ABOUT US
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Greetings from Arms Wide Open Church!
First, let us say “thank you” for taking the time to visit our website! It is our honor and privilege to have this opportunity to minister and share with you the vision and mission God has given to Arms Wide Open. We would also like to share with you briefly the history of Arms Wide Open and what God is already doing through this ministry and in our lives! Since starting this ministry in September 21, 2014, my wife Tammy and I, along with our two beautiful children, Kailee and Kyler, have been on the most MIRACULOUS, EXCITING, LIFE-CHANGING journey in God’s ministry we have ever experienced. You see, God called us to a new level of faith and put in our hearts to start this new church plant in South Carolina! Now we must admit, when God first spoke to our hearts back in September of 2013, Tammy and I were both a little taken back, as we were born and raised in Maryland and had no plans of moving to another state. However, God put this desire in both our hearts and confirmed it multiple times within our spirits. Now we knew it would not be easy, but we knew God had called us and He would provide. So, we put our house on the market, and began to prepare for what God had in store. Did everything go as WE thought it should go along the way? No. Did WE know every step and hurdle we would have to face along the way? No. But…did we know who called us to this ministry? YES! Did we know when God starts a plan in our lives, He is faithful to complete it? YES! Did we have to trust in Him each step of the way? YES! You see although we did not know what each tomorrow would hold, we knew who held each tomorrow, and He already had it all worked out. One year later, the ministry God had placed on our hearts, His new ministry He had shown us one year earlier, ARMS WIDE OPEN, was formed and held its first service on September 21st 2014! The reason we are so EXCITED, is not just because God’s new ministry has been started, but because of what we have seen God do in this ministry since our first service, which was held in our home living room. God has truly blessed ARMS WIDE OPEN above and beyond! After just 2 services in our home, God opened up a door for us to begin meeting in our community’s amenity center in Island Green. You see, God knew we needed a bigger place in a good location pretty quickly where we could come together to worship Him, because since starting the church, we have been consistently growing in number and in faith! In addition, since that time, in September of 2018, God blessed us with the opportunity to purchase and save the building for our community and our church. The building was going to be put up for auction to developers and was set to be demolished and condos put up in its place. However, God had other plans, and provided a way where there seemed to be no way, and long story-short, we were able to purchase the building, and have since been continuing to grow in attendance, and in faith. Since purchasing the building, God has blessed us so much so, that we have been able to renovate and upgrade the building, including recently expanding our sanctuary to provide sufficient seating for Sunday morning services. In addition, we have also seen our youth ministry ‘Armored Youth Ministries’ grow week after week, as well as having to expand our kid’s ministries ‘Camp Kingdom’ area and our nursery. As He always has, God continues to be more than faithful in His goodness to us. Since starting in September 2014, God has continued to heal the sick, including successful kidney transplants, complete healing and restoration of a completely dead pancreas which is now working at 100%, as well as completely healing cancer on multiple occasions – shocking doctors! God has also provided multiple jobs for those in financial need, restored relationships, brought families back together, and lives are continually being changed in the most miraculous ways for God’s glory! THE MOST EXCITING MIRACLES we have seen…SO MANY NEW PEOPLE HAVE COME TO KNOW THE LORD, ACCEPTED HIM IN THEIR LIVES, AND HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH THE MIGHTY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!! God laid it on our hearts to name the ministry, ARMS WIDE OPEN based on the scripture found in 1 Corinthians 16:23 (MSG) ‘Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you’. We welcome all who come with our arms wide open. We believe you come as you are, but also in hopes you won’t leave as you came! Instead, you will leave knowing and having felt the love of Jesus Christ! We believe at ARMS WIDE OPEN, you may come as a guest, but you will leave as part of our family! Our family is SO THRILLED to have planted Arms Wide Open Church in South Carolina! With EVERYTHING in us, we desire to see people come to a relationship with the Lord and to find healing and restoration for themselves and their families!!! We can’t wait to see what else God has in store for ARMS WIDE OPEN CHURCH. In accordance to Ecclesiastes 9:10, we are doing all this with excellence AND with “ALL our might!” We are believing that God will send us “Kingdom Connections” to continue to build His house as well as the needed resources to continue growing His ministry effectively for His honor and His glory. We are truly blessed to have such an opportunity to serve you and your family. Blessings, Pastor Tommy Shifflett & Family 301-606-3663 pastortommy@awochurch.com |
301-606-3663 |