# CityChurch Network > Uniting the church in the city Language: en URL: https://citychurchar.org/ All pages on this site are available as clean Markdown by adding the header `Accept: text/markdown` to any HTTP request, or via the REST API: REST API: https://citychurchar.org/wp-json/mescio-for-agents/v1/markdown?url={page_url} REST API (by id): https://citychurchar.org/wp-json/mescio-for-agents/v1/markdown?id={post_id} ## Pages - [Board](https://citychurchar.org/board/): Board Board Leadership team About us - [Arkansas Marriage Initiative](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-initiative/): Strong Marriages Build Flourishing Communities Discover how your church can transform marriages and strengthen your community. The Challenge We Face Marriage is at a crossroads in our culture. Marriage rates have dropped 65% since 1970. Fewer than 1 in 2 - [Arkansas Marriage Challenge](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-challenge/): When Churches Unite Around Strong Marriages, Everything Changes Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge this February 7-14, 2026 Marriages Struggle in Isolation In 2022, Arkansas had the highest divorce rate in the nation. Right now, couples across Arkansas feel stuck and alone - [Opportunities](https://citychurchar.org/opportunities/): Find opportunities near you Whether you’re looking for a date night in your community, seeking to develop your relationship skills, or interested in a marriage check-up, partner churches are here to support you because your marriage matters. Date Nights Benton - [AMC Resources](https://citychurchar.org/amc-resources/): Church Resources Equip your church with creative ideas and proven tools to help couples build a lasting love—from date nights to marriage and relationship education resources to marriage check-ups. Date Night Ideas Hosting a date night for couples at your - [Flourishing Families contact form](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-families-contact-form/): Flourishing Families contact form Let’s Restore Families Together. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. - [Equipped Leaders contact form](https://citychurchar.org/equipped-leaders-contact-form/): Equipped Leaders contact form Maximize Your Leadership Potential. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. - [Extraordinary Prayer contact form](https://citychurchar.org/extraordinary-prayer-contact-form/): Extraordinary Prayer contact form Let’s Make Our Churches Houses of Prayer. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. - [Arkansas Prays](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/): Arkansas Prays church-based, unceasing prayer Direct calendar link View on map What is Arkansas Prays? Arkansas Prays is a city and state prayer movement to strengthen churches in Arkansas with this simple, church-based model for unceasing prayer. Churches are working - [Arkansas Prays sign-up](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays-sign-up/): Arkansas Prays sign-up Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. - [Flourishing Families](https://citychurchar.org/families/): Flourishing Families restore families, strengthen communities Where the Family Goes, So Goes Society. Faith and family life are vital for building a flourishing community. But recent data shows that both are in a sharp decline in the United States. Like - [Monthly Prayer Guide](https://citychurchar.org/monthly-prayer-guide/): Monthly prayer guide CityChurch Network publishes this monthly prayer guide as a helpful tool to promote agreement in prayer among churches and small groups across Arkansas. Please partner with us in prayer for Arkansas by taking time to pray through - [Flourishing Dinner 2026](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-dinner-2026/): Flourishing Dinner 2026 Thank you for joining us at this year’s Flourishing Dinner! We’ve captured some of the highlights from the evening, including a link to Mike Sharrow’s keynote, an update on CityChurch Network’s three initiatives, and what’s ahead in - [Login Designer](https://citychurchar.org/login-designer/): This page is used by Login Designer to preview the login form in the Customizer. - [One Voice](https://citychurchar.org/one-voice/): Auto Draft Citywide Night of Prayer Stay tuned for information about the next One Voice! Pastors: Please let us know you are coming English One Voice is a quarterly gathering of the churches of the city for a night of - [Prayer Summit](https://citychurchar.org/prayer-summit/): Prayer Summit 29th Annual Arkansas Prayer Summit 29th Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit March 16-18Tucker Lodge - Amity, AR$215 (includes food and lodging) As pastors and ministry leaders, we share a passion for the transformation of our communities. Our plates are - [Church/School Partnerships](https://citychurchar.org/church-school-partnerships/): Flourishing Families in Schools Every day, families in our city face challenges no one should bear alone—parents working paycheck to paycheck, children falling behind in school, fatherless homes, and rising rates of depression and loneliness. Without support, many families feel - [Flourishing Cities Summit](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing/): Our Cities Need Us. The Church Can Help. Join leaders across Arkansas working together for the good of our cities. The Arkansas Flourishing Cities SummitSeptember 25–26, 2025Geyer Springs First Baptist Church (Little Rock, AR) Thursday 1:00-8:30p | Friday 8:00a-12:00p Feeling - [Leadership Team](https://citychurchar.org/leadership/): Leadership Team Leadership team - [Home](https://citychurchar.org/): Together we are building flourishing communities CityChurch Network CityChurch Network is a relational network of churches working together for the good of our cities. We live in a culture of growing division, decline, and despair. In 2022, Arkansas had the - [Extraordinary Prayer](https://citychurchar.org/prayer/): Extraordinary Prayer experience the power of united prayer Prayer Movements Igniting Change Some moments in history require prayer that is above and beyond what is normal: Book of Acts The bold prayers of the early church empowered them to launch - [Equipped Leaders](https://citychurchar.org/leaders/): Equipped Leaders become a leader who equips leaders The Possibilities are Limitless. A healthy and thriving Church needs strong leaders. Without strong leaders, we all suffer. Families suffer. Communities suffer. Churches suffer. A lack of strong and equipped leaders in - [About us](https://citychurchar.org/about-us/): Transformation is possible when we work together CityChurch Network is a relational network of churches working together for the good of our cities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0EijX0Yfws Each of us experiences increasing pain & brokenness in our city. Growing fear, anger, and violence. - [Contact us](https://citychurchar.org/contact-us/): Contact us Mailing Address:CityChurch Network of ArkansasP.O. Box 242892Little Rock, AR 72223 Extraordinary Prayer We help churches work together in prayer that is increasing, unceasing, and persevering. Equipped Leaders We help churches work together in equipping leaders who train leaders - [Blog](https://citychurchar.org/blog/) - [Give](https://citychurchar.org/give/): Give invest in the mission of CityChurch Network We invite you to partner with us to discover more about God’s work through CityChurch Network and enjoy the blessings of being a partner. As a financial partner, your role is significant - [Terms of service](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-service/): Terms of use Please wait while the policy is loaded. If it does not load, please click here to view the policy. - [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy Please wait while the policy is loaded. If it does not load, please click here to view the policy. - [Disclaimer](https://citychurchar.org/disclaimer/): Disclaimer Please wait while the policy is loaded. If it does not load, please click here to view the policy. ## Blog Posts - [Looking to 2027 & Beyond](https://citychurchar.org/looking-to-2027-beyond/) (2026-10-02): Fall is here. Schools have started back. Football season is underway. Among lingering hot days, there are hints of cooler weather. Soon, the beauty of fall foliage in Arkansas will be on display.  As we enter fall, I want to - [With Just a Look](https://citychurchar.org/with-just-a-look/) (2026-10-02): A playful catch of the eye across a crowded room. A darting glance from my wife after I’ve said something I shouldn’t. A gaze to the floor after being caught red-handed. A tear barely hanging on in joyful wonderment. The - [A Guide for the Journey](https://citychurchar.org/a-guide-for-the-journey/) (2026-09-03): The Lord loves working through friendships. A great example of this truth is the church/school partnership between Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church. These churches are in different parts of Little Rock. But seven years ago, one friendship - [Leaving a Legacy of Faith](https://citychurchar.org/leaving-a-legacy-of-faith/) (2026-08-28): My wife Angie and I are blessed with four grandchildren, ranging in age from one to fifteen years old. Like so many grandparents, we delight in every opportunity to spend time with them. Whether it’s celebrating birthdays, cheering from the - [Returning to First Principles](https://citychurchar.org/returning-to-first-principles/) (2026-08-03): It had been a long Saturday for Fellowship Conway’s men’s ministry team. They were tired, having spent hours marking page after page of flip charts. The goal of this strategy session was to understand where they were as a ministry - [A Community of Shepherds](https://citychurchar.org/a-community-of-shepherds/) (2026-08-03): “I can handle this.”  That’s what Pastor Scott Barber told himself. And yet, the stress kept mounting. Ministry felt like running on a hamster wheel. He was saying yes to too many “good” opportunities and felt controlled by the tyranny - [Marriage & the American Founding](https://citychurchar.org/marriage-the-american-founding/) (2026-06-23): With the 250th anniversary of America just around the corner, many commentators are reflecting on the virtues that made our country great, like liberty and faith, and rightly so. But there is another very important element in this recipe most - [The Next 250 Years](https://citychurchar.org/the-next-250-years/) (2026-06-23): In the past, American Christians evangelized within a society that was, by and large, Christian. Most regarded Christianity and the Church as a societal good and held basic convictions about God, Scripture, moral absolutes, and an afterlife.  