By Morgan Mizell

NATCHEZ — If you had told the Rev. Rick Gillespie just a few years ago he would be a pastor he would have never believed you.

“I have never really felt like I was qualified enough,” Gillespie said. “Pastor David Hale has always told me that God is the one who qualifies us.”

Three years after finding Christ Life at the River, Rick and his wife Nikki have made a commitment to be the campus pastors.

“You know, we meet in the city auditorium in Natchez,” Rick said. “I tell people, jokingly, to hurry to church because we only have seats for 1,400. Honestly, seating has not been a problem yet, but I hope that one day it will be a problem because we would have a full house.”

Rick attended Destiny Leadership Institute and has been ordained by the Christ Life Church to serve as pastor for the Natchez location. He and his wife serve the local church with continued support from senior leadership from the main campus in Ridgeland.

“We have a lot of irons in the fire and we spend a lot of time here,” the Rick said. “I would like to say one day that we can spend more time here because we love the people.”

Rick and his wife own Nikki’s Restaurant in Vidalia. With the loyal staff there, they are able to make both ventures work.

“We could not do what we feel called to do without the support of our family and dedicated staff at the restaurant,” Nikki said. “We pretty much split our time between both places.”

The Gillespie’s said this church was unlike any other they had been to before, and from the moment they stepped foot into the church, when it was meeting in a room at Concordia Bank, they knew they had found their church home.

“I knew I wanted to be a part of this place,” Nikki said. “Whatever it would grow into and become, I wanted to be a part of it and I knew that from the beginning.”

While the number of people were small from the start, the Gillespies felt the spirit of God and dove in completely.

“Our goal is to lead people into a spirit empowered relationship with Jesus Christ,” Rick said. “I want everyone to have that. I don’t want people to just know Jesus through me, I want them to know Him through their experience with Him.”

The church is a non-denominational church and many of the pastors in all three of the campuses have various religious backgrounds.

In September, the church will begin the Connect Groups on Wednesday evenings.

“The connect groups are neat because they bring people together through common interests,” Nikki said. “Some people are turned off by church and they may not come into a sanctuary, but they will go see a friend who may be hosting a connect group and from there a relationship or bond forms that may bring them into church one day.”

Rick hopes to host more events in the area to allow people in the community something fun to do for free.

“We host movie nights occasionally,” Rick said. “There is no charge, but we just put on a movie and serve cokes and popcorn and have a good time. We have seen people attend who can not afford to take their family out to something like that and that is exactly why we do it.”

Rick has hopes for growth and encourages any who is looking for a church home to attend a service at Christ Life. He says all are welcome to come worhip.

“I never envisioned I would pastor a church,” Rev. Gillespie said. “But, I will do this until the Lord tells me otherwise.”

With his wife by his side, Rev. Gillespie continues to grow and learn his role as a pastor.

“I have always seen my husband as a leader, but I had never seen him a position like this,” Nikki said. “I know he is capable, and I am proud of what he has become and seeing him take the lead.”

The happiness they have in their lives has been confirmation for the couple to be where they are from the start. They have shared trials and triumphs with their Christ Life church family, and they couldn’t be happier about it. They have shared their difficult journey of becoming parents to twin girls and the recent announcement of another baby girl with their church.

“The greatest thing for me is when you see the light come on in someone,” Rick said. “The Lord may be telling me something for someone’s life, but I know it is God when He tells them and they let me know that He is telling us both the same thing. That is the confirmation I have seen and it is great to witness.”

Christ Life services are open to all and they meet at 6: 30 p.m. on Wednesdays at and at 6 p.m. Sundays.