2023 Annual Report

ANNUAL2023REPORT

WE ARE A LOCAL COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS, PART OF THE WORLDWIDE FELLOWSHIP OF THOSE WHO HAVE FOUND ETERNAL LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST.

We accept God’s Word as our all-sufficient rule for faith and life. We believe we’re to enjoy life that is energized by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We believe that we are Christ’s representatives in this fallen, broken world.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LEAD PASTOR

Loved ones, thank you for joining us for our 2024 Church Council! It has been our tradition to come together each April to report and celebrate the previous year, as well as pray for God’s continued blessing during the current one! Let me say thank you for a few things…

1. Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting our Christian Life Family financially, spiritually, prayerfully and with your continued presence, service and involvement.

2. Thank you for loving and supporting the various ministries and missions we have partnered with.

3. Thank you for loving and walking

alongside all the Pastoral and the Office Staff.

4. Thanks to our Elders who hold tightly to our mission and vision.

5. Most of all, praise be to our God, who has carried us individually and collectively and gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know that 2024 will be a year of transitions, but we are confident that “He who began a good work in us will faithfully see it through to completion!”

I love you so much. It is an honor to serve as your shepherd.

Pastor Stephen Chitty has been the lead pastor of Christian Life Church since 1994.

COMPLETION! “ “

WE KNOW THAT 2024 WILL BE A YEAR OF TRANSITIONS, BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT “HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN US WILL FAITHFULLY SEE IT THROUGH TO

THIS PRESENT TIME

Pastor Stephen preaches from his final sermon series as lead pastor.

IN THE HEART OF SC

Christian Life Church is located in the Midlands of South Carolina. We love serving the Columbia, Irmo, Lexington, Forest Acres, Blythewood Chapin and surrounding areas, and we frequently have visitors from all over the country as well as a widespread online audience.

Our mission is to create environments in which people encounter God, resulting in purpose-filled lives based on a Biblical worldview.

In 2023, our theme was “This Present Time.” Our central truth that we focused on was that, as Christians, we are called to develop and live out a worldview with

its roots in the teachings of the Bible. Our beliefs shape our actions, priorities and life goals.

In order to walk in God’s will, we must fill our lives with His truth, discern and expose what is false, embrace the process of a transformed life and commit to establishing God’s Kingdom.

CCR

We completed our $375K Children Center Renovation (CCR) project and unveiled it in September.

FINE ARTS

A team of our Union Fine Arts students took home 1st Place in the Musical Ensemble Large category at Nationals.

MISSIONS

Pastor Tommy Reeves officially retired as our Missions Pastor and Pastor Cody Bone took over in his stead.

VIRAL

We had our first Instagram reel go “viral” with almost 20K views on 2.27.23.

KIDZLIFE

Our children’s ministry grew 600+ little hands and feet.

YOUTUBE

Our most watched videos on YouTube were Charles Carrin’s sermon and our Prayer for Israel.

09.17.23

Thanks to so many generous givers, we were able to complete and unveil our new Children’s Center after months of construction.

LIFE AT CHRISTIAN LIFE.

Here’s a quick snapshot of life at the church in 2023.

1K+

Average weekly church attendance (in-person and online)

82

Souls were saved for the Kingdom and another 35 were baptized

$25K 1.7K

Given to benevolence needs helping 88 people in our church family and local community plus $2.5K to Convoy of Hope

YouTube followers plus 3K Facebook and 1.5K Instagram followers

464 400+

Local children were loved on through our Giving Tree ministry

85

People attended our Next Step membership classes

Volunteers across all ministries in the church

70+

Life Groups met in the spring and fall

CONNECTION

At Christian Life we believe you were created for community. We start new cycles of life groups two times a year – once in the spring (February-April) and once in the fall (September-November).

429 357

PEOPLE ON AVERAGE ATTENDED THEIR GROUPS WEEKLY IN THE FALL AND SPRING

PEOPLE VISITED OUR CHURCH AND STOPPED BY OUR REVAMPED CONNECTION CENTER

I.love being able to welcome people to this wonderful church! Creating connections and helping people feel welcome is an easy and amazing way to see the Lord work. Watching guests feel welcome and connect to a body of Christ is such an amazing experience. I love seeing new members get excited that they are being acknowledged!

-MIKYHLA D.

Life groups have been very life giving and have provided a safe space for my wife and me to process and find reprieve from the hardships. Also, connecting with brothers through The Plumb Line has been crucial for me in becoming more vulnerable and finding accountability in becoming more like Christ in leading my wife and children. I am grateful to be a part of what the Lord is doing through the life groups here.

R.

Being a part of life groups has really helped me in the healing process after losing our son three years ago. The very best thing is the closeness that I developed with others that I would probably have never known. I can depend on them for prayer and encouragement at any time of day or night.

