Can a Church Repent?

by Dayle Keefer, Area Rep for Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania
pastor of Fluvanna Community Church in Jamestown, New York

Fluvanna Community Church is rich in its history with the CCCC. We joined the Conference in 1961, under the pastoral leadership of Wayne Hamilton, who also served as president of the CCCC from 1969–1972. Our present Conference Minister, Dr. Ron Hamilton, grew up here along the shores of Chautauqua Lake, in Western New York State; and had his spiritual roots nurtured under his dad’s faithful preaching ministry for 17 years at Fluvanna Community Church.

For many years we envisioned a Family Center building to complement the existing sanctuary and Sunday school rooms. Over $200,000 was raised to begin the first phase of expansion to build on the link building. After its construction began and was close to completion, the contractors suggested we keep going and build the rest of the center while their equipment and availability was there and ready to go. Though we knew that debt is not such a good idea, yet with little prayer or financial preparation involved, we still hurriedly gathered the congregation together and voted to borrow over $900,000.00. We were not prepared for what hit us as a result.

The building continued until the Family Center was erected, but we were unable to fully complete the project. All our properties had been placed in escrow, and we had maximized all of our borrowing capabilities. Discouragement and discontent within the church fellowship set in. It was a dark and awful time. We could barely make interest payments to the bank, let alone continue. The building sat lifeless for 1 1/2 years.

My soul was in agony and I was beginning to feel isolated and ostracized from God’s blessing. One day the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me and asked, “Have you ever thought of repenting?” I was dumbfounded and deeply offended until I realized that would be our only hope. I called for a solemn assembly according to Joel 2:15, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.

We held a congregational meeting of REPENTANCE. I openly repented of my prayerlessness. We had a marvelous service of sorrow, tears and repentance. Our God freed us that night. Following the meeting, God clearly revealed His forgiveness to us. He said, “If I can forgive a sinner, I can forgive a church.” That was three years ago. Two months ago, we completed enough work to get our certificate of occupancy for using the Family Center! We’ve not fully completed the project, but we are using it, paying down the mortgage and are happy again!

We as a church committed corporate sin. Since repenting, our church has set a new course on prayer. We now meet every Tuesday night exclusively for prayer. Nothing else happens during prayer meeting except prayer, no meetings, no choir practice, nothing but prayer. Under the vision of the IRREDUCIBLE CORE, we now:

1. Love God;

2. Love People Sacrificially; and

3. Make Spirit-Filled Disciples