At the age of thirty, I was appointed to lead the Oakland Free Methodist Church in East Liverpool, Ohio. This church had a beautiful, relatively new building just off a main boulevard in the east end of town. They owned nearly an entire block. It included a pleasant foyer, lovely worship center, educational wing and a fellowship hall where you could feed one hundred people at a sit-down meal!
Unfortunately, we arrived in East Liverpool simultaneous to the shutting down of the Crucible Steel Mill in nearby Midland, Pennsylvania. As a result, sixteen hundred families had lost their main source of income!
In addition, the community was significantly torn over opinions regarding the projected building of a Waste Technologies Industry facility within 1,500 feet of the church!
These factors combined to make our arrival in East Liverpool a challenge! Every church and business felt the stress of a community that was struggling for its very existence!
But, remarkably, this was not the major cause of concern in the Oakland Church!
The church had experienced a blessing of growth and new converts under the ministry of Harold Estel. It was under his leadership that the new property was purchased and the new building erected.
However, the growth of this period was devastated by several years of conflict and a mass departure of congregants, resulting in an older generation with a congregation of around seventy people.
Upon my arrival, the leadership of the church was constituted by people from my parents' generation. Some younger families and people remained, but they were not leaders or shapers of the future. My leadership began in the summer of 1982.
For a few years, I struggled to create changes. Most of my ideas and suggestions were rejected.
There is a general observation that a pastor will tend to reach those who are within a range of ten years younger or older. This is, of course, not a hard-and-fast rule, but is a commonly accepted phenomenon. Consequently, the growth we did see in those early years began to populate the church with couples and people closer to our age group.
One of the key teachers in the evangelical Christian community at this time was John Maxwell. He was leading a seminar at this time called 'Breaking The 200 Barrier'. I attended it alone. Then, I attended it a second time and took two Oakland leaders with me. Then, we went a third time with about eight leaders. Finally, we went a fourth time with nearly a dozen leaders.
We began to see a wave of new converts. As the worshiping congregation grew, there was some transfer growth [which is inevitable]. Within several years, we were a worshiping community of nearly one hundred fifty.
However, the tension between generations continued. Every gain came through opposition and conflict. My role became one of being a moderator between the two groups: one that had led the church for decades and a newer, younger group with charismatic leanings that were eager to work, innovate and see Kingdom growth!
The 1980's saw an explosion of new worship innovations as a result of the 'Praise & Worship Movement'. Integrity Music, Hosanna and other creators contributed to this period. The concept of leading worship with a team was beginning to become popular. Oakland had enjoyed a rich tradition of music led by a song leader with an accompanist at the organ and piano. We began experimenting with new approaches in our Sunday evening worship. It was well-received! Gradually, we transitioned our morning worship as well. The church continued to grow and we occasionally saw our attendance exceed two hundred! It was a blessed time! Too many stories to tell!
Key lay leaders emerged who became significant influencers! Gifted musicians partnered to create a free-flowing worship environment that energized our people and cultivated a deep love for God!
The use of simple choruses and new musical forms catalyzed our worship experience. All of this took place without abandoning the much-loved hymns of the church!
As a result of the growth, the opposition became somewhat less intense - although it never ended! The victories were gained by a simple, overwhelming growth - especially in the area of new converts!
Many of my most noteworthy times of worship took place in the sanctuary of the Oakland Church! I have purposely avoided mentioning names for fear of omitting someone who was key to this time of spiritual renewal!
KEY FACTORS:
- MUSIC - Fresh, new, exhilarating music was a key factor in this renewal. Capable, dedicated and willing musicians made it all possible!
- FAITH - The teaching propagated as a result of this renewal was faith-based! Healings and expecting great things from God became a hallmark of this church's worship!
- TOLERANCE - We were bound together by our love for Christ! There were many who held differences of opinion about theological matters and certain biblical perspectives. However, these were not allowed to become divisive! We maintained a passion for God and a desire to see His Kingdom grow!
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