That society no - [The First 250 Years](https://citychurchar.org/the-first-250-years/) (2026-06-23): Two hundred and fifty years ago, the American Experiment began with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unlike any nation before it, America would be built on a unique set of ideas. Many at the time doubted whether the - [Welcome Darrell Adcock](https://citychurchar.org/welcome-darrell-adcock/) (2026-06-01): Just a few weeks ago, at the CityChurch Network Flourishing Dinner, we celebrated how Central Arkansas churches are working together to share the light and love of Christ more brightly in our communities. As we shared strategic plans for the - [When the Music Ends](https://citychurchar.org/when-the-music-ends/) (2026-06-01): Since 2023, over 150,000 people have come to Benton, Arkansas, for Amplify, the nation’s largest free Christian music festival. Every summer, crowds of young people, families, and church volunteers gather on the festival grounds behind Holland Chapel Baptist Church. Once - [Equipping Leaders Where They Are](https://citychurchar.org/equipping-leaders-where-they-are/) (2026-05-04): Sydni Watts was finishing her undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University. She wasn’t sure what was next after graduation. “I wanted to be heavily involved in ministry for the rest of my life,” she says. For people like Sydni, the - [Crying Out to God in This Civilization Moment](https://citychurchar.org/crying-out-to-god-in-this-civilization-moment/) (2026-05-01): One of the most stirring examples of the power of prayer in American history occurred during the darkest days of the Civil War. In 1863, with the nation fracturing and its future uncertain, President Abraham Lincoln called on the country - [A Glimmer of God’s Glory](https://citychurchar.org/a-glimmer-of-gods-glory/) (2026-04-02): Poverty, at its core, is disconnection. It is being disconnected from relationships and resources, which are the wellspring of wealth and life — material and spiritual, external and internal, temporal and eternal. We see poverty in both its breadth and - [From Crisis to Career](https://citychurchar.org/from-crisis-to-career/) (2026-04-02): Betty Winders had been battling addiction for 14 years. Then, in December 2024, everything fell apart. Already on probation and facing multiple charges, she was facing prison time. That’s when she made the hardest decision of her life: she placed - [Passing the Torch](https://citychurchar.org/passing-the-torch/) (2026-02-27): As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, no one quite knew what to expect. Thirty-one pastors from ten different denominations sat in their seats as the bus made its way to the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit. Many - [Redeeming Business](https://citychurchar.org/redeeming-business/) (2026-02-24): You will spend approximately 83,000 hours of your life at work. For most of us, that’s more time than almost anything else we do. As believers, the question we face is: What place does God have during those work hours? - [Surprised by What I Found](https://citychurchar.org/surprised-by-what-i-found/) (2026-02-02): The doctor looked at me and said, “I have to admit I was surprised by what I found.” When I heard those words, I was taken aback. A month earlier, I’d attended my annual cardiology appointment. It seemed routine, including - [Catch the Little Foxes](https://citychurchar.org/catch-the-little-foxes/) (2026-02-02): James and Mandi Barham had given their lives to taking the gospel to Central Asia. For years, they poured themselves into church planting overseas. They thought they’d be there forever. But something wasn’t right. To their supporters and co-workers, they - [The Shift](https://citychurchar.org/the-shift/) (2026-01-05): Geyer Springs First Baptist Church wanted to plant a new church in Little Rock. They had building plans. They were raising funds. For a church like Geyer Springs, it’s what you do. You build a new building and fill it - [Making the Most of Our Time](https://citychurchar.org/making-the-most-of-our-time/) (2026-01-05): “I want to grow in my faith.”“I want to lose 15 pounds.”“I want to spend more time with family.” Do you have a New Year’s resolution? One thing most resolutions have in common is that they relate to time. Many - [A Quiet Revival](https://citychurchar.org/a-quiet-revival/) (2025-12-03): It was Sunday morning, and Brad was all alone on Pinnacle Mountain. His grief was heavy. He needed time and space to process. He didn’t expect two middle school girls to walk up and talk to him. “The girls were - [Light and Life to All He Brings](https://citychurchar.org/light-and-life-to-all-he-brings/) (2025-12-01): At our Thanksgiving dinner this year, I asked what for me was an unusual question: “Do you have a favorite Christmas hymn?” I’m someone who typically resists starting Christmas activities until after Thanksgiving weekend. But this year, with the first - [The Long Road Home](https://citychurchar.org/the-long-road-home/) (2025-10-31): For nearly two years, Epoch Church had been homeless. After selling their downtown building in 2022, they became nomads, meeting on Sunday nights at First Baptist and then at Grace United before returning to First Baptist.  One week, Grant Harrison - [It All Begins in Prayer](https://citychurchar.org/it-all-begins-in-prayer/) (2025-10-31): Sarah Bowen was disappointed. She’d been looking forward to the Collegiate Day of Prayer at Texas A&M for months, but she couldn’t find a babysitter. Usually, this wasn’t a problem. But this time, no one could help her. She’d have - [Seven Million Men Missing](https://citychurchar.org/seven-million-men-missing/) (2025-10-01): In a recent podcast of The World and Everything In It, host Nick Eicher interviews David Bahnsen of The Bahnsen Group. The episode begins with this startling statistic: In the United States today, nearly 7 million men between the ages - [The Greatest Hope](https://citychurchar.org/the-greatest-hope/) (2025-10-01): Charisse Camp wasn’t supposed to be there. She was a last-minute substitute for someone else who couldn’t make it to the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit on September 25th. She didn’t know much about CityChurch Network or what the Summit was - [A Vision for Flourishing Cities](https://citychurchar.org/a-vision-for-flourishing-cities/) (2025-09-03): It was Spring 1995, and I was nearing the end of a wonderful year of participation in Class X of Leadership Greater Little Rock. It was a nine-month leadership program connecting community leaders to promote understanding and dialogue around the - [God of the Impossible](https://citychurchar.org/god-of-the-impossible/) (2025-09-03): Nine people told Tony Hammack it was impossible. “You can’t just start a radio station,” they said. “It’s against the law without a license from the FCC.” There were no available frequencies in the Batesville area where he pastored, and - [Our Moment in History](https://citychurchar.org/our-moment-in-history/) (2025-08-04): August is the time when families are preparing to go back to school. Children are excited about new school supplies, new clothes, reconnecting with friends, and getting back into sports. Some parents, like their children, are looking forward to returning - [Hold All Things Loosely](https://citychurchar.org/hold-all-things-loosely/) (2025-08-04): In January 2010, Central Baptist Church faced an impossible decision. They were about to send 350 of their core leaders across town to plant the Journey Campus. Young families. Committed leaders. Financial supporters. The very people who made Central Baptist - [Only God](https://citychurchar.org/only-god/) (2025-06-20): Mitch Tapson didn’t want to go. He’d worked all day, and a Tuesday night association meeting on the other side of Arkansas didn’t seem worth the effort. But his church secretary was the clerk for the association and needed a - [Steve Needs Our Encouragement](https://citychurchar.org/steve-needs-our-encouragement/) (2025-06-20): What a difference a year has made. Steve’s friend had invited him to attend an outdoor music festival called Amplify with him. He usually didn’t attend this type of event, but he knew one of the groups performing. And, best - [Walking Out of the Fog](https://citychurchar.org/walking-out-of-the-fog/) (2025-05-29): The message men often hear is that there is something inherently defective in the male character. Many men today feel discouraged, devalued, and demoralized.  Like all of us, men tend to live up—or down—to the expectations placed on them.  Boys - [The Love of God is in This House](https://citychurchar.org/the-love-of-god-is-in-this-house/) (2025-05-29): At first she hesitated. “What will everyone think?” “I dunno.” “Maybe next time.” But something kept gnawing at her to go. She was a resident at the Dorcas House recovery center. A few months earlier, she had given her life - [Desperate Times, Desperate Prayer](https://citychurchar.org/desperate-times-desperate-prayer/) (2025-05-01): Today marks this year’s National Day of Prayer, a moment set aside each spring to seek God’s wisdom and mercy together as a nation. Since its official designation by Congress in 1952 and its fixed observance on the first Thursday - [When Two Become One](https://citychurchar.org/when-two-become-one/) (2025-04-30): Joshua Hurlburt dreamed of pastoring a multi-ethnic church. Bishop Steven Arnold was looking for a place for his church to meet.  Neither pastor knew the other existed until one phone call became the answer to their prayers. In 2014, Joshua - [Leading the Way in the Education Reformation](https://citychurchar.org/leading-the-way-in-the-education-reformation/) (2025-04-02): Across the country, a growing number of parents, pastors, and educators are realizing that something is deeply broken in our education system. In The Education Reformation: Why Your Church Should Start a Christian School, authors Jimmy Scroggins and Trevin Wax - [Good Works That Shine a Light](https://citychurchar.org/good-works-that-shine-a-light/) (2025-04-02): It was a Sunday like any other at Mosaic Church. And all of a sudden—it wasn’t.  