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JAMESTOWN, N.Y.—Derrick Hicks, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, says his church is experiencing a positive transformation after following the advice of a consulting firm through the church’s revitalization grant from Regular Baptist Builders Club.

Last November, Bethel Baptist received a $2,450 Lift Up church revitalization grant to pay for consultation fees with ChristWay Ministries.

“God has used that consultation to totally change the trajectory of our church, breaking us out of years of decline and self-focus so that we could begin to use God-honoring practices to fulfill the mission He gave us,” Derrick says.

Derrick explains that the church’s prayer meetings have multiplied in the last several months after the congregation changed the focus from physical needs to spiritual ones, and three people have made professions of faith in the past six months.

“We are starting to see young families come and stay,” Derrick says. “There is an excitement at Bethel that has not been there in years. I know of many life-changing decisions that people are making and following through on.”

Part of the church’s willingness to follow the advice of the consultation firm was to call Derrick to become the lead pastor. He had previously been the church’s youth pastor.

Derrick says he and the church are thankful and blessed by the assistance from Regular Baptist Builders Club to help them kick-start the revitalization process. Thanking Regular Baptist Builders Club, he says, “God is really doing a work at Bethel, and we are extremely grateful for the role you have played in making this happen.”

If you are interested in learning about how your church can get help to start the revitalization process, please call Clare Jewell at 260-466-9678 or complete the Lift Up application.