Why Starting A Church Was The Right Choice For Me

   I remember when God showed me part of my purpose in life was to pastor a church. "You want me to do what", was my first response. After a few years I was a little more at ease with doing it but still had my reservations. I began to prepare myself for the interview process at any local church that was in search for a Senior Pastor. I had it all figured out.  I was going to go in the interview room and speak with the search committee. Next, I would go back to preach a few Sundays services and teach a few bible studies. The search committee would recommend me to church and accept my package. I would have been nervous when I saw the committee POCs phone number show up on my cell phone. Nervousness would have turned into tears of joy and gratefulness to God after I hear the words "You are our new Pastor."  Arrangements would have been made and I would collect my church belongings from my home office and bring them to the church office. But that wasn't Gods plan.

   Once I made that step to go to interviews, God showed me that He wanted me to start a church. No members. No facility. No money. No clue. He did give me a vision. I spent many nights rehearsing the vision. I spent equal or more nights doubting the vision. There lies the problem. God wanted me to believe in the vision He had given for Gospel Outreach Community Church (GOCC) as it stood by itself. This was the ultimate step of faith for me. It was a necessary step of faith for GOCC. They needed a pastor who fully believes in the vision that he is sharing. They needed a pastor who will not easily be discouraged when things go wrong. They needed a pastor who will not lose sight of the vision because things are going exceptionally well. I was not that pastor when I first received the vision. I am that pastor now. With God's guidance, I will continue to be that pastor.

   This experience has increased my faith tremendously. All of this is building a foundation for "vision-motivated" people in a "vision-motivated" church. Yes, we now have a handful of launch team members doing a whole lot of work. Yes, we now have a facility that would allow us to setup and tear down. Yes, we have a little bit of money to do ministry. Yes, believe it or not, I have a little better clue of what I'm doing now. We thank God for His vision.


Pastor JB Marshall
Email: pastorjbmarshall@gospeloutreachcc.org
Website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org
www.twitter.com/RevJBMarshall
www.facebook.com/GospelOutreachCC

No Signs Needed

(Judges 6:36-40) 

³⁶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

³⁷ Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

³⁹ And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

⁴⁰ And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

What I find interesting about Gideon is that he sought a sign after God told him that He will save Israel by Gideon's hands. God did show him two signs to confirm that He will use Gideon.  However, the reality is that the signs shown to him did not change the fact that God had spoken to him. Gideon knew it was God who was talking but he did not believe that God could use him.

When we keep asking God to show us a "sign" or "confirm" what He has already told us, we show a lack of faith in God's ability to use us. I know from experience.  I could use the fingers of about ten people to help me count the amount of times I asked God to confirm my call to pastor a church. I've asked God to confirm the confirmation that confirmed the confirmation of the original assignment and then asked for more confirmation. God's answer never changed.

We need to get to a point that the original assignment is confirmation enough. How do we do that?

1. Lose the Fear: If you do not let go of the fear and doubt, you will not be able to let go of the need for confirmation.
2. Trust God: God chose to use you because He knows you better than anybody else. He knows you better than yourself. He knows that you're capable. He will supply you with everything you need.
3. Know Who You Are: You are a Christian which means you suppose to be a follower of Jesus the Christ. Follow the examples He left for us. Jesus walked with faith in God, spoke boldly, believed in what He was saying and moved according to God's will. 

Let's make a declaration that we no longer need a sign from God. Let's move in His will based on what He said and not on how many times He had to tell us.


Why do you think we look for signs or confirmation? What else could help us move to God's initial call to us?

Pastor Jeremiah "JB" Marshall
Gospel Outreach Community Church
Website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org

Blog: www.jeremiahmarshall.blogspot.com

The Point Of No Return

Mr. Curtis Burrell composed a hymn titled “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired”. I remember growing up hearing James Cleveland sing those powerful words of the chorus:

“I don’t feel no ways tired,
I’ve come too far from where I started from.
Nobody told me that the road would be easy,
I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.”

As I examine those words I can see clearly that this is a very desirable state of mind and spirit to have. Spent enough time on your journey to be tired but you’re not. Covered enough ground on your journey to have no aspiration to return to your former ways. Maintained complete trust in God while having full knowledge that the road behind was tough and the road ahead will be just as tough. Even in all that, recognized that God has brought you a very long way and He is not finished with you yet.

The chorus describes a person who has passed the point of no return. What is this so called “point”? This “point” is a decision. A decision that no matter what waits ahead, you will keep pressing. The surrounding conditions, good or bad, have no bearing on your decision. Your decision could no longer be influenced by your feelings or the people around you. You placed a marker on the road of life and made a declaration that going back is no longer an option.

Romans 8:38-39

³⁸ For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, ³⁹ or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.

The amazing thing about this “point” is that we have full control of where to place it. If you have not done so already, make your decision and declare that you are now pass the point of no return.