The Village Church in Hapeville

Website: www.Villagechurch.tv

Services: 11 a.m. Sunday

Worship Style: warm, casual and inspirational

Average Sunday Attendance: 200-300

Minister: Pastor Ray Waters

Denomination Affiliation: Interdenominational

Mission statement:

The Village Church exists to bring hope to the hurting, healing to the wounded and wholeness to all through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

History:

The Village Church opened in May 1993 and for 18 years has been known as a “perfect place for people who aren’t,” attracting worshippers with no organized spiritual background and great church experience. The church moved to downtown Hapeville four years ago, settling in a former car dealership.

Pastor’s path:

The native Atlantan attended Riverdale High School and was 16 when he “felt a calling to be a preacher. I didn’t know why, but I never doubted it.” At 17, he graduated high school, married and moved to Texas to attend Houston Baptist University.

Waters, who had done some disc jockey work in Atlanta, was recognized as a gifted speaker and had a more mature look than others his age. He spoke at many churches, and, at 19, was asked to be the pastor of Second Baptist Church in Rosenberg, Texas.

He entered graduate school at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and became pastor of another church when he was 21. His two sons were born during his college years.

At 24, he moved his family back to Atlanta and led his third church. Then his life unraveled, and he went through a divorce. “My wife and I didn’t have a clue how to be married,” he said. “I figured my life was over as a Baptist. My job will be to take my boys to church and sit on the back row and beat myself up over what might have been. I did that for several years.”

Waters remembers the second time he felt God speaking to him, with the first coming at 16 and leading him to become a pastor. “I sensed God saying if I would give him the rest of my life, he would do something with me,” he said.

He interpreted that to mean ministry to people who were hurting by praying with them, encouraging and bringing them to church. Friends who hadn’t connected on their church visits said they’d attend if he started a church.

“I finally got a sense that maybe they’re right, and I invited all these crazy, mixed-up people to start a church and named it Village, because it sounded like a community,” he said. “The first Sunday we had 89 rowdy, rambunctious people who did not go to church. We were off and running.”

Waters is candid about his failures in life, admitting, “It took me until my forties to get the relationship piece right.” He’s now 49, married to Jane and his sons serve with him at the Village; his oldest as worship leader and youngest as associate pastor. “I’m the most blessed guy in the whole wide world,” he said.

Ministries:

The church dynamics set the pace for the ministry. With members that range from homeless persons to business owners, an emphasis is placed on reaching out to helping folks in need and in need of church.

Members run a food pantry and take clothes and food to homeless people, some who sleep under bridges. “We try to be a light to them. We don’t judge them. We try to see the image of God in everybody, whether they’re alcoholics, living on the street or have been married five times,” Waters said.

“We’ve got guys in our church who are young executives in companies, who will bundle up on a cold night and pray with people living on the street, making them sandwiches before they go. These are affluent people, and they come back changed because they had no idea.”

Waters wants to begin neighborhood small groups and Bible studies. He said the church’s primary goal, along with feeding the hungry, is inviting people to worship and developing leaders for the groups.

The diverse congregation includes gays and lesbians, a population that Waters feels has historically been shunned and disregarded by the religious establishment.

“While we are on the cutting edge with our ‘inclusivity,’ we are also absolutely committed to the message of Jesus,” he said. “We believe Jesus came to show us what God is like. But not only did he come to show us what God is like, he also gave himself as the sacrifice that would set humanity free. At The Village Church, we believe he was crucified, he rose from the dead and his resurrection can change a life trajectory and a human heart.”

Thoughts from the pastor:

“The Village Church is often called a ‘Jesus’ kind of church. By that, people mean a place where everyone feels accepted and loved regardless of their background or status in life. That is our goal.”

The Village Church exists to bring hope to the hurting, healing to the wounded and wholeness to all through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

History:

The Village Church opened in May 1993 and for 18 years has been known as a “perfect place for people who aren’t,” attracting people with no organized spiritual background and great church experience. The church moved to downtown Hapeville four years ago, settling in a former car dealership.

Pastor’s path:

The native Atlantan attended Riverdale High School and was 16 when he “felt a calling to be a preacher. I didn’t know why, but I never doubted it.” At 17, he graduated high school, married and moved to Texas to attend Houston Baptist University.

Waters, who had done some disc jockey work in Atlanta, was recognized as a gifted speaker and had a more mature look than others his age. He spoke at many churches, and, at 19, was asked to be the pastor of Second Baptist Church in Rosenberg, Texas.

He entered graduate school at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and became pastor of another church when he was 21. His two sons were born during his college years.

At 24, he had moved his family back to Atlanta and was leading his third church. Then his life unraveled, and he went through a divorce. "My wife and I didn’t have a clue how to be married," he said. “I figured my life was over as a Baptist. My job will be to take my boys to church and sit on the back row and beat myself up over what might have been. I did that for several years.”

Waters remembers the second time he felt God speaking to him, with the first coming at 16 for him to be a pastor. “I sensed God saying if I would give him the rest of my life, he would do something with me,” he said.

He interpreted that to mean ministry to people who were hurting by praying with them, encouraging and bringing them to church. Friends who hadn't connected on their church visits, said they’d attend if he started a church.

“I finally got a sense that maybe they’re right, and I invited all these crazy, mixed-up people to start a church and named it Village, because it sounded like a community," he said. "The first Sunday we had 89 rowdy, rambunctious people who did not go to church. We were off and running.”

Waters is candid about his failures in life, admitting, “It took me until my forties to get the relationship piece right.” He's now 49, married to Jane, and his sons serve with him at the Village; his oldest as worship leader and youngest as associate pastor. “I’m the most blessed guy in the whole wide world,” he said.

Ministries:

The church dynamics set the pace for the ministry. With members that range from homeless persons to business owners, an emphasis is placed on reaching out to helping folks in need and in need of church.

Members run a food pantry and take clothes and food to homeless people, some who sleep under bridges. “We try to be a light to them. We don’t judge them. We try to see the image of God in everybody, whether they’re alcoholics, living on the street or have been married five times,” Waters said.

“We’ve got guys in our church who are young executives in companies, who will bundle up on a cold night and pray with people living on the street, making them sandwiches before they go. These are affluent people, and they come back changed because they had no idea.”

Waters wants to begin neighborhood small groups and Bible studies. He said the church’s primary goal, along with feeding the hungry, is inviting people to worship and developing leaders for the groups.

The diverse congregation includes gays and lesbians, a population that Waters feels has historically been shunned and disregarded by the religious establishment.

“While we are on the cutting edge with our ‘inclusivity,' we are also absolutely committed to the message of Jesus," he said. "We believe Jesus came to show us what God is like. But not only did he come to show us what God is like, He also gave himself as the sacrifice that would set humanity free.  At The Village Church, we believe he was crucified, he rose from the dead and his resurrection can change a life trajectory and a human heart.”

Thoughts from the pastor:

"The Village Church is often called a 'Jesus' kind of church. By that, people mean a place where everyone feels accepted and loved regardless of their background or status in life. That is our goal."