Thanks - South Farriston Missionary Baptist Church; Crossroads Fellowship;

The Season of Thanksgiving is a perfect time for us to focus on matters that deserve an acknowledgement of thanks and I cannot allow this season to pass without sharing the highlight of my Season of Thanks as I mention what I witnessed at the South Fariston Missionary Baptist Church in London, Kentucky. The church, which recently changed her name to Crossroads Fellowship Church, is located off Highway 25 between Corbin and London. This Fariston Community has a rich history of good neighbors and friends, and Crossroads Fellowship began as a church with land purchased on October 3, 1959, at the total cost of ($1.00) one dollar. This original land gift was made possible by the support of the Lily Baptist Church, and conveyed by Trustees, Roy Peters, Charlie Johnson, Robert Root and Casper Hopkins.
The Bible instructs Christians to lay a foundation that others can build upon and the Lily Baptist Church has long been a place of involvement and has a rich history herself. This act of generosity is one such testimony of their desire to expand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That faith and foundation laid has continued with additional layers and on the first Sunday in November of this year I witnessed a most unique foundation of God as the South Fariston Missionary Baptist Church, operating under a new vision and name installed Doug Sage as the New Pastor at the Crossroads Fellowship Church.
Crossroads Fellowship is a great name for a church that seeks to provide answers and directions for travelers along life’s highway. The search for significance and mean in life is not an easy find for many, but Crossroads Fellowship and her members stand providing individual highway signs pointing and guiding people to Jesus Christ who are willing to receive a helpful hand of friendship and assistance. The intersections of life, choices and decisions are sometimes crowded by the sounding of horns, the push of people, and the pressure to move or doing something. With that type of fast paced life it is easy to miss miracles that happen right before us, but I am thankful I didn’t miss witnessing this one.
The transition of leadership in most churches is done very quietly. We let most pastors come and go with very little fanfare, thanks or honor. Certainly hardly ever heard is a service where the outgoing and the incoming pastors are honored in the same service, but that’s exactly what I witnessed on that Sunday morning at Crossroads Fellowship. This service wasn’t planned to just get along and be nice to each other either, but it was a Holy Spirit filled experience where we witnessing the “laying on of hands”, heard prayers of praise, thanks and vision for these two men of God, and this filled my life with amazement at the wonder of God’s goodness as witnessed through the lives of two pastor and a congregation who loves the both. Pastor Joshua Smith, who served for over 2 years, has stepped down to allow God’s Will to be completed in the life of Doug Sage who has served as Minister to Students. Pastor Josh Smith provided the confirmation of God’s Will in Doug’s life after honest conversations between the two of them and because of both of their desires to serve God the best with their talents and skills. If you’ve attended church just a little or for most of your life, you will not have any problem knowing this is not something that happens everyday, as many Christian leaders often serve their own egos, perceived reputations and would never dare to take this kind of step, unheard of, step down, lift someone else up, and here’s a twist, and remain at the church to help the new pastor too?!
Only God puts a rainbow in the sky and only God brings hearts together, united, and all so that Jesus Christ can be exalted in His church-unheard of, in most circles, but witnessed in this one.
Observing the change in the Lead Servants role between these two pastors and to know that this was fully supported by the congregations causes me to know one thing for certain. I cannot wait to watch and see what God does next in this congregation. The congregations genuine love toward each other and their desire to serve God by reaching out beyond their church buildings and walls is a great indication that another foundation has been laid for others to build upon, and to see cooperating church leaders is a real miracle that you don’t often get to witness first hand, so I am thankful I have witnessed again, the hand-i-work of God in my lifetime.

Until then