Grace Place Leads the Way

I saw something remarkable happen in our community on Easter Sunday.  And it was something God did through The Grace Place in Enterprise.  Now, I've never been to the Grace Place, and I've only met Pastor Donnie Thrasher one time, briefly in the parking lot of Salem Baptist Church after a service.  So it's not like we're "big buddies" and I'm blowing his horn here.  But I am blowing his horn here.  

I used to live near Salem Baptist, and I can recall for years driving by that little church on Sunday mornings on my way to "big" church.  Then one day I saw a sign in front of tiny Salem Baptist Church that said "Grace Place".  And I Sunday after Sunday as I drove by to "big" church I saw them grow and grow and grow.  In the years since, I've only ever heard good things about The Grace Place, and as a pastor of a growing church, I am proud of what God has accomplished through their love for God and the people He has called them to serve.

Fast forward to Easter Sunday:  I had heard that Pastor Donnie and the Grace Place had never been able to have an Easter Sunday service where they had their entire church under one roof at one time.  I heard, in response to that, that they reserved the Enterprise Civic Center to have a big Easter Sunday service.  While that is such an awesome and wonderful thing for them to have the opportunity to do, that's not what I want to brag about.  

Here's what I want to brag about: All over town, in the days leading up to Easter Sunday, yard signs popped up with the simple invitation, "Easter Service - Enterprise Civic Center", with the date and time.  The words Grace Place did not appear anywhere on those yard signs.  That is about the coolest thing I've seen any Pastor or church in this town do for a very long time.

The Grace Place didn't promote themselves, their agenda, their church, their name, their location, their style, their ANYTHING.  There were no cool graphics, or pictures of the Pastor, or pithy tag lines or ANYTHING else.  The Grace Place promoted a risen Savior, and they invited our entire community to meet Him.

What happened?  I heard around 1200 people attended.  I don't know how many were Grace Place regulars, but having done this as long as I have, I would be willing to bet you that they reached dozens and dozens (and probably hundreds) of first-time attenders. People that might never have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel preached, had they been focused on promoting themselves.  I'm blown away by what they did.  

Pastor Donnie, Grace Place, way to lead!  Well done.