Church closures can be nasty. Thankfully, this one wasn’t. It closed with dignity and grace. And its leaders gave me permission to do what I’ve felt called to do since I arrived…close this church and plant a new one at the same location.
Let me back up.
Our church had a truly beautiful history for more than 52 years. In the early 1960s, a group of people dreamed how God could work through a church on the far-west side of Fort Worth. The pastor most responsible for starting this church later went on to pastor one of our denomination’s largest churches in the country. God worked in mighty ways. He worked in the hearts of countless people who began following Jesus through this church’s ministry.
Time doesn’t permit recounting all the sweet memories that took place in this congregation for over 50 years. And I will always be incredibly indebted to the pastors who served before me.
But God made clear he is doing a New Work here. God has created new life. Many in our church have noticed the new life for quite some time. And, for quite some time, it’s like I have pastored two churches.
As one church neared the end of its life, it did so with beauty and humility. That church reminds me of the saintly grandmother, the strong and dependable family matriarch who lived a long and full life. Always thinking of others, she clung to life on the hospital bed until all family members have a chance to say their goodbyes.
After almost 4 years of hard work, prayer, ministry, and focusing on church health, we felt it was finally time to say “goodbye.”
People in the new church knew nothing of the older church’s long and storied past. Many also didn’t “look” like the average church member from the came from different races and socio-economic backgrounds of than the majority of members from the old church. Many rarely showed up Sunday mornings at Grace Tabernacle…it’s like that church wasn’t their church.
Over time it became very clear. God was doing a new thing. And it just didn’t make sense trying to make this “new thing” fit into this 50 year old church.
So I asked our leaders permission to close and restart…
I explained there would still be a church in our building, and I hoped the people from the old church would join the new church. But it would be a new church, not simply a new name for the old church.
Thankfully, our leaders also noticed God’s new work. And they agreed to my bold request. Sunday, February 26 was Grace Tabernacle Church of the Nazarene’s last official Sunday for worship.
On Sunday, April 1 Renovation Community will officially launch. Before October 1, we want 1000 people, the Renovation 1000, committed to pray for our new church. As I’ve shared in some of my other blog posts, God has taught me to walk by faith. He will pay all our bills. So I never need to ask for your money. But I will ALWAYS ask for your prayers. Will you sign up to pray for us?
To learn more about the new church or join our Renovation 1000 prayer team, go to www.renovationcommunity.church.
Or go to www.renovation1000.com for a direct link to our prayer team registration.
**If you have connections with Wedgwood/Grace Tabernacle Church of the Nazarene, please share this post and highlight our Celebration Service July 22. We hope to fill the building as we remember how God worked for 52+ years in that great church.*
