By Staff, Baptist Message
When Charles Wesley became the supply preacher of Center Point Baptist Church, Jonesboro, the last Sunday of August 2016, the average attendance in Sunday school was in the upper 20’s with mostly senior adults coming.
Later Wesley became the interim pastor and then the pastor in October 2017.
Understanding that young families were important to the future of the church, Wesley challenged the congregation to prioritize times of prayer to reach young families with children and teenagers.
At the same time, the church’s leaders took part in a series of development opportunities such as the study “Experiencing God” and they focused on a model of servant leadership.
Out of that, the members became passionate about missions, increasing their giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Samaritan’s Purse and the Cooperative Program.
Additionally, the church provided gifts for two children at the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and 86 bags of personal care items for those served by His Hands Ministry in Jonesboro.
God has answered the prayers by sending several young families and increasing attendance at Sunday morning worship and Sunday school. Attendance is more than 40 for Sunday school and more than 50 for worship, including one-third who are children and teenagers.
“The exciting thing is to see how God is working in the lives of leaders within the church to bring about an attitude and atmosphere of growth in the congregation,” Wesley said. “It’s good to see how God has worked through the leaders to get out of the rut.”
