I said, “I’d love to meet with you and see if I could get some time with you.” To this day we’ll get together and we’ll just talk. I also went to Mount Pleasant, the only black baptist church here in Midlothian. Since I didn’t know anybody, and since there were not that many churches here, I went to whoever was there. As a newcomer, you just learn the layout of the land. That’s what old preachers were called, the guards. The way I was taught – when you go somewhere – you go and talk to the guards. I love how you honored the existing churches and pastors. There are friendships that I have right now, because of our time there. To this very day, if there was ever anything we needed as a church, First United Methodist Church has always been like a big sister for us. Matter of fact, we just had our ten year anniversary service over there. He said, “The Father said to me that you are to use our building … for free.”įor the whole first year of existence of One Church, we resided right there at First United Methodist Church. At the meeting he introduced me and afterwards he called me. It was just a beautiful moment.Ĭarl invited me to the Ministerial Alliance, an interfaith group that meets in Midlothian. He asked me questions, I asked him questions. I sat in his office, again for over an hour, and we just talked talked talked. At the time, Carl Freeto was the senior pastor. Then I went to First United Methodist Church. You would have thought we were really good friends. I ended up visiting with senior pastor Bruce Prindle for over an hour. One day I decided to stop at First Baptist Church. When we returned from Germany, I started driving around Midlothian because I didn’t know anything about the city. I’m “so smart” and thinking we had to move to Germany. Of course, being in Germany, a search for “Midlothian” takes you to real places in Europe. I got on the computer right there in Germany and searched for “Midlothian.” For a minute, I had no idea where Midlothian was, even though we lived right down the road in Mansfield. He wanted us to organize a church – name it One Church – and put it in Midlothian. While there, just like at the prayer retreat, I felt firm that the Lord was redirecting us. We were there for a worship extravaganza. And then God did what only he could do – My wife and I went to Germany! He was looking for someone to lead worship for him. So, she said, “Okay.” As soon as I hung up the phone with her, a friend of mine called. I had a history of making Spirit-led decisions. That was a major decision because I was the only one working at the time. I called my wife and said, “Babe, the spirit is talking. I felt firm that the Lord had given us a new direction to pursue. How did you end up in Midlothian? In April 2006 I went on a prayer retreat. I served with them as the minister of music for 6 years. After graduation, my choir director recommended me for a position at Concord Church in Dallas. I was a member of the choir at Huston–Tillotson University. I sang my first solo when I was 5, played piano when I was 10, and preached my first public sermon when I was 15. The funny thing is, people around here don’t know me as a singer. You’re church services are so fun … I had no idea you could sing! Worship has been a big part of my life. What follows is an excerpt from our original interview with the man who is passionate about making new history in Midlothian, Texas. Yet, after having met Pastor Mac, it makes sense. He’s the kind of person that challenges the status quo and shatters stereotypes with an abundance of grace.įor these reasons and many more, our editorial team selected One Church as our Church Spotlight in URBANwell Magazine Vol. When God called him out to the country, he wasn’t even in this country. He grew up in Terrell, went to university in Austin and began his professional career as a worship leader in Dallas. Most people in town know him as “Pastor Mac.” Folks in Midlothian, Texas are having conversations about “making new history.” The dialogue was initiated by Demetrius McClendon, senior pastor of One Church.
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