” representing the church in the restaurants and marketplace, and becoming acquainted with the people, culture and changing needs of Woodstock and the surrounding area. Payne finds it amazing what opportunities open up when “spending a lot of time being seen in the community.” Because of this, New Life has stayed attentive and addressed the essential needs with doses of hope prescribed specifically for the community’s symptoms.

Threads of Hope in Unique Forms

By adopting this mindset, New Life has begun to imagine new ideas for their small town! They have started to ask questions such as, “How can our church make a difference in the community?” and “What about our church would make the community sad if it went away?”

As a response to these queries, New Life has developed the Woodstock Hope Center, which provides hope to many foster families and individuals in hardship situations. In partnership with the Department of Human Resources, the Hope Center has already made available essential provisions, groceries, and clothing to foster families. Even before the grand opening in April 2020, the Woodstock Hope Center lived up to its tagline, where hope comes alive, by helping over two dozen foster families.

In order to address more needs unique in their community, God provided a 15 ½ acre property directly behind the church to be creatively used for ministry purposes! On one end, Pastor Chad plans to construct a fully functioning park with a softball field, walking track, picnic tables and much more. On the opposite end, Pastor Chad hopes to fill with tiny homes for senior citizens. The goal provides smaller homes for senior citizens to stay near the church and receive needed help rather than moving to an assisted living facility.

These solutions fulfill needs and place their church as a central hub within the community. Pastor Chad and his church have seen this building plan as an opportunity to build relationships with people who join from all around their area of Alabama and become a witness with their words and love for community.

 “Everywhere I go in the community I treat every person like they are the most important person in my life at the moment… If I can communicate to each person that they are valuable, if I don’t treat them like a counselor or something like that, but if I treat them as a friend and if I try to encourage them, it’s so much more effective in bringing out the best in people” – Pastor Chad Payne

If the Church takes the attitude of communicating to every person they encounter that they are wanted, valuable, and that someone believes in them, hope catches like a wildfire.

Threads of Hope That Endures

Pastoring the whole community, imagining what can be, and treating every person with importance remains the culture New Life exhibits in Woodstock, Alabama. New Life has made the most impact by involving themselves in their community and finding essential elements for their unique area and people. This proved more effective than trying to emulate a big city church in a small community.

 “When you take that approach, then the possibilities in your community are endless. There’s so much we can invest in. Whether the church grows numerically or not, we can still make a big difference in the community” – Pastor Chad Payne

Pastor Chad and New Life Assembly of God represent true testimonies that God’s people must take the attitude of relational service in all they do. Then ministry matches the needs of the community around them and quickly finds areas in which to invest resources, time, and love. Discover ways to communicate and deliver hope to the people around you, the options are endless.

Reflective Engagement:

1. How can you and your church get creatively administer of hope to the people and community?
2. What unique needs occur in your community?
3. How does ‘pastoring the whole community’ look in your ministry?
4. What does ‘treating every person as important’ change?
5. What new creative idea can you imagine?

Click here to read Senior Pastor Chad Payne’s recount of his battle with cancer while in a pastoral role.

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