I’ve been a member of Stonebriar Community Church for twelve years now. To say there’s an incredible sense of community there would be an understatement. But, then, what would you expect with our middle name being Community?
The beautiful main sanctuary was only on the drawing board when I first attended over a decade ago. There was just one rectangular building back in the day. The staff dubbed it “Chuck in a Box” in honor of our senior pastor, Chuck Swindoll.
The large room that was used for three services each Sunday in now called the multi-purpose room.
Stonebriar En Espaniol uses it each Sunday to host their worship in Spanish to accommodate that sector of our population.
A baptistery is built into it to fulfill that part of honoring God.
It gets its name from the numerous events that are held there.
But, to be seriously honest with y’all, the entire building that belongs to Stonebriar Community Church is a multi-purpose room.
That was never more evident than it was this past Friday evening when we hosted our annual Fall Festival. Every classroom was open and held a different game for various age levels of kids who came dressed up as everything from a farmer wearing bib overalls to superheroes of all sorts.
All of the bounce houses were brought inside because of the rain and cold weather we had. From all of the laughter I heard you couldn’t tell anyone was at all disappointed by that move.
I guess free candy will do that for most kids.
By Sunday morning you couldn’t guess any of that took place. The entire church looked like a traditional church again.
Don’t get me wrong, there was still laughter filling the classrooms and hallways. Oh, yeah, Pastor Chuck had us laughing in the main sanctuary, too.
During Feed My Starving Children events everyone has to wear a headnet because the entire facility becomes a federally mandated food manufacturing place. Semi trailers are in the parking lots ready to take it all away all around the world.
When we host Big Pack Frisco we pack seeds and irrigation supplies to go around the world helping folks in developing countries grow gardens to feed themselves and have some to sell.
People are amazed when they come into our church to find help finding work during our job fairs.
The Linger Conference hosts speakers and bands from all over to tell of the love of God through Jesus Christ. Several sponsors set up displays bringing exposure to their causes.
These are just things Stonebriar is involved with inside our building. Don’t even get me started about the incredible outreaches we’re involved with around the DFW metroplex.
Of course we have international missionaries, too. Our missions department is called Missional Living to tie in the global and local ways we send Jesus outside our walls.
Not bad credentials for a church that’s only been in existence for 21 years.
I hope you see why I consider the folks that make up Stonebriar Community Church my family.
I know not every church can do all that Stonebriar does. But each one can do something to reach out to a hurting, lost world.
Do what you can to help build God’s kingdom.
I’ll see you later. Wade
