From teacher appreciation events to multigenerational discipleship groups, this congregation is finding practical ways to serve its changing community.

By Carl Stagner | Read Time: 4 minutes

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When families get along, it’s a beautiful thing. When families get along, they don’t typically have a hard time loving each other. But it’s not always easy extending family-quality hospitality to those on the outside. Thankfully, this simply isn’t the case for Cedar Creek Church of God in Greeneville, Tennessee. Whether a part of the congregation for a lifetime or someone who’s brand-new, whether a first-time visitor or one who has yet to step foot in the church building, there’s a kind of unconditional welcome that churchgoers and the surrounding community have come to associate with the Greeneville, Tennessee, family of faith.

It’s their particular blend of truth and love that’s having the biggest impact on the region regarded by Pastor Samuel Chaffin as a melting pot.

“A challenge of ministry in my local community,” he explains, “has been figuring out how to minister to people with different beliefs and backgrounds. East Tennessee has been a hot spot for relocations after COVID. Some 7,000 people have moved to Greeneville in the last few years.”

Big cities might hardly notice an increase of 7,000 people but, for a city of less than 20,000 residents, a rapid rise like that can’t sneak under the radar.

“While we’ve met many people,” Sam continues, “we’ve also encountered a range of beliefs and backgrounds, often from those who claim to follow Jesus. So, learning how to extend our hand in fellowship to every blood-washed one while maintaining our Wesleyan doctrine and roots is a dynamic we’re learning to embrace.”

This is new ministry territory for the pastor of Cedar Creek. A theological melting pot, often flavored with Calvinist undertones, can be difficult to deal with when visitors bring with them relatively rigid conclusions. Thankfully, the people of Cedar Creek Church of God love everyone the same. It’s one of the things Pastor Sam loves most about the flock he’s blessed to shepherd.

Unconditional Welcome

“For five years,” Sam explains, “the people of Cedar Creek Church of God have treated my family as if we were one of their own. We have felt supported, welcomed, and cherished. But we are not exceptions. This is how the people of Cedar Creek treat everyone. I have heard from numerous people who have become part of this congregation over the last few years about a shared experience.”

Beyond the four walls of the church building, the congregation is also showing hospitality often, and in generous supply.

“A joy of ministry in my community is the opportunity to be involved in the local schools,” Sam explains. “God has opened doors for us to minister to students, and the church has stepped up to make this ministry possible. We’ve provided meals for numerous athletic teams, hosted teacher appreciation luncheons, and provided snacks and prayer for each student during state testing. As a pastor, it is a joy to watch the church mobilize.”

Here I Am, Lord!

Sam Chaffin grew up in the Church of God movement, but wrestled with the call to vocational ministry before he got where he is today. Under stalwarts like Kevin Collins, Alan Hutchinson, Wayne Burch, and Charlie Heater, Sam learned about the love of Jesus and the timeless truth of the Holy Scriptures. Early one autumn morning, while a sophomore in high school, he remembers an encounter remarkably similar to the calling of the Prophet by the same name.

“On three consecutive mornings that autumn, I found myself awake, sitting up in bed, without any demand from my alarm clock,” he recounts. Each morning, the Lord’s presence extended a clarion call: “Samuel, I want you to preach for me.”

Realizing the odds of a food-induced hallucination were pretty low for a three-day recurrence, Samuel acknowledged the voice of the Lord. Suppressing his dream to follow in the footsteps of his father into the role of pharmacist, especially alongside his brother as a physician (their uncle was a doctor who carpooled to work with their father), was at least a two-year battle.

“Trying to hold onto this childhood dream,” Pastor Sam recalls, “I spent a couple of years running for Tarshish. However, I could not shake God’s call to preach his Word. Before graduating from high school, I surrendered to the Lord’s plan for my life (thankfully, without the help of a large fish!).”

Prayers Answered, Requested

God’s work through Pastor Sam and Cedar Creek Church of God is evident. Besides the effective school outreach, they’ve rejoiced over the potency of their men’s and women’s discipleship groups that cross generational boundaries; in fact, participants presently range in age from 19 to 97! Even more exciting, God has answered their four-year prayer to identify and secure a youth pastor!

Nevertheless, there’s always room for prayer!

“My daily prayer,” Pastor Samuel Chaffin concludes, “is that God would give me wisdom for the situations and conversations I encounter as a pastor and, above all, that he would help me be faithful to his calling on my life to preach his Word. Please pray that God would strengthen me to preach with power and clarity, and that he would use Cedar Creek Church of God to raise up a generation of disciples.”