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By BARBARA DENMAN
Florida Baptist Convention
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| FAMILY At First Bapitst Church in Middleburg, former pastor Alan Floyd said he led the congregation through a time of unity, healing and forgiveness. “Families may disagree, but you treat them with respect and love,” he told them. FBC photo |
Then this past March, the church was re-launched as a secondary campus of First Baptist with a new name “CrossPointe Church.” The sponsoring church sent 100 of its members to help the struggling church. Floyd travels each Sunday to lead one of two worship services held there. As a result, attendance at the smaller church has increased from 50 to 300 in only a few months.
With that, the energetic Floyd preaches four sermons in two locations each Sunday morning. “I am a shepherd, I love hanging out with people. A shepherd smells like his sheep. That’s my goal.”
As part of the series “All In: Religious Consumer of Committed Follower” the pastor preached a message on baptism, “Wear the Jersey,” to encourage believers to identify themselves as Christ followers. As a result, 70 persons were baptized in the waters of nearby Kingsley Lake during the church’s annual picnic. Another 20 were baptized in later weeks.
When Floyd arrived at Middleburg, he learned that only one person had ever participated in a mission trip. Dismayed by this, the church regularly began encouraging members to find places of service that mirrored their own interests.
This year more than 100 people will travel throughout the world. Members have taken mission trips to Brazil, Chile, Russia, South America as well as several U.S. states.
Located on a grassy knoll in Middleburg, after 13 years, Floyd now sees the renewed congregation “as the lighthouse of Clay County. God put us on this hill to be a lighthouse.”
In October, Floyd was called to serve as pastor of Cottage Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala., a congregation that has been in decline in recent years.
Reflecting on the new transition for his pastor, Kallum expressed the sentiments of others. “Alan guided our church through tough times and major growth. He has been our shepherd. We believe the Lord will bless us and Cottage Hill.”
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