Pretending is exhausting. Masks are required. If the mask slips, shame, embarrassment, anger, and the need to deflect and depart are overwhelming. Too many of us are familiar with wearing masks daily. We show a smile when our hearts are broken. We paint a light-filled picture of our lives when our hearts are black as night. Pastor Seth Odom was all too familiar with pretending.
Seth Odom was born in Laurel Hill, North Carolina, to a Christian family and spent every Sunday in church. Odom shares that he was a “Sunday Christian, weekday sinner” as a teen and young adult, not really seeing the harm in that. Just “being a kid.” At that time, he was infamous for his “hotel parties,” where he would rent out adjoining rooms and party with friends overnight. During one such party, this one to celebrate his own 21st birthday, his life was changed. While in the middle of playing a drinking game, he heard the Holy Spirit deep within his heart, “You were not made for this.” This still, small voice would spur him to send his friends away and shut down his birthday celebration. That following Sunday, he went to church and rededicated his life to Christ. For years, he had the “fake ugly cry” down pat, but this time was different. This time, his heart was broken from his own sin, and his tears were real. He was relieved not to have to pretend anymore; he could just be himself wherever he was.
The call to ministry came slowly; after his conversion, Odom went to the church every evening to sit in the sanctuary and pray. One night felt different than the others as he was compelled to stand behind the pulpit. Odom saw a vision from the Lord and heard, “Go preach.” The year was 2012, and Odom was dating a young woman named Taylor. After feeling the call on his life, he told Taylor, “You might want to leave now.” Even though she was warned, Taylor decided to stick it out with Odom, and the two began to pursue ministry opportunities together. The Odoms married in 2015.
Seth and Taylor Odom on Their Wedding Day
After his calling in 2012, Odom began working as an evangelist, eventually in student ministry, and finally as a children’s and connections pastor. Throughout most of his ministerial work, Odom has been bi-vocational, meaning he holds both a secular and a religious job. In 2020, Odom began working for his uncle’s body shop, ordering parts, taking payments, and pursuing insurance claims. The new job was perfect timing as Odom began to feel the Lord drawing him into a new season of church planting. In 2022, the Odoms would plant Reliant Church in Aberdeen, North Carolina.
Reliant Church
Reliant Church
The preparations for Reliant Church were multi-faceted. First, the Odoms worked on their marriage. Odom understands that in ministry, it is easy for spouses to feel distant and focus on the church before feeding their marriage. Odom emphasized: “We believe the church is only as healthy as the families that make it up. We focus on families.” Next, the Odoms focused on “making disciples” – before the church even launched. The gatherings started online with two or three faithful studying the Word of God together. Soon, they moved to a coffee shop and grew to 12, not including their families. Odom was honored when his brother and his family felt called to return home to help the Odoms in their church plant. Finally, as the core group came together, the Odoms began preparing for the launch.
The beginnings of Reliant Church were wrought with uncertainty. The Odoms had planned to have the new church meet at a local school; they were excited about what was to come! With only 30 days left before their launch, the school backed out. The Odoms were scrambling to find a new location. They landed at the local Sunrise Movie Theater. The Odoms felt compelled to downplay the launch, as the theater room only held 30 people. The troubles didn’t stop there; Reliant Church was told they could not meet at the theater either because it did not meet code requirements. The Odoms persevered, though, seeking allowance from the city, and thankfully, they were permitted to use the theater after all. As Reliant Church grew in numbers, they were able to move to a larger theater room.
The Odoms stayed at the theater until September of this year, when Reliant Church was able to purchase a new building for its congregation. Odom explained that the building is an old restaurant they have fully renovated: “It’s in the perfect location.” The Odoms feel called to the marginalized, and the new location allows them to pour into their community and congregation in a new way.
Reliant Church
Odom is especially proud of his team’s design work on the children’s areas. The design concept was “Kid Town.” The nursery area is an ice cream shop, the junior area is a toy store, and the older children enjoy an arcade pizza parlor.
Kid Town Kids’ Church
Kid Town Kids’ Church
Reliant Church is committed to loving its community well through Christmas meals and gifts for those struggling financially, even setting up a “shop” for parents to come through and pick out gifts for their children. They also hold a clothing and food drive and plan to purchase a storage unit to use as a pantry for anyone who needs it. Reliant Church also hopes to plant a community garden beside the church to foster opportunities for learning, healthy eating, and fellowship. Lastly, they emphasize helping seniors, taking meals and bringing a sense of fellowship and community to those who may feel disconnected.
Odom shares that his favorite part of church planting is “Meeting all the new people!” As a church plant, “You get to create opportunities that other established churches may not be able to offer them,” such as opportunities to serve. Odom challenges all pastors to view their church as a “church plant,” asking: Where can we change to better meet the needs of the community? Where can we grow? How can we invite more people in? How can we offer opportunities to serve? Odom explains that when you can no longer view your church as a growing, changing entity, it is because you are satisfied with where it is. This attitude leads to complacency.
Pastor Seth Odom
Looking forward, the Odoms are excited to see what God will do in the years to come. When asked how we can pray for Pastors Seth and Taylor Odom, Odom said that IPHC can pray for them to continue with healthy rhythms in their home, remembering that the church is only as healthy as the families that make it up. We can pray that the church will grow at a healthy pace, have a selfless attitude like the New Testament church, that the congregants grow spiritually, and for finances to continue in the work that God has called Reliant Church to do.
Pastor Seth Odom is no longer pretending, and he is thankful. This life that God has set before him is richer and full of more joy than he ever found in his former hard-partying lifestyle. Pastor Seth Odom, just like Reliant Church, is fully leaning on the Lord, His strength, and the plans that He has ahead “for good and not for evil.”
The Odom Family
