Reaching hearts in Florida’s heartland

By Barbara Denman
April 5, 2007

WINTER HAVEN (FBC)—Winter Haven, a community of nearly 30,000 people located south of Tampa and Orlando, is known for its gentle rolling hills and 45 fresh-water lakes contained within the city limits.

Once considered a haven for winter residents with year-round temperatures above 62 degrees, this community now beckons families. The once economic mainstay of orange groves is being transformed into housing developments with hundreds of reasonably-priced homes.

In the past five years, Winter Haven has seen more than a 10 percent growth in population, newcomers drawn by the water sports, recreational amenities and easy-going lifestyle.

Located in the community’s southeast corner, where nearly 3,000 homes have been built in recent years, Heartland Community Church stands committed to reach people’s hearts in the heartland with the gospel.

“I think the best way to bring people into the Kingdom is through planting new churches,” said the Ed Kendrick, who planted the church in 2002 and now serves as pastor of the congregation.

“We started basically from scratch with just a couple of families. And we chose that way to grow our church,” said Kendrick.

The church is reaching the “unchurched—which I like to call ‘de-churched’ people who had not attended church in a lot of years,” said Kendrick. “And we have others who have never been active in a church, who are now very active and bringing others to church.”

Church leaders implemented small group ministries, classes and other venues to help new members grow and become disciples, he explained.

The church began meeting in the Admiral Inn hotel located at the gate of the famed Cypress Gardens and in a year moved to the commercial office building, where it is now housed.

“The Florida Baptist Convention actually determined this was a hot spot for future growth from the studies they had done,” said Kendrick. “We felt like they were right on the money and started the church. It’s proven true.”

After conducting research of the area, the Convention also recommended the church adopt a non-traditional worship style.

“We did a research project that indicated a contemporary worship style church would be welcomed in that area,” said Rick Lawrence, director of the Convention’s Church Planting Department. “Apparently our research was correct.”

Kendrick, a former bank president and mayor in nearby Fort Meade, received pastoral support from the state convention to enable him to work full-time in planting the church.

Now, more than 300 persons attend the church each week, and d uring January of this year, 40 families visited the church. The church recently added a third Sunday morning worship service to accommodate the growth.

At the church, they find an energetic worship style led by a praise team that includes eight vocalists, two keyboardists, six guitarists and two drummers. Words to contemporary songs are displayed on television monitors. The pastor models a casual dress style with khaki pants and open neck shirt.

“Jehovah’s Java,” a coffee kiosk located in the church’s sanctuary, reinforces the laidback atmosphere and fosters fellowship among members and visitors.

Brian and Kerry Jackson relocated to Winter Haven from Tampa and began attending the church during its first year. The couple said they were drawn by the casual style, relevant preaching and up-beat music.

“Ed focuses on us trying to hone in our daily life, getting closer to God through Bible study and individual prayers,” said Brian Jackson.

“Everything is very applicable to our daily lives, the people we work with, people we see at the gym and our friends,” added Kerry Jackson.

The music also appealed to the Jackson’s sons who were teens at the time. “They were listening to Christian radio stations that played this kind of music,” said the mother. She credits the church with providing her sons with spiritual roots they have maintained as young adults.

“We have to be creative in the way we reach people, yet not do anything to dilute God’s word,” Kendrick explained. “Creative in the methods used and then ask God to give us insight and wisdom to know when and where to draw the line.”

While numbers are a meaningful measure of the church’s growth, Kendrick is quick to note that “each person represents a soul. We want to reach people who are not saved and disciple them.”

Wayne Scott represents one of the new souls brought into the Kingdom, having come to the church at the urging of his long-time girlfriend. During a counseling session, the pastor led Scott to accept Christ as his Savior. The couple, who share two children, were married in February.

“Since we started coming here, our life has changed totally,” said Scott. “It’s made a 180-degree difference in our lives, for sure. It has made us happy all over again.”

www.heartchurch.org