PACE — Destiny Bible Church is a nondenominational, “kingdom-focused church,” Pastor Michael Hughes said.
What does that mean?
Well, it’s philosophy is based on Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” the passage states.
From this standpoint, Hughes said, “You can get to all places when you start with the kingdom.”
The new, charismatic church is “full of life, full of the spirit of the Lord, and active,” said Hughes, a retired Army chaplain’s assistant of six years who served 22 years as a pastor in Colorado.
Hughes relocated to Florida to care for his mother after his stepfather died. He did not intend to start a church when he moved here, but he said, “I felt a move on my heart of God to start a ministry.”
Destiny is located at 4857 W. Spencerfield Road in Pace. There are multiple churches nearby but “there could be one on every corner,” Hughes said, and that still wouldn’t be enough.
“There are different types of ministry that connect to different people,” he said.
He said the number of cars he’s seen pack the parking lots of large stores Sunday mornings suggests the number of people not going to church.
So, Destiny might be the right fit for them, Hughes said.
“We want people to feel comfortable, not threatened. We don’t want to be judgmental,” Hughes said. “We want to have an atmosphere where people can enter into the spirit of the Lord.”
Destiny also has a Christian books and gifts store. Hughes said the store — open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays — “operates as a tool to get Christian literature into people’s hands and funds mission projects like feeding the homeless and supporting mission trips.”
Destiny’s second service is at 10 a.m. on Sunday, and Hughes said he doesn’t mind taking time to build the church’s membership.
Growing is not Hughes’ focus, he said — helping people is the goal.
“Like a seed, we’re starting small,” he said.
“We want people to feel comfortable, not threatened. We don’t want to be judgmental. We want to have an atmosphere where people can enter into the spirit of the Lord.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Kingdom-focused church and gift store opens in Pace