Aiming for a Harvest

By Jim Martin

In 2006, I was entering my seventh year pastoring Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church in Gardendale, Alabama. The Lord was blessing the ministry. My house was almost paid for, and I had just remodeled it. I was happy with my life close to my parents, children, and grandchildren. But then, I met Dana Booth and his wife Betty, and God rekindled a vision and burden that began in high school, that I had not given up on—to start a church.

It would be difficult to start a church in a state with no other Free Will Baptist churches without a partner. So, the move to New York was put on hold as I prayed and patiently waited on God. Unknown to me, Dana had developed the same burden, and God brought us together. It was my prayer that if God would allow me this opportunity, I would be a servant to Dana’s ministry. God opened many doors. My children said, “You need to do this.” My wife said, “We have to do this.”

Today, I find myself serving as a lay missionary, working full time and trying to grow Landmark Church. I still have a clear vision and calling; otherwise, I would not be here. The vision for me is to establish churches in and around the city of Rochester, and then move to Syracuse to start more churches. This cannot be done without people praying, giving, and answering God’s call to come to New York.

I am in great need of someone (or several someones) to get a burden, a vision for over 19 million people living in New York, according to the latest census. Despite what you hear about businesses leaving New York, businesses are going up where we live, with 750 new homes being constructed within a square mile of our home. People are here, and they need the Lord. We are aiming for the harvest, and we hope you will join us.

About the writer: Jim Martin and his wife Sylvia are church planters to Rochester, New York, one of three major upstate cities, along with Buffalo and Syracuse. Please pray for Jim and Sylvia as they plant Landmark FWB Church. Learn more: www.fwbnam.com.