Core Team Intro: Ny Villarson

Ny Villarson’s Testimony and Hope for Pioneer

My Testimony:

I’m Ny Villarson and I have committed to joining the core team for Pioneer Church. I grew up in Greenville, SC and always believed I was a Christian growing up. After being in the world for the majority of my life, my Junior year of college was when I realized that I was not living in full submission to Jesus. I decided to intentionally grow my relationship with God and a large part of this decision meant I needed to find a group of brothers and sisters in Christ that would support and love me while I was on this journey to pursue the Lord wholeheartedly. After a lot of prayer and transitions, I started attending Park Baptist Church and immediately found ways to serve the church and immerse myself in a sacrificial way that glorified God. Gathering with the people of Park served as a vital part of my sanctification and it challenged me to increase my boldness in proclaiming God’s Kingdom.

Why I am planting Pioneer Church:

As I have been growing in my faith, I always pray that the Lord will continue to refine me and use me as a vessel to share his Word with those who do not know him. I am in constant awe of the omniscience of God and how He knows exactly how to guide me in a way that shows how well He knows His children. In this process of prayer, God very subtly placed Pioneer Church on my heart, but I did not think too much of it initially. As with everything else in my life, the Lord kept giving me these subtle reminders of how I specifically asked him for ways that I can grow in my faith and boldness. I continued to pray for clarity on where He wanted me to go in this next phase of life. As I spoke with Trell and Lauren at church weekly, whether intentionally or in passing, their genuine love for Christ made this idea of joining Pioneer more of a possibility. As the months went on, it became clear to me that I wanted to place my faith in what I saw the Lord doing amongst His people.

My hopes for Pioneer Church:

I believe the local church serves as the foundational pillar in the Christian faith. The church is not only beneficial, but is a necessity. When Jesus hung on the cross, He took His final breath knowing that His deed was for God’s people. Understanding how deep His love is for the Church gave me this desire to devote myself to a body of believers and worship Him corporately. Having a community exemplifies the essence of relationships and accountability. Hebrews 10:24-25 says “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as in the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” God instructs us to embody these habits that require regular and intentional gathering with His people. We should value local churches and be in constant prayer for unity within the body. Without God’s people in my life, my walk with Christ would not be where it is today. Without the needed accountability, I would be blind to my own subliminal sin. My brothers and sisters show me what it means to be a part of a family that has the same end-sight in mind, the Day where we meet the Father and He says “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Church plants are faithful to fulfilling The Great Commission by making disciples of all nations. Every time a new church is placed in a community, lost souls have an opportunity to come to a place to hear the Gospel. They also have the opportunity to experience what it looks like to be amongst a people that are not living in this world, but for Jesus Christ. This unique experience gives an insight into the eternal gain when you place your faith in God.

Pioneer Church has been in God’s provisions since before our time. He has strategically placed Trell and Lauren in Rock Hill, SC and has put people in their paths to lead them to where they are now. He has done the same for us all. Every person and family that joins Pioneer will be there because God has guided them there. I look forward to being a part of the transformative work that this church plant will do in the community while being equipped by our Lord and Savior. I’m excited to see the people of Pioneer Church grow in their unity and walk with Christ. My hope is that God would instill in us patience and peace as we begin this work to reach the nations starting exactly where we are.