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This Sunday I begin teaching a class on N.T. Wright’s book Simply Christian. I have developed a blog for discussion and interaction with the material. If you are interested in what is being discussed please take a look. Feel free to join in the discussion as we look and talk about this great book.
Over the past several months, there have been a lot of trials at the Newark church but I think as a community and as individuals we have all grown from it. However, with some of the difficult situations that came/come up there has been a lot of wonderful things going on as well. We have really seen a lot of people’s lives changed in the last couple of months and have seen the beginning of lives lived for God and a lot of spiritual formation of people (young and old) take place. I think we are making efforts into increasing that and making what we are about more effective then ever before. I think we’re getting back to what Steve and I have called “Newark’s DNA” of service and transforming lives. Newark was not and is not your typical church of Christ or for that matter typical church. We are a diverse group of people…a “melting pot” of people (all different kinds of races, religious backgrounds, economic status, etc). Our church was founded on the idea of service and about being active and involved in the community. That is our DNA. That is who we are. We don’t fight a lot of the battles that many churches fight and when they do come (and they do come) I think our servant heart mentality bring us back together (puts everything in perspective). We don’t have the flashiest ministries, or the most dynamic worship services (and I’m the “worship minister”…whatever that means) and we meet in a gym because of the school and day care the church started many years ago. But Steve has a saying in his office that he refers the church back to many times and for the first time last week it really hit me hard what it was saying (and this has become kind of the motto of the church): “We may not have it all together; but together we have it all”.
Let me share a few stories:
Five years ago a woman moved into an apartment complex down the street from us (we are surrounded by 4 apartment complexes). She decided that she needed to find a church but didn’t have a car so she decided to walk down the street and the first church she came across she would go into. It happened to be Newark. I don’t know all the details of the story but I know that this woman became apart of the church and became a Christian and eventually moved in with one of the members (who have transformed their house into basically a hotel for people to stay at whenever the need comes about) and she now has her own place, car, etc. The first Christmas rolls around and this lady knew the pain and loneliness that was there in many of apartments so she decided to have a spaghetti dinner Christmas eve for those people and have the Christmas story read and sing some songs (nothing too big; “just something to get people together”). No budget…nothing. Just her and some other people who were passionate about serving put this on. So for the past five years, every Christmas Eve, this lady puts on a Spaghetti dinner and Christmas service with the help of others in the church for the community around us. Every year it is a great success and people are so appreciative for her caring for them during this time of year. She saw a need and wanted to help make it something better…
We have a lot of people who like to work on cars at our church. So a few guys got together and decided that we should have a car care ministry. This ministry serves single moms and dads and people with low incomes. Once a quarter people get together and work on cars. The people love it and the people who get serviced (from our congregation and from the community) are very appreciative. While the car is being worked on we have other people who are in having coffee with the people and playing games and just talking about life. It’s a beautiful thing! But when I was talking to one of the organizers after this last time he said that the ownership and dream of the ministry isn’t just his anymore. It’s now of many people and many of them younger who have the talent to work on cars. All he could say to me is “WOW! God is Great!” Now; the people that serve together in this ministry are men and women with the starting age of 12 or 13 (some younger that run and get tools, oil, etc) up to around 70 years old.
That same day there was a group of people putting together Christmas boxes for people who may not be able to have a Christmas dinner for their family. So each year, Newark gives about 30-35 boxes of food for a Christmas dinner including a turkey with all the trimmings (also understand that we give food to about a person a day out of our pantry…I have NEVER seen a church pantry used like that!!). Again, people are appreciative. But again, the group of people that were together: 11 to about 80 years old. Serving…sharing…laughing…tell stories…talking about life.
I have working in youth ministry for eight years now and grew up in a youth group and assisted my youth minister while in the youth ministry and may know a good chunk of things but I still have a lot to learn about ministry, teens, etc. But, the one thing I will take with me always in the absolute effectiveness of all ages serving together. There is no other way it should be done. I have seen it with local efforts, Hurricane relief, and foreign mission trips. Ministry in a church context is about the holistic spiritual formation of people of all ages. And the way that is done is through interaction of all ages. Is separation good…yes…but only sometimes. There is the need for learning and experiencing the age differences and working together for the common good. This is how we are spiritual formed. We are made for relationship. We are made to be together. All ages, all types of people. When we do this and work in this way…we are changed…and so is the world…into the way that God created it to be.
