Churches in Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi gather for Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday is always an encouraging time for disciples! Although our worship services are always special,
Since the Mid-South Conference in Nashville last October we all wanted to be able to come together and meet one weekend to worship and have great fellowship. What better weekend than Easter? As the Minister of the Birmingham Church I am so encouraged by the resolve of our brothers and sisters in both Jackson and Huntsville to remain united together through seemingly tough times. The Jackson Church is currently made up of 8 brothers and sisters with no full time leader. The Huntsville Church is made up of about 17 brothers and sister, also without a full time leader. They meet each week in one of their homes to worship, fellowship and commune together.
Last Month the Huntsville brothers and sisters made the decision to come and meet with The Birmingham brothers and sisters once a month. We are so excited about this! Not only will that be encouraging for them, but to have Huntsville with us once a month will also encourage all of us in a great way in Birmingham! In the past several years there have been more and more smaller groups of disciples in cities without full time leadership. Some of those groups are under 50 disciples and many of those groups under 20. Currently the Birmingham church is right around 55 members. We have the resources to have a full time Evangelist and worship together in a meeting facility. This is truly a gift from God. And though we have the financial resources we are still incredibly grateful for The Nashville Church and the way they have pulled us in over the past several years as a larger church. In turn, it has been on our hearts here in Birmingham to do the same for our brothers and sisters in smaller groups where there is a great need. I believe that this is something that is extremely important as we regain our footing as churches. I believe that the larger churches with greater resources have an obligation to the smaller groups who are struggling to keep their heads above water and there are many out there.
I believe Paul describes it best here in 2 Corinthians Chapter 8:
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
The work of Missions remains on our hearts as it should, but we cannot forget about missions right here in our own back yard. We work hard to supply financial needs to our brothers and sisters in countries less fortunate so that full time evangelists can be hired and meeting facilities be paid for and most importantly the word can be preached - This is a need and something we must attend to, but is there less of a need for us to supply the financial and leadership support right here for our brothers and sisters who are fighting to hang on spiritually in such cities as Huntsville, Jackson and Little Rock? I would challenge the Eldership and leadership groups of the larger churches in cities with much greater resources to think about the the smaller groups of brothers and sisters who are doing the very best the can to survive spiritually in cities right in your own backyard where there is no leadership.
An argument we had in the past was that brothers and sisters should move to the bigger churches if they were serious about spiritual growth or if they wanted to be a disciple, but there are many who are in circumstances where that may not be feasible. Many have gone home to take care of family or parents. Some are in the Military and don't have a choice. Some have felt the need to return home to help their families become Christians. Circumstances vary across the board. Besides, we want to reach the world and by having these small groups in these cities gives us the opportunity to officially plant churches in these areas to evangelize and get the word out to. For example, Huntsville is a group of 17 brothers and sisters; it's almost a self made mission team. They only need support to hire a full time minister or couple who could go in and lead them spiritually and evangelistically. We wouldn't use the argument that if smaller groups in other countries were serious about being Christians then they would move to a large healthy church in the U.S. would we? Of course not. We send the financial means necessary along with men and women willing to pick up everything and move to help get the church on it's feet.
To our brothers and sisters in smaller congregations who are without full time leadership, we love you and you are in our prayers. Trust God and hang in there. God is in control and though we may not always understand why God allows some of the things he allows don't forget that he has a plan for all of us. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)
To conclude, in the meantime, while God works out his plan, we, here in Birmingham are excited about our ongoing relationship with both our Huntsville and Jackson brothers and sisters. If there are brothers and sisters in cities nearby those of you in larger congregations, please reach out to them. Have them come and join you on Sundays from time to time. Exchange emails and phone numbers. Take one of your family groups to meet with them on a Sunday in their cities. Invite them to marriage retreats, singles retreats and other conferences. Have real talks and encourage one another and discuss as leadership groups what possibilities there might be to officially support a mission team in those cities. There is a need.
Your brother in Christ,
Jarrod Robinson
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