Living for Something Bigger

When you desire to live for something bigger, it’s easy to say “yes” to a spring break mission trip. At the start of spring break this past March, 15 junior high students and six leaders loaded a church bus and drove 672 miles to North Central Texas. The purpose was simple: work alongside First Baptist Church Prattville’s (FBCP) church plant partner, Redemption City Church (RCC), and serve the community of Fort Worth. While simple in purpose, the mission made a lasting impact on FBCP’s students.

“While we were serving at a homeless shelter, I told a lady that I liked her fur coat,” eighth grade team member Katie Cone said. “She began to tell me that I needed to read Psalm 150. When I got back on the bus, I read it. I realized that while serving at the homeless shelter or food pantry didn’t seem like our typical way of praising God, we were praising God during all parts of the mission trip.”

Redemption City Church (RCC) was planted in Fort Worth because of the city’s rapid growth. Fort Worth is the 13th largest city in the United States and fifth largest in Texas. More than 8.1 million people now call the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex home. Furthermore, the Metroplex experienced the largest population growth of any metropolitan area in the United States in 2023, according to the U.S. Census.

The surge in the Metroplex’s population contributed to FBCP’s decision to financially partner with RCC in 2022. FBCP took it one step further when Justin Hall, FBCP Student Pastor, saw this as a terrific entry-level mission for seventh and eighth grade students. 

“Our students are able to see and learn how a church plant is formed, as well as work alongside Redemption City to grow their ministry,” said Hall. “Our students are also able to see the need to help the homeless, the hungry and the abused, as well as the importance of going door to door telling a community there is a new church plant in town.”

The days are long when you are on mission, but the work is worth it. Oliver Osbourn is an eighth grader at Prattville Junior High School. This was his first mission trip.

“One truth God taught me during this trip is that serving brings not just joy to others, but also brings me great joy,” said Osbourn. “We did a lot by volunteering at a food bank and homeless shelter and doing a car wash. We also went to a nearby park and engaged a few people with the gospel. If you’re truly going to serve a community, it takes a lot of work.”

Serving takes all types of work, especially for a church plant on Sunday mornings. FBCP’s team prepared materials for guests, greeted worshippers and met with students during the small group time. 

“This generation of students desires to be involved in something bigger than themselves,” said Hall. “They want to have the opportunities to serve, grow and step out of their comfort zones. We, as a church, must give them the opportunities, and I believe they will rise to the call every time.”

Texas certainly will not be Cone or Osbourn’s last mission, as both look forward to more opportunities.

“This was my second time to serve with Redemption City Church in Texas,” said Cone. “After my first trip, I saw on social media how they were growing, and I knew we had been a small part of that. It encouraged me to go back, and maybe next time, it’ll be an international mission that God leads me to.” 

Osbourn added, “I’ll take any opportunity for the next mission. Whether in the United States or out of country, I want to go.”

Thus, it will likely be a “yes” the next time God calls Cone and Osbourn to a mission. It’s simply what happens when you live for something bigger than yourself. 

FBCP offers national and international mission opportunities for junior high and high school students. The Student Mission Pathway launched in 2021 from a desire to see students surrender to the gospel. The Pathway starts with seventh graders and continues to build in intensity and responsibility. The current mission locations through the Pathway are Texas (seventh-eighth grades), Guatemala (ninth-11th grades) and Puerto Rico (12th grade). The goal is to have six destination opportunities.