By Will Hall, Message Editor
ALEXANDRIA – Brad Webb, pastor of Family of Grace Church in Alexandria, praises his congregation, which now includes members of the former Baptist Temple, because of their commitment to worship God through corporate ministry as well as through corporate church services.
“God has granted favor to Baptist Temple members for their step of faith in embracing the vision of what we could do as one congregation,” Webb told the Baptist Message. “Likewise, He has blessed our people from family of Grace, who also stepped out in faith to see the possibilities here.”
Those possibilities are reality now as more than 300 people receive ministry each week at Family of Grace on the south side of town, where attendance for Sunday morning service as Baptist Temple had dropped to fewer than 40.
The campus is alive with children who receive academic tutoring three nights a week and other youth who come by bus on Wednesday nights for discipleship, families who are enrolled in English class, adults who are part of literacy courses, and people who come to be set free from addictions.
Webb said the ministries meet needs in the neighborhoods surrounding both campuses while everyone gets to see the face of Christ and hear the Good News of His love and mercy.
MUTUAL NEEDS
Children listen intently to Tiffany Kinnison, during one of three tutoring sessions offered Tuesday through Thursday.
Webb said the north campus was facing space limitations when God brought the two congregations together.
“We averaged 250 people per week prior to our merger and had just converted our office space to children’s space and moved our leadership team into a trailer, and we were looking at having to possibly finance a building program,” he said.
Meanwhile, Baptist Temple had declined, said Bob Mellon, long-time deacon of Baptist Temple Church, and members were convicted that “In the interest of being good stewards we could not sit here on this empty property knowing somebody ‘has to need it.’”
Baptist Temple’s leaders reached out to Robert Daniel, director of missions for the North Rapides Association, who led them to contact Family of Grace.
“We found out they were driving past us in their vans and buses wondering if we might be able to provide space,” Mellon recalled. “Here we were with all this space and no children. There they were with all the children and not enough space.
MUTUAL BLESSINGS
Four women who are deeply involved with the multi-dimensional ministries of the new Family of Grace congregation (two from the original north campus and two from Baptist Temple) said they feel like one body now.
Donna Cedars, a Baptist Temple member for about 30 years and a long-time pianist, said the outside focus of her renewed congregation challenged her notions of being in her spot. She no longer plays the piano, but “it looks like she might learn the keyboard” in order to help out the praise and worship team.
“The Lord has given me many other things [besides the piano]” she said. “’Undefeated’ is one – that’s the discipleship effort we’re doing tonight with all the little children coming in on the buses.”
Donna Cedars and Marion Burback prepare and serve Jambalaya, Feb. 22, for the scores of adults and children touched by the church’s outreach to the city each week.
Sue Haynes, a 65-year member of Parkview Baptist Church in Alexandria before joining the Family of Grace congregation four years ago, said the blessings are mutual.
“Family of Grace did not have a Sunday school program per se,” she said. “We just had classes for children. But when we merged, Baptist Temple had a Sunday school program, and Family of Grace members who could not make it to a home Bible study joined a Sunday school class.”
Donna Hickman, originally a Baptist Temple member, said the transition “has been seamless,” and she was especially complimentary about the Saturday night service.
“We started about five weeks ago with praise and worship and a sermon followed by fellowship,” she said. “It’s been different and wonderful, and a great way to reach the community, who are responding.”
“We were standing room only that first night!”
Marion Burback, a member of Family of Grace, added that “We’ve combined some things, and we’ve left some things separate, allowing people to come together.”
GRACE & FAVOR
Ashley Mack is the director of Undefeated and Cultivate After-School Program, and she said even in her area of responsibility, Family of Grace takes a different approach.
“We reach people who ordinarily might not go to church, by going out and bringing in kids from the inner city,” for a Wednesday program called Undefeated, Mack explained. “They enjoy a meal and we present a Bible lesson. The K-6 students do crafts and games and they learn about missions.”
The same is true for outreach to students in seventh through 12th grades, she said. The focus is on youth from the inner city.
The youth pastor Brandon Allen “preaches a series to them on Wednesday nights,” she said, and they do activities to grow closer as a group.
“God is doing something very unique in the life of the Family of Grace. But while we are trying new ways to reach the city, the people are experiencing the familiar love and grace of God.”
Webb said now the majority of the ministry by Family of Grace is taking place at the former Baptist Temple, and the multi-cultural congregation now looks more like the surrounding community.
The congregation has completed extensive renovations of the offices and worship center, without a budget to support it, after being led by the Holy Spirit to move ahead with the updates – in faith. He said the congregation has not had to buy any materials, contributing only free labor.
“We’ve not had to spend one penny from the Family of Grace general budget,” he said. “Outside donors, people from the community, have stepped in to provide materials,” responding in love to the church’s ministry to the inner city.
Moreover, he said what has happened to Family of Grace is possible for other congregations in similar scenarios and sizes.
“A multi-dimensional strategy for going outside the church building is a different pathway for an established church or a church plant to embrace the whole community,” he said. “Even for a church that thinks closing its doors is inevitable.”
Mellon agreed, saying churches need to remember God’s strategic vision for them.
“The first piece of land for Baptist Temple was given by Calvary Baptist Church, here in Alexandria, back in 1947. Then we acquired the ‘L’ piece which expanded our parking,” he added. “Now this site takes in the whole corner – the biggest part of our property – which always had been for lease, but we were told it was never going to be for sale. Then it became available and we were able to purchase it, before we knew we were going to merge with Family of Grace.
“So now we have 400 feet, plus, of frontage right here on MacArthur Drive, at what is a gateway to the city, with a facility that is for Him.
“This is a strategic site,” he said, “and we were able to keep it a strategic site to reach people for Christ.”
