Covenant Church

Have you ever thought about a slave baby being hidden in a boat on water, found by a princess, adopted into royalty, becoming a murderer...a fugitive from his own adopted family...a shepherd...spending 40 years watching sheep on the backside of civilization...and then being called to one of the greatest tasks in history? Thus, the story of Moses.

I say: "God often has to work through the back door to get us to the front door."

Back door to the front door has been the story of mine and Laila's life. We began marriage as public school teachers. Youth minister, manager of boys' club, contractor, associate pastor, social worker, immigrations work, author, studies in criminology, police science and law enforcement combined with religious studies, etc., took me in the direction of dreaming to one day be an FBI agent. Test passed. Application filled out. Then law school was considered.

After pastoring five years, Laila and I returned to graduate school. We were confident that our days of serving a church as a pastor's family were over. We were selling our furniture. Planning to move to anywhere in the world for the next phase of our lives, e.g., Rome, London, Moscow, Los Angeles, etc.

Our lease was up. We had no job. We had written the manual for a cross-cultural department for the Church of God. Possibility we would be considered to work with the new department. We were not contacted. Every other door closed. Closed. Closed. Closed. Do you get the idea. Dreams died. We were broke. Lease up. Nowhere to go.

God had moved us from the backyard to the porch, into the kitchen. We did not understand. We knew that we had walked with the Lord. Been faithful. Tithed. Prayed.

Then Dr. Landreth, then pastor of Covenant Church, approached us and asked if we would consider becoming the pastoral family if he resigned. We declined. Two weeks later the offer was made again. During this interim, the Lord had dealt with Laila and me separately and individually that this was God's will for us. We agreed to explore the idea. The Bishop over us was adamantly opposed. However, he agreed that if, and only if, the congregation gave 100% vote he would approve it. I remember well the night Laila and I and our 3 children stood on the front sidewalk while we waited for the people to make a decision whether or not to accept us. The vote was 100%!

Twenty-seven years later the Lord has led us from the backyard to the front porch. If He had told us: "You are going to pastor Covenant Church for 27 years," we might be modern-day Jonahs, still running! We had moved 13 times in 13 years. The idea of staying in one place for 27 years would have been appalling to us at that time. Looking back, it has been wonderful! More than wonderful!

God is so gracious. He knows what we can handle. He cannot even tell us some of the good things that He will do in the future of our lives, because we are not mature enough to handle the future now. In sovereign wisdom Our God reveals himself to us in the simplicity of the present.

September 1 will complete 27 years. The Lord has brought us from the back yard, back porch, through the kitchen, past the family room, and to the front porch. The vista views of life are incomprehensible. We marvel that the Lord saw Covenant becoming a congregation with a love for people, a Christ-heart for the world, and a passion to make a difference through the power of the Holy Spirit. Covenant Church has so many children now serving Christ's Church in many professions and countries.

PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR HIS MARVELOUS WORKS AND LOVE!!!

Much love,

Pastor Bare

Jeremiah 29:11