Miracles of Faith

The Move to Johnston
by Rev. Duane Gibson

Pastor Emeritus FBC

In this past decade (1900-2000) First Baptist Church has experienced the divine leadership of God through a series of extraordinary miracles of faith.  This brief writing describes the faith journey for our congregation and depicts the special ways in which God has clearly evidenced His divine partnership in our midst in these days.

Early in 1994 our Executive Board established a strategic planning process to explore all avenues of future ministry for our fellowship.  During this process we explored the possible purchase of property in several suburban communities.  The intent was to begin a new church start or perhaps a relocation from downtown.  In conversations with Pioneer Company in Johnston we identified a beautiful piece of property which was designed as part of Green Meadows West for a local congregation.  The price was $320,000.  We asked Pioneer to consider a tax deductible gift to help reduce the price.  We were hopeful the price might be lowered to $250,000 but much to our surprise, they offered that land to us for $150,000.  We thanked God;  however we had no money so we presented that opportunity to the congregation and in two weeks we raised $140,000 toward the property.  Shortly thereafter we raised the additional monies and the land was ours. God's first miracle.

Months later, after much prayer and strategic planning, our congregation voted to relocate and build a new church facility on the property in Johnston.  This significant, historic decision (affirmed by almost an 80% vote) included two conditions: the sale of our property at Eighth and High Street and promise to maintain a presence downtown with a viable worship experience.  The plan to have two locations was positively affirmed.

We placed our building up for sale and were led by God's Spirit to embark on a major fund drive to begin saving some money towards our new building.  Our finance committee believed we were capable of raising $250,000 based upon the size of our congregation.  We had no drawings of the church, no clear picture of what we might eventually build, but we had a vision that God would clearly lead us.

After much prayer we set a miracle goal of $500,000. A half-million seemed impossible.  We had never raised more than a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  When the brief (only weeks) campaign was complete we had received gifts and pledges (over four years) of over $600,000.  God had just performed the second miracle in our midst.

The tentative plan for continued ministry downtown once our building was sold, was to rent the necessary space for a small chapel.  God had other plans.  Our Elsie Mason Manor was built above a bank facility valued at over $500,000.  Within months of our decision to relocate, the bank (which had closed) approached our congregation and proposed giving us this entire piece of property as a gift.  This beautiful space with over twenty parking spaces as well, has been converted into our Dr. Lewis Jacobsen Chapel and God's third miracle became a reality. Presently thirty-five to forty people worship each Sunday in our downtown chapel.

Nearly four years passed as we explored every possible opportunity to sell our property at Eighth and High.  The prospects were few.  Our congregation remained patient and strong in prayer believing that one of the downtown corporations would eventually consider our property, however nothing happened.  Just when we least expected God's intervention, Orchard Place (Children's Home, Child Guidance Center, and PACE, an educational program for troubled youth) approached the church with interest.  They had been looking for a facility for nearly four years and we believe God led them to First Baptist.

Within months we had reached an agreement with Orchard Place for a sale price of 2.2 million dollars with our church returning a gift of $300,000 to Orchard Place as an expression of our commitment to troubled youth and families and as an expression of our continued commitment to ministry downtown. God has accomplished yet another miracle!

As we anticipate the future we seek to build a facility that will honor and glorify our living God through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  While we plan and move forward as we discern the will of God for this undertaking, we are grateful for these miracles in our midst and continue to ask ourselves ... what will God do next?