By Shannon Baker
Whenever a church member tells Daryl McCready their guest is “on the list,” he does a happy dance/jig. “On the list” is a code term for each member’s list of 3 to 5 people, for whom they have been praying daily to come to Christ.
And lately, he’s been doing a lot of dancing, proving that people at SonRise Church in Berlin, Md., truly are “living [their] lives so others meet Jesus.” It’s more than their slogan. It’s truly the way they live.
“God is so good to open up miraculous ways to share about Christ,” said McCready.
Ever since planting SonRise Church in October 2002, the senior pastor has sought to teach the congregation how to live their lives so others meet Jesus. Every sermon series he preaches connects to evangelism and the believer’s responsibility to share God’s Good News. Every time the church meets corporately, McCready offers an invitation to come to Christ.
And the church is very active in outreach events, which McCready calls “Taste and See” events.
They do 19 events a year with their local schools, including a Taco Night, in which they recently raised $5,500 for the school. In the town of Berlin, they provide food, worship and children’s activities for the town’s “National Night Out,” and provide volunteers to help clean up parks on “Pride in Berlin Days.” (See photo.)
“God has allowed us to reach a great harvest so far,” said McCready, explaining in the past 11 years, there have been 497 (38 already this year!) decisions in Christ. “It’s been a great blessing.”
Every year, SonRise Church leaders give their members an opportunity to “re-enlist” each year “for another year of service to the Kingdom and an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the vision God has given our church,” said Jerry Wade, SonRise Church’s executive pastor.
At this year’s “Commitment Sunday,” held Jan. 26, “God provided” 26 first-time decisions for Christ and five rededications; 21 commitments for baptism; 78 commitments to join a small group; 77 commitments to take their Starting Point class (for new members); 50 commitments to take their SHAPE (spiritual gifts/personality) class; and many more decisions to begin tithing, to begin reading the Bible and praying daily and to register for other discipleship courses.
“It was simply an amazing day! … an outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power like we’ve never seen before!” Wade said.