With this in mind, Rick has begun to shape the church’s mission statement to simply, Living with God.

“We must learn to live with Him in our everyday, ordinary lives. When we do, that’s when we will really love Him and love others as a result,” he says.

The Living with God mentality starts with the church’s twenty-one ministry team leaders. Rick hopes to meet with the leaders to encourage them in their relationship with God. The leaders will be challenged to consider how the mission will be carried out within their ministries as well as to take a look at their own spiritual relationship with God.

“As they grow in living life with Him, they will be able to encourage their team members to do the same, which will hopefully grow the culture of Living with God among the church and lead to more reaching out to others – sharing the love of Jesus,” says Rick.

The concept of Living with God is not a new idea to the congregation. The church is now in its fifth year of its long-term pastoral intern program. Colt Stout has been the pastoral intern for the last four years. Colt was brought in for training and to encourage his family, which includes his wife and three young children, for pastoral ministry. The internship has turned into an assistantship and Colt is now the assistant pastor. He is planning to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in May of 2021 from LeTourneau University and in turn, graduate from Brookville’s internship/assistantship program.

“Brookville Grace has been very supportive of this effort to train another pastor,” says Rick. “Colt is on staff full-time with half of his work dedicated to his schooling and half to the ministries of the church.”

In addition to Colt, the church is working to raise up other elders and ministry workers.

“I love that we give people opportunities to serve,” says Rick. “We desire to raise up people who love and serve Jesus.”

[Connect:] Sent Rick an encouraging note here.