Pastor Mark DeYmaz was in the middle of his sermon when he noticed the medical team get up and walk out. He kept preaching. - [God is Moving to Save Children & Families in Arkansas](https://citychurchar.org/god-is-moving-to-save-children-and-families-in-arkansas/) (2025-03-04): My wife Carolyn and I have enjoyed countless Valentine’s Day dates over the years, each one memorable in its own way. However, this Valentine’s Day stood out to us. This year, we were together with friends at a community date - [Faith Beyond Borders](https://citychurchar.org/faith-beyond-borders/) (2025-03-04): Pastor John Molina sighed as he hung up the phone. It happened again. In 2006, break-ins and robberies were frequent at Centro Christiano Espano on West 36th Street in Little Rock. “We were known as ‘the Hispanic church’ on the - [A Church Reborn](https://citychurchar.org/a-church-reborn/) (2025-02-03): Drew Cline could not imagine going back to Temple Baptist Church. He loved his role as Creative Catalyst at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. He was free to do what he loved as an artist, whether leading the worship - [A Beautiful Story of Lasting Love](https://citychurchar.org/a-beautiful-story-of-lasting-love/) (2025-02-03): Every year leading up to Valentine’s Day, I remember my friend and fellow pastor, Mel Amrine. He had a deep love for Christ, a commitment to pray for revival and the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, and a passionate vision to - [A Revealing Story of Grace & Forgiveness](https://citychurchar.org/a-revealing-story-of-grace-forgiveness/) (2025-01-02): Claire Culwell was raised in an adoptive family where she felt deeply loved and thrived. Her life had been so rich and full that she never considered trying to learn anything about her birth mother. That changed when her younger - [Taking Jesus as He Is to People as They Are](https://citychurchar.org/taking-jesus-as-he-is-to-people-as-they-are/) (2025-01-02): Mark Evans was the pastor of a thriving youth ministry at his Florida church in the early 90s. On any given week, 750 kids attended the church’s youth group. He lived an hour from the beach each way, and Disney - [Immanuel: God with Us](https://citychurchar.org/immanuel-god-with-us/) (2024-12-02): While I (Ray) can’t remember the year, there is a distinct Christmas memory I will never forget. My wife Carolyn and I had just celebrated Christmas with our extended families. As the sun set on Christmas Day, I stepped outside - [The Whole Body Fit Together](https://citychurchar.org/the-whole-body-fit-together/) (2024-12-02): As the bus rolled out of the church parking lot on a crisp January morning in 1998, quiet conversations mingled with the hum of the engine. Thirty-one pastors from twenty churches across ten denominations had stepped onto that bus, unsure - [Chasing Your God-Given Dreams](https://citychurchar.org/chasing-your-god-given-dreams-nlc-downtown-everyarkansan/) (2024-10-31): Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with leaders from New Life Church (NLC) Downtown and EveryArkansan to discuss what it looks like to work together to help every Arkansan chase their God-given dreams. Usually, my interviews are one-on-one - [Providing a Home Away from Home](https://citychurchar.org/goodness-village-providing-a-home-away-from-home/) (2024-10-31): How much would your life change if a diagnosis forced you to uproot everything and seek treatment in an unfamiliar city? Imagine putting your life on hold for weeks, months, or even years, away from everything you call ‘home.’ This - [My Trip to Bud Walton Arena](https://citychurchar.org/a-trip-to-bud-walton-arena/) (2024-10-02): It was about 6:30 p.m. on September 19th, when my friend Dan dropped me off just across the street from Bud Walton Arena. As I walked toward the arena, I recalled other times I had been to Bud Walton to --- # Full Content --- title: "Looking to 2027 & Beyond" url: "https://citychurchar.org/looking-to-2027-beyond/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Fall is here. Schools have started back. Football season is underway. Among lingering hot days, there are hints of cooler weather. Soon, the beauty of fall foliage in Arkansas will be on display.  As we enter fall, I want to" last_modified: "2026-10-02T21:36:02+00:00" categories: [Vision & Mission] --- # Looking to 2027 & Beyond Fall is here. Schools have started back. Football season is underway. Among lingering hot days, there are hints of cooler weather. Soon, the beauty of fall foliage in Arkansas will be on display.  As we enter fall, I want to share some exciting CityChurch Network news. In a previous article this year (“[Passing the Torch](https://citychurchar.org/passing-the-torch/)”), we celebrated how God is raising up a new generation of leaders in the Arkansas Prayer Movement. At our Flourishing Dinner in April, we announced that Darrell Adcock would join our team as Executive Team Leader. I am excited to announce that the CityChurch Network Board has unanimously and enthusiastically selected Darrell as the new President for CityChurch Network, effective October 1, 2026. I am humbled and honored to continue serving as a Board Member and with our team as Founder and now Ambassador, with an emphasis on network development and coaching church leaders through the Arkansas Marriage Initiative.  ## **Gratitude & Anticipation** Many of you have heard the story of how God spoke to me during a time of fasting and prayer on April 2, 1996, and called me to be a part of His plan to unite churches in Arkansas to pray and serve our cities. As I reflect back on the 30 years since that day, I am both deeply grateful and filled with great anticipation. I am thankful for the hundreds of pastors and church leaders who have courageously moved toward each other and made real sacrifices of their time and influence in the conviction that we can do more for God’s glory when we work together. Some of these fellow pastors and leaders have completed their work on earth and are now in the presence of the Lord. Some have served for years and continue as dear friends. Some are new or young, and I’m just getting to know them. They give me hope in what God will continue to do. Through annual Prayer Summits, citywide serving events such as ShareFest and CityFest, and initiatives to help churches work together to love our city in key areas of need (literacy, foster care, church/school partnerships, and building flourishing families), Christ is uniting His Church and transforming lives. ## **A United Church** On the night before His crucifixion, our Lord prayed: > I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ** **that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ** **The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.  John 17:20–23 (ESV) In this prayer, Jesus not only prays that “we will be one as He and the Father are one,” but He also declares that because of this unity the world may believe and know about Him.    A 2019 report by George Barna titled “Reviving Evangelism” gives supporting evidence to this promise. It found that among those who are not Christians but are open to spiritual things, one of the top reasons they would consider Christianity is “seeing churches in their community work together more.” Said another way, when churches work together, we cause the light of Christ to shine brighter. The good news about Jesus is made more visible and attractive. Unity is a powerful demonstration of the good news of Christ. ## **Glimpses of Flourishing** I praise God for the marvelous things He has done, and I am also filled with anticipation about what he is doing now and will continue to do to unite His Church. As we bring on a new President and God raises up a new generation of church leaders, some things may change, but the core things will remain the same.   CityChurch Network is committed to its mission to _help churches work together for the good of our cities and the glory of God._ We will continue to bring churches together through extraordinary prayer, equipping leaders, and building flourishing families.  Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What is God’s will in heaven? Isaiah 65:17-25 offers a glimpse as God reveals, through Isaiah, a picture of the new heaven and new earth. It is a place where: - Joy and celebration replace sadness and grief. - People live long and healthy lives. - Children are thriving. - There is economic prosperity for all. - Everyone feels safe and secure.  Imagine a city filled with laughter and the sound of children playing in beautiful parks, their joy echoing through the streets like a melody of hope. The sun shines brightly, casting a warm glow on families gathered for picnics, sharing meals and stories under the shade of blossoming trees. Joy and celebration are woven into the very fabric of daily life, as neighbors come together for festivals that light up the night sky with colors and music.  The streets are lined with flourishing gardens, bursting with life and color, where people cultivate not just plants but relationships. Everyone is connected to a loving family, and no one is alone. The aroma of fresh produce draws people to local markets, where farmers proudly display their bountiful harvests, ensuring that everyone has access to healthy, nourishing food. Economic prosperity thrives as small businesses flourish, each one reflecting the creativity and work of our Creator. Children run freely, their laughter mingling with the sounds of nature, as they explore safe neighborhoods where every corner is a place of discovery. Schools are beacons of learning, shaped by the golden triangle of family, church, and school, and who are inspiring every student to pursue their God-given purpose.  As the sun sets, the city transforms into a haven of peace and security. Families gather on porches, sharing meals, stories, laughter, and enjoying life together.  Neighbors look out for one another, creating a sense of belonging, where everyone feels known and loved. The streets are safe, illuminated by soft lights that guide the way home, where love and support await. It’s a city where community thrives, where every individual is valued, and every voice is heard. It is a place where dreams are nurtured, hope is a constant companion, and the joy and presence of Christ are not just imagined but lived every day. This is a city of flourishing—a reflection of the beauty and abundance that God envisioned for His creation.  God is at home.  He is with us, and we are His people. ## **Shining the Light of Christ** Yes, we have only seen glimpses of the signs of flourishing. The fruit of Christ’s presence in our cities. Yes, we are in a “now” but “not yet” time. But as churches work together, we will see even more of this fruit in our day. Together, we can shine the light of Christ even more brightly in our city. Again, we are deeply thankful for all who have already been part of it. As we enter the next chapter in the story, we believe the best is still to come.  > Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15–16 (ESV) _Will you continue to pray with us?_ _Will you actively participate with your church in one of our key initiatives?_ _Will you prayerfully consider partnering financially with us to fund the dedicated team serving churches as we come together?_ --- --- title: "With Just a Look" url: "https://citychurchar.org/with-just-a-look/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "A playful catch of the eye across a crowded room. A darting glance from my wife after I’ve said something I shouldn’t. A gaze to the floor after being caught red-handed. A tear barely hanging on in joyful wonderment. The" last_modified: "2026-10-02T20:10:53+00:00" categories: [Vision & Mission] --- # With Just a Look A playful catch of the eye across a crowded room. A darting glance from my wife after I’ve said something I shouldn’t. A gaze to the floor after being caught red-handed. A tear barely hanging on in joyful wonderment. The eyes truly are a window to the soul. A look can say a lot even without words.  