Former Meth Addict Builds Thriving Missouri Church
John Bartholomew can relate to the substance abuse of people he encounters as a pastor in small-town Missouri. He was addicted to meth for more than 25 years but found God when he, his girlfriend and seven children were living out of a Mazda truck.
Three years ago, Bartholomew and his wife, Marilyn, planted a church in Fairview, Mo., with the help of the Baptist organization Send Network. Fairview, between Joplin and Branson, is marked by poverty and addiction.
“Without Jesus, recovery doesn’t last,” he told the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board. “In order to have long-term success, we need to be planting churches like Send Network does that love the unlovable. I had three different pastors approach me and say, ‘Hey, you don’t want to do this. I’ve tried to start a church in the same building before. You’ll never get more than 20 people there. But I felt like God was calling me to do it.”
What began as a gathering of 12 people has now grown to a thriving church of nearly 100, with 14 people coming to know the Lord in the past year. “Send Network provided a lot of spiritual support,” Bartholomew said. “And having people from all over the country praying for us — I think played a big part.”
An unlikely mix of people has come together with a common vision. “We’re kind of a strange group of people,” he said. “We’ve got people in recovery and law enforcement officers who mainly build up the body of our church.”
The church offers a scripture-based recovery program, meals before each service and a food pantry for members.
“Many people think, ‘once an addict, always an addict,’” he said. “That there’s no hope. But that’s just not the truth. I am seeing God raise up an army of people that have a past to reach others.”
Planting more churches to reach those struggling with addiction just feels like the next natural step. “We have a goal is to have one planted in the first five years and three within 10,” Bartholomew said.
–Alan Goforth
