WATERFORD, MI – Summer in Michigan doesn’t last long, so we have to make the most of it. Summer offers many opportunities to connect with neighbors and have warm conversations that the cooler months do not. At Transformation Church our vision is to see lives transformed by the Gospel, and with that in mind we decided to leverage our Summer to that end. Our town, Waterford, has close to 75,000 people and very few Gospel-centered churches. We believe that God deeply loves Waterford and is doing something about that.
Over the Summer, God gave us many opportunities to join Him where He is already working through what we called “Mission Weeks.” With the help of 4 out-of-state mission teams, we blitzed our community with the Good News of Jesus in hand and in heart. Over 3 weeks we knocked on close to 1000 doors and had many productive conversations about Jesus and His church. We were able to serve our community through a free car wash, washing 40 cars and 2 bicycles. People insisted that we take their money, but our firm “no” gave us the opportunity to share about God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus. God also gave us the opportunity to connect with 166 of our neighbors (non-TC) through a Community Block Party. It was amazing to connect with people that we had not yet met but have been praying for.
While the canvassing and big events were awesome, they were not my favorite part of the summer. During our mission weeks, we engaged in 4-yard clean-ups for neighbors who can no longer do the work themselves. Each neighbor and home were different, but each were overwhelmed by a local church that they do not attend coming to do yard projects that they have watched grow more intimidating over the years. My favorite clean-up was for a lady who is slowly but surely losing her sight, having to read her mail with a magnifying glass. When we arrived, she met us on the front steps with tears running down her face. She apologized for her emotion. One of our team members replied, “It’s okay, we like to see people cry.”
That may sound cruel, but it is true. What a blessing it is to have a front row seat to God’s work in people’s lives. Over the next few hours, we cut grass, trimmed shrubs, and cleaned gutters. A few of our ladies even helped sort through her kitchen, checking expiration dates that she can no longer see. When we first arrived, this lady admitted that she doesn’t believe that the Bible is God’s Word, but by the time we left she was open to having a conversation about Jesus and voiced a desire to investigate church. God was at work and His is the glory. Her heart was softened and the tears running down her face told the story. This is why we like to see people cry.
With Summer winding down and Fall on the horizon, we have a new season to leverage. With the fall season comes different opportunities to engage our community with the Good News of Jesus. Church fellowships, bonfires, skate nights, and community trunk-r-treats. Please pray for us as we strive to see lives transformed by the Gospel. And, what do you know, we may even get to see more people cry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Seth Springs. Waterford, MI. Transformation Church. Church Planter and Pastor. Wife Taylor and two daughters, Layla and Lily Joy.
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