On Sunday, September 29, a new day dawned. Yes, the sun came up and the world spun around again. But, more than that, in Burlington, VT, hope was renewed and a fresh spirit came alive in the hearts of many people.In 1995, a church was planted in Burlington, VT. It was the 50th and final state planted in our fellowship of churches, concluding the Six Year Plan in America at the time. A small group of committed disciples headed northward to do God’s will eighteen years ago.
Over time, there was a rise and a fall of membership, staffing and hope. For eight of the past 11 years, a group of 20 or so disciples have showed admirable courage, perseverance and heart with no staff. Tentmaker leaders have worked, preached, prayed and held things together. But hope was fading.
In 2008, the New England churches began once again to plant churches and attempt to re-energize other congregations to see states evangelized and allow individuals to hear the greatest message there has ever been. On September 29, 2013, the day of new beginnings arrived in Burlington. Eight disciples joined the 22, long-term members of the church. Two more have plans to move up soon. Click here for their website:
According to Barna Group research (barna.org), Burlington is the third least Bible-minded city in America (behind Providence, RI, and Albany, NY). Bible-minded is defined as one who reads the Bible sometime during the week and strongly asserts it is accurate.
A daunting task was in front of the new staff couple – Mike and Kristen Balzer – and this church, mixing mostly marrieds with pre-teen and teen children with some younger single disciples and a newly married crew.
On that special, autumn Sunday on the banks of Lake Champlain, 85 people came out to be a part of the new beginning (a “re-start” of sorts). Some of the crowd was a mixture of supportive New England leaders (Wyndham and Jeanie Shaw, Mike and Laura Fix, Glenn and Danielle Petruzzi, Mike Van Auken, Peter and Jeanette Leap and more).
But there were plenty of others beyond that. Several college student visitors arrived to check out this fresh start. Some family members and even a couple of homeless men walked in to see what was up.
The morning was entitled, “Harvest,” and the introduction, communion and lesson all highlighted that theme. The sermon, by Jimmy Allen, pointed to the amazing Lord of the Harvest as the only one who can change hearts, lives and eternities.
A fantastic performance song of “Create in Me a Pure Heart” and inspiring singing filled the hall throughout. And just when we thought it was to be over – it wasn’t. An amazing freshman in college with the perfect name for the event (Destinee) came forward to be baptized. It was the complete God-ending for the new beginning day.
The truth is that many of our churches could use new beginnings. Let’s take a clue from the Vermont experience that God is always around. He desires his fresh Holy Spirit to come down just like He did in Burlington and two thousand years ago in Acts 2. This is our day and it is time.
While we celebrate with and pray for the reinvigorated Burlington congregation, let’s all be revived in spirit, purpose and heart to see God’s will done in our cities for His glory right now. Shared from the Hartford Church website