Page 24 - Mariners Church Jubilee Book

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Ezekiel 37:5
It was an uphill climb to revive a dying church that had seemingly
lost its sense of purpose and vision. But God is in the business of
bringing dead things to life.
We asked difficult questions. “Who are we? Who does God want us to be? How
will we get there?” How we answered those questions collectively would determine the
trajectory of Mariners Church.
It was time to re-envision what God had planned for Mariners. After months of prayer and a time of
redefining the mission and vision of Mariners, we were ready to begin a new season of ministry. Except for one
thing: the budget. The church had run in deficit for four years and could not continue to operate if something didn’t change.
The financial situation seemed dire. Kenton met with the Elders and shared his passion about focusing on the vision of the church and
trusting God to provide. Because the congregation had come through such a challenging season, the Board agreed with Kenton not to talk to
the congregation about money for this year of ministry.
The Board prayed fervently that God would bring them to a healthy financial place. God moved powerfully and generously. At the end of the fiscal year, the
Elders reported to the congregation they had made budget!
“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 22:16
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