Join our Celebrating 25 Years podcast conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts. This month, Daniel Hicks caught up with Executive Assistant, Ashley Barnett. Find the podcast by searching North Metro Church anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Where do I begin!? I was about thirteen years old when NMC became NMC. The pastor and church members originally came from East Side Baptist church. My parents felt led to be a part of this group and started serving in the Guest Services team as greeters. In those early years, NMC did not have a permanent church building, and for a long time, you would hear from the stage, "If you can find us, you can worship with us!" I remember that, for years, as a young teen, our church would meet at the Marietta Conference Center and later at a space at Southern Polytechnic College .
Early on our church did go through some trials and changes with the lead pastor that really took the wind out of our sails. Even though, as a young teen, I couldn't fully understand all that was going on, my parents continued to believe that NMC was where we needed to be, and in that season, I learned that the church isn't about walls and a roof or even who your leader is, but that it is more about God's people coming together to worship Him, learn about Him, look to Him, and serve Him.
Fast forward to my late teen years and early college, I had the opportunity to go serve on short-term mission trips, and this is when I think God gave me the specific desire to work for North Metro one day. I came on staff in 2009, working in our Outreach Department as the short-term missions coordinator. It was a dream! I really felt like I was working in my skill set, and through the leadership of my boss, Rick Everswick, I was learning how to do ministry.
In my twenties, I had even more opportunities to help send missions teams and lead a handful of them. I believe that everyone should serve on a short-term mission trip because God can use this as a way to expand your knowledge about Him through His people around the world. God is not an American. Getting out of your place of comfort can be a good and healthy practice that helps you understand that God is unique and purposeful in all of His creations.
Today, my role at NMC is Executive Assistant to our Lead Pastor, Rob McDowell. It truly is an honor and privilege to support him and our staff. Being a part of the NMC staff is a joy, and I am so blessed to be surrounded by incredible brothers and sisters in Christ whom I also get to call co-workers.
I met my husband, Chris, at NMC, and we have two kids: Huk, who is 4 and Melody, who is 2. It feels like a full circle moment now that I have my own family and we are participating in the life of North Metro together. My hope and prayer is that we, the Barnetts, continue to obey and trust God as we worship and serve here at NMC and that we would help people find and follow Jesus.
Listen to Ashley Barnett and Daniel Hicks talk about the early days of North Metro Church and what it was like growing up in the church to working for the church. Search North Metro Church and look for our Celebrating 25 Years series anywhere that you listen to podcasts.