HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

6/3/05

Zechariah 4:9-10

            ⁹ "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

    ¹⁰ "Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
      "(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)"

            Ten years ago this past April, Faith Tabernacle Church in Medon, TN was founded, its very humble beginnings was started in a barn, that’s right a barn.  That’s exactly what the family thought even my Mother who never complained, always followed and supported Dad.  The Lord told my Father and she was willing to go because she knew God always makes a way where there seems to be no way.  Mom was getting tired, this was the 5th church and they were not young anymore.  My Father was 78 years old, she looked at my Dad, and said “Are you sure God is calling you to Medon, TN.”  God told my Father this would be the restoration for his children and the seeds he had already planted.  “It’s Harvestime.”

            From the very beginning the spirit was so sweet, so beautiful that you just knew God was going to do great things and He has, we know greater things are still to come.  Our Sr. Pastor always has a saying “Somebody say Amen” and the horses would let out a big horse sound.  The bible says the rocks will cry out if we don’t, I just want to cry out, clap out, rejoice out, sing out, preach out, cry out everyway God wants to hear my cry.

            For two years they worshiped in the barn through good times and bad most of the time not enough heat in the cold times and not enough air in the summer but the spirit was so real the people kept coming.  God then said it is time to find a new place and that’s exactly what  Rev. Hodge did he told the church before the next week God would give us a building.  He started checking every place in Medon for a building all he could find was a garage, it was a mess, didn’t even have restrooms just a shell of a building.  The garage was converted into a church, things were donated from all around, lights, carpet, and when it was finished it worked so well together with all colors matching you would think it was all bought at the same time for this very reason.  It was a beautiful chapel inside.  God is so good.

            We were there about five years; people came from everywhere to feel the spirit of God.  Baptisms, sick healed the bound set free.  Cars would line up and down the road everyone was talking about the little church in Medon, TN.

            Rev. Hodge always said you fill this house up God will give you another and that’s exactly what he did.  I had joined my Father in the ministry at this time and we started looking for another place.  We found six acres of beautiful land, one night about 10:00pm in the pouring down rain I met a man, James Melton and purchased the land for $30,000, we had the land completely paid for in one year.  We now have a beautiful new church, complete with steeple, and just as lovely on the inside.  It is a long way from the barn; we have already out grown our fellowship Hall and Sunday School Department, even renting a house across the street for the youth to have Sunday school. 

            Our next vision is to build a Family Life Center with gym, kitchen, fellowship hall, Sunday school classes, it will be a Multi Purpose Building and I know it is on the way.

            Don’t ever give up on the small beginnings, after all our Lord Jesus was born in a manger in a barn.  Just like Faith Tabernacle Worship Center was birthed in a barn so was the Lord Jesus Christ.  God is till on the throne, He is still a miracle working God. 

Thank You Jesus

Pastor Marcie Hendrick