Whatever Happened to . . .? A story of following God’s will

By Pastor Travis Hardey

Looking for Eagle Point Assembly of God? It’s still around -- after eight years of moving from place to place EPA found a home and a new name. It’s now called “Creekside Christian Center” and is meeting at 585 Nick Young Road in Eagle Point.

Eight years ago the pastor of Creekside Christian Center felt led to sell their church building on Platt Street, and build a new church on Nick Young Road. During construction, the church moved to Little Butte Elementary School, then to Eagle Point Junior High School (Before it burned down.), Eagle Point High School, Big Bear Shopping Center, the Rogue Family Center , and finally into it’s own building on Nick Young Road . Along the way Creekside Christian Center partnered with and shared facilities with Red Rock Cowboy Church, and Sonrise Christian Fellowship (a Seventh-day Adventist Church ).

My own path has been almost as challenging. 12 years ago God led me towards being a pastor, but He had a special type of training in mind for me. He allowed me to do street ministry by serving at Pass the Word, a Bible-Distribution ministry. After many years, God began to stir up the “First love” that He had given me, to be a pastor. Without knowing this, my pastor, Jim Wright, from Mountain Christian Fellowship, also felt the leading of God to send me out to start a church. So, with only the belief that God’s Will was clear, and with a handful of people, we started holding service in my home.

Unknown to me, Creekside Christian Center was also looking for a new pastor. Their pastor had completed what the Lord had asked him to do, in guiding the building project, and was being called back to his “First love” as a school teacher. In taking a leap of faith, he followed God’s Will, and stepped down, leaving the church in God’s hands alone.

Meanwhile, my faith in being able to hear God’s Will was being severely tested. One night, as I was crying out to God for guidance, I felt God asking me to wait one week. With about six hours left before the week was up, I got a phone call from an old friend of mine, who asked me to consider being their pastor! Now, six months later, I am serving as the Pastor for Creekside Christian Center.

Sometimes we hear God’s Will, but forget it, because His timing is often way different from ours. Yet, even over a span of almost a decade, God’s timing was still accurate down to that perfect day. He had prepared me for that one phone call, at that specific time. He has prepared this church for this one specific moment. He had prepared everything, according to His plan, so that even though we didn’t know what to expect, God’s will was done.

Creekside Christian Center meets Sundays at 10:00 am and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.

Red Rock Cowboy Church meets Saturdays at 5:00 pm for dinner and service at 6:00 pm. They also meet Tuesdays at 6:30 pm.

Sonrise Christian Fellowship meets Saturday mornings at 10:30 am.

Travis Hardey writes from Medford, Oregon. ride4jc@yahoo.com