The groups have been very diverse with different ages, careers and backgrounds, which provide a different perspective which has really helped me see both sides of certain situations. God has truly blessed me through these groups!

KATHY L. LIFE GROUP MEMBER

MISSIONS

Check out our footprint around the world.

UNITED STATES

MEXICO

EL SALVADOR

BELGIUM

NETHERLANDS

SCOTLAND

FRANCE

SPAIN

PORTUGAL

SENEGAL

CUBA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC COSTA RICA

ECUADOR

CHILE

PASSING THE TORCH

In 2023, Pastor Tommy Reeves stepped down from being our Missions Pastor and passed the role to Pastor Cody Bone.

HONDURAS

GHANA TOGO

TURKEY

TAQIKISTAN

$167,000

UZBEKISTAN EGYPT

INDIA

SUDAN

THAILAND SRI LANKA

KENYA DJIBOUTI

CHINA LAOS CAMBODIA

TANZANIA

INDONESIA

IRAQ

ISRAEL

NEPAL

JAPAN

PHILIPPINES PALAU

VANUATU

In 2023, we supported 139 missionaries around the world and took 40 people to minister with us in Cuba and Arizona on impactful mission trips.

CUBA TRIP

Our team traveled south to build churches and other facilities to help the local Christian community.

ARIZONA TRIP

Our team members traveled to the local reservation in Indian Wells, AZ to run a sports camp and engage the residents with interactive Bible teachings.

Ichose the Cuba trip because I adore my Cuban brothers and sisters as well as my Christian Life family. It probably would be better described as the Lord chose me to be a part of the Cuba team.

I work at a desk on my normal day job, so the thought of going on a construction mission trip was a bit daunting to say the least. What could an office employee bring to the table for a construction trip? It turns out that I am capable of pushing a wheelbarrow and stacking bricks. And on top of it all, my teammates were more than happy to allow me to do these tasks.

When you go on a mission trip, I believe you typically have the mindset that you are going to help folks from somewhere else and be an extension of Jesus. However, I have learned is that Jesus uses those very same people to speak life into you and refresh your spirit. Let’s not forget that you also get to build friendships with your Christian Life family along the way. In most cases, these are brothers and sisters that you might not normally sit by or interact with during the church services back home.

I would encourage the folks in the Christian Life family to consider a future mission trip. I believe that if they commit themselves to a trip then the Lord will provide the funds to go and bless them with a closer walk with Him during the process.

DEREK S. CUBA TEAM MEMBER

KIDZLIFE

We’re cultivating an environment for all children to learn about the beautiful love story of the Bible and the God who made them!

KIDS ATTENDED WEEKLY (SUNDAYS + WEDNESDAYS)

KIDS CAME TO VBS + 50 WERE SAVED

HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISMS

KIDS + 8 VOLUNTEERS WENT TO CAMP

The prayer journal that Pastor Bella created meant a lot to our family. Over the past year we have really focused on connecting generations within our family, our life group, and our community. This journal allowed our kids to play a big part in something they normally wouldn’t. It opened the door for so many opportunities for the Lord to move through them, while also bringing some biblically-based fun into our family time.

KIRBY P.

NEW AT KIDZLIFE

ADVENT PRAYER JOURNAL

Before the Christmas season began, Pastor Bella created a prayer journal to engage the KidzLife children and their families. The journal sold out of more than 200 copies when it was released.

FFAMILY WORSHIP SERVICE

In the summer of 2023, we introduced our special joint worship time with the main adult service. On the last Sunday of every month all children and families join together for worship and a time of prayer.

.amily worship service is a clear expression of the body of Christ coming together. Corporate worship and prayer is multi-generational. This is a physical expression of pointing the arrows in the right direction for this coming generation. -PHILIP P. “ “

Iam so grateful to be able to testify of a great move of the Holy Spirit in our children’s church! On December 10, the presence of the Holy Spirit fell heavily upon KidzLife! It began during worship. We worshipped with such freedom as we sang “Lion.” We listened to a message about “Doubting” Thomas which led to powerful testimonies. The altar call began with a seven-year-old girl saying she wanted to receive the gift of tongues. Then the floodgates opened with children asking to receive! The prayer for them to receive was so beautiful. We could feel the presence of God. Kids were speaking out in tongues, and we witnessed a physical change in them. There was excitement and joy as 17 children shared that they had received, and some even prayed in tongues over the microphone. Many were the first of their family to receive this gift. What a honor it is to serve in this ministry and witness this! May all the glory go to our Lord Most High!

TAMI M.

WHERE EVERY CHILD IS LOVED, SEEN AND HEARD.

