Emerald Coast Church in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., completed the Acts 2 Journey in 2015. When Pastors Tim and Ann Black took leadership in spring 2013, attendance averaged 41 and the church was on the verge of closing its doors.

Pastor Tim Black thanks AGTrust donors for making the Acts 2 Journey possible for their church and gives this report:

“The congregation of Emerald Coast Church today is over 200 strong. Our demographic has shifted from one that was predominantly Anglo to a thriving congregation representing countries like Greece, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Korea, Thailand, India and Vietnam. We support 40 missionaries and missions projects. We are financially stronger and have added a second Sunday service.

“When Ann and I first came to Emerald Coast Church, we hosted a lot of activities but they didn’t generate growth. I was just trying to let people in the community know we were here.

Emerald Coast Church’s demographic has changed from primarily Anglo to a thriving congregation representing the countries of Greece, Guatemala, India, Korea, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Vietnam and more.

“The Acts 2 Journey helped us put together a plan and know how to get from Point A to Point B. We had to evaluate: Are we just trying to get people into the building? Or are we intentionally making disciples?

“We have become focused on the plan. We started small groups in August 2017 as a way to create a discipleship process.

“Our key leaders have been integral to keeping the Acts 2 momentum going. As they remain focused on our core values, their enthusiasm encourages others. They are now dreaming about and seeing things accomplished like never before. They realize they are part of the solution.

“The Acts 2 Journey is a huge reason why we are seeing our church grow numerically and our members grow in spiritual maturity.

“We are so thankful for the investment that AGTrust partners are making in churches across the nation by providing scholarships so they can take the Acts 2 Journey.”

“In fact, because of your giving, we are giving 1 percent of our church’s monthly income to the West Florida District to help other churches participate in the Acts 2 Journey.”

Emerald Coast AG took its first missions trip as a church to minister to Native Americans at the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona.

Kayla Abbot, the first children’s pastor at Emerald Coast AG, is a graduate of Southeastern Assemblies of God University, Lakeland, Fla.