Mr. Webster defines it as : the quality or state of being clear
Clear: a : bright, luminous
I want to be clear.....& provide clarity....for you.
As you know....I work with children's ministry so I'll tell you like I would tell them.
Long story short.
There was a man who was hired at a church in a little town. The church was small...maybe
The small church grew...It grew so large that the people couldn't fit into one service...so they grew to two services. People were drawn to the love that this church showed. It was however, "a ministry of open arms..."
The man visioned a building...a building so big it could hold more people...more people to be saved & to disciple....leading more people to be saved.
So, with a huge support system and a lot of praying...the building was built. The people in this small town were shocked that this could happen in the town. The church continued to grow.
The man had another vision. A vision that called his members to love & to love like never before. "A place for anyone to belong." ANYONE....& when that anyone showed up...that ANYONE could serve just like the rest of us anyone's. His mission for his church: "be a religiously incorrect culture embracing everyone with unconditional love and acceptance without judgement or fear".
With this vision, he felt led by God to surrender his license back to the Church of God denomination. With this sacrifice came risks. Once he surrendered, the Church of God took the building and the church name leaving us with no building and no church name.
The man told his members to meet in a local school gym the next Sunday. 400+ people showed up to start a new church with the man. It's a "new start, new name, new place."
Clarity... AHHHH....it's a wonderful thing.
Let me make it a little more clear.
Eddie Tomberlin DID NOT walk away from a 2.7 million dollar "church." He along with the rest of his church wanted to keep the building. However, the church of God wanted to keep the building under the denomination and place a new pastor to lead. That is fine. That is great. That is wonderful.
God has plans for Eddie Tomberlin's NEW church.
Ok. Seriously.
ONE more thing. I love you....regardless if you left the denomination with us or whether you stayed. We all have a choice....no choice is wrong or right. BUT whatever you have chosen, do it with your whole heart. Do it because you want to serve and love. Because all that matters in all of this is...."Every Soul Counts."
The End.
