Atlas Twp. – It’s not the goal of Pine Grove Baptist Church to become a ‘mega-church?.
‘Our purpose is in our mission statement, to spread a passion for God,? said the Rev. Rob Reece, who pastors Pine Grove, which currently meets at the Goodrich Lions Club.
‘Lovingly and joyfully serving God far exceeds anything else that impacts our lives. That’s why we’re here.?
A far cry from church members who break from a church over disagreements, the goal of Pine Grove is for members to go on to found other Bible-believing churches, said Reece.
Pine Grove Baptist Church began meeting on Easter day, 2003 at Oaktree Elementary School in Goodrich. With M-15 in mind as an ideal location, the 25-member church switched to meeting at the local Lions Club, and has purchased property one-quarter mile south of the Lions Club on the east side of M-15 for future building purposes.
Strict interpretation of the Bible is important at Pine Grove, where scripture is considered unalterable.
The acronym WIFE’a reminder of the biblical depiction of the church as the bride of Christ’stands for the four pillars of the church, says Reece: worship, instruction, fellowship, and evangelism.
While worship style is ‘pretty traditional?, some contemporary praise music is also selected for the services, says Reece.
‘Our philosophy is a little bit different than other churches,? he said. ‘We’re God-centered as opposed to man-centered. We take a fresh look at traditional theology.?
A resident of Oakland County, Reece says the Lord placed a passion in his heart for the people of Goodrich. With the growth potential of the area, there’s a need for more churches.
‘People move to a new community, the kids go to a new school, they shop at new stores. Why not a new church??
Families already residing in the Goodrich area have also found a church home at Pine Grove, with one mission family even returning from Illinois to help establish the church, he said.
Reece completed five years of graduate studies at the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, Mich. in 2000, he said, studying Greek, Hebrew, biblical languages, theology, and apologetics. He also gained experience serving in other Baptist churches as a deacon and adult ministries teacher.
Along with adherence to scripture, visitors and members find a caring church community at Pine Grove.
‘Our ultimate goal is the glory of God,? said Reece. ‘In doing that we want to minister to people.?
‘Life is hard, but there are answers and God is good,? says MaryAnn Reece, Rob’s wife, who along with Rob has parented five children. ‘That’s part of fellowship and edification.? Church members care for each other, whether recovering from divorce, loss of a loved one, or caring for family members, she said.
Currently, Pine Grove’s primary service is held at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays at the Goodrich Lions Club, with study groups also meeting during the week.
To learn more about the church, call (248) 701-8253 or send an e-mail to pgbcgoodrich@juno.com.