Pastor John Rea of Legacy Church, Myrtle Beach, will be the first to tell you that many outside churches and resources have helped this new church plant get off the ground and running. The church began in May 2008. This summer, FBC Rincon, Georgia, in the Savannah area, can be added to the list of the many churches who have partnered in various ways with helping Legacy Church grow. Youth pastor, Bryan Gilde, and music minister, Greg Hartzog, led a team of 22 students and adults from FBC Rincon to come and help Legacy with their Vacation Bible School (VBS) this year. On the opening day of their VBS, they assisted 12 workers from Legacy Church to reach the children and families of the area.
Lindsey Fender, volunteer children’s director, and Missy Gray, volunteer youth director at Legacy Church are excited about what is happening at Legacy Church. When asked what drew them to this new church start, they both said it was because of the real relationships that were being formed there. Missy said she had prayed for her husband to be more of a spiritual leader in their home, and he was drawn to Legacy through the church’s softball team. Through the relationships formed there, he made the decision for his family to get involved in the church. In January, Missy agreed to be their volunteer youth leader. Since then the group has grown from four students (her children and the pastor’s children) to a core group of 25 who come regularly. They call their youth group the Carolina Believers and have adopted as their motto “Standing Out for Christ.” Lindsey Fender says she likes being a part of a team, and Legacy is a church where she feels a part of a family. “We’re all in this together,” she says.
Pastor John Rea cites many churches who have helped them on their journey. Palmetto Shores Baptist and pastor Ronny Byrd have been big supporters since the beginning. The team from FBC Rincon stayed in their family life center. Southeast Baptist Association, where Wil Bradham is director of missions, provided their disaster relief showers for the team to use. Lisa Rea, Pastor John’s wife, works at Surfside First Baptist, and some of the children from that church are attending VBS at Legacy. Many also attend to support Legacy’s Saturday night worship service. Legacy does not have a Sunday worship meeting time, and Pastor John believes the Saturday worship at 5 p.m. is meeting a real need in his community. His wife Lisa says, “We are freed up to go and help serve in other churches on Sunday and many of those involved at Legacy do just that.” Pastor John says three other pastors in the area have talked with him recently about their Saturday night services and how it is reaching people. Even though Legacy is a new church, they are cooperating and giving back to other churches in the area.
Daryl Price of the SC Baptist Convention helped connect FBC Rincon with Legacy Church. VBS resulted in an average attendance of 40 children per night with 11 commitments to Christ. The children gave a total of $231.49 towards A Heart of Haiti. Lindsey Fender, children’s director, said, “We had families that are in our community come with their children and have made plans to return.” Calley Sullivan, a rising ninth grader from Rincon, Georgia, helped lead music for VBS and said, “I liked getting to hang out with Legacy’s youth group. The trip really helped me to build relationships with my own youth group; and I built an even better relationship with Christ.” Bryan Gilde, youth pastor at FBC Rincon said, “The trip was much more beneficial than we anticipated. Not only did we minister to families in need of the love of Christ, but we were mutually encouraged (Rom. 1:12) by Legacy Church. Church planting is hard work, which most people are not aware of until they see it firsthand. This VBS mission trip is one way FBC Rincon is impacting the lostness of our world.” Legacy Church is leading the way in helping students, children, and adults learn that kingdom growth comes through God using the power of cooperation. We are all in kingdom growth together! Consider taking your VBS on the road next summer as FBC Rincon did this year.
Daryl Price adds, “Have you considered multiplying your VBS reach? Would you consider taking VBS on the road to help a new or struggling church? This VBS mission trip is one way FBC Rincon is impacting lostness. What are some additional ways your church could partner with churches near and far to “spur one another on to impact lostness”? For more information on how your church can be involved in church planting, contact Daryl Price at darylprice@scbaptist.org.