SENIORS

At Christian Life Church, we strive to create a community that meets needs at every stage of life - especially the golden years! Our seniors (55+) have weekly activities throughout the whole year. SENIORS ATTENDED

The Lord is glorified here! I really appreciate Seniors Ministry. We have great praise, worship and teaching. Pastor Tommy is a great leader, and he and Jeannie are warm and welcoming. I have friends here to sit with, and the fellowship is fantastic. Thank you, Christian Life, for this fellowship!

MELISSA D.

It’s such a joy to gather with one another for a fantastic time of fellowship, food and discovering new and exciting things from the Word! The time of sharing personal needs particularly is especially great – a smaller, more unique and personal time for seniors to feel remembered, loved and prayed over. We have experienced many fun trips, and we love to laugh too! We are so blessed by this ministry!

BECKY AND EVAN E.

My wife and I are new to the Seniors gathering. I just turned 75 and have been retired for five years. My wife and I are committed to making 2024 the greatest year of our lives by committing as much of our time as we can to growing in our knowledge of the Lord. We have been blessed by our time spent with this fellowship. We thank God for all of you!

HERBERT R.

UNION

At Union, our heart is to create an atmosphere where middle and high school students can come to Jesus from every direction of life.

Wow, what

an incredible year it has been through our youth ministry!

I am so thankful to be a part of what the Lord is doing through our teens here at Christian Life. We don’t just have parties with pizza or play games – we have teens that are engaged in worshipping Jesus and using their life to honor Him!

Our Wednesday night services continue to be a vibrant place where the word is preached and teens are ministered to. Our Fine Arts ministry is a place where our teens discover and develop giftings they may not know they have, all while fostering friendships. Finally, we had our largest

summer student leadership group ever!

In addition, we had several incredible events this year! Winter Retreat in February was a weekend we will never forget. Our mission trip to Lakeland was so stretching, but our teens rose to the challenge. Our Fine Arts trip to Columbus, Ohio was a blast, with so many of our teams doing really well.

The youth of Christian Life are engaging with the Lord in such a special way. We will not just be a youth ministry, we are a ministry of youth doing the work of the ministry.

PASTOR MIKE

HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHT

We had 18 teens and 8 adults travel to Lakeland, Florida to serve in a VBS outreach in the morning and the Lakeland Dream Center in the afternoon.

This year has been full of ups and downs, but my Union family and the Lord has stuck by my side! At the beginning of the year, my walk with the Lord was not as strong as I wanted it to be. Then we went on the missions trip. At first, I did not want to go, but this trip changed my life in so many ways. It not only grew me closer to Jesus, but it also made me realize I need to change my ways and how I view things. Ever since that trip my eyes have been opened and fixed on Him.

My Union family has stuck by my side and made me feel safe and welcomed this whole year! The friendships I have made are forever! The friends I have made helped me keep pushing to do everything for Jesus. Even when I was struggling, they never failed to pick me back up. My relationship with Jesus, that this program has helped bring me back to, will stick with me forever!

AVA S.

We had our largest Protégé group ever with 20 teens! For eight weeks, these teens give away their Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday mornings to grow in Christ and serve the church.

Ihave attended Christian Life for 25 years, and my husband and I have been members for most of that time. My early years included choir and kids ministry, but youth was never on my radar. Isn’t it incredible what can take place if we can set time aside to be still and know?

The Lord graciously imparted a love for youth and to be able to love, speak truth and pray for my middle school girls has been life changing for me as well as these young ladies. What an honor and privilege it is to serve Union Youth!

JESSICA W.

.he summer was a turning point for me, a moment of realization that I couldn’t keep living solely for myself. I decided to surrender to the Lord, and He blessed me with incredible opportunities! I got to be a part of Protégé, our summer student leadership program, went on a mission trip, attended camp, and even participated in Nationals! It was an unforgettable season filled with growth and amazing experiences..., and I owe it to Union for providing me with these amazing opportunities. -BELLA C. “

WORSHIP

2

FULL WORSHIP TEAMS

55 1.3K 25

WORSHIP + AUDIO/VISUAL VOLUNTEERS

MEMBERS IN OUR WORSHIP CHOIR

PEOPLE ATTENDED OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

The Christian Life Worship Ministry hosted quarterly, church-wide worship nights. These nights featured extended time in the Lord’s presence, including spontaneous worship and participation via prophecy, encouragement and prayer.

The worship night hosted in February 2023 has been described as the “most intense time in the Lord’s presence in recent memory.” During that night, many in the congregation initiated, led and sang worship. All who attended seemed to be fully aware of the Lord’s manifested presence.

HIGHLIGHT: THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

In December, the worship ministry facilitated our annual Christmas program, “The Gift of Christmas” to a combined audience of 1,300 people. This production featured 280 volunteers from the youngest to the most senior members of our congregation. Our cast included an adult seasonal choir of 70 people and a children’s choir of 60 people. Numerous, actors, dancers, narrators and audio/visual volunteers invested their time and talents towards this huge endeavor.

