In The Beginning God...

Often I am asked about the beginning of RiverStone Church. My answer usually includes this statement, “I feel like I have been floating in a river and God has just been pushing the current along.” Whatever someone thinks about the church’s beginning, the greater story is the faithfulness of the Lord to fulfill His plans for His own purpose. God alone is building this church. It is by His grace alone that it exists. There is no one person who can or will receive the glory because we have just been floating down the river. The water, the current, the movement, the opportunities all are due to the mercy and kindness of the Lord. As I think about the previous year and the launch of RiverStone, I can only express thanksgiving because “in the beginning God” called this church into being.

The RiverStone story begins with God.

In the beginning God began stirring people’s hearts toward prayer. In the beginning God moved a family to enlarge an area in their home. In the beginning God gave a vision to the family to open their home to pray. In the beginning God gave a group of people a desire to pray together. In the beginning God testified of His goodness in this prayer group. In the beginning God led the little prayer group through some rough waters to show that He alone can calm the storm. In the beginning God met the prayer group in the mountains and there was brokenness, fellowship and humility. In the beginning God called the prayer group to be a church. In the beginning God gave the church a vision of the future. In the beginning God showed the little church what people committed to prayer could do together. In the beginning God allowed the church to meet together for 4 weeks before a world-wide pandemic. In the beginning God gave prosperity to His people to provide cameras and computers to put the message of hope online. In the beginning God provided the right people to run technology, build teams and help others. In the beginning God provided a friendly church to loan their building for recording and worship. In the beginning God gave vision for outdoor church and outdoor prayer. In the beginning God provided masks and gloves to be handed out on the street. In the beginning God saved someone who heard the Gospel while giving out the masks and gloves. In the beginning God provided strategic relationships to help find worship space. In the beginning God opened the door for a worship facility that was a miracle for the little church. In the beginning God provided a Hispanic Church that provided enough chairs to seat over 300 people. In the beginning God provided the vision to visit and pray for over 2500 homes. In the beginning God called the first person to be baptized. In the beginning God provided a strategic partnership with a local grocer to give food to needy people. In the beginning God provided the vision to present the Gospel while giving the food. In the beginning God called people to respond to the Gospel message. In the beginning God led the church to baptize more new converts.

In the beginning God began building His church. In the beginning God received all the glory. In the beginning God was creating and recreating in people’s hearts a fresh love for Him. And in the beginning, we pray that God sees and says it is good.