From The Pews To The Pavement
From The Pews To The Pavement

From The Pews To The Pavement

Horizon Baptist Church launched in October 2019. Pastor Frankie Bailey said God opened the opportunity for the church to meet at the HDH Ranch and Rodeo Arena and Pavilion owned by Dustin Hudson. The membership is continuously growing, and parishioners are excited about spreading the Good News in Olney and the surrounding areas.

Pastor Bailey said that being a Christian is a verb, and he referred to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20:

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

While conversing with the pastor and members, it was easy to see how serious they are about leading people to Christ by taking the Gospel from the pews to the pavement.

“We begin outside the building by having a couple of worship services at the downtown gazebo or the park. We open these services to anyone who wants to attend. We plan to do more of this,” Bailey said. “ Somewhere along the way, somebody said, ‘Let’s build a church, and y’all come see us.’ That is not the way Jesus did it. He gave us an example that we strive to follow by making sure we are prayed up and doing the things we need to do.”

Currently, there are approximately 30 members who attend the nondenominational church. The church leaders and founders say they are ready for triple digits. Many of the services support the needs of the community and attract people to worship on a deeper level, leading to a commitment to join the church. For example, the church partnered with the House of Mercy to cook and deliver turkeys to needy families in the community.

“We are so thankful to the House of Mercy for donating turkeys for our Thanksgiving Feeding program,” said Gina Maxwell, a founding member. “It started with a local officer who came in and said, ‘I have a turkey in my freezer. Do you know any families that need a blessing?’ Then, the House of Mercy blessed us abundantly with a donation of the extra turkeys they had. We were able to take care of various families in the community, a couple of families in Graham and the hospital,” Maxwell said.

Member Karma Davis explained the “Celebrate Recovery” program that Horizon Church hosts every Wednesday at 6 p.m. She emphasized that the program is open to the public and focused on Jesus. “If you are struggling with any addiction [drugs, alcohol, food, etc.], come to the program. It lasts for an hour followed by Bible study at 7 p.m. for those who are interested in staying.”

The church’s youth program is relatively new, and the outreach to the community youth has been consistent. Davis said, “Our mission with the youth is to get them to commit to community service and outreach. Right now, we are delivering blankets, hats, gloves, nonperishable foods and toiletries to the homeless.”

Bailey welcomes everyone to visit the church that is open to everyone of all faiths and ethnicities.

“Being a part of our church family is a humbling experience here because everybody is equal. All of us are the same, and all we want to do is serve. We are blessed in so many ways, and God has been with us every step of the way,” Bailey said.

The church is also open for worship service every Sunday at 10 a.m. and every Wednesday at 6 p.m. It is located at 841 Hwy 114 E. in Olney. For more information about the church, visit Horizon Country Church on Facebook.