Martha’s Place, another Solid Rock ministry, has formed partnerships with entities from other churches to the county Department of Social Services. It now includes a food pantry, clothing distribution, and serves as the official county coordinator for Toys for Tots.

The Rev. Jeremy Troxler, director of the Thriving Rural Communities Initiative at Duke Divinity School, describes Wise’s leadership philosophy as “Why not us?”

“If people are hungry, let’s feed them,” Troxler said. “If they’re intellectual, let’s start a theology school. It’s not just about creating a church culture, but an understanding that church is something we do all week long and Sunday just gathers up what we’ve been doing all week long.”

In a building next to the sanctuary, associate pastor Mike Bass leads a Bible class. On this day, 11 adults sit on orange school chairs on either side of long, gray plastic tables. Mostly middle-aged and older, the students have scattered Diet Pepsis, water bottles, Bibles and papers across the table.

Wise said he and Bass each have a component of the Solid Rock vision. Wise, raised a Methodist and trained at Duke Divinity School, was not someone who’d lived on the fringes of society. Bass, a tattooed biker, comes from an unchurched background and had been an atheist.

Bass is the force behind Solid Rock’s theology school, which has been approved to grant religious degrees in the state of North Carolina.

“Evangelism cannot be properly accomplished, in my opinion, without theology,” Bass said. The school “is wholly for the purpose of introducing people to a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ by means of the study of theology.”

Solid future

Solid Rock has flourished, but that does not mean Wise can rest. He continues to find where the church can serve people’s needs and introduce them to Jesus.

The partnership with the county is expanding; Wise also wants to join a program to send food home over the weekend with kids who get free or reduced-price food at school.

Wise and Bass also are working to spread the Solid Rock vision to other churches. For several years, they’ve invited congregations to worship with them and hear the Solid Rock story. They’ve conducted workshops for other rural churches as well.

The economic downturn has deferred one of their dreams, to build on land near the main building. For now, they’ll keep packing up the daycare on Fridays and setting it back up on Sundays.

Wise continues to be hopeful, however: “Time and time again, God has shown me that even without the money, we can get things done.”