As I take on a new leadership role with CityChurch Network, look with me at a journey God is crafting right here. ## **A Look Back** It was a cool fall day in New Albany, Indiana, in 2003, when I received a copy of [_The Church of Irresistible Influence_](https://www.amazon.com/Church-Irresistible-Influence-Bridge-Building-Community/dp/0310250153/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3M5XROP0IF8HZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hp_IH6KEUtGqOpVGPC1U9UFRYOcTxgc7jOM2kGUmOcHGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.qfRBUkhQjKU5PAUrxM46POmU4AVHnOtDHmx2cXn8Vvo&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+church+of+irresistible+influence+by+robert+lewis&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1790785932&sprefix=the+church+of+ir%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1) by Robert Lewis. My wife, Tracy, and I read it together, and our hearts pounded: the church must unite, share impact in people’s lives, and be a visible presence of God’s kingdom. Within a few months, we would move our family to Little Rock to be part of what God was doing in Central Arkansas. It took a few months to settle in. A new church, a new ministry role, and a new team to embrace. As most of you know, getting the whole Adcock tribe to “find their place” takes time. I have always said, “Little Rock is the biggest little town in America!” I’ve never known a place where more people are raised here, go to school (usually UofA), and return. Many of you have been lifelong friends, having gone to elementary school together! Not too long into our time here, we met Ray Williams, Shelby Smith, and many others who have long championed a united Church and community impact for the Gospel. Over the past 23 years, I have met so many Kingdom warriors from so many churches and backgrounds who live every day for His glory together. Ray asked me to help gather worship leaders in our area to serve citywide worship and prayer gatherings. As I excitedly jumped in, again and again, I learned a valuable lesson — one of the hardest things in ministry is getting churches to work together. Not hard because of a lack of desire, but because the demands and rhythms of shepherding a congregation take so much. Tending sheep is a 24/7 gig. ## **A Look Up** I believe that we are to be the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23:  > My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Can you imagine that? The glory that God the Father gave to Jesus, he has given to us, that we might be one; restored relationship to God and to each other as fellow adoptees into God’s family. Why? So the world may know they are loved by Him. It points to an obvious truth: the world does not believe they are truly loved, especially by God.  Dr. Karen Purvis, author, scholar, and founder of Texas Christian University’s Institute of Child Development, wrote about the building block of “felt safety” __in children from hard places in her foundational work, _The Connected Child: Bringing Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family._ It is one thing to tell your child, as they lay their head on their pillow at night, that they are safe. You can say it a thousand times. But until they feel safe, they cannot fully rest. When our adopted daughter, Hayden, was really young and new to our family, we would “walk the perimeter” together each night, checking the lock on every door and window. We would look under her bed. I would remind her that we live in a safe neighborhood. That’s part of Daddy’s role: to provide and protect. I will be on guard so she doesn’t have to be. And we have a loving, Heavenly Father “who never sleeps nor slumbers.” It is obvious to most that people in our world do not feel safe, loved, or protected. They have good reason to believe that. Their experiences of hurt, brokenness, and unfaithfulness have taught them to guard themselves. And there is an evil one, the prince of this world, seeking to devour and thwart the redeeming work of Jesus. Dr. Purvis would say that children have been “wounded in relationship, and can only be healed through relationship.” That is the Church’s mission: to bring the world back into relationship with the Father who makes all things new. ## **A Look Forward** CityChurch Network is uniquely suited to strengthen and encourage the work of the Church. When I think about the future of the Church in Arkansas, I believe we are living in an exciting time. “The light always shines brightest in darkness” (John 1:15). “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more!” (Romans 5:20). Here are a few ways CCN impacts the Church locally: - **Relational Connection:** Encouraging and connecting leaders strengthens local congregations for the marathon of ministry - **United Praye**r**:** Prayer is the work. Doing it together builds the Body and keeps the focus on God’s activity. - **Best practices:** Navigating through the sea of options and distractions to focus on proven methods for the church to be established and effective - **Collective Impact:** 70+ Churches work with a shared desire to see “God’s Kingdom come and will be done.”  New and old expressions of the Church are emerging as people return to a first-century model of house churches and ministry led by bivocational leaders, as practiced by the apostle Paul. I’m calling on every house church leader and bivocational pastor to reach out to me ([darrell@citychurchar.org](mailto:darrell@citychurchar.org)). I want to connect and expand our reach to the unique opportunities at hand in these growing movements. Building on the good work so many have done over the past 30 years, a united Church can help friends and neighbors experience true love, family, and truth in a community of faith. Looking ahead, as we anticipate Christ’s return, may we be found faithful, abounding in love, full of grace and truth.  --- --- title: "A Guide for the Journey" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-guide-for-the-journey/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "The Lord loves working through friendships. A great example of this truth is the church/school partnership between Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church. These churches are in different parts of Little Rock. But seven years ago, one friendship" last_modified: "2026-09-03T21:24:13+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Flourishing Families] --- # A Guide for the Journey The Lord loves working through friendships. A great example of this truth is the church/school partnership between Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church. These churches are in different parts of Little Rock. But seven years ago, one friendship brought them together.  “Bob Hayden and Sherman Tate were next-door neighbors,” says Scott Jackson, the senior pastor at Calvary Baptist. “They started talking about their churches, and both went to their pastors and said, ‘Let’s start connecting with each other.’” Tate set up a lunch between pastors from both churches at the Capitol Hotel. “I started hanging out with Pastor Smith pretty regularly, and we became friends.” Both churches wanted to do more together. That desire led to prayer meetings and joint fellowships. Eventually, a small group of men from both churches met in a room to brainstorm what they could do. One of the men suggested mentoring young boys in schools. The rest of the group thought it was a great idea.  Robert Holt, another pastor in Southwest Little Rock, had mentoring experience. “He got behind us and did all the training for us,” says Herb Scott, a member of Mt. Zion who began his career in teaching before working for the state in the Department of Finance and Administration. “We had the superintendent and everybody involved, and the next thing you know, we’re up and running at Henderson Middle School.” The men named their church/school partnership “Zionalvary,” a portmanteau of both churches. Things started off well at Henderson. Students, teachers, and school administrators were all very responsive and supportive. However, in 2021, the Little Rock School District closed Henderson Middle School, leaving the men looking for another school partner. They found one at J.A. Fair K-8 Preparatory School.  ## **A Focus on Character** Since its inception, the men of Zionalvary have focused on boys in 6th to 8th grade. “The statistics point to that age group as when the wheels start coming off. They start listening to outside forces that may not be guiding them with their best interest at heart. We wanted to catch them young, and present the alternative to what they may be hearing elsewhere,” says Lionel Davis, a retired member of Mt. Zion.  “It’s a joy to run into someone you mentored years ago, and they’ve gone on and graduated high school and tell you of their plans to go to college or vocational school. They’re on the right track, and that makes you think you’re doing something.” Rather than provide tutoring for subjects like reading or math, the men have always focused on character and skill development. “That came from the training we had. Pastor Holt was working with inmates who have steered wrong and was saying, ‘If we can steer two or three to do right, we’ve done a good job,’” says Scott.  Curricula that the men have used over the years include “The Leader in Me” (based on Stephen Covey’s _The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People_), John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, and a study of Jackie Robinson’s character traits. “We have 35 minutes with the boys every Wednesday. We bring lunch, and as they eat, one of the mentors gives the lesson. After the lesson, we have one-on-one or one-on-two conversations,” says Michael Hall, a member of Calvary Baptist. “We try to tie all those ends into the 35 minutes that we have,” says Davis. “Sometimes it’s a difficult thing to do, but, for the most part, we’re able to get the foundation laid. When they come back to you in four or five years, you say, ‘Well, the building’s coming up real nice.’”  ![Older men smiling together for a group photo](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_0501-2.jpg)From Left: Lionel Davis, Herb Scott, Randy Madison, Scott Jackson, and Michael Hall ## **Being There** The mentoring program is voluntary, but there are standards. “They have to earn it from the school. The school counselor oversees this and vets the kids. Unfortunately, we’ve had a few kids who didn’t get to stay in the program because of behavioral issues,” says Pastor Jackson. “Some days you go in, and it’s a rowdy day and hard to get the boys’ attention. You might think, ‘Did we do any good today?’” says Hall. “But more often than not, some of the boys have questions or comments, and you can tell they’re listening. They’re processing it. Some of the boys ask, ‘Do you get paid for coming here?’ or ‘Are you buying this lunch for _me_?’ Just showing up week after week — that means a lot to those boys.” “It’s a variety of home situations. You have some living with a grandmother or uncle. Some have only one parent. Some have two-parent homes,” says Randy Madison, a retired pastor who has recently joined the group. “Even though some may have a dad in the home, he may not be a good example,” says Davis. “I think just being there and living an example in front of them of what being a godly man means is important. We challenge them to be a better person every day, to try and be a little bit better than you were the day before.” ## **The Needle is Moving** “I try to point out where I see them maturing. I think it makes a world of difference,” says Scott. “We want to show them that they are set apart here. They’re in a mentoring group. They’re leaders now. As my mother used to tell me: ‘You don’t know at any time who’s watching you.’ Put yourself in a position where people are saying, ‘He helps out his fellow students. He doesn’t have behavior issues.’ I’ve been amazed at how many of them will accept that concept. ”  One of the highlights of the program is an annual picnic to close out the school year. Instead of the usual 35 minutes, the men get extra time with the boys to have fun, play games, and eat outside. The boys also have the opportunity to give back to the men by sharing what the program has meant to them.  “It isn’t just a good-bye. It’s a thank you,” says Pastor Jackson. “You see the maturity in them. They’re obviously growing in character. Even the way they are able to express that to us is meaningful. Sometimes, when you’re in the middle of it, you’re wondering, ‘What’s the point?’ but the needle is moving.” “By the end of the year, they’re appreciative that we invested our time into them, and they had the opportunity to rethink some of the things that may have been bad influences on them and the path they might be going on in life,” says Davis. “You have a few who come up to you and ask, ‘Are y’all going to be here next year?’ We tell them, ‘We said we’ll be here ‘till you get to the eighth grade. Are you coming back?’ And they say, ‘Oh, yes, sir! I’m definitely going to be back.’” ## **All Hands on Deck** The program’s impact extends beyond the boys the men meet with week to week. “It’s not just the kids we get to know. It’s faculty, too. When you get to know them and work with them, they go through stuff. One counselor lost her mother, and we got to pray with her and encourage her,” says Pastor Jackson. “A lot of the openness to the partnership is the fragmentation of the family and the breakdown of the home and the deterioration of marriages,” says Madison. “Kids are hurting more now than ever. I think school counselors are overwhelmed. Administrators are overwhelmed. Last year was a rough year at J.A. Fair. They had a challenging student population. Being a presence there shows them that this is all hands on deck.” “It’s an ocean of need,” says Davis. “There’s a need at other schools. If you see a need in your neighborhood, what are you waiting for? Get together with some guys or some ladies, and see what y’all can do to help resolve the issues that you see going on.” ## **The Partnership Continues** Recently, the men of Zionalvary welcomed a new school year with another group of young boys on their way to becoming men. Those boys need a guide for the journey, and Pastor Jackson, Herb, Lionel, Michael, and Randy will be there to walk with each one of them.  What started seven years ago with just two friends carries on today in friendships. Because that’s just how God works. We are grateful for the exceptional work of Mt. Zion, Calvary Baptist, and other churches in our cities that are investing in schools and youth through mentoring. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 This church/school partnership is one of over 40 partnerships that CityChurch Network supports throughout Arkansas. If you’re interested in starting a partnership in your community, contact Anthony Hampton at [ahampton@citychurchar.org](mailto:ahampton@citychurchar.org).  --- --- title: "Leaving a Legacy of Faith" url: "https://citychurchar.org/leaving-a-legacy-of-faith/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "My wife Angie and I are blessed with four grandchildren, ranging in age from one to fifteen years old. Like so many grandparents, we delight in every opportunity to spend time with them. Whether it’s celebrating birthdays, cheering from the" last_modified: "2026-08-29T16:13:14+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families, Guest Writer] --- # Leaving a Legacy of Faith My wife Angie and I are blessed with four grandchildren, ranging in age from one to fifteen years old. Like so many grandparents, we delight in every opportunity to spend time with them. Whether it’s celebrating birthdays, cheering from the sidelines at sporting events, attending choir and band performances, or enjoying a fun evening of babysitting while mom and dad have a date night, we treasure making memories together. But over the past several years, God has placed an even greater desire on our hearts. Looking at the world today’s children and teenagers are growing up in, we recognize the unique challenges this generation faces. We are deeply committed to supporting and partnering with our adult children as they raise their families. More than anything, we want to be a trusted voice, an encouraging presence, and a spiritual influence in the lives of our grandchildren. We realized that simply showing up for events—while important—wasn’t enough. We wanted to be intentional about using every opportunity to point our grandchildren toward Christ and leave a legacy of faith that will last for generations. ## **Intentional Grandparenting** That desire led us to launch a new ministry at The Summit Church in North Little Rock called Intentional Grandparenting. With the encouragement and support of church leadership, we created this ministry to equip grandparents to embrace the incredible calling God has given them. A core component of the ministry is a six-week class called _Grandparenting Matters _produced by Legacy Coalition. When the first class launched in June, Angie and I weren’t sure whether anyone else shared the same passion. We were amazed when 31 grandparents—representing 112 grandchildren—signed up for the class. Together, we discovered both a biblical vision and practical ways to become more intentional about investing spiritually in the next generation. The class reminded everyone that while grandparents can’t make decisions for their grandchildren, they can faithfully pray, love, encourage, model authentic faith, and create moments that point young hearts toward Jesus. ![Group of older couples learning around tables in a meeting room for a local grandparents ministry ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IMG_4521-2.jpg)Steve and Angie Campbell leading Intentional Grandparenting at the Summit Church in North Little Rock, AR ## **More Opportunities Ahead** For Angie and me, the motivation is simple: we desire more than anything to one day worship in heaven alongside our children and grandchildren. That eternal perspective fuels everything we hope to accomplish through this ministry. This journey has only just begun. Plans are already underway to provide ongoing opportunities for grandparents at The Summit Church and throughout Central Arkansas to be encouraged, equipped, and connected.  The ministry will also celebrate grandparents at our church on National Grandparents Day, September 13, and we’re excited to join Christ Community Church in West Little Rock for the one-day Legacy Grandparenting Summit on Saturday, October 3. This event is open to everyone. For more information and registration, visit [legacycoalition.com](http://legacycoalition.com/). ## **Embracing the Call** The heart of this ministry is Deuteronomy 4:9 > Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Angie and I believe this isn’t simply a suggestion. It’s a calling.  Our prayer is that more grandparents will embrace the incredible opportunity God has given them to intentionally pass on a legacy of faith—one conversation, one relationship, and one generation at a time. --- --- title: "Returning to First Principles" url: "https://citychurchar.org/returning-to-first-principles/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "It had been a long Saturday for Fellowship Conway’s men’s ministry team. They were tired, having spent hours marking page after page of flip charts. The goal of this strategy session was to understand where they were as a ministry" last_modified: "2026-08-03T21:56:07+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] --- # Returning to First Principles It had been a long Saturday for Fellowship Conway’s men’s ministry team. They were tired, having spent hours marking page after page of flip charts. The goal of this strategy session was to understand where they were as a ministry and where they were going. And while no one wanted to say it out loud, the truth was they had functionally become an event-planning team. The same four events every year. Rinse and repeat.  Over time, a growing discomfort had settled in on the team. They sensed God was moving them in a different direction. He wanted to do more. Something had to change. The problem wasn’t the events. They were good. Men enjoyed events like Men’s Muster, Fellowship’s annual men’s weekend. It was fun and included great teaching and discussion groups. Outside of their own small group, this was the only time some men connected with others in the church. The problem was how fleeting that sense of real community felt. It was there for a moment and — POOF! — it was gone. By Monday, men went back to normal. For some, that meant figuring out how to be a godly husband and father on their own. For many, it meant going back to a lonely life disconnected from others. These men didn’t need another event. They needed a brotherhood. What emerged from the meeting was a renewed sense of purpose. Men’s Ministry was more than the events that brought men together. It was what God was doing among a community of men. In the coming weeks, the Men’s Ministry Team tried to capture this renewed purpose in a statement:  _We are a brotherhood. Together, we are growing into solid, godly men._ ## **The Philosopher** Josh Jolly is in his mid-thirties and a father of four. Josh’s personality is more that of a philosopher. He gravitates toward the deep questions of life and theology. He’s thoughtful and well-spoken. While Josh is a thinker, he knows that faith is not relegated to what’s in your mind. “The substance of the faith always is going to be each other. It is community,” Josh says. “If people aren’t being tethered together, then we’re doing it wrong. We’re just promoting the ‘brain on a stick’ approach where we have equipped this many new brains on a stick to go and replicate and create more brains on a stick.” Before his current job in IT sales, Josh spent three years in campus ministry at Hendrix College. In that role, he played to his strengths, which was getting guys together. “If you needed a room full of dudes, I could do that. Just give me a week on campus. But the thing is, so few of them ended up becoming followers of Jesus. Looking back, that’s something that’s hung on me. I don’t want people who love Josh Jolly. I want people who love Jesus.” Josh is passionate about the next generation, especially men, and he sees a great challenge before men today. > I don’t believe that God has ever called us in any stage of life to be idle in any way. From the time when you and I are now to the day that we die, God is calling us closer and deeper, and there’s always more. The meme of the current churchgoer in America today is the one whose life is stagnant. There’s nothing happening. There’s no development really happening. He goes to church, he does things, he checks the boxes, but outside of Sunday morning, or maybe even Sunday morning and small group, his life is actually affected very little. And it’s pretty hard to tell him apart from people who don’t go to church. ## **The Builder** Recently, John Lee retired from a career in the corporate world. For 50 years, he woke up every morning at 3:00 o’clock ready to work. While some people work to live, John lives to work. That’s just how he’s wired. John is assertive and speaks his mind, often in a direct manner. He’s also an introvert. “I’m not strong on relationships. I think I don’t need anybody. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t value others. But I’m not going to let the fact that I don’t have somebody to hold the other end of the board prevent me from building whatever it is I’m going to build. I’m going to figure out a way. That’s my personality.” When asked what life is like in retirement, John says, “It sucks. Nobody cares when I wake up or what I do. But I’m not dead, so there’s a reason I’m still here. I have an opportunity to say, ‘Okay, what’s really important?’ And right now, there’s nothing in my life that is more important than getting a hold of what God wants me to do in this season.” In looking for places to contribute, John found the Men’s Ministry team. Since joining, John has shown initiative in asking, “What do the men of Fellowship need? Where are the gaps?” ## **The Disciple-Maker** Michael Harrison is Fellowship’s Discipleship Pastor. He’s relational and a natural disciple-maker. Before joining the church’s staff, Michael spent 15 years serving with YoungLife, a ministry focused on discipling youth. As a leader and later the Area Director, Michael put in his reps, whether that was teaching others how to disciple or doing it himself.  Today, Michael focuses on how to equip and release church members to be reproducing disciples of Jesus Christ. Practically, that means plugging members into opportunities beyond the Sunday worship service, whether that is equipping classes on Sunday mornings or home churches (Fellowship’s small groups) throughout the week. Michael wants Fellowship’s members to feel empowered. He knows others don’t have the background or relational personality he does. Multiple people have come to him, saying, “I want to disciple somebody, but I don’t know what to do.” ## **A Clear Discipleship Pathway** The Men’s Ministry Team wasn’t alone in sensing it. Other men were converging on a real need — a community of men growing together. That need led all of them to a series called _The First Principles Series_ by BILD International. Think of _The First Principles Series _as a modern-day catechism for believers. The series is a set of 13 six-session Bible study guides for establishing believers in the faith. Instead of your typical information-based, fill-in-the-blank approach, the series revives a serious, ordered approach to learning that is based in community dialogue.  Following the pattern of the early church, the series_ _creates a clear discipleship pathway for understanding the core principles passed down from Christ and His Apostles. While other discipleship methods focus on information transfer from a master teacher, _The First Principles Series _teaches a new skill set for learning and growing in community. Ultimately, the series helps believers to think critically and biblically. ## **We Can Return** This fall, Fellowship’s Men’s Ministry will launch a group that includes all of these men on how to teach _The First Principles Series. _Something that drew Josh to the series was the challenge for believers to think. “The series begins with reframing the way we even think about our faith, specifically in the context of how it looks lived out. Not just taught, but reproduced. I’m really excited for that.” Josh goes on to say: > Everything about the gospel of Jesus Christ and following Him is presented as a monumental challenge. It’s not just, “Yes, I adhere to this worldview, and so this is the team I’m on.” It is a call to pick up your cross and follow Him. Every bit of the gospel is dripping with this language of there will be depths that you will never be able to chart, but you will spend the rest of your life trying.  More high church traditions have this association that it will ask much of you. That shouldn’t be unique to those traditions. What I love about the series is how all-inclusive it is. Imagine a disciple who was seriously trained, withheld, and kept in these parts of his life and thinking. How hard would it be for him to fall away? How unnatural would it be for him not to reproduce?  John is more concise with his feelings about the series: > Men have the opportunity to be transformed by what they’re learning as opposed to just learning what they’re learning. For Michael, the series gives Fellowship something it currently lacks. “The series gives a clear path to help new believers and get them grounded in important things that can be a framework for future growth.”  The process of self-discovery is also something that appeals to Michael. “When you get people in the Scriptures, and those truths become real — not just theoretical — in their lives, that process of self-discovery takes root in a much deeper way than if you tell someone what to think or believe,” he says. It’s a pattern he’s seen change what happens next, too: “When light bulbs go off, and they really get it, the desire not just to learn but to pass it on becomes stronger.” The group is a small step, and Josh sees what’s at stake for men today: > In our lifetime, we’ve witnessed insane shifts of reality itself being redefined. But we can return. We can be restored. It’s not too late, but it can only be done by a generation of men who, like their forebears, were unapologetic, unyielding, and faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not just as a precept or an underlying philosophy, but as a life in which you lead. What I like about _The First Principles Series _is the systematic walkthrough of what that looks like. How that should be thought about, how that should be taught, how it should be reproduced, and how it should be lived. If that happened, what we talked about in those men who changed the world — that flame — can be reignited and fanned into a flame far greater than what it ever was before. But it has to start with one generation. Why not ours? We’re grateful for the men of Fellowship Conway who are helping men grow together and be established in the faith. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "A Community of Shepherds" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-community-of-shepherds/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "“I can handle this.”  That’s what Pastor Scott Barber told himself. And yet, the stress kept mounting. Ministry felt like running on a hamster wheel. He was saying yes to too many “good” opportunities and felt controlled by the tyranny" last_modified: "2026-08-28T13:53:55+00:00" categories: [Equipped Leaders] --- # A Community of Shepherds “I can handle this.”  That’s what Pastor Scott Barber told himself. And yet, the stress kept mounting. Ministry felt like running on a hamster wheel. He was saying yes to too many “good” opportunities and felt controlled by the tyranny of the urgent.  And yet, Scott kept pressing forward, believing somehow things would get better on their own. “This is just a season,” he told himself. “It will pass.” But things didn’t get better. Scott would respond to texts and phone calls on his days off, during meals, and time with his family. Frustrated, his wife reminded him, “Remember our rule of no phones at the table? This is our time together. Can’t it wait?”  “I had given away my margin,” Scott recalls. “My desire to be a good shepherd had become an idol. Once again, I was sacrificing my family on the altar of my need to be needed.” In a recent article, Scott shares how this brought him to the breaking point. > As decision- and compassion-fatigue mounted, I could feel the overload impacting my judgment. Stress manifested in my body through growing fatigue, anxiety, and tension. I constantly looked ahead to my next day off. I was redlining—again. I’ve been here before, I told myself. I can handle this. In the busyness, I’d replaced my daily soul-feeding practices of devotion, abiding, and prayer with trying to feed myself through productivity, sermon writing, and small group prep. To survive, I compartmentalized. For now, I was a shepherd to my congregation, not one of God’s sheep. As the stress accumulated, the desire for escape increased, resurfacing old temptations in my body and thought life. Initially, my willpower provided enough strength to ignore them, but the temptations persisted. I can’t have these thoughts. I’m a pastor! The warning sirens in my body finally began to break through the deafened ears of my soul. I was wrong. I can’t handle this. I know better. I’m burning out—again. But where can I go? ## **Who Can I Bear My Soul To?** Peter Greer, President and CEO of HOPE International_,_ tells the story of a safari guide in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park who pointed to a lone gazelle and asked his group, “Do you know what that is called?” “Gazelle!” someone shouted. “No,” replied the guide. “Dinner.” For many executive leaders, the anecdote hits close to home. Nobody plans to isolate themselves, yet ministry demands often push leaders into isolation over time. Just like that gazelle, a separated leader is left exposed to external threats. Being a pastor is a high calling. It can also be a lonely one. “Who can I bear my soul to? Who can I be unfiltered with about my struggles, fears, and burdens?” Pastors wonder, “How would people respond if I were honest with others? Would my congregation think less of me? Would my elders take me out of the pulpit?” For many pastors, the risk of opening up to others is too high. Scott Barber writes, “As pastors, we often feel there’s no place for us to be truly honest. It’s easy to hide in the crowd. It’s risky to open our hearts to others. It’s easy to avoid relational depth and vulnerability for the sake of more ‘important things,’ like theology or ministry strategy, war stories, or successes.”  ## **When the Sermon Ends** > Pastors stand before congregations each week offering spiritual guidance, biblical wisdom, and pastoral care. They counsel marriages, navigate conflict, and shepherd families through crisis. But when the sermon ends and the sanctuary empties, many pastors face a different reality: deep, persistent loneliness. Barna Group, _The Friendship Gap for Pastors_ A recent Barna study (_The Relationships of Today’s Pastors_) found that 2 in 5 pastors feel lonely and isolated, and only 1 in 3 has a trusted confidant outside their church. Despite scoring high in faith and vocation, pastors score lowest in relational well-being. One area where pastors excel relationally is in their marriages. According to Barna’s _Inside the Friendship Gap for Pastors_, 76 percent say their spouse is their best friend. More than half say their spouse understands their struggles (53%) and communicates with them about them in a healthy way (52%). However, outside their marriages, there is a meaningful gap in friendships. For many pastors, loneliness is more than just being alone. It’s about not feeling seen or supported within a community. “This is a red flag for long-term sustainability in leadership,” writes Barna CEO David Kinnaman. “Friendship, vulnerability, and spiritual direction aren’t luxuries — they’re lifelines.” In 2022, Barna found that 42 percent of pastors had considered quitting full-time ministry in the past year. Over half of them (56%) say “the immense stress of the job” was a factor in considering leaving the pulpit. Pastors carry the weight of daily stress and pressure, but many lack real support and community to manage both well. Pastors don’t just need the encouraging words of their congregation. They need a community of peers outside their church they can confide in. Or, as Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam, author of _The Resilient Pastor_, writes: > We need sages to advise us, leaders to direct us or hold us accountable, peers to remind us that we aren’t alone, healers to dress our wounds and companions who carry us when we can’t carry on. ## **The Value of Trusted Peers** Mike Sharrow is the CEO of C12 Business Forums, the world’s largest peer-learning organization for Christian CEOs and executives. In _Accountability: The Secret to Successful Leadership_, he writes, “Leaders can be socially overextended yet relationally starved, surrounded by demands yet lacking the very thing they need most: meaningful accountability.” Without trusted peers who understand their struggles and circumstances, executive leaders can live in echo chambers, receiving little to no feedback from others. Over time, cracks in a leader’s character go unnoticed, putting them and others at risk. Sharrow writes: > Here’s the counterintuitive truth: Most leaders want accountability, even if they rarely admit it. Among the thousands of CEOs and executives in C12, accountability is the number one driver of loyalty and engagement. Leaders who experience it consistently report sharper decision-making, clarified priorities, and the ability to model the very integrity they long to see replicated across their teams. Great leadership isn’t forged in a vacuum. It happens within community. “That kind of leadership requires intentional structures, open channels of feedback, and early interventions that prevent costly recoveries later,” Sharrow writes. “We cannot separate who we are from how we lead.” ## **Build the Council** In _Good to Great_, author Jim Collins introduced many concepts we know today. One concept is the Hedgehog — you simplify complexity and focus on what is essential while ignoring everything else. Another concept is the Flywheel — breakthroughs come from compounding momentum, which requires consistent, disciplined actions over time. Another key concept from the book is the Council — an advisory group of the right people engaging in dialogue and rigorous debate to gain deep understanding and help a leader make better decisions. Most leaders lack a group like this or feel too busy to create one themselves. That’s why, in 1992, C12 launched its Business Forums with principles that align with Collins’ Council. Within these peer learning environments, leaders learn new ideas, solve complex problems, and become better leaders together. C12 Arkansas Chair Dee Brown has seen some leaders push back on C12’s once-a-month commitment. “There’s no way I could get away for a whole day once a month to work on my business,” they’ve told him. However, many of those leaders changed their minds once they experienced a forum for themselves. It becomes vital to their leadership and business. “The transformation that occurs in these leaders is visible and life-giving,” Brown says. What results has Brown seen among leaders firsthand in his forums? He mentions five: - Improved leadership skills - Ideas that can be readily implemented - Healthier organizations - Greater staff engagement and care - Organizational growth ![CityChurch Network Leadership Cohorts Logo](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Untitled-design.png) ## **A Strategic Planning Day for Pastors** Seeing the results from forums like C12 and understanding the relational gap among pastors, our CityChurch Network team started wondering: _Could peer learning environments give pastors the support they need to thrive in their calling?_ In January, our team began conversations with pastors in our network about creating leadership cohorts for pastors and senior leaders based on the peer learning environment model. The feedback from pastors was unanimous: “That’s what I need. Sign me up.” It became clear to us that the need was there. So was the desire. Beginning this fall, CityChurch Network will launch its first leadership cohort for pastors and senior leaders. We will launch 1-3 groups this year with the goal of launching more groups throughout the state in the coming years. Most leadership development happens in a passive setting. Think: classroom or conference. You listen to a lecture, hope it sticks, and try to apply it alone. Our leadership cohorts are different. We build them around how leaders learn best. Real growth happens through ongoing relationships with trusted peers who understand their challenges. Using a model trusted by thousands of leaders across the globe, these monthly cohorts help pastors build deep friendships and apply new insights directly to their ministry. Cohorts give pastors a strategic planning day for their church every month, which includes: - Over 200 years of collective ministry experience around the table - Real sharing of life and ministry - Practical tools for measuring church health, identifying gaps, and setting goals - Peer-driven discussion on topics that help pastors grow as leaders and avoid blind spots - Trusted peers who celebrate wins and hold one another accountable ![men around the table having a discussion](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CCN-Photos_005-copy.jpg)CityChurch Network’s Leadership Cohorts launch this fall ## **Fighting the Good Fight** The sad truth is many pastors don’t live in the gospel community. Is it any wonder that many of them burn out, live in quiet desperation, or fail morally? Isolation is dangerous, and pastors too often feel its gravitational pull. “Pastors, you are the immune system of our movement,” Scott Barber writes. “Just as our immune system works together to protect us from germs and disease, the interconnectedness and interdependence of pastors facilitate the health and protection of the entire body of Christ. When pastors gather in vulnerability and honesty—to heal from our sin and individual wounds—the Holy Spirit extends that redemptive (healing) work of Christ to our local congregations and the broader movement of the gospel.” At the beginning of the 1960 Western _The Magnificent Seven_, the film’s villain, Calvara, plunders a Mexican village. In response, the town elders hire gunfighter Chris Adams for protection. Knowing he can’t take on Calvara’s gang alone, Adams recruits six skilled mercenaries to help him. Together, they fortify the town and train the local farmers. Despite overwhelming odds, Adams and his men stand their ground and launch a final assault to defeat Calvara’s gang. Pastors are not Lone Rangers. They need others to help them fight the good fight of faith. The question we’re asking pastors is, “Are you fighting alone or alongside others?” For the sake of their health, their families, and their congregations, our prayer is that they would choose to fight alongside others in community. They’re too important to the movement. --- --- title: "Marriage & the American Founding" url: "https://citychurchar.org/marriage-the-american-founding/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "With the 250th anniversary of America just around the corner, many commentators are reflecting on the virtues that made our country great, like liberty and faith, and rightly so. But there is another very important element in this recipe most" last_modified: "2026-06-25T16:10:18+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families, Series, Vision & Mission] --- # Marriage & the American Founding With the 250th anniversary of America just around the corner, many commentators are reflecting on the virtues that made our country great, like liberty and faith, and rightly so. But there is another very important element in this recipe most people are overlooking—the role of marriage in the American founding. Believe it or not, we wouldn’t have America without the fundamental (and radical) belief that a nation doesn’t need kings or princes but rather God-honoring husbands and wives to create an ordered and flourishing society. It was this confident belief in the institution of marriage that created America and still sustains her today. And it’s also a simple solution to guarantee our continued blessings for the future. Let’s begin at the beginning with the Puritans. ## **A New World** When the Pilgrims came to America, they weren’t just seeking refuge from Catholic persecution. They also wanted to create an entirely different kind of society, one that would align with a biblical way of life. The Puritans rejected the notion that only a certain class or bloodline could rule the people. Instead, they believed government should be ordered as God directed Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28: > And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” The Puritans recognized that this was God’s original plan for building a civilization, and it wasn’t given to kings or princes. This mandate required no special breeding or education. All that was needed were faithful married couples who loved God, kept his commandments, worked heartily as unto the Lord, and passed on that legacy to their children. This groundbreaking concept was explained in _A Godly Form of Household Government_ by Puritans John Dod and Robert Cleaver in 1598. They maintained that the home is a miniature government in its own right, a starting point that grows into communities.   This influential work highlighted the importance of marriage and parenting as a good for society. It was based on the idea that when a home is well-ordered with everyone fulfilling his or her proper role, children learn to live ordered lives. They grow up to obey authority and learn the consequences of disobedience. In other words, ordered families create ordered civilizations. When the Pilgrims landed in the New World in 1620, they were far away from the rule of King James I, so they developed the Mayflower Compact and agreed to govern themselves. This would be accomplished by living out the ideas of Dod and Cleaver—each family living godly, ordered lives. It was this mindset that allowed Plymouth to thrive as a colony. Husbands, wives, and children arrived together with a vision for God’s plan to establish society through families. Schools appeared quickly. Churches were raised. And the government was systematic and orderly.   ## **Plymouth vs Jamestown** The importance of the family unit in the American colonies is not lost on historians. And it’s easy to see the difference it made when you compare Plymouth to Jamestown, which was mainly settled by single men at first.    