Here's a pretty good sample conversation in my life these days.
Person: What's going on at Bay West Church?
Me: Well, we're about to start meeting in a new place in August for worship on Sundays.
Person: That's awesome! Where is it?
Person: What's going on at Bay West Church?
Me: Well, we're about to start meeting in a new place in August for worship on Sundays.
Person: That's awesome! Where is it?
Me: Up on the West end of Emerson in Palm Bay (100 Emerson Drive, 32907)...you know The Mission Church, there? That's where we'll be.
Person: What? Where is The Mission Church going?
lol. I figured it might be fun to share the explanation in one place...so here's what I say next.
The Mission Church isn't going anywhere. They'll be there and so will we, AND so will the Hispanic church that meets in the building as well. Since the 80s, when the Ostranders built the church, they have always had other churches meeting in their space. They see this as part of their ministry to Palm Bay to help other churches get off the ground. "This is God's building, not ours...nothing is off limits to you here...we want you guys to feel as if this is Bay West Church's home while you are here." That's the type of things we heard in our meetings with Pastor Mark, Pastor Jesse and Pastor John. They have a real kingdom mindset, because more healthy churches reaching people in Palm Bay is better for all...no church competition here.
lol. I figured it might be fun to share the explanation in one place...so here's what I say next.
The Mission Church isn't going anywhere. They'll be there and so will we, AND so will the Hispanic church that meets in the building as well. Since the 80s, when the Ostranders built the church, they have always had other churches meeting in their space. They see this as part of their ministry to Palm Bay to help other churches get off the ground. "This is God's building, not ours...nothing is off limits to you here...we want you guys to feel as if this is Bay West Church's home while you are here." That's the type of things we heard in our meetings with Pastor Mark, Pastor Jesse and Pastor John. They have a real kingdom mindset, because more healthy churches reaching people in Palm Bay is better for all...no church competition here.
Here's a good picture of their attitude...their offer. We'll move our services from 10:15 to 9am, so you guys can have a service on Sunday mornings in our worship center. You guys have all these cabinets and stuff...hey, we've got places you can store the stuff...don't spend money on storage, we want you to put as much as you can into ministry. We'll find places for you to store it here. If you've been in The Mission, you know it's not gigantic...that's generosity. You see the real test of someone's kingdom mindedness when it actually puts them out...when they have to sacrifice their capabilities to help God work through you. We should all take a lesson from them.
So at 8:00am on August 11th, they'll have their Sunday School, then at 9:00am their have their service and finish between 10:15 and 10:30...then we'll start our service at 11am. And we'll all have church.
Is Bay West Church going to merge with The Mission Church?
Nope...we are still a campus of FBC Melbourne, still a Southern Baptist Church. Meeting in the same building with two other churches... Although, Pastor Mark is trying to talk me into going to Haiti on a mission trip with him...I'll have to hook him up with our local Haiti "missionary" Bob Osterholm (lol).
That's how it works...it may sound different, maybe a little weird, but it's a God thing...just go with it.
Is Bay West Church going to merge with The Mission Church?
Nope...we are still a campus of FBC Melbourne, still a Southern Baptist Church. Meeting in the same building with two other churches... Although, Pastor Mark is trying to talk me into going to Haiti on a mission trip with him...I'll have to hook him up with our local Haiti "missionary" Bob Osterholm (lol).
That's how it works...it may sound different, maybe a little weird, but it's a God thing...just go with it.
REMEMBER...Football is in the Fall, right? Then remember 11 on 11...11am on the 11th of August is when Bay West will be in their new location.
***See how I resisted the normal tangent about how a church isn't a building...it's people. When you think about it that way...it's a lot easier.
