Our Past!
Tatesbrook Baptist Church began in 1984 as a mission from Porter Memorial Baptist Church. The mission was not a church plant but rather a supportive effort on the request of Tatesbrooks first pastor. The church grew to approximately 300 on roll members. Because of an unfortunate situation, the pastor was forced to resign, and Tatesbrook was looking for a new pastor and direction. What came next was a new pastor, and definitely a new direction!

In April 1992, the church called their second pastor. Through the search process this pastor set forth a vision that called for a whole new paradigm shift and radical change in the method of church life. The former church, being a Program-based designed church, would now move toward a more relational cell-based church. This process would prove to be a harder task than proposed.

The first two years of transition was spent mainly trying to bring healing to a hurting congregation. The fist changes within the program-based church was to replace committees with ministry teams. The purpose of this change was based on two biblical principles:
1. Every believer is a minister and needs to find their place of ministry (Ephesians 4)
2. Every believer has been gifted by the Holy Spirit, and should operate in the gifts in which He has given for the purpose of edifying the body and promoting the kingdom (1 Corinthians 12).
Hence, committees that were comprised by a few were being replaced by teams that were made up of the whole body so all would serve.

The next change of transition was to move the church from the pews to the homes. This was to help alleviate the emphasis on church buildings and move it more to the homes and communities. We began a pilot group of six couples to experience church life in a more relational way. After a nine-month period, we enlisted all members into a group and began shepherd groups within our body. In the mean time, those in the pilot group who were Sunday School teachers within the church saw no need to continue Sunday school, so they resigned from that position. This caused great consternation on some of the members, and several from Tatesbrook left for other churches with a Sunday school program. I share this for the purpose of recognizing that transitioning is a very difficult process, and brings out the true hearts of all involved.

The process of transitioning a church will never end, nor will its heartaches or joys. We have seen both at Tatesbrook, and continue with the vision of relational Christianity because the joys far out-weigh the heartaches. We are still seeking to do His will, and have been blessed with the finest brothers and sisters to be imagined (and a few soreheads). However, God has taught us much and is continually breaking us and molding us into His image!

Our Present!
Tatesbrook is in its ninth true year of transition. At this particular point of our pilgrimage, we have seen God do unbelievable things in our midst. Our present calling is to grow in intimacy with the father through Jesus Christ, and to build close relationships through accountability based on God's word. Once we establish these callings into a lifestyle, we will then restore home groups for the purpose of fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. Our future will unfold as God the father continues to direct us through His love and life.

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