At the beginning of the year, a college/young adult group came in to serve. About thirty of these folks were busy that week painting a home. One young lady was wrestling with her faith in Christ, but after a few days on a scaffold painting and talking to one of the CSM staff, she began to see a way to pursue a relationship with the Lord. A few weeks later, her father was in town on a business trip and dropped by to tell us about the astonishing change in his daughter and in their relationship.
In the fall of 2015 we started working with the Jackson family, and in April 2016 we completed the construction of their home. The relationships that have been developed through the process have been a testimony of this families’ faith in Christ. The peace in their family and the gratitude they feel is obvious to everyone they know.
This past winter we started meeting with YouthWorks, a national organization that brings high school and junior high groups to Birmingham in the summers. We challenged them to pick a specific community and focus their attention to make a lasting impact. They picked Fairfield, and God has worked it out for them to bring over 400+ teens in for the summer to impact and partner with Fairfield Ministries to see the power of God move in a community that is in desperate need of unity.
This past March we had the privilege to be a part of Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church’s first Global Impact Missions Conference along with 13 other mission groups. To watch a church culture change and to come more in line with the Great Commission is because of the power of the Lord in the lives of the church leaders. Dr. Wesley has truly been a mentor and brother to me in the journey of community and church development in Birmingham.
It was just this spring that we were able to partner with New Rising Star for their “Operation East” community-wide outreach for the 4th year. Our participation in this event allows us to have a front row seat to see lives changed by the power of the Gospel. This partnership has grown in depth and breadth, and NRS sent kids to Kids Across America (KAA) this year where we saw 14 kids from our group come to Christ.
Just this week I had a meeting with a young pastor called to serve the Church in Birmingham. He is ready to help revitalize an inner-city church that was established almost 100 years ago. It has to be the power of God to do this kind of new work in an old city. We have the opportunity to partner with this pastor to help change the community around his church through the power of the Gospel.
The power of God is not magical… it is amazing! The power to change lives— one person and one
community at a time. The Lord continues to open the doors to see His power on display, both in the CSM Ministry Center and in the partner communities we serve.
