We came to Texas about two years ago after being called to serve here in McKinney. Leaving everything we knew and the lives we had established was as difficult, painful, and challenging as it was exciting.
Vintage church was the name of this house of worship and after much turmoil and struggle, only a remnant of 12 had remained prior to our arrival.
Jesus Christ is Lord and King and the only way to God is through the redemption of His blood. With that amazing truth, we decided to change the name to Redemption Point Alliance church because our heart was to see the transforming power of Jesus through redemption.
In 27 years of ministry, the past two years have been the hardest, most difficult of them all, as well as our marriage and family. Loneliness has been a constant companion for all of us. Struggle after struggle, hurdle after hurdle, made the Covid insanity seem easy and small. We didn’t prevail, God prevailed us.
It is a humbling and electrifying feeling to look at these past two years and see where we started and where we are today because we know with everything in us that this is all the mighty work, power, grace and covering of Jesus that has been on us and our church. Absolutely nothing is a result of our efforts but all of Christ working through ill-equipped, battle bruised, weak and wounded vessels to accomplish His purpose. It is His fingerprints on everything, not ours and we stand in utter awe of His underserving goodness and faithfulness to the often faithless.
We came here two years ago with a vision for the church. We wanted to see His redemptive blood save lives, watch those lives be transformed by the power of the Gospel, be a racially and generationally diverse church, and see baptisms.
God is faithful. Today, we are having our first baptismal service since our arrival. 11 men, women, youth and children haves died to themselves and are proclaiming their commitment to Jesus! This, indeed, is a glorious day!
For every tear that fell those past two years He collected them all in a bottle and has changed their meaning from sorrow to joy. I can honestly say the amazing blessings we’ve seen, and the things He has done cannot be counted.
A sold out and surrendered life is not an easy life to be lived. You follow Christ and not the culture. You follow Him when nothing makes sense. You do it His way and not the world’s way. You see things through a Kingdom and Biblical lens and proceed gingerly in His footsteps. It is an ongoing battle. And then comes victory.
Today, we will turn our hearts and voices to Jesus the author and perfecter of all that is surrendered and celebrate because victory is here.
11 baptisms! I only prayed for 3!