I want to tell you a story. ?
…about the faith of a church that opened its arms to the world even when its doors were shut, trusting that they could grow in a time of isolation. ?
And, in doing so, helped our small-business survive the storm of shutdowns. <3
Earlier this year, my company was working with CrossPointe Church on their children’s ministry space, which they had actually broken ground on in January 2020. ?
Then COVID-19 hit. ?
And their congregation went from a thriving community of 1,200 members to a church of empty rooms and half-finished hallways.
As Senior Pastor Tracy Pounders put it, “my faith was drastically challenged.”
Like many churches faced with these sudden and scary circumstances, they considered pulling the plug on a lot of their current projects.
My company, which designs and builds themed environments for ministries, lost nearly all of its clients overnight. ?
As the wonderful ministries that I serve struggled to figure out how they would provide for their communities in these uncertain times, I also felt the pain of not knowing how to provide for my family and the families of my employees. ?
But, CrossPointe Church stayed with us. ?
They decided to “step up in faith and let God do what God does best… and show up in uncertain times.
Iron Spirits made it possible for us to do that by doing DIY stuff with us, he made it feasible and so workable.
I did not feel that God’s intention for us was to close the project down,” said Pastor Tracy.
And, because they made that choice, we also did not have to close down—giving us a way to provide for our families as well. <3
The members of CrossPointe put so much work and energy into making their space what it is today. I really want to acknowledge that their space is beautiful not just because of us, but because of the generous hands and hearts of the people who contributed to those DIY options. ✊
But, as they’ll tell you, it definitely felt like going out on a limb… ?
to complete a big interior design in the middle of a lockdown? with no clear idea of when your ministry’s doors would be open again?
What happened next was miraculous. ✨
Later this year, CrossPointe was able to re-open under strict social-distancing requirements and safety protocols. ?
And their numbers nearly doubled. Church attendance actually increased even with the restrictions. ? ?
“In an uncertain time, God provided a very certain path for us to walk on and Iron Spirits was a huge part of that,” Pastor Tracy reflects. ?
They say their space is “an irresistible environment” for children to enjoy after a week of being cooped up inside their houses. A place where parents “feel comfortable…because there is [now] a safe environment, a clean environment, but also an engaging environment” for their little ones. ???
We are so happy for them and grateful to them. ?
This is a shout out to Pastor Tracy and the wonderful community at CrossPointe Church—thank you for the chance to serve you and the opportunity to keep doing this work!
And, this is also a reminder to everyone struggling to find good reasons to keep building and investing in your ministry space:
the unimaginable projects and the empty rooms can be very real, feasible spaces and they can be filled with people eager to experience the beauty of community—all with God, all with faith. ?
These times are indeed uncertain and scary, but we are not alone and we have not abandoned each other in our hope for a beautiful future.
So, as you wait out the storm, prepare a place of beauty and light the candle of faith. ?
How can we help you?
-Eric Smith, CEO & Creative Director at Iron Spirits
