SEDALIA \u2014 Sheep are white. Shepherds know this.<\/p>\n
But some sheep are black. Shepherds at Olive Branch Baptist Church know this.<\/p>\n
Pastor Jason McClain and Associate Pastor Donnie Hayworth enjoy being called to a different type of flock in a different kind of place\u2014a setting that is known for its rock n\u2019 roll, bikers, tattoos, bandanas, blue jeans, and black sheep.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to reach a community of people where they\u2019re at\u2014where they live every day,\u201d McClain said. \u201cThe community I\u2019m talking about is a community of a heart vs. of a location.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people like us are welcome in a church, but we\u2019re welcome as the black sheep. That\u2019s what I experienced. Here, there is no black sheep. There is no black sheep in the Bible. We never really started this church to be focused on the black sheep of society, but they started coming here in droves\u2014I\u2019d say probably because there were two black sheep preachers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daryl Stagg, director of missions, Harmony Baptist Association, is a member of Olive Branch. He attends the church\u2019s business meetings and is serving as temporary treasurer. Stagg said that the church is certainly unique among the 27 in the association. Certainly its methodology has dramatically changed from its rural roots in 1889 when it joined the association.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey run the risk of being misunderstood, and we\u2019ll have to bridge that gap one step at a time,\u201d he said.
\nHayworth said that one of the plusses of attending a black sheep church like Olive Branch is that it can be marked by humility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t turn anyone away,\u201d he said. \u201cMy thought is, \u2018I\u2019m a least of these.\u2019 Most of the churches that I\u2019ve been to, even churches that I\u2019ve been involved in leadership in, I was accepted, but I was still accepted as a least of these. I was accepted as a lower level because of my background, because of my appearance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stagg said that he and his wife, Polly, were looking for a church to join and support. Olive Branch was it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to focus on the acceptance\u2014God loves sinners,\u201d Stagg said.<\/p>\n
One of the black sheep at Olive Branch is Chris Joy. He was baptized Feb. 3 and aspires to be in ministry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really think I\u2019m the type to run a church or stand up in front of everybody, but I can bring my little small group of people that I\u2019m around to these guys,\u201d Joy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what you look like, how you dress, who you are, you\u2019re accepted here. If you\u2019re hungry, come, we\u2019ll feed you. I think that\u2019s what the main basis of this place is.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SEDALIA \u2014 Sheep are white. Shepherds know this. But some sheep are black. Shepherds at Olive Branch Baptist Church know this. Pastor Jason McClain and Associate Pastor Donnie Hayworth enjoy being called to a different type of flock in a different kind of place\u2014a setting that is known for its rock n\u2019 roll, bikers, tattoos, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[41,17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n