Just What Is God Up To?

Courtesy: Daniel Bramlett

I am excited about what God is doing in Hope, AR! (For all you Prescott readers, I’m sure God is doing equally exciting things in your neck of the woods, I just don’t know what they are. Call me—870.777.5757—or email me—[email protected]–and let me know what God is up to! I’d love to hear some stories!)
I heard someone say the other day “Whenever God is moving in a town you’ll know it because many of the Churches will be involved. You’ll never see a long term move of God be contained in only one Church.” I believe there is wisdom in this statement. I’m excited to report many partnerships between our fantastic Churches.
This Tuesday I went to FCA at the High School. One entire side of the gym was full of students waiting to hear the Gospel. This is not an overnight occurrence, nor is it a one-time event. Hope Family Church, Pastor Jeff Smith, has been coordinating FCA events at the High School for almost four years now. What is happening is truly incredible! These students come to the gym for a short 8 minute message during their lunch hour. I know A Place of Meeting in Perrytown has partnered with them for quite some time and now First Baptist’s Rusty Beck is on board. The end result of such a combined effort can only mean more glory to the Father and more teenagers following Jesus.
I am so excited to see how God is blessing and leading Hempstead County’s own multi-denominational The Call! The Call is an organization that focuses on the plight of foster children in our area and easing the burden on our Department of Children and Family Services. They take on the challenge of recruiting and training foster parents in an effort to keep our foster kids local and in strong, Jesus loving homes. Their compassionate voice is being heard in wider and wider circles. Praise God for Churches partnering with The Call and for all of the Gospel work they are accomplishing. This can only get better!
We are Free is another Hempstead County organization that would be severely handicapped were it not for the aid of many of our own Jesus people. We are Free is an organization that seeks to provide an escape from the scourge of human trafficking. Their facilities, a group home and a counseling center, are being built just outside of town and are already proving to be a source of life and light to much farther reaching areas than our own South Arkansas. To God be the glory for the work that Angelyn McMurry is accomplishing and for the Jesus people who are joining her in the task!
I know first-hand the immense partnership that is required to operate Banner Hope Center. Banner Hope exists to provide a place of healing and refuge for the teenagers who are in the Juvenile Drug Court system. It offers skills training, group counseling through a partnership with Southwest Arkansas Mental Health, and a Gospel centered environment where students can explore what it means to seek God and find Him.
Were it not for partners like Garrett Memorial, The Cowboy Church, Word of Grace, First Baptist Prescott, First Methodist Hope, First Baptist Hope and A Place of Meeting, Banner Hope would not exist. Eric Turner is doing a fantastic job of loving on students and leading them to Jesus. Hallelujah Happy Jesus Yes Lord Yes for the things that are occurring at places like Banner Hope!
The gist is this, if you look at Hope, AR and see a town that is not what it used to be…you have 20/20 vision. Your assessment is perfectly accurate. But neither is it what it could be, that is, Hope is not a bad place to live. God is up to a lot of exciting things, things that only He can accomplish, right here in our own back yard.
Our Faithful Father has not backed out on small town Arkansas. His people are not hope-less. Lots of good, faithful activity is happening right under our noses. Please don’t choose to see only the rough parts. Look for the beauty in the clouds and I promise, there is a lot of beauty to behold!