Not only was the program uplifting, entertaining and fun, most importantly, we got to share the Good News of salvation. We’ve heard many testimonies of hearts being uplifted and lives impacted by the Holy Spirit’s presence. All glory to God!

“

What an amazing program! Everyone did an awesome beautiful performance for the Lord!

NAOMI M.

“

“

We enjoyed this program very much. Thanks to all for a wonderful evening to remind us of the reason for the season – Jesus!

SUE E.

“

YOUNG ADULTS

We created our Young Adults ministry called CREW in 2022 to aid those ages 18 through their 30s in fully loving God, following Jesus and connecting with a community of fellow believers.

UNIQUE YA’S ATTENDED SERVICES

SOULS WERE WON FOR THE KINGDOM 222 88

FIRST-TIME GUESTS JOINED US

ATTENDED CREW LIFE GROUPS

In a world of uncertainty, I found stability at Christian Life. My life before surrendering was filled with worldly things and worldly people that encouraged disobedient lifestyles to God’s will. When I answered His call, I fell deep into a prayer life, read His word daily, found stability and support at Christian Life, especially with CREW.

CREW gives me a chance to connect with people in my age group who found their purpose and joy in the Lord’s calling. I found that I wasn’t alone, and there were people who shared the same beliefs and convictions that my spirit felt.

JOHNMICHAEL C.

CREW has been a consistent place for me to reconnect with Jesus. The Holy Spirit-led culture allows for Him to speak and move. It’s been a place where I’ve experienced God through worshipping together, Bible-focused teachings and loving relationships with those who sincerely care!

JILL W.

CREW has been a HUGE influence on my life this year. I owe it all to God and His many blessings for all the people He has brought into my life. For eight years I’ve struggled with singleness/loneliness, and God has used CREW to bring that loneliness I’ve felt to rest. Being single isn’t a curse; it is how God brings us closer to Him and to the right people. God used CREW to help in the process of healing my heart, soothing my anxieties, and providing the right people into my life.

ABBY G.

CREW has really helped me grow closer to God, and I have learned a lot about Him, especially regarding the Holy Spirit. CREW has helped me a lot with meeting other disciples who have the same core beliefs as I do, as it gives a place to have those friendly conversations about God where both of you can grow and learn from conversations with each other. CREW has also given me the opportunity to reflect about choices or circumstances that have happened in my personal life in a more Christ-centered way.

SETH B.

CREW is something I love and recommend to anyone I can. It’s a safe, biblical, Holy Spirit-centered atmosphere. I believe it’s a great place of fellowship and an easy way to try to reach the lost.

-MIKAYLA K.

AfterI graduated from high school, there was about a twoyear period where I didn’t think about God much at all.

During this time, I struggled with depression and anxiety that, at times, was debilitating. Around this time, I started to get really close to a co-worker of mine who was very involved at Christian Life. She began to invite me to the Young Adult services. After turning her down a couple times, I finally went to one.

What started as one turned into me trying to go to all of them. After going for a couple of months, I began to feel more comfortable being involved with a church community and more comfortable with the idea of having a relationship with Christ.

In February of 2023, I went to a CREW service, but this one felt different. Throughout the service my heart felt heavy, and I couldn’t shake the feeling. As Pastor Bunk started the sermon, I felt like it was directed specifically to me and what I was going through at that time. After the sermon was over, he asked if anyone had been looking for something or felt like they were being called to Christ. He gave an invitation to come to the front and accept Jesus as Savior. I wasn’t going to go because I felt embarrassed, but, at the last second, I went up. I gave my life to Jesus.

Immediately after, I felt a sense of relief – like a weight was lifted off of me. Since that day I’ve seen changes in my life. The depression and anxiety has decreased. I no longer wake up with anxiety nor go to sleep with it. Also, I’ve gone from going to church occasionally or only if my friends were going, to going regardless of if they were there or not. Not only did CREW provide a space for me to welcome Jesus into my life but also as a safe space to worship the Lord and hear his Word. Everyday I wake up & continue my journey with Christ which all started with an invite to CREW.

BIANCA K. CREW MEMBER

FOOD PANTRY

Christian Life’s Food Pantry serves both Richland and Lexington counties. We finished off 2023 with an average of 100 families coming each Monday to receive food. Our pantry is the only one in the area that allows clients to come every other week to have their needs met.

DID YOU KNOW?

After getting help from Christian Life, several of the pantry clients have donated back to the food pantry up to $2,000.

DID YOU KNOW?

Most of the pantry’s clients are elderly, families with little children and refugees from places like Ukraine, Honduras, Guatemala and Afghanistan.

DID YOU KNOW?

Along with receiving the fresh food that they need, clients are prayed for on a regular basis, and many are given Bibles to take home.