By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
CALHOUN – Josh Elliff was at a spiritual crossroad in early 2016. He was a staff member for a congregation that was growing, thriving, and reaching their city… but still he was not at peace, believing God was about to move him and his wife.
He and Jacqueline were happy at Fielder Church in Arlington, Texas, but he knew he had been called to be a pastor, and that God had him there to prepare for this next step.
After a season of prayer, the Arkansas native was offered the possibility of leading a Calhoun, Louisiana, campus of First Baptist Church, West Monroe, which was expanding as a multi-site congregation.
“God just put a burden on our hearts,” Elliff said. “He really just broke our hearts for the people here, just the need, the lostness that was in the community.”
EXPANDING THE GOSPEL
According to local pastors and demographic studies conducted by First West Monroe, roughly 6,900 out of the 7,745 people in the Calhoun zip code do not attend a worship service at any church on Sunday. With a five percent annual population growth rate projection, that number is likely to grow, further solidifying the need for expanding the Gospel there.
“The fact is there are some great churches in the area but there also are a lot of people,” Elliff said. “There is a need for another Gospel-centered church. As my wife and I began to pray about this church and this campus and what God wanted to do through us, God said ‘No matter what happens, My call to you is to be faithful, and if you will be faithful to this community, this word, my pursuit, then that’s the standard I want to measure you against.’”
Elliff is thankful for God’s faithfulness throughout the process, especially for His provision for the new congregation through the financial and spiritual support of First West Monroe.
But he said the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering was critical, too.
“The Georgia Barnette Offering has helped us launch and to launch well to reach people,” Elliff said. “The offering is huge, but the prayers we have received along with knowing we have partnered with a larger group of people who are praying for the lost to come to Jesus are important as well.”
FIRST STEPS, BIG IMPRINTS
Shortly after Elliff arrived in the area in late January, he assembled his launch team of roughly 30 people.
Small group meetings were held through early February, but the team conducted its first official assembly as a congregation at Calhoun Middle School, March 4, and celebrated its public launch at the school, April 15, with 148 in attendance.
Although the congregation has met for just a few months, their impact already is being felt in the community.
Life groups meet weekly in homes as a way to enhance the opportunity to reach out to neighbors who have a need for Christ. Already, two people have surrendered their hearts to Christ and were baptized Aug. 20.
The student ministry also is growing rapidly.
Each Wednesday, a coach from Calhoun Middle School leads between 20 and 25 youth in Bible study and activities to help them grow in Christ and in fellowship with each other.
Members have held block parties in neighborhoods, distributed gift baskets to families moving into the area, and gave away 258 backpacks filled with school supplies at a back-to-school bash.
PENETRATING LOSTNESS
Michael Wood, lead pastor of First West Monroe, said the launch of its Calhoun campus reflects what the church is about.
“We learned when we were looking at the community that less than 10 percent of the population of Calhoun was in a church on Sunday morning,” he said. “We saw an opportunity to reach lost people.
“That’s been our heartbeat,” Wood said. “We can come in and partner with churches that already are there to try to impact that lostness.”
Looking to the future, Elliff asks Louisiana Baptists to lift up the congregation in prayer, remembering to pray for his family and church leaders, especially that they not grow weary as they press on toward reaching the lost.
He also asks others to pray that God opens doors for them to continue reaching the lost.
“What we do matters,” Elliff said. “To know there is a whole Baptist family that is praying with us and that potentially could be praying for the lost in Calhoun to know Jesus is huge.”
Named for the first executive director of the Woman’s Missionary Union, the Georgia Barnette Offering’s annual Week of Prayer is set for Sept. 10-17. The theme for this year is “Why Wait, For They Are Ready” inspired by John 4:35. This year’s offering goal is $1.7 million.
