‘I am amazed,’ says pastor at Mt. Nebo Baptist, Lockwood
LOCKWOOD – Before Rick Sharp became the church’s pastor in October 2021, the eight adult members of Mt. Nebo Baptist Church here considered closing. Then God stepped in.
“We’re not to be amazed when God works, but I am amazed. These eight people had struggled for years to keep it alive when we got here,” Sharp said.
Those eight now number more than 60, even though the church is three miles outside of Lockwood.
Sharp has implemented children’s church that is drawing between 12 and 20 young ones to the church.
“To see the joy on the faces of the older people is all the payment a guy would need. We recently added four new Sunday school classes (to the one adult class) in one Sunday, and may need to add another. God has his hand on this,” Sharp said.
Furthermore, a second deacon has been added, and they may add another soon.
“For the most part, the new people coming to church weren’t involved with other churches. I don’t want to build a church by taking cars from one church parking lot to another.”
He and his wife Tracie felt when they took the church to move into the community and be involved with it, going to games, talking to people on the street. Some of the new people came from where Tracie has a job and where Rick got a haircut. These people the Sharps reached are now inviting other people. Young people are inviting friends for Saturday night sleepovers to bring them to church.
“Church is a relationship with God, but making relationships with people. God is doing what only God can do. It takes an army, not just the commander to win spiritual battles. We want to plant seeds of caring early in the young people. God is using the kids too,” he said.
Sharp has led the church to embrace moving forward and not looking back, and hopes to reach some ‘untouchables, the ones nobody wants.’
Mt. Nebo hasn’t had a baptism for years, and there was some concern what to do when it is needed, because the church is supplied by well water. Leaving the pump too long brings some mud. Sharp is reassuring people there will be a way to supply the needed water, and noted he also works for a farmer that has an 18-wheeler tanker.
Sharp credits three secrets to the growth of the church:
“First, there is the willingness of the older people to let me take the lead and recognize the changes will be good. I compare it to the four guys that carried a friend to Jesus. Second, God told me a while back not to act like I don’t have problems or that I’m more spiritual. Third, the folks realize that being friendly means not just to those already here, but to those new people, whom they treat as gold when they get here.”
Without Sharp’s prodding, the church – at 70 percent capacity – is already discussing a possible addition.
“It’s a humbling situation. I’m just flabbergasted. God has his hand on this. I don’t want to get in God’s way. We can change the community, then we can change the state, then change the country and reach the world,” Sharp said.