E.J. Foster
This is the story of E. J. Foster who now serves as an elder at Urban Hope Community Church.
I believe my journey to Fairfield began after college. I was first introduced to intentional discipleship by a high school friend that I had reconnected with and we began reading a book called Fathered by God that made me gain a larger perspective of who God was as my perfect Father, how much He loved me, and the depth of my sins. After earning a graduate degree my heart was set on making good money and living the fast life in a major city on the east coast. But after struggling to get an offer I cried out to the Lord and submitted my dreams to him and then asked him to send me anywhere he wanted me to go. Soon after, I got an interview and a job and God sent me to Birmingham.
As soon as I arrived I saw a city scarred from a jagged past, nevertheless, a city with bright hope. Urban living was not in my plans but this seed for Fairfield was planted far before I can remember. I grew up in a home where some nights we were searching through the couch for enough coins to buy meals from McDonald’s. But despite our material poverty, my parents exemplified rich faith, a prayer life, and hospitality. In February of 2011, I went on a mission trip to a rural and poor area of Honduras and while I was there I remember thinking distinctly about how we have people suffering in my own new hometown of Birmingham who need the same love of God that we enthusiastically express on mission trips. I thought to myself, “why not give the same effort at home?” From that point I believe God was calling me to serve the community around me but I was not sure how. I shared my feelings with friends at my church home at the time and learned about the work of several ministries in Fairfield. I remember driving through Gary Avenue earlier that year. As I drove, surrounded by abandoned buildings, it appeared that it was a place filled with life at one point in time.
I moved to the city shortly after and began to develop relationships and volunteered with several of the ministries in the city. Around 2013, I was introduced to Pastor Alton Hardy and my roommate was attending Urban Hope Community Church in its infancy. I would hear of these amazing stories of the growth happening at the church, the solid biblical preaching, and focus on discipling the local community and urban poor. I began to visit the church often and meet with Pastor Hardy to hear about the vision and mission of the church. I was challenged by my roommate to consider going to a church that aligned with my vision and mission for being in Fairfield and after praying about it the Lord showed me that transferring my membership made perfect sense. At that moment, I could never have foreseen the immense amount of spiritual growth and maturity that I would experience during my time at Urban Hope. One of the verses I have held onto during my time here on this mission is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. What is unseen is eternal and we have to trust that the Lord’s ways and thoughts are much greater and much higher than our own, therefore this pursuit in this city does not make sense to the carnal eye, but has revealed so much about His love, His power, and His redemption plan for His people. I currently serve as a ruling elder at Urban Hope Community Church and reside in Fairfield with my wife.