Still Following

This morning I was reading in the book of Luke when I read a passage that grabbed my attention. I also noticed I had written something in the margin of my Bible next to that passage from a previous reading back in 2011.

"Don't be afraid," Jesus told Simon. "From now on you will be catching people!" Then they brought the boats to land, left everything and followed Him. [Luke 5:10-11]

I recall reading that passage back then. For months God had been speaking the same message to me, "Follow Me." Since January of 2011 I had heard this same resounding message over and over again. For months I did not know what it meant. Over time I began sensing God calling our family to go back to Paradise, TX to start a church. Later, I found out three different women were praying God would lead the Edwards family back to Paradise. One of these ladies had no idea the other two ladies were agreeing in prayer about this very thing. Six hours away in West Texas God was answering those prayers by calling me to follow Him.

On April, 21, 2011 I made a notation in the margin of my Bible next to the [Luke 5:10-11] text. Here is what I wrote. "Lord, I feel that is what you are calling me to do. To leave FBC Seminole, our home, and my salary to follow you back to Paradise to start a church."

Even now I can remember the great tug of war in my soul between staying in a church and in a community where we were loved, accepted and well taken care of or taking a huge step of faith. Seminole felt safe and secure. Starting a church seemed risky and costly. I cried out for hours and hours in tears for weeks on end wanting to know clearly what God was calling me to do. One afternoon several weeks later I laid face down on the carpet in my living room and completely surrendered to the will of God. That was the day I felt absolutely confident following Jesus meant leaving Seminole to start a church I did not even know the name of.

I will never forget July 22, 2011. We saw Tucker off to children's camp. Tanner had spent the night with a friend. Brenda, Turner, Taylor, and I went to eat breakfast together. I had a great lump in my throat and sadness in my heart. Taylor and I left town for good after breakfast that morning. We would not see the rest of the family for over six weeks. When I kissed Turner and Brenda goodbye after breakfast at La Sierra that morning I knew our lives would never be the same again.

When I drove out of town all I knew was that God had called me to start Faith Community Church. The initial core group chose this name. I knew I would live in a borrowed RV for a few days. I had no idea what the new church would be able to pay me. They met the previous night to discuss this. I would not find out until three hours later as Taylor and I drove through Abilene.

At the call of God we left everything to follow Him. I told this story last night to a man in our community during a break in a meeting who wanted to know what brought us back to this community. People have tried to concoct  their own version. Many have believed we left Seminole because there was trouble and I had to leave. That is not true. We left because Jesus told us to follow Him.

He still calls people to do this. He still calls people to lay down the familiar and personal security to follow Him. All of this came flooding back into my mind as I read [Luke 5:10-11] this morning and the notation I made in the margin of my Bible back on April 21, 2011. After reading I sat and contemplated  the events of the past year of my life. Here is what I wrote in the margin of my Bible this morning. "That is exactly what we did. We left FBC Seminole, our home, and salary to start Faith Community Church on July 22, 2011. Here we are. The church has grown to 100 in six months. 2-21-2012."

We are still following. If you have followed these blogs over the past six months you know the path from then to today has not been easy. You know I have battled discouragement and you know our house has not sold back in West Texas. You know the attendance at Faith Community has been up and down. This truth is perfectly clear to me though. God called my family here. No matter how tough the road is we cannot and will not turn back. We will keep following Him in the building of Faith Community Church.

I rejoice God has grown the church from less than one dozen people to over one hundred today in just six months. We baptized two people in 2011. So far this year we have already baptized four people and have two more scheduled in two weeks. Our student ministry went from seven back in July of 2011 to thirty-five today. In those six months God has added a part time worship pastor and a part time children's minister to our staff. God is saving adults and students. Faith Community church is having an impact on this community.

The Edwards family is still following Jesus. This story is only just beginning. Only the Lord knows what will happen in the next six months, year, and decade. All I know is I intend to keep following Him.