In September of 2009, the Spirit of the Living God spoke to our Pastor specifically the name, Abundant Life Church. Interestingly enough, God never spoke again about it until the beginning of 2015. Much like David when he was anointed by Samuel to be God’s anointed king for the future, then having to go back to tending his father Jesse’s sheep in which our Pastor could readily identify with this biblical instance. As God spoke or anointed him for his future pastoral assignment, it wasn’t time to fulfill it. Even though God had spoken, Pastor continued to serve as Youth Pastor and Assistant Pastor tending to his spiritual father Dr. Roy Elton Brackins’ sheep. On January 6th, 2015 the day after our Pastor celebrated 12 years of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit then spoke to his heart again but this time about launching out and starting the Abundant Life Church. Much to our Pastor’s surprise with formalizing this new ministry God nearly 6 years later had on reserve what He had spoken to him in September of 2009. Our Pastor can literally attest to, what God has assigned for you, is for you. After hearing from God, about his next move and being obedient to God’s will. 

 

Our Pastor then fasted and prayed for 3 days and upon the conclusion then met with his spiritual father about what had now been revealed by God. Upon Pastor Brackins hearing what God spoke to our Pastor, he was in full support of what God was leading him to begin. Dr. Roy Elton Brackins still serves as our Pastor’s pastor/covering and the Grace Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church serves as the ALC’s church covering. On Thursday, June 15th, 2015, we had our Abundant Life Church Interest Meeting with 20 people total in attendance. In this Initial Interest Meeting, we shared with those in attendance the Mission and Vision for the ALC. Afterward on July 2nd, 2015, we started having our official Vision/Bible Study Meetings. On the first Sunday in August of 2015, Pastor Brackins shared with the Grace Tabernacle family Pastor’s Kelly’s call from God, and August 30th, 2015 was our Pastor and family’s last official Sunday serving in their leadership roles at the Grace Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

 

After their transition, while meeting weekly for Vision/ Bible Study, we were praying and believing God to open a door for the ALC to have our weekend services by the first Sunday in October of 2015 and God answered our prayer. On the first Sunday, October 4th, 2015 we had 18 Core Partners who had connected and were committed to the vision of the ALC who met in the Cliff Nelson Recreation Center located in Arlington, TX. The following Sunday, October 11th, 2015 we officially extended our weekend service to the world and God connected 3 partners with the ALC family. On the following Sunday, October 18th, 2015, God connected 4 more partners with the ALC family. At the close of 2015, God had grown us from 18 to 36 partners. God continued to add to the ALC family within the first month of 2016 with a total of 51 committed partners and growing us to His glory!  Upon celebrating our 1st year in ministry God has grown us to 75 partners. To God be the Glory!

 

Within the first year of existence, the ALC has implemented small groups to meet the needs of our men, women, and youth. We also partnered together to meet the needs of the community by providing spiritual and physical food to those less fortunate and will continue to meet this outreach mandate.  Pastor’s response is simple when explaining what God has done in such a short time, “I’m doing the lifting, Jesus is doing the drawing.” John 12:32 says, “And I if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” Eye has not seen, nor ear heard the great things that God has in store for the Abundant Life Church. We are still currently worshipping at the Cliff Nelson Recreation Center, where GOD is GROWING us spiritually and structurally. We are on the GROW!!!