The weekend before we attended the NCFIC conference, our family traveled to Virginia. Our main reason for going there was to visit the church pastored by Carlton McLeod - Calvary Revival Church. I met Carlton at last year's NCFIC conference, and we shared the same heart on many things. I said if we ever got to the USA as a family we would visit his church - so we did!
Carlton's church is centered within a black community, and very similar to ourselves, he has transitioned the church through to age-integration, family discipleship, and the restoration of the roles of men and women. This has not been an easy task, and yet it was such a blessing to see the fruit of those labours - an age-integrated fellowship, fighting the same battles as us, holding dear so many of the same core values as us - yet in a refreshingly different cultural environment - as you will see from the video clips!
It has been so inspiring to see God use men in church contexts, that are not only reformed, but yet the same God is working, bringing a fresh understanding and renewed vision for being a church that is serious about the Word of God, and the centrality of Christ and the gospel. This is in part also due to the many reformed pastors and leaders, who have a heart and vision for people in other denominational groups - and are willing to set aside minor differences for the sake of drawing believers together around Christ and the gospel.
I so appreciated my time with Carlton, sharing our struggles as pastors, brothers, husbands and fathers - so good to be real, and point each other to Christ. We had a great time of fellowship with Carlton's wife Donna and children also on Sunday after church - please come and visit us in NZ!
Here are some photos and video clips from our time in Virginia...
Carlton's church is centered within a black community, and very similar to ourselves, he has transitioned the church through to age-integration, family discipleship, and the restoration of the roles of men and women. This has not been an easy task, and yet it was such a blessing to see the fruit of those labours - an age-integrated fellowship, fighting the same battles as us, holding dear so many of the same core values as us - yet in a refreshingly different cultural environment - as you will see from the video clips!
It has been so inspiring to see God use men in church contexts, that are not only reformed, but yet the same God is working, bringing a fresh understanding and renewed vision for being a church that is serious about the Word of God, and the centrality of Christ and the gospel. This is in part also due to the many reformed pastors and leaders, who have a heart and vision for people in other denominational groups - and are willing to set aside minor differences for the sake of drawing believers together around Christ and the gospel.
I so appreciated my time with Carlton, sharing our struggles as pastors, brothers, husbands and fathers - so good to be real, and point each other to Christ. We had a great time of fellowship with Carlton's wife Donna and children also on Sunday after church - please come and visit us in NZ!
Here are some photos and video clips from our time in Virginia...
Arriving at CRC.
How "Excellent" is His name!
Beautiful sounding worship - loved the choir!
Different to what we are used to - yet great to see God working in a different context!
Carlton taught from James chapter 4. Several years ago he transitioned his church into expositional preaching which has helped so much to lay the foundation for changes that needed to be made.
Carlton & Kris.
Donna & Becky
McLeod & Baines Family shot.
We loved our time at CRC, and our time in Virginia. We visited Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg - historical towns involved in the American Revolution. We even got to touch the Atlantic ocean - the closest we have been as a whole family to England :-(
Some comments from our trip to one of the American Revolution battlefields.
The kids experiencing their first ever cotton field!
Playing by the Atlantic - our first "beach" experience in the USA, and the closest we got to England.
Ever feel like your kids are getting the upper hand?