WADESBORO — Ebeneezer Missionary Baptist Church has fully embraced technology since COVID-19. Bible Studies and Worship Services are streamed via Facebook Live on Ebeneezer’s Facebook Page.
A conference call line is also used for those who are not on Facebook or have internet access. Each week, via their Call Fire Messaging System, Ebeneezer sends out a conference call number along with an access call to use.”
Using those two methods, it has worked well for all members of the congregation, both senior citizens and those on Facebook.
Located at 612 Salisbury St. in Wadesboro, Ebeneezer has a congregational size of around 200 total members, 100 of which are active. The average age of their members is 60.
“We are probably best known for our soup kitchen that we do on the first, second, and third Thursdays of every month,” said Ebeneezer’s Senior Pastor Alban Burney. The soup kitchen provides lunch to those in need from the hours of 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m.
In addition to the soup kitchen, Ebeneezer is also home to a food pantry. “We are a very mission-minded, outreach-focused congregation,” said Burney.
To Burney, being “mission-minded” means following the Great Commission mentioned in Matthew, Chapter 28, verses 18 – 20 of the King James Version of the Bible, “Go ye, therefore, teaching all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
“If we take that scripture and look at the who, what, when, and why, it answers all of the questions except the how,” explained Burney. “And that’s where Jesus was such a genius, he didn’t answer how you do all these things because he knew times would be changing. So, we are guided on the words of the Great Commission.”
Burney has been serving as the senior pastor of Ebeneezer for a little over a year. Before Ebeneezer, Burney was an Associate Minister at The Park Church on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, North Carolina under the leadership of Bishop Claude Richard Alexander, Jr.
At The Park Church, Burney would preach and teach bible study when called upon. He would also do work in regard to production with their simulcast. Burney and his wife, Heather, were also part of the leadership team on The Park Church’s marriage ministry.
Eventually, Burney chose to apply for the vacant pastor position at Ebeneezer in Wadesboro. “Ebeneezer is exactly halfway from where I live in Charlotte and my parent’s house in Chadburn,” said Burney.
“With that symbolism and that vacancy open for a pastor, it seemed to be God lining things up,” said Burney. After not hearing from Ebeneezer for a couple of years, they called him in for an interview.
Things were going smoothly at Ebeneezer before COVID-19. “Keep in mind that the church was without a pastor for two years before I came,” said Burney. “There was a lot of dissension and hurt feelings from some of the things that went on.
“My first year was about coming in and getting to know the people,” said Burney. “Then, of course, COVID-19 happened and it stopped our momentum because we couldn’t physically gather. To the church’s credit, we have kept in touch via phone call.”
Burney hears from multiple members on a weekly basis who are checking up on him. He also reaches out to members to see if they have issues or need prayer. He also has a deacon ministry who contacts members regularly to see if they need assistance.
“The blessing in this is that COVID-19 has kept our church connected and it has taught us how to work virtually, remotely, and efficiently together. I’m so proud of Ebeneezer for how we’ve done that.”
Once he is able to once again hold in-person services, Burney is most looking forward to seeing his congregation.
“I miss seeing the faces of the wonderful people at Ebeneezer,” said Burney. “I miss being able to hug them and shake their hands.
“I just want to personally thank my congregation for all that they’ve done,” he continued. “If they called and checked on somebody, if they have taken a meal to somebody, if they visited somebody who was sick, if they’ve prayed, I just want to personally thank them for everything they’ve done to get through this.”
A photo from Ebenezer’s Youth Revival 2019 “Victory Over Defeat”
