1st Worship Service @ OOTBWC is a Success

This is a guest post from one of our members, Donna Godwin. Be sure to check our Donna’s blog at Art-n-Stuff

Hi!

This has been an exciting year for our church.  We have many new ministries that have started and are flourishing-Wheatland SS Ministry, The new Spanish ministry and now OOTBWC.  I know that God has received several new converts into His ever expanding family here on earth. Hallelujah!   I also know that we have several who have expressed a desire to join OOTBWC.   God is at work among us!  It’s not the work of one- but the work of many, many, many hands, hearts and prayers.  The Body of Christ.  YOU!

THANK YOU CHURCH!

As I was making Christmas goodies with the girls this afternoon my mind raced back the Evangelism conference earlier in 2010.  It seems like years ago-but it was really only 10 months ago!  I told Corynn that the preview service this morning reminded me of the conference.  She agreed.  In my mind I see Hillsville hosting an evangelism conference in the future.   For those who were there, I know you remember the excitement and anticipation we all felt that weekend.  It was exactly like today.  Arms raised, hearts and mouths praising God Almighty.  The WORD of God was being spoken and was LIVING in each person there.  I know it took a lot of work, prayers, and commitment to get that conference off the ground…just like it has with OOTBWC.

A tree comes out of it’s box…to be lit up and shared with all…this evening it holds the precious prayers of the people.

As one of the team members I can say that this morning was like the icing and the ice cream on the cake!  We have seen the walls come down, things stop, start, and stop again.  We have experienced bad weather and other things that are too numerous to count.  We have all had to re-focus ourselves from time to time and remind each other to look to GOD in ALL things.  God is large and in charge and he controls the stops and starts.  We will never know his reasons for why things have happened the way they have-we have to continue to walk by faith and not by sight, at all times.    This morning He made a huge start!

As I walked into OOTBWC I was greeted by team members who were waiting outside on the sidewalk.  They were there to greet and guide people into the building.  As I went through the doors I could smell the aroma of coffee and hot cocoa inside and I was greeted with these big grins from other team members.  Those smiles said to me, ” JOY!”

I walked down the hall that leads to the sanctuary and opened the door….I was taken aback by what I saw……

Pretty crazy, huh?  A first preview service with this many people!    100!!!!!!!!!    The night before we spent time cleaning and setting up chairs.  I wondered how many people would be there the next day.  Well, this morning,  when I opened the door all I saw were full seats!  The place was packed!  My heart jumped right out of my chest.  There were quite a lot of people there I didn’t know and had never met.  I could feel the emotions rising up in my throat and right to my tear ducts, but I held it in.

No crying today.

You see today is proof that GOD exists!  That there IS JOY in this  broken world and it’s in knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

I saw people who were hungry for God and who were being fed by hearing Ronnie’s beautiful, heartfelt message on JOY.    I didn’t just see it- I felt it to the core of my soul.   The atmosphere in the room was one of excitement and anticipation- just like at the Evangelism conference.  THIS WAS God’s “evangelism conference in Hillsville! “

The praise band was fueled with passion for Jesus Christ and they got us up out of our seats and worshiping God.  It was a beautiful thing.

Look!  These teens are having fun worshiping God!  I love these crazy kids!  They’ve “got it!”

They are even taking notes!

I know that God’s heart was jumping for JOY because my own was beating right out of my skin.   I was sort of busy with my camera and I took a lot of photo’s to mark this day.  This is just the beginning.   Cort said, ” we are going to need a bigger building!”  AMEN!

Wow!  What an awesome God we serve!  In these next pictures you will see the Glory of the Lord shining on the face of His precious child, our Pastor Ronnie.

We love you Ronnie and Misty!