Life More Abundant International Worship Center: Doing ministry far beyond the four walls

As a young ministry, Life More Abundant International Worship Center (LMAIWC) has been active in Warner Robins only since 2018. The ministry originally got its start five years earlier in the state of Florida, where its founders, Bishop Virgil and Pastor Rosalynn Crymes resided at the time. Although the ministry is still fairly new to Houston County, Pastor Rosalynn Crymes says LMAIWC is a very forward-thinking, community-oriented ministry.

“We’re not your traditional type of ministry,” she said. “The Bible says one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase. We may not know what part we’re playing when God gives us the push to do what we do. We just do it out of obedience knowing that He’ll take care of the rest.”

The congregation of LMAIWC, though still relatively small, is made up of people who don’t mind putting their hands to work. In doing so, they seek, on a regular basis, to fulfill God’s mandate to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It’s all a part of their efforts to show the love of Jesus Christ to people from all walks of life; even those who may never step foot in their church. According to Pastor Crymes, their community outreach didn’t just begin when COVID-19 began wreaking worldwide havoc.

“With the exception of the month of March, when we didn’t have an available truck driver, we’ve been doing our mobile pantry feedings every third Tuesday of the month since this time last year,” Crymes stated, citing that LMAIWC has been working closely with the Middle Georgia Food Bank to carry out the mission. “We’ve been partnering with them for a year now.”

Crymes mentioned that Middle Georgia Food Bank was now making some changes, and has set in place a stipulation that those partnering with them must become an agency in order to continue serving. Crymes said that she is now in the process of getting the required criteria so that they can continue the ongoing partnership. However, in the meantime, she and her church are continuing with other community enrichment and support projects.

“We’re not a ministry that does these types of things only on holidays or in special circumstances. We serve the community all the time,” the pastor stated. “The last Sunday of each month, we try to serve the homeless and those less fortunate in some type of way, whether it’s with ‘bags of love’ (bags distributed with different necessity items inside) or with a meal.”

Since the start of the pandemic, Crymes said that the numbers of people coming through their lines for assistance has increased. Whereas they used to serve an average of 200 people per feeding prior to the introduction of the virus, they now have an average of 250 cars that drive through to receive the meals.

Next week, LMAIWC will broaden their assistance even more. “Beginning next Wednesday, we’re partnering with the Houston County Board of Education, and we’ll be doing breakfast and lunch for children ages 18 and under through the summer months while they’re out of school. We will be a feeding site for them,” Crymes revealed. “Instead of bagged lunches, we’ve decided that we’re going to provide boxed lunches,” she added. “The Board of Education will be doing the meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Enough will be provided so that what we give them on Monday will be enough for Monday and Tuesday. What we give them on Wednesday will be enough for Wednesday and Thursday, and what we give on Friday will be actually be enough for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We will be providing enough meals for the children to eat breakfast and lunch for the entire week.”

Pastor Crymes said that it is important to her and to the ministry that they do something to help all those in need. Not only those that have hit hard times because of the pandemic, but also those for whom “hard times” is just a normal way of everyday life. “The feeding we do on the last Sunday of each month is especially for that group of people,” she stated. “Everybody is talking about hand-washing and wearing masks and stuff, but when you’re a homeless person or a homeless family, you don’t have all that. Homeless people and poor people don’t have the luxury of being able to get those things, but they still need help, and we serve them.”

Another means of help from LMAIWC is supplied through what the pastor calls a “clothing closet.” She mentioned this particular help ministry has been placed on pause due to the social distancing guidelines associated with keeping safe during the pandemic.

“What we normally do is set tables out in the parking lot on the fourth Saturday of every month, and we put donated clothes, purses, shoes and other items out on the tables for those in need to come and freely take,” Crymes said. “We have clothes for men, women and children, and we have them in all sizes,” she added, noting that they have given out everything from clothes for newborn babies to men’s clothing up to sizes 5X and 6X.

An experience that touched the pastor in particular was one wherein a lady pulled up in her van with her children to look at the items that were available. She had a toddler inside the vehicle who was not secured in a car seat. That day, a family member of Crymes’ had donated a car seat, and they were able to give the mother the very first car seat her child had ever had. “That truly warmed my heart,” Crymes recalled.

Other ministries such as job readiness trainings for adults and “chat-and-chew” talks with children are also being offered through the church as a way to service the community. Pastor Crymes admitted what is being done through LMAIWC is hard work, but she said it’s all done in love and with a spirit of cheerfulness.

“Yesterday, we started at 11 a.m. and didn’t get finished until around 1:45 p.m. We have some amazing volunteers,” Crymes acknowledged. “I could not do this without the volunteers that come out and roll up their sleeves. And all of them are not my church members. There are some people that just want to come and help, and they make sure that they are out there with a smile on their faces. Even when the sun is out like a booger, as it was yesterday,” she added with a laugh, “we do it with the joy of the Lord.”

COVID-19 has not had an overall negative impact on LMAIWC’s weekly worship. Crymes said that during this time, her church has been utilizing Zoom to broadcast live, and the viewing public has been very faithful. “It’s been very positive,” she said. “Our members are still being spiritually fed and nurtured. I’m not in a rush to go back and resume normal church,” Crymes confessed. “God said all things would work for the good of those who love the Lord, and even in this—this thing is working!”

Pastor Crymes said that at the end of the day, she and the LMAIWC church ministry just want to restore God’s original image of the church back into the community. “We’ve lost that image to an extent,” she said. “It’s almost like we’re here to take from the community, but for so many of us, that’s not true. Life More Abundant International Worship Center is here to give. We’re here to serve.”

Those who wish to volunteer in any of the ministry efforts of LMAIWC is encouraged to contact the church via email at lmaiministries@gmail.com.

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