It’s A God Thing
Many of us have heard the phrase “It’s a God thing” used many times over the years. Evangelists have used it, pastors have used it, and we have even heard someone in our own family use it to describe what might be happening in their lives. We have even probably said it ourselves at one time or another. But never more than now is this phrase more evident than at Abundant Life Church on Highway 21, just south of Springfield.
Don Burkhalter is the pastor of this church. It has only been in existence since July. But that is not where our story begins. The story starts back in 1976 when Pastor Don moved from his home in Alabama to Lynchburg, Tennessee to pastor a church there. He was committed to the community there and began raising his family. The church thrived and things were going well. During 1989 God spoke to Pastor Don during the night and told him He was sending Don to Effingham, Georgia.
Many people have heard the voice of the Lord speak to them on different occasions, but for Him to specifically tell Pastor Don where he was to go start a church was a little more than unusual. Pastor Don had never been to Effingham and was not sure exactly where it was.
“I had never been to Effingham before and was trying to understand what God intended for me to do”, Pastor Don said. “What was interesting was that during this time my family was looking up information on my family tree and found that during the 1700’s there were several brothers from the Burkhalters that came from Germany and settled in the area. It was like God was sending me back to my family home, even though I had never been there.”
Pastor Don moved his family to Effingham where he started Ephesus Church (still located on Goshen Road). “M.C. Anderson sent me a ticket to come down here and get things started and even brought in a couple of trailers to use as our first buildings.” “Our church grew and great things were happening here”, stated Pastor Don. The church continued to grow and eventually they were able to add to their buildings. One of his members during this time happened to be country singer-songwriter, Billy Currington. Pastor Don said that Billy would sing in the church choir and was definitely an asset to worship. They continue to have a close personal relationship today and talk weekly.
Time passed and Pastor Don felt God tugging him to return to the church he left in Lynchburg. So, in 1996, he returned to pastor the church there once again. During this time he continued to minister to the community and beyond by establishing missions outreach and orphanages in several countries.
In the South African countries of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi, he has started six churches and has an orphanage running there. In Haiti, there are also six churches, an orphanage, and two schools, each with 600 students. In Trinidad, he has an evangelistic outreach that covers the entire island.
Although he has mission outreach to other countries, he has also used his resources to benefit people right here in America. In Gary, West Virginia, Pastor Don has established an outreach that helps students stay in school where they are taught computer skills. He has partnered with corporations to donate computers when the corporations revamp their offices. As each student graduates high school, they are given a computer. They are also helped with finding a job that uses their computer skills. According to Pastor Don, they have already given away over 7,000 of these donated computers to date.
He continues to work day and night for the missions that he supports. “Since I am not affiliated with any denomination, I am basically promoting this myself and work to get the funding necessary to continue with our outreach, including opening a thrift store on Laurel Street in Springfield the first of January”, he stated. In fact, as we were talking he was preparing to fly to Haiti to meet with the Director of World Hunger to get more rice shipped to that country. “I guess you could say that I am going non-stop each and every day, but I feel that God has a mission for me and that is to do whatever it takes to bring people the word of the Lord.”
In May of this year, Pastor Don again answered God’s calling and returned to Effingham to preach a three-day revival. Each night the numbers grew, and it was on one of these nights that
he was approached by a couple from Emmanuel Church in Springfield. They asked if he would be willing to take their church as pastor. The church still had twenty-seven of its original, faithful members and they did not want to give up their church. Pastor Don explained to them that if he were to be a part of it, they would need to change the name of the church and he wanted to be non-denominational. He felt that they needed to start from the ground up and be a church that would give back to the community.
After much praying and searching, Pastor Don accepted the position. He has been there almost five months and they now have a membership of over 300. “I am a different type of person some would say”, he said. “I am out and about in all areas of Effingham trying to reach people that are not churched. I try to work with those who are also battling addictions to try and help them see that they can beat it and that we as a church family are here to help them with the support they need.”
He also stated that there is not a single Sunday that someone is not saved, healed, or joins the church.
It is worthy to mention that Pastor Don holds a Bachelors degree in Theology, a Masters degree in Divinity, a Masters degree in Christian Counseling and a Doctorate of Ministry. But with all of these degrees, you would never know that he was anything other than Pastor Don. Most of the people in his church do not even know that he has such titles. To him, what matters is getting the word of the Lord to all who will listen.
“God is doing something great here in Effingham”, he says. “It is not about me, it is about the Lord working in the lives of individuals who just needed to learn who He is. Our country is dependent on our younger generation and we have to help them by our witness to them.” What is evident is that miraculous things are happening at Abundant Life Church. One only has to speak to church members to know the focus of the church. One member stated that, “when you go through your week looking forward to church on Sunday, you know that you are in a good place.” Another stated that the feeling of Jesus’ love is felt everytime the doors of the church are opened.
“A God thing”, I would say so. And, at Abundant Life Church, Pastor Don is waiting for YOU to visit.It’s A God Thing
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