Episode #29 – ?Matt Stephens ?Boots on the Ground Highlight
Matt Stephens, Pastor The Fort Church in Columbus Georgia.
Matt stopped by the bootcamp and shared his replant story with Bob and JimBo on this, another Quarantine edition of The Replant Bootcamp.
When Matt became the Pastor the church had already been involved in Replanting for some time.
When another church approached them about taking on their church and facility in another state, they prayed and followed God’s leadership and moved their entire church, from Alabama to the facility in Columbus Georgia.
Sometime later, yet another church in the north part of Columbus reached out to The Fort and asked them to take their church.
Q: What are you learning as a leader right now during this season of social distancing and separation?
Matt: As a Pastor I’m grieving and missing my people.
One of the great blessings in Replanting is that you get to see Senior Adults get to play a big part in the relaunching of a new work.
One of the most difficult but important lessons I learned in Pastoring is that I needed to learn to love the people God called me to pastor.
Right now, we are focusing in on increasing our Pastoral care of our congregation. We are going to divide up our congregation and begin calling them and checking in with them personally.
Q: What is your advice that you would share with a Replanter stepping into a situation like yours.
Matt: Love your people, slow down, communicate and care for the congregation.
Learn more about The Fort’s story.