Guest Blogger: Eddie Williams – Care Pastor

Last year we were just beginning to organize and cast vision for the Care Team Ministry of Lifepoint Church when we held our very first team meeting.  That is where I was introduced to Gina Coulter and first encountered that now familiar smile that encompasses her entire face, and often the entire room.  It did not take long to understand that Gina had come, not only to the Care Team meeting, but also to Lifepoint Church with a purpose on her heart and mind and a calling to serve the Lord Jesus Christ on her life.

Gina Monticello Coulter and her husband Dave moved here, bringing with them their two boys, Joey and Michael from Port Saint Lucie, Florida.  Gina says (often with tears flowing) she knew from the start that God had a specific purpose in bringing their family from Florida to Wilmington.  After being told about Lifepoint Church by her sister-in-law and her husband, Susan and Michael Naylor, she also knew very quickly that serving at Lifepoint was a major part, if not the primary reason for their coming to Wilmington.

It did not take a lot of time or brain power for me to recognize in Gina someone who genuinely desired to be used by the Lord, and was prepared to selflessly make sacrifices to do just that.  Since that first meeting, Gina has been instrumental in the formation and the application of practically all of the various teams that make up the Care Ministry.  She serves as the Leader/Coordinator of the Experience Care Team who are seen every Sunday after each worship service, praying and counseling with any in attendance who have need or desire to meet with them.  In addition to the ECT, Gina also lends her unique servant’s heart and talents to the Prayer Team, the Life Coach Team, and the Communion Team.  If those were not enough, late last year she agreed to serve as volunteer assistant to the Care Pastor, and that makes my job tremendously simpler and easier.

This wife, mom and business woman (she owns and operates “You Glow Girl” bath salt scrubs) leads not one, but two Life Groups (I Am Second and Run to WIN), and is also a certified fitness instructor in her “spare” time. I frankly get exhausted just writing this post about her.  Gina came to Lifepoint in obedience to God and showed up one night at a meeting looking for someplace to serve.  I’m pretty sure that she found what she was looking for and much, much more.  I am grateful that she did, and I’m sure proud to introduce her to you so that you can be grateful for Gina too!

One day I decided to plant some seeds. I was so excited. I bought some miracle grow and a small pot to become the future home for what would be my new friend. After planting the seeds, watering them, and placing them where they could receive some sunlight, I waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing was happening. I began to wonder if I did something wrong. Just when I was about to abort the mission and start over I notice a tiny sprout working its way through the soil. I was so excited!

It was happening! My plant was growing! It was literally changing everyday. By this time I was excited to see the growth but tired of looking at it in the little pot so I pulled it up by the stem and transplanted it in a different pot. This new pot was bigger and had different soil that advertised better nutrients. So I packed my little friend into his new home and waited for him to grow. He was slow at first but then began to adjust and grow. He wasn’t growing as much as he was in the beginning so I decided to try another pot with different soil.

That’s when he died.

It’s a sad story, I know. I see it happen all the time. People bounce from church to church wondering why they aren’t growing and blaming it on the church. Could it be that you have never stayed in one place long enough to let your roots grow down deep? Many believers have never seen what God can do through them because they’ve never stayed planted in one place long enough to find out.

Bloom where you’re planted!

Guest Blogger: Brad Barbour – Associate Pastor

I have the extreme honor of working beside so many incredible people who love God and serve Him through our Dream Team and our student ministry, United Generation.  When Pastor Jeff asked me to pick one of my volunteers to spotlight on this blog, narrowing it down to just one seemed quite overwhelming.  Since he’s only letting me write one blog however, I managed to make it happen!

Meet Josh Stephens
I want to introduce you to someone who has been around for many years and has served in too many places to name. Josh exemplifies what it means to love God, love others, and serve the world. He is currently serving on our United Generation team and is one of our core leaders. What impresses me about Josh isn’t just what he does now, it’s what he has been doing for years. So don’t call it a comeback, cause he’s been here for….oh never mind. I digress.

Josh doesn’t waste any time when it comes to the things God has put on his heart to do. Long before Lifepoint began a weekly “student ministry” Josh was already pouring into our teenagers. He allowed his heart to drive him, not necessarily just what he could see in front of him. It wasn’t just that he decided to lead a student life group (which he did) but on a weekly basis he was at school lunches, football games, soccer games, at their houses playing video games, and eating with their families. Josh isn’t someone who just talks about reaching the next generation but he goes out and does it.

If it wasn’t for some our volunteers who were pouring into our students long before we launched a weekly service for them, United Generation wouldn’t be where it is today. Josh and a handful of others literally laid the foundation for what we’re seeing happen now.

Josh, Lifepoint Church and myself are extremely grateful for you! Thank you for your willingness to literally pour your life out and into this next generation.