Planting a church, starting a new location—whatever you want to call what we are trying to do at Beacon Church WEM—nobody ever thought it was going to be easy.
The one thing we knew for certain was that God was up to something at West Edmonton Mall. We believed we were invited to step into that, using our experience and skills to help bring a new church community to this space.
Since launching our weekly gatherings last month, most Sundays have been a small but steady gathering of people coming to be a part of our newly forming community.
But then, a couple weeks ago, something happened that caught us off guard… nobody showed up.
It was a long weekend, the mall was packed… it took me 30 minutes to find a parking spot. And yet, other than a couple volunteers, nobody came.
It would be easy to feel discouraged. And honestly? I did.
But we’re learning something important: God’s faithfulness isn’t measured by numbers or full rooms. He often moves in much more subtle ways.
And people are coming. People are asking questions. People are seeking. Last week we had five different individuals walk who had been planning to join for a few weeks. They had seen our social media or had been invited by someone at the chapel.
And there in lies the lesson…
Every conversation, every prayer, every person who walks through our doors reminds us why we are here.
We believe God has called us to be a steady, consistent presence in this space and to be a waypoint for those searching for hope.
Whether the room is full or empty, we’re trusting that God is moving and that He has called us to be here. We’re not giving up yet.
Would you pray with us? Pray that God continues to draw people in and that Beacon Church would be a community where those who are searching find the One that they have been looking for all along.
Even when no one shows up, God always does.