FEARLESS IN BELIZE
Last week seven of our Ridge Point Fearless Followers went to visit and encourage our church partners in Belize.
Ridge Point has been partnering with Shalom Church in San Pedro, Belize for 6 years. Shalom Church is a local church that shares our vision for Kingdom growth through discipleship and church planting. This partnership has been fostered through many Ridge Point families spending Spring Break serving and working along-side Shalom Church doing building projects to better equip them to be a launching pad for church plants. The specific focus of our partnership over the past 2 years has been church-planting. The Reach and Restore Campaign in 2015 provided funds for the launch of Family Church in 2016 and made it possible for Family Church to purchase a piece of land that will be used to build a church.
Family Church is still a church-plant in its infancy stage, but the development and growth of the church through the past year is a testimony of God’s guidance and the obedience of the church leaders as they listen and discern each step in planting Family Church. In March 2016, Pastor Marvin Gomez identified 3 core leaders to develop and start the vision for Family Church. In September 2016, Family Church had its official launch with 12 members. This small church family used the Rooted program to start engaging as a Christ-following community. Family Church has been meeting in a community center near the villages of Ladyville and Lord’s Bank, Belize City, on the main land of Belize. Currently, Pastor Marvin travels back and forth from San Pedro, on the island of Ambergris Caye, to Family Church every Sunday in order to preach at both churches. A great way for Ridge Point members to participate in this partnership is to pray that God raises up a local leader to pastor the Family Church plant.
This month our team had the privilege of participating in the most recent outreach event of Family Church. A special service titled, “Tiempo de Gracia,” was held on February 18. In preparation for this service, 1,000 invitations were handed out. On the day, 22 new people attended Family Church for the first time and 9 people gave their lives to Christ!