“The church is the people, not the building.” For more than a century, Pendleton Street Baptist Church stood as a fixture in the West End of Greenville, South Carolina. Established in 1889 as a mission of First Baptist Greenville, the church thrived for decades. However, as demographics shifted and the congregation aged, the church found itself increasingly
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Hope for Churches asked Rev. John Meyer, retired pastor of Belvedere First Baptist,to record this story of what God is doing one year after the churchaffirmed motion to be adopted by Warren Church. A popular song presently heard on Christian radio is entitled “God is in this story.” That song could very well be the
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In early 2020 a chance encounter at a local restaurant set into motion the unification of Calvary Baptist Church with Second Baptist Church, Lancaster. When the leadership of Calvary Baptist Church approached Dr. Brian Saxon one fateful evening in Panera Bread, neither of them realized that they were setting in motion a series of events
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Dunean Baptist Church was formed as a mill village church in the textile region of South Carolina’s Upstate. Dunean Baptist Church, nestled in a mill village neighborhood in South Carolina’s Upstate, has a rich history dating back to its founding on November 17, 1912. Eighteen adults gathered to establish a church that would grow alongside
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Adoption Partnership – River District Church, West Columbia, SC Adoption Partnership: At-risk church yields control to stronger parent church providing leadership and resources as guided by a partnership agreement. Over a 20-year period, the church experienced a steady decline in worship attendance resulting in a smaller congregation with limited means to maintain facilities much less,
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At-risk churches across South Carolina need strong churches to help them fulfill the Great Commission. They are willing to take steps of faith toward a new future and a renewed mission of gospel ministry in their community, but they need meaningful partners to come alongside them for a season. How could God utilize the resources
Partnership Options to Strengthen At-Risk Churches Read More »
Over the past several years, we have found great value in our intentional process to build a network of assessed and equipped leaders being sent to hard places of ministry in South Carolina. Here are few reasons why we assess our potential replanters. We believe in affirming God’s work in future leaders.As a state convention
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As the church revitalization movement continues to grow in South Carolina, we are blessed to hear from practitioners offering words of wisdom to others just starting their journey as a planter or replanter. Many of our planters are discovering opportunities to merge with at-risk churches with buildings and members to reSTART churches in strategic locations.
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As our sister churches continue to struggle and parking lots become more vacant, pastors are seeking ways to partner with churches at-risk of closure. This Kingdom mindset is vital to saturating our communities with the hope of the gospel, but let me encourage you to answer three questions before you say “I do” and form
In every church revitalization story, God answers the prayers of His people crying out in desperation for their church’s future. Across such stories, God moves in remarkable ways. He stirs in the hearts of church planters to merge with dwindling congregations. He moves pastors to lead their healthy churches to help at-risk churches. He reignites
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