New members, ministries spur growth in Prattville church

People like Oleeta Baker account for much of the recent growth of Boone’s Chapel Baptist Church near Prattville.
   
It’s not because Oleeta or her husband, George, can be counted among the new members who have joined the church since Pastor Rodney Culpepper was called there more than a year ago — although they number among them.
   
It’s not even because Baker is so excited about her church that she contacted The Alabama Baptist to report on the church’s Christmas musical: “You would have thought there were 150 singing instead of just 30.”
   
It’s because Baker is one of many new church members so pleased to be a part of a church where God is at work that she’s been rounding up other people to visit the church, too.
   
Attendance at Boone’s Chapel has increased during the past year from 95 to an average of about 125 in Sunday School, according to Culpepper. The church does not record worship attendance. Driving part of that growth has been the enthusiasm of new members such as the Bakers.
   
Culpepper also said the inception of children’s programs was a critical factor. Burdened to begin more ministry to children, Boone’s Chapel started GA and RA organizations for children on Wednesday nights. With as few as three RAs to start with, the church now reaches as many as 120 youth and children weekly, a feat accomplished less by the ministry of adults than the students, who took upon themselves the burden of inviting their friends.
   
That, in turn, has stimulated Sunday attendance as children coming on Wednesday nights have visited on Sundays and brought their parents with them.
   
“This community is growing, and there’s not another church in this area,” Culpepper said.
   
Boone’s Chapel is a rural congregation located between Prattville and Deatsville and draws members from both communities. “You don’t come to this church unless you’re coming to this church,” said Culpepper, noting that the building is not located on a thoroughfare of any sort.
   
Instead of its off-the-beaten-track location being a drawback, interim Minister to Students Gary Crosby called attention to its advantages. “We look at Boone’s Chapel as somewhat of a city refuge,” he said. The church has, however, moved from a “rural, family chapel mentality to a regional one,” which may account for some of its growth, according to Crosby.
   
Moreover, “there’s an incredible sense of unity that had not always been present,” Culpepper noted. “I wish I could say it was me or the worship or some fantastic program, but it’s not. For whatever reason, God is really sending a lot of folks this way. It has been said, however, that God sends us people because He can trust us with them.”
   
In that respect, Boone’s Chapel has been proving itself. The church provides van transportation to accommodate students for its student ministries and makes as many as three trips each Wednesday to pick up children.
   
“I’ve never been in a place where you have more youth and children on Wednesday night than you have on Sunday,” said Culpepper, who has served seven churches. He and his wife, Lisa, are parents of Zac, 15; Kayte, 11; and Luke, 9. 
   
Culpepper said the love demonstrated to community children, many of whom are from unchurched families, has created something of a phenomenon. “It’s been people loving these kids. They come up here and get railed at and fussed at and disciplined, but they get loved here in a way they didn’t get loved at home.”
   
Indeed, Oleeta Baker was attracted to Boone’s Chapel because of its pastor — “I’m just really impressed with him”— and people. “The people in the church were so welcoming to both of us. It’s a come-home church.”
   
Along with the numerical growth at Boone’s Chapel has come growth in giving. Weekly tithes and offerings have increased steadily over the past year, and the church’s benevolence giving also has been significant, according to Culpepper.
    
And all the other growth also brings growth in facilities. The church has begun a Challenge to Build campaign, and construction has begun on a new multipurpose building for fellowship, recreation and education.
   
When Culpepper first came to Boone’s Chapel he told the congregation, “If we’re not running 200 in Sunday School it’s because we didn’t want to.” It’s a goal that Culpepper fully expects the church to reach. But it doesn’t really outline his vision for the church.
   
“My greatest desire is for our church to be a church. That either sounds coined or corny, but it’s that simple,” he said.