Church Growth

Possibly you have noticed some of our families missing over the last few weeks, if you have, congratulations that you are aware of their absence. Currently we have four individuals who are at various levels of training for ministry certification within the Assemblies of God. For those who are reading this article and are not part of our local fellowship, David Caya is one of those four men who is pursuing full-time ministry as a senior/lead pastor. David, along with the other individuals who are in their “next steps” are all helping with Sunday morning services in Spooner WI. This interim oversight and pulpit-fill will last for at least 90 days which began in August. Hopefully and prayerfully within the next few weeks we will have greater clarity as to the long-term plan for Living Hope Fellowship. The Spooner A/G church (Living Hope Fellowship) is about 45 minutes south of Hawthorne Assembly. The Wisconsin/Northern Michigan Ministries Network has asked us to put together a master plan for the Spooner church and in conjunction with our own leadership team, consider what level of involvement is feasible for our local fellowship. I am personally committed in helping see this nearby Assembly of God church grow and flourish. Some of you might think what in the world are we even doing when we don’t even fill all the pews in our own sanctuary. Part of growth happens when you give things away, when you plant seeds in the ground, when you step out in faith and believe God will help you to advance his Kingdom. The ministry opportunity in Spooner has a number of very positive aspects. The church facility is perfectly located in a community with hundreds of potential members. They have very little indebtedness or monthly financial obligations. The mortgage on their church facility is minimal. They also own a very cozy three bedroom parsonage, which needs some upkeep, and has the potential to be a home for the next pastor or sold. Any proceeds from sale of parsonage could be used to update the current church facility and provide a cushion of finances for revitalizing the work in a town of over 3,000 souls. When any church decides to provide spiritual covering for another fellowship, it also means a need for additional prayer. Many of us should add it to our personal list. This is an exciting opportunity for developing our church into a greater and more impactful missions-minded congregation. Our local leadership board along with the assistance of the ministries network leadership will be able to chart a path for the future involvement or not of Hawthorne Assembly. One suggestion is to consider attending a Sunday service in the next two months. The drive to Spooner is easy and your involvement during a Sunday service will be a great encouragement to the less than a dozen people who attend their on a regular basis. Let’s be a blessing to our brothers and sisters in Spooner!