Salt Changes Everything
It’s official, the Salty Church Rescue Station in beautiful Ormond Beach, Florida is now open to serve! We’re so proud of Robbie O’Brien and the Salty Church team. Last month, they cut the ribbon on the new Salty Rescue Station located in the historic Ormond Beach Fire House.
“For many years, the Fire House was a symbol of hope and help for the city,” Lead Pastor and IC Coach Robbie O’Brien said, “and we’re thankful it will be a symbol of hope and help once again.”
With the beach in view, Salty Church’s mission is to rescue and empower. And the vision for the rescue station reflects this as they seek to connect people in need with existing services and local ministries with a heart toward prevention. “Our goal is to empower people to be self-sustaining and help them before they end up homeless, in foster care or in jail.”
The 1937 Fire House has been updated inside but the exterior remains almost the same. Even the historic fireman’s pole was preserved as the conference room light fixture. “Although it was never intended to be used by Salty Church, it sure feels like it was built just for us.”
Salty is not just a name. It defines who Salty is. In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells his followers, you will be my disciples in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth. “You know where the ends of the earth are, don’t you?” Robbie asks with a smile. “Right here (pointing at the beach).”
“In Matt 5:13, Jesus tells his believers, ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ What a great analogy that is! Salt changes everything it comes into contact with. In the same way, Salty’s mission is to be poured out and be change agents up and down the coast.”
Before the official ribbon cutting, Robbie shared a starfish story with hundreds of people who came to celebrate the opening. One day a man was walking along the beach when he saw a boy throwing starfish back into the ocean. “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” Then throwing another back, the boy smiled and said, “I made a difference for that one.”
“Like that boy,” Robbie said, “we may not save them all. We can’t help everyone, but we can always help one more.”
