Meet Your Church Planters: Ricky Eason
New Life Christian Fellowship in Spartanburg, SC
Ricky Eason is happily married and has four children that, he is proud to say, are all saved and serving the Lord. He planted New Life Christian Fellowship in Spartanburg because he began to see a different kind of church-goer emerge—ones who loved Jesus but did not have many typical religious strings attached. Out of this passion God called him to start New Life Christian Fellowship.
In addition to planting New Life, Ricky was also selected to be the first African American Moderator of the Spartanburg Baptist Network. After that, he was asked to organize multi-ethnic worship services across the Upstate once a month for the Ethnic America Summit. These are exciting opportunities that Ricky is very passionate about!
Their church has seen many people get saved and be baptized through their ministry, and that is something Ricky is eternally thankful for. New Life has adopted a large apartment complex and they go to minister there weekly. Along with the help of First Baptist Spartanburg, New Life gave 25 families Christmas this past year who otherwise would have had nothing. Many of the families as a result are coming to church and others say that they are going to. One of the families, a lady named Ms. Jones and her 4 children, have been coming every Sunday and Wednesday since Christmas and are very thankful for the ways the church has been a blessing to their family. God is already using the generosity of their church family to positively impact the community of Spartanburg.
Ricky has recently taught their church family about small group ministry, and it is taking off and God is using it to deepen their community in great ways. It was an eye opening experience for many of the church members, and surely something that is going to continue to greatly benefit their church. They are praying for more souls to be saved as they continue to form their church family and reach out to the lost in their community.
Ricky loves to be a pioneer and he loves a challenge, and he got the opportunity for both of those with planting a church. However, the joy far outweighs the pain and struggle and he is blessed to be a part of God’s ministry in Spartanburg. His biggest frustration has been getting other churches to come alongside a church planter in a supportive way, as a parent to a child—not seeing them as a threat but as a complement to reach the lost.
God has been faithful in providing for their church, and Ricky even boasts that 80% of their church members tithe, which is indeed something to be proud of. However, because most of their church has a lower income, it is still a struggle to operate effectively. But Ricky knows that the same God who called him will be faithful in providing and equipping him. If may not always look like we want, but He is faithful.
Ricky is extremely thankful for the support of South Carolina Baptists in the life of their church, and he is excited to continue to grow New Life Christian Fellowship through that support system. Prayers for Ricky and for New Life are greatly appreciated.
