BLACKWELL—Since stepping into the role of pastor at Blackwell, First in July 2024, Mark Meador has led the congregation through a season of growth, energy and renewed outreach.
Meador, who also teaches and coaches in the Blackwell school system, was elected by a 33-vote margin. While there may have been some initial wondering whether a multi-vocational (MVP) pastor could balance all the demands of church leadership and a busy role in education, Meador has shown he is more than up for the task. The Lord has blessed the congregation.
At the time he assumed his role as pastor, the church averaged about 25 in Sunday School and had closed off two levels of its three-story building due to
low numbers.
As only God can do, that has all changed. Through a focused effort to reconnect with the community and grow the church, Meador introduced “Great Day Sunday”—a Sunday School and worship attendance push that included the launch of a brand-new Sunday School class aimed at reaching new people.
That day, attendance jumped to 47 in Sunday School and 76 in worship. Thankfully, the momentum did not stop there. In the months following, the church’s regular attendance continued to grow. Since Meador’s arrival, 18 people have joined the church, including six by baptism.
The pastor has led the church in some other creative outreach efforts. This past March, they held a “John 3:16 Sunday,” where Meador gathered names of 24 new residents from the city’s utility list.
Church members assembled welcome packets, and 12 members personally delivered them, connecting with families like one that had just moved in from North Carolina and joined the church.
New faces continue to show up on Sundays as a result. Just recently, Pastor Meador led the church bookkeeper’s son to faith in Christ.
On Easter Sunday, the church celebrated with the ordinances, with two baptisms followed by the Lord’s Supper. The church has already hit attendance highs in the 70s on recent Sundays, with one time a
high of 82.
In answer to the pastor’s prayers, the church had 114 people attend on Easter Sunday.
From just 25 people and closed rooms across the building, the church is experiencing times of renewal and growth. Meador’s time at Blackwell is already making an impact for God’s Kingdom. As the church continues to reach out, the congregation is praying their mission keeps gaining ground.
