Where Are You Located?

Where are you located?

That is a question that often comes our way. Even if you grew up in Charleston, Daniel Island is a strange world--a place that for many years was not reachable unless you had a boat or a lot of time! Even now, with an interstate leading to our front door, I am surprised how many people have never ventured over to our "little island town."

So people often ask, where are you located?

It is a question that can be answered in so many different ways. The basic answer is that we are located at 294 Seven Farms Drive. Providence is the "cute little church with the green roof;" the one just across from Daniel Island Academy, the church on the right as you are heading towards Bishop England High School. (click here for a map and better directions)

But there is another answer to the question, "Where are you located?" In many ways Providence is located outside--outside what most people consider "Baptist." We are a part of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, having voted 3 different times NOT to be a part of the Southern Baptist Convention. In our congregation are people who still refer to our services as "mass." We have individuals who were baptized in many different manners at different points in their lives. We have women who not only offer their leadership, but serve as ordained ministers in our congregation. (In fact, we have ordained 4 ministers in the history of our church--3 of them are female.) We take the Bible VERY seriously, but not literally. Our ministers wear robes for worship, we value different--sometimes even opposing positions. In short, Providence is really outside what most people consider Baptist. (Our first name was "The Church Outside the Walls"--probably should have stuck with that!)

But there is still another answer. As we were preparing to move to Daniel Island, Frank Tupper came to spend a weekend with us to talk about the providence of God. (That is a theological idea that deals with how God works in the world--a real cliff note idea. For a better understanding, get Frank's book, A Scandalous Providence. A great read!) During that weekend he made the statement "Providence is located where God's actions and our lives intersect." In many ways that is exactly where we hope Providence is located--where God's actions and our lives intersect. We hope that this is a place where we can struggle with the realities of our lives while seeking to discover where God is. But even more we hope to discover what God is about so that we can join in what god is doing.

Where are you located? At the intersection of Seven Farms Dr and Daniel Island Drive. But even more, I pray that we are located where God's actions and our lives intersect.