We are in the midst of the "10 days of prayer for Plymouth" campaign. Basically the church has been opened 24 hours a day for anyone to come in and pray, and we've been praying for a spiritual revival, and for people to come and meet the Lord in the churches anywhere in the city - secretly hoping the Lord will choose our church above all the others.
Well, about 5 minutes before the service started on Sunday morning, it was obvious we've got a problem. We run out of chairs. The room we meet in just couldn't fit any more people. Well, no more came, and happily in the end we did manage to find a seat for everyone. But what do we do now - do we stop praying or do we move back in the 'new' (1899) church hall?
Every now and then I discover new things about the history of our church. I guess we should call it 'the church that would not die'. Apparently, over 20 years ago the BU decided there are too many Baptist churches in Plymouth, and thought some should close and join with some of the bigger churches. Ours was one of the small churches that was supposed to close. It didn't.
Then a new pastor came, and he was pastor of two churches. So he decided that Ford should close and the Ford people should join his other church. Well, he left and the church is still here.
This is a church that shrunk from 400 to under 10 people. We have three different meeting halls - all built in the 19th century. Our mother church was the church where the people the Americans call the Pilgrim Fathers, worshipped in. We stand on the shoulders of giants - but at some point our church lost its way.
As I was standing in the new hall tonight, I was reminded of that verse - "if my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Who would have thought all it takes is for a small group of people to pray? I mean, isn't the church supposed to come with these great plans, and gimmics, and evangelistic strategies, and, well, that sort of stuff? Pray people into the Kingdom? Expect God to actually answer prayer? Experience the supernatural actions of God? See the Bible promises fulfilled? In a Baptist church?
I guess we have a bit more repenting and humbling and praying to do - the main church hall can seat a lot more people. And there are ever so many lost souls at our doorsteps!
