This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to serve at CROSSroads Bible Fellowship Church. It was an experience I will not soon forget. It was a joy to serve with Pastor Timothy Radcliff. He demonstrated a consistent and God-honoring heart for ministry in his service to the congregation and ultimately to the Lord. He also taught me many ins and outs about ministry both practically and theologically. His family was a blessing to become acquainted with.

Teaching and Preaching

Over the course of eight weeks, I had many different responsibilities. My primary responsibility was teaching and preaching. I taught adult Sunday School for four weeks. We explored the book of Haggai, seeing how the Lord turned the hearts of the Israelites to Himself and turns our hearts to the future promise of Christ’s return. It was wonderful being able to not only teach this book to the congregation but also hear their input as we walked through it together. I also had the task of preparing and preaching two sermons. The first sermon I preached was from Philippians 2:1-11. This powerful portion of Scripture encapsulates the Gospel and demonstrates that only by following Christ’s example in faith are we truly able to live lives pleasing to God in humility. The second sermon I preached was from Ecclesiastes 1:12-18. This passage reveals two perspectives on how the vanity of this existence shows us that the only way to live properly is to trust in the Lord’s power and wisdom. I hope to one day return to CROSSroads BFC to preach again.

Administrative Tasks

I also had various administrative tasks delegated to me. This area of ministry was something I was less familiar with, as the churches I have served at in the past already had someone tasked with these responsibilities. It showed me that as a church planter, one does not always have somebody that they can simply hand these sorts of things off to. Therefore, I was responsible for preparing the bulletins each Sunday, creating slides for my sermons, updating the church management software, and assisting with sound. While these tasks may seem mundane, they are crucial for the morning service to run smoothly. They are not essential for the Word of God to be preached, but they represent a proper stewardship of the blessings God has given.

Outreach

I was given several responsibilities that especially appealed to the side of church planting. Elverson had a local event in the park where people could come in and advertise their small businesses, various organizations, and churches. We had a tent set up that helped put the church on the map. I was able to interact with many individuals from the community, talking to them about the church. I also had the job of going door-to-door on two separate occasions alongside my beautiful fiancé Libby. We had many blessed interactions with different individuals in the local community, telling them about our church and praying for them when able. Although some doors never opened, and others were quickly shut after a short “no thank you,” it did not discourage us, and we kept on moving. Lord willing, I look forward to planting a church one day, and this area of the ministry particularly excites me. I am thrilled to not only be able to evangelize to unbelievers, but also to get those who profess faith in Christ into a faithful, God-honoring, Word-preaching church. The Lord has a plan for my life, and I am excited to see that plan unfold each and every day.

Building Relationships

My favorite part of this internship (although it is hard to choose because I enjoyed it all) was the people. I went to the worship practices and got to know the people that helped with that. I was able to have many conversations at the community yard sale that the church hosted. I had long spiritual and practical discussions with all who attended the church. I was able to have both fun and serious discussions with them. While I enjoy being in my office studying, I enjoy interactions with those who love the Lord even more. Pastor Tim would graciously invite me over for dinner on Thursdays to be with the family and have fruitful discussions over a meal. This aspect of my Summer was something I greatly looked forward to. He and his wife gave me sound advice not only in the ministry realm, but even in the realm of marriage and family. His children were a joy to interact with, and I pray that the Lord continues to grow them closer to Himself.

Growing in the Lord

With all this in mind, I know that the Lord worked in my heart and life this summer in ways that I could never have imagined. I have grown in my abilities and my maturity. I have observed and participated in the ministry and have seen what I do well and what I need others to do better. I know that the Lord will always equip me with exactly what I require to glorify Him to the best of my ability.

I am so thankful for the blessed experience that church extension gave to me with CROSSroads BFC. I am now serving as the assistant pastor at Lebanon BFC and am ready to see what God does in my life and ministry there. I plan to continue in contact with church extension, taking part in their various meetings and events. The future of ministry is the church, and the future of the church is church planting, and I look forward to being a part of it.