David did not chose to live in the wilderness. But he had no where else to go after Saul had isolated him from his family, ended his military career, and banned him from the palace.
David ended up in a place called the “Cave of Adullam.” It was here, in this wilderness cave that he began to gather a congregation of followers. David became a magnet for those who were "in distress, or in debt, or discontented” (I Samuel 22:2). Not exactly a model congregation. Yet the Bible says “They came to David…. to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God” (I Chronicles 12:22 NKJV).
Do you know what the name Adullam means? It means a place of refuge. It was in this place of refuge, while David sought the Lord, that God began to gather together a band of rag-tag undesirables that eventually became an army of God.
That’s my prayer for Pace Community Church – Let us be a CHURCH of ADULLAM. A place of refuge for everyone who is in distress, in debt, or discontented. Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32 NIV). Let us, (like David), become a magnet for all those hurting people that no one else wants. I’m willing to do the messy business of soul winning and discipleship – one life at a time.
Strong churches are built from people who were once “in distress, debt, and discontent” themselves. Do you remember being there? God took your life and turned it around. He took a nobody and turned you into a somebody. Now you are planted in a good church family.
Or Perhaps you are feeling down on your luck today. Do you see yourself as damaged goods? Instead of wandering in the wilderness for another day, come and find what you need in God’s presence and among others just like yourself.
Welcome to the “Church of Adullam.”