“God has people that are far from him that need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our church cannot be everywhere all at once,” Patrick Roddey, Lead Pastor of Harmony Baptist Church, said.

This realization led Harmony Baptist to send out Ben Winn, their associate pastor, and a core team to plant City Hope Church in Rock Hill, SC. “We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called us here to Rock Hill,” Winn said.

In the early stages of planting City Hope Church, Winn and his team asked, “Where is the brokenness we see in the city of Rock Hill?” As the church plant looked at the city’s needs, they quickly saw a growing homeless population and a need for school partnerships.

Creating Local Partnerships

This stirring led to a weekly Bible study with a local men’s shelter, where City Hope sought to understand more about homelessness and to show the men the love of Jesus. Since beginning this partnership, four men have come to know Christ, and three have been baptized. “We’ve seen God work in this community through just our selfless love to be able to pour into our neighborhood,” Winn said. City Hope has also partnered with Cherry Park Elementary to care for their students and staff.

Winn emphasized that had he and the core team not been sent out by Harmony Baptist, these thriving partnerships in Rock Hill would not exist. “By sending and being willing to live with open hands, the impact of ministry is now reaching further, farther, faster,” Winn said.