When he became pastor of the Rock Church in St. Louis, he had no idea of the unique role he would ultimately be called upon to perform. And it was exciting! He kept close to the Lord God. The result? Right now, I don’t recall any other church role just like it.
Several churches around the country and near St. louis have established two or more campuses – “one local church, several campuses — usually near the founding church. Pastor Tim’s experience may look like that, but such is not the model. He didn’t seek such an unusual ministry, but it came to him. A mutual friend, Pastor Milton McBride, now with he Lord, had served in trying to keep a “struggling” small church in the region alive. Milton approached Tim and said: “We need you and the Rock Church to help us. We want you to take over our church!”
Pastor Tim, a man of prayer got on his knees and took the matter to God. And that is when the title of this story took place. Tim reminded the Lord that “God, we cannot do this without the funds to do it.” He got up off his knees, opened the mail, and there was a check, unrestricted as to how it was to be used in ministry!
Tim asked 50 of his Rock Church congregation to attend the struggling church for a year. And now, a few years later, Tim reports that most of his leadership in the Rock Church came through the church that they helped.
Three other St. Louis area church asked for the same help. One heavy motivation was – in the past –God’s money had been spent to pay for the properties. Tim did not want God’s money to be turned into a banquet hall, residences, or a business.
Amid all this, Pastor Tim went on international mission trips. As a result, Rock Church and her pastor have planted, “birthed” six churches in Kenya!
More Background to the Story
Pastor Tim Cowin is the son of missionaries. After he was honorable discharged following several years in the Army, he reconnected with Pastor Fred Winters in First Baptist Church, Maryville, IL, (half-hour northeast of the St. Louis Arch) and joined the church. Fred had learned that Tim had once indicated that he was “called” of God to preach.
Fred mentored Tim. In time, that “call” was rekindled. Then, in 1999, Fred Winters was martyred, shot and killed on a Sunday morning in his own pulpit. (For more, see “Widow Cindy Winters and FBC Maryville, IL, present a 10th anniversary memorial service for husband, Pastor Fred Winters, martyred in his Sun AM pulpit” by clicking on http://haroldhendrick.com/2019/03/07/widow-cindy-winters-re-fbc-maryville-il-10th-anniversary-memorial-service-for-husband-murdered-martyred-pastor-fred-winters-in-his-sun-am-pulpit/ … and to hear [recorded at that time]… “Pastor Fred Winters murdered in his pulpit. Widow Cindy Winters talks about it” by clicking on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2009/03/26/winters-cindy/)
More on the influence of the Maryville Church …where Pastor Tim Cowin was Mentored by Pastor Fred Winters
To hear and see a five-minute video from martyred Pastor Fred Winters, click here … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfUBY11DXHY&feature=youtu.be
To hear … “Businessman Bob Bertels, co-founder, www.africanvisionofhope.org, caring for 3,000 young Zambians” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2018/11/16/businessman-bob-bertels-co-founder-www-africanvisionofhope-org-caring-for-3000-young-zambians/ … [This great ministry [“African Vision of Hope” — was born in the First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois] … and
To hear … “AVH Pastor Kennedy Hakobwa and Bob Bertels caring, protecting, feeding 3,000 Zambian Children daily” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2019/01/02/avh-pastor-kennedy-hakobwa-and-bob-bertels-caring-protecting-feeding-3000-zambian-children-daily/.