Dear friends,

 

It's been 15 years since I left 4-Point Arminianism (the kind in favor of eternal security) and began to embrace the sovereignty of God in salvation as summarized in the Doctrines of Grace, or what's commonly called Calvinism. After seeing that the Scriptures most certainly supported this doctrine, and understanding that I needed to be shepherded in a church that taught these truths, I immediately knew I was in trouble — I had no idea where to go to church.

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Finding a church in the mountains of West Virginia that warmly embraced God's sovereign grace was not an easy endeavor. Thankfully, I wasn't alone in my search, but found others with the same experience, and their fellowship was medicine for my heart during that time — "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Ps. 133:1). Soon afterwards, God in His kind providence, answered our prayers and led us to a church that passionately proclaimed these biblical truths, and within a few months I was embraced as a new member and served at that church for nearly a decade.

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Moving forward to March 2022, in the mysterious providence of God, my wife and I resigned our membership from that church and soon found ourselves in the same situation as nearly a decade earlier — we had no idea where to go to church. After many months of searching (but coming up empty-handed), the Lord opened a door for my family and I when we were introduced to a pastor of a small Reformed congregation who had heard we were searching for a church, to which he invited us to morning worship. Upon our arrival that Sunday morning, we were welcomed with open arms and warm hearts, and found God's sovereign grace to be a consistent and resounding theme in both the pastor's sermons and prayers, and within 6 months were welcomed as members and began serving — where we are still joyfully worshiping and serving to this day! While the Lord has been most gracious and kind to my family and I in placing us in churches passionate about the preaching of the gospel, the making of disciples, and the edification of the saints, I knew this was not the case for all, and began to pray that in some way the Lord could use me to serve my struggling brothers and sisters in Christ.

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In early 2023, I started brainstorming ways that I could help connect Reformed, Calvinistic, and Sovereign Grace Christians with healthy local churches in West Virginia, and with that came the creation of the Mountain State Directory of Sovereign Grace Congregations. For almost two years I involved myself in extensive research and connected with various churches that I discovered held to these doctrinal distinctives, and began discussing with their leadership my mission and purpose, to which I received an overwhelming response of joy and encouragement to continue with my ministry (and to include their churches!). The most interesting part of my journey was that I never came to a dead end, for everyone I met always had a solid church recommendation, and I was continually making connections. These included Reformed Baptists, Reformed Presbyterians, Reformed Anglicans, and Calvinistic/Sovereign Grace Baptists from various backgrounds, cities & towns, denominations, traditions, and even cultures, yet, all with one common goal and passion — the preaching of the free and sovereign grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the desire to make disciples in their communities.

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To the churches: I'm praying for you and the work to which God has called you, to magnify the name of Christ and boldly proclaim His gospel.

 

To the saints looking for a home church: I'm praying for you and your families, that the Lord would open doors and lead you where you may serve and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, through the preaching of the Word, communion with the triune God, the singing of psalms and rich hymns, and fellowship with the saints.

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Sincerely,

Your brother in Christ,

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Chris Curry