We attended Victory Baptist for almost ten years. We started going when Rebecca was pregnant with Laura. We had been out of church for awhile.
I had not been I getting anything out of Rebecca's parent's church (a rather large community church), although it is a good church with good people. Rebecca didn't feel welcome in my old church (plus it was too far to drive every Sunday.)
We started on a Sunday morning, and didn't stop. We became part of the church family. The church ladies threw Rebecca her baby shower. We fell in love with the people, and God move in our hearts.
It started when my cousin invited us to his church's revival. We enjoyed Capitol City Baptist a good bit. The pastor of the church had taught me in Sunday School teacher when I was a teenager. We started to attend Bible study on Thursday nights.
It was fun, refreshing, and spirit filled. We were drawn closer to this body of believers.We were very faithful to Thursday nights.
Then we went to a camp meeting the church held. God touched my heart and had me surrender parts of me I've held back for years. God rekindled a fire that had long laid dormant in my heart, something I feared I never would have again.
That fall, we put our daughter in the church's school. Even though we were involved with both churches, I knew where God wanted me, and didn't waver. My rekindled fire was used of God at my church, and things started to progress.
I had much responsibility in my church. I lead Children's Church. I lead the youth. I played bass guitar. I did the web site. I taught Sunday School.
Over the course of a year or so, God started removing things from me. One at a time, slowly, he took them away. First, the bass playing went when our piano player left. Then another lady took over my Sunday School class. Then a fellow at church wanted to take over the web page.
Isn't it funny how we don't see the hand of God except in the rear view mirror! I don't think I could have left if all of this was still on me!
Then about November, the progress fizzled. From our perspective, God's forward movement stopped. The services became dry and the contrast between Victory and Capitol City became very vibrant.
Abraham's heart must of been torn in two when he was told by God to sacrifice his son of promise. The boy was an answered prayer, and his birth was a miracle by anyone's standards, and in him the promise of God to Abraham was confirmed.
Yet, it was only when Abraham gave God the very thing he loved the most that Abraham could be what God wanted him to be. We can't serve God holding ourselves back from God.
My wife knew first. She told me she felt God moving us on. I resisted. I still had the youth ministries, and couldn't even imagine leaving. But the draw of God became urgent.
I wanted to make sure that we were doing God's will.We earnestly sought God's will. We even went so far as to lay out the fleece.
In the book of Judges, we are told of a young man who God told to lead an army against invaders. Lacking confidence, he asked God to confirm His will with a physical act of His power.
Our prayer was "God, if you wish us to stay at Victory, move in the service during youth Sunday." Such a simple request..The Sunday before the meeting, there came a huge snow storm. Power was knocked out, and church was canceled. Since this happened to be the night the Christmas play and Cantata were supposed to be performed, the leadership canceled youth Sunday and moved the play and Cantata in its place.
Not only did God not move in the youth service, he prevented the service from being held just to remove any doubts. We had our answer.
I spent several days trying to find the right 'protocol'. How do you leave a church in the right way?
Most people leave a church when they just get upset over something, and leave. Their example I did not want to follow.
I also didn't want to be a hindrance to the church, nor did I want people to be upset. After prayer and much reading, I decided that we just needed to leave. We gave no speeches. We tried to draw as little attention to ourselves as we could. We provided no unsolicited explanations to friends. We just left.
It was with a heavy heart that I wrote a letter to the pastor, telling him we were leaving. Then, we left. I dropped off the letter and my keys, and that was that. One Sunday Victory. The next, Capitol City..
Since that day, my heart still aches at times for my old church. They have had a very hard year. Within weeks of our leaving, storms overtook the church. They've lost most of their attendance, and their pastor. I am so grateful that I listened to the Word of the Lord and left when we did, before any of the problems. The church is in my prayers regularly.
We are, however, where God wants us. God has moved me into new ministries. I still play the bass. I help in Children's Church. I am working in the bus ministry. I've even preached a few times.
