On the eve of his ascension back to the Throne of God, Jesus triumphantly commissioned his disciples saying “go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” This commission comes echoing from the dusty hills of Palestine to the corridors of the Eastside Church of Christ in Florence, Alabama. Our mission is not to erect elaborate edifices although we recognize this to be a means to an end. Our mission is not to “have a good time” although we claim our joy as a by-product of our salvation in Christ. We have no political agenda except to influence men for Christ. We have no creed except the eternal Word of God. Our mission is not impossible but lies with our love for the souls of men so immensely that it propels us to run quickly through the city of Florence, the County of Lauderdale, the State of Alabama, the Nation of America and yes the whole world preaching the Gospel to every creature - Black and White, Jew and Gentile, Bond and Free, Male and Female. Coupled with this mission of spreading the Gospel is the mission of service to mankind for the purpose of pointing men to Christ. We are Divinely charged to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, house the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoned. Thus our goal is heaven and our mission is service. Therefore we will not shut up, let up, slow up or give up until we have been caught up with him in the air. Amen!

James Gray

Minister