Living on Mission: Revival, Renewal and Relationships
by Heather McAnear
One of the biggest blessings I received as part of our church’s 60th birthday celebration team was the stories we heard. Our meetings typically began with a personal story of how the people of Council Road had impacted lives. My eyes were teary at some point in every meeting, each of us amazed at how the saints of our church have faithfully carried the torch lit by the Holy Spirit over 60 years ago. In these stories, we saw the power and purpose of the Church over and over.
Early on, we found minutes from the meeting of a few individuals who were planting our church. Those minutes included a mission statement for this new body of believers, and it struck each of us that this original mission statement is still alive today, evidenced by our commitment to God’s word, reaching the lost, loving each other well and emphasizing missions in our city and around the globe. Most of those original saints are no longer here, yet the heartbeat of our church remains the same.
Phil Bailey recalled a season in the 1970s that he described as “Lay Renewal.” It was a time of sanctification that swept across our church, as members restored relationships with one another. We have also experienced numerous periods of revival, where many lost people came to faith in Christ and joined our fellowship. This picture of discipleship and sanctification, longing to see both revival and renewal through the Holy Spirit’s work in believers, has consistently defined Council Road.
Millicent Gillogly shared a sacred experience of the week before our worship center was completed where church members read the Bible around the clock dedicating that space to the Lord. What a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit and the spoken word of God invading and encompassing that room, even before that first worship service was held.
In more recent years, many members committed to reading through the Bible together in one year, which happened to be 2020. We didn’t know what that year held, but the Lord did; He had laid on the hearts of our pastors a churchwide reading plan that would connect us in Truth, even when we physically couldn’t meet together. In another season, we read through the Psalms and hundreds signed up to pray for our church, leaders, state and nation. For one full year, CRBC members prayed at all hours of the day, and I am convinced the Lord provided for many needs through the prayers of our saints.
We read stories of families who were loved during and after tragedy and loss; Community Groups have gathered around their “people” to meet every need imaginable. Thousands have found Jesus, and children and parents have been baptized together. Many have gone on their first mission trip, surrendered to ministry, rededicated their faith, renewed their commitment to a church body, started observing spiritual traditions such as Advent and Lent, and have shared so many impactful moments within the walls of our church.
As I think about some of the words shared by CRBC children such as “I love my church” and “I love Jesus,” words from our students such as “Church is my safe place” and “I found Jesus here,” and from our senior adults who’ve said, “This place is home to me,” I smile. This intergenerational body of believers started with a clear mission and has continued to prioritize God’s word, revival, renewal, loving each other well and living on mission. It reminds me not only of our original group of church planters, but of another special church who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). May we continue to be devoted to the things of God and His people, right here on NW 30th and Council, and around the world.
Author Bio
Heather McAnear is a wife, mom, author and speaker with a passion for sharing God's truth to help people use it for God's glory. She also hosts the Uniquely Beautiful Stories podcast on iTunes. She loves teaching young married couples with her husband, homeschooling their three children, traveling the world, enjoying good chocolate and long conversations in coffee shops. CRBC has been her church home for two decades.