I have learned from starting a church plant eight years ago that meaningful connections are what bring people back to church. So after a missionary service I attended 12 years ago in Cleveland, I practically ran to sign up to help with any opportunity I could get my hands on. I was starving to serve in any way I could. Well, these missionaries were not leaving to go to Puerto Rico for a few years, so I really couldn't go with them. They politely told me to sign their mailing list. That didn't excite me. So I said to them, "What can I do NOW?" They answered, "Well, there is this church starting in Westpark. The pastor could use some help making calls and passing out flyers." I said, "Sure, I'll do anything." That is when I met Pastor Jeff Brown.
There are a few people in your life that are the ones who really help to mold you. They see the potential in you and help you become who God wants you to be. Jeff was one of those people. His passion was contagious. He was so excited about this new church that God had called him to start. Him and his wife, Maritsa, left Calfiornia and their comfortable life to come to the inner city of Celveland and start a church-cold turkey. No mother church, nothing. They relied only on family and word of mouth to get people involed and more than not, they ended up doing most of the work themselves. I never met a person who worked harder for God than Jeff Brown. He was inspiring.
Jeff asked me to call hundreds of people to tell them about the new church. I remember pages of numbers of residents that I would highlight and keep track of. Wow, I wonder how I had so much time back then. Then I would help them go door to door every Saturday.
He mentioned on a couple of occasions that the church was going to need someone to teach children. Whoa, "Not me", I said. I didn't teach kids. I had had enough of my own little sisters. (Sorry Mandie and Jess.) I was barely a Christian, but for some reason, Jeff believed in me. I'm not sure why. He said all you have to do is follow the curriculum and teach. He told me of a church that did Big Days once a month. I got several ideas from Tommy Barnett(The egg hunt being one of them). Jeff personally mentored me. He connected me to meaningful relationships, especially with Maritsa and her sister Julie. He taught me so much about people and God and faith. One thing I remember Jeff saying was, "Walk slowly through the crowd. Look into people eyes. Don't rush past with your own agenda. Care about people". He exemplified this every time I saw him.
So, the day Westpark Asssembly of God opened, I started teaching kids church for the very first time, through the nudging of Pastor Jeff.
It was summer and as most graduated seniors do, they plan to go to college. I was excited about my future college carreer. I had worked hard in high school, so I could attend a good college. I really liked science, so I was going to try chemical engineering. I had visited Ohio State and Ohio University and decied to apply to OU. I was accepted into both the school and their chemical engineering program. I was so happy. I even had a roommate from Brooklyn that would go with me. I told Jeff I could only teach until I left in August for college.
That summer my outlook on life changed. I found myself getting so ecxited about teaching every Sunday. I no longer wanted to make lots of money and have good job. I couldn't just change everything though. It was already set in place. I would go away. Then God started to speak to me. Through several different people and through several incidents, God spoke. Everywhere I went, I heard, "DON'T GO, Go to Cleveland State Unviersity". I was appalled. Cleveland State? That was like the worst choice ever. But the more I prayed the more I heard God saying to just stay. It was a fight between God's will vs. mine.
more to come...
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