The men of Jamestown cared more about finding gold and seeking adventure than faith or family. Most of them planned to get rich and go back to England. For about a decade, the colony struggled with disorder, instability, and death from disease, starvation, and Indian attacks. The settlement would have failed, except that a man named Edwin Sandys realized the colony needed something more precious than gold—women. In November 1619, Sandys requested “to send over one hundred maids to become wives: that wives, children, and family might make [the men] less movable and settle them, together with their posterity in that soil.” This decision stabilized the colony. According to Daniel J. Ford, author of _The Legacy of Liberty and Property_, without this decision, “the Jamestown colony would not have survived long … A man’s family provided the moral underpinning that a successful colony needed. The man who wed and then rooted his family in the soil was often amply rewarded for his wise investment, and this colony was certainly blessed with the godly increase of lasting virtue.” An emphasis on godly marriages and families became the cornerstone of the American way of life. As the colonies grew during the next hundred years, these principles were passed down, fertilizing the philosophical soil of freedom and planting seeds of independence.   ## **The Equality of Men** The idea of a nation ruled by God, sustained by men and women of faith (not bloodlines), and carried on by their children was summarized by our Founding Fathers in this phrase: > We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The phrase “all men are created equal” was a two-fold message: First, all men, no matter their status, are created in God’s image, capable of complex thought and understanding. And second, as intelligent beings, men are able to govern themselves. The founders maintained there was no gap between the common man and the aristocracy.  This concept didn’t come out of thin air. The idea that no man was born with a natural right to rule another and that the government must rest on the consent of the governed (individual families) rather than bloodline was a belief passed down to them from their Puritan forefathers. Our founders also inherited another concept—the idea of posterity, which they often mention in their writings. _Posterity_ is an old-fashioned word we rarely use today, but it simply means “for future generations.” The founders knew that in order for our country to sustain itself, the principles must be passed from parents to children. America depends on and has always depended on the strength of families. And strong families depend on healthy marriages. This secures our rights. It reinforces the equality of all mankind. And it gives us the mechanism to pass down these beliefs from generation to generation. It’s that simple. And that’s why it’s so important to protect marriage today. This is where the Church comes in. ## **What This Means for the Church** If Christians want to keep our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—if we want to continue enjoying our religious freedoms—each home has a duty to fulfill. These rights and freedoms won’t be secured by another law passed or the right party being in power. The only way to guarantee our heritage is for each home to embrace its responsibility to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; love and serve your spouse as Jesus has loved and served us; and pass down a godly legacy to the next generation. Theologian Joseph Boot, author of _The Mission of God_, summarized it well. He said, “The key to godly transformation [in our land], the key to the future, is in our homes, as individuals living in humble obedience to Christ and as families saying, ‘as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Josh. 24:14-15).” If each individual home looked inward and sincerely sought to remedy two issues, we would immediately improve the country: - What sins do I need to remove from my life? - What spiritual disciplines do I need to add or improve? This can be done regardless of who’s in office or what laws are passed by Congress. And it should be encouraged from every pulpit in America. ## **What It Means for Church Leaders** Pastors and church leaders have a profound opportunity in this regard. There are so many different ways you can reach your congregations with the message of healthy marriage and parenting. Here are some suggestions:  First, you can preach on what makes a healthy marriage. The Bible is full of passages that talk about relationships. Even with some scary words like “submission,” there are many online resources that can help interpret those passages in a sensitive way. (I love the website [gotquestions.org](http://gotquestions.org) for complicated issues.)  You can also work with your youth pastor to address topics like dating, sex, and finding a potential mate. Most kids get their education about relationships and sex from the internet. Your church may be the only source of godly information for your young people on these topics.  Second, you can start a marriage ministry in your church. It might include a yearly marriage event or date night. Or it might include an ongoing marriage Bible study. This isn’t as daunting as it may sound. There are many great national and local marriage ministries that can be a resource, such as: - **[Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries](https://www.abcfm.org/)**: This ministry offers a weekend marriage event called Marriage Tune-Ups, taught by licensed counselors who come directly to your church, and it will soon offer a small-group curriculum.  - **[FamilyLife](https://www.familylife.com/)**: Weekend to Remember marriage events are held across the country, and this ministry offers articles, books, and curriculum, such as _The Art of Marriage_.  - **[Re|engage](https://www.reengage.org/)**: Developed by Watermark Community Church, this ministry offers a discipleship-focused large- and small-group experience for couples, focusing on community and personal testimony. - **[Grace Marriage](https://gracemarriage.com/)**: This ministry focuses on the long-term health of couples, focusing on preventive care before a couple reaches the crisis stage. These resources are just a few that come to mind, and there are many more that can meet your church’s particular needs.   Third, consider uniting with a growing number of churches in the Arkansas Marriage Initiative. This partnership connects churches with resources in our state that invest in marriage. By joining this initiative, you can access information specifically for your local community. Couples need help now more than ever, and starting a marriage ministry is a great way to help them find peace and healing. It’s also a great way to open doors for sharing the gospel.  America is made of families—millions of little commonwealths all across our land. By strengthening each home, we are supporting the foundation of our entire nation, and we can make real change, regardless of what goes on in Washington.  Make marriages and families strong, and you strengthen America now and for future generations.  For more information about the Arkansas Marriage Initiative, go [here](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-initiative/). --- --- title: "The Next 250 Years" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-next-250-years/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In the past, American Christians evangelized within a society that was, by and large, Christian. Most regarded Christianity and the Church as a societal good and held basic convictions about God, Scripture, moral absolutes, and an afterlife.  That society no" last_modified: "2026-06-23T19:24:52+00:00" categories: [Series, Vision & Mission] --- # The Next 250 Years In the past, American Christians evangelized within a society that was, by and large, Christian. Most regarded Christianity and the Church as a societal good and held basic convictions about God, Scripture, moral absolutes, and an afterlife.  That society no longer exists in America. We now live in a post-Christian society, and the American Church must learn to navigate this new secular landscape. S. Michael Craven, Vice President and Dean of the Colson Fellowship, describes where we find ourselves in culture today: At best, Christianity has become a marginalized way of thinking that is largely relegated to the elderly and so-called uneducated. In other words, Christianity is regarded as being irrelevant when it comes to having anything meaningful to offer relative to “non-religious” matters. At worst, Christianity is increasingly regarded as dangerous or harmful. ## **Two Realities Co-Existing** Barna Group’s recent analysis of data from 2000 to 2025 shows that several key indicators of Christian commitment have all declined. Faith’s importance has dropped 20 percentage points since 2000. Practicing Christians have declined from 46 percent to 24 percent of U.S. adults. And only one in three Christians says they feel a strong responsibility to share their faith. While this data is discouraging, other data from Barna reveals a more complex picture of what is happening in America: - 32% of U.S. adults and teens are “highly spiritually open.” In fact, across all generations, the majority of Americans are spiritually open.  - 66% of all U.S. adults say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus that is still important in their lives today, a 12-percentage-point increase since 2021. - Weekly Bible reading among U.S. adults has risen to 42%, up 12 points from a 15-year low in 2024. - For the first time in decades, Gen Z and Millennials are the most regular churchgoers, outpacing older generations. In _Faith’s Shrinking Influence: What 25 Years of Data Reveals_, Barna reports: > “We’re seeing hopeful signs that the narrative may be shifting,” says Daniel Copeland, Barna’s Vice President of Research. Still, Barna’s new data adds notes of caution and raises important questions about what’s happening more broadly with Christianity in America.  Taken together, these trends show that two realities can coexist: spiritual openness can rise while key markers of Christian conviction remain flat. It’s a moment worth celebrating and a moment that calls for caution. “The data reminds us that American religion is resetting,” says Copeland. “There are encouraging signs, but the broader story of Christian faith in the U.S. is still unfolding.” In _New Research: Do Americans Think Spiritual Revival is Coming?_, Barna found that 29 percent of U.S. adults believe a revival is likely within the next twelve months. Among Gen Z, that number climbs to 38 percent. The top reason for this belief is prayer, cited by 46 percent of revival-minded adults. Other reasons include: young generations turning toward God (44%), a search for meaning and purpose (41%), people experiencing God (39%), hunger for God (37%), and miracles (30%). “Alongside these signs of spiritual hunger, Americans also point to disruption as a catalyst,” writes Barna. “Mental health challenges, economic uncertainty, and political division each register with roughly a third of revival-minded adults, while the lingering effects of the pandemic and the rise of godlike AI trail further behind.”  Nowhere is this spiritual hunger more visible than on college campuses. ## **A Move of God** On February 8, 2023, a routine chapel service at Asbury University turned into an outpouring of the Spirit some have described as revival. Word of the continuous prayer and worship at Asbury went viral, drawing thousands from around the world. Media outlets covered the event. There were reports of healing, salvation, and re-dedications to Christ. This student-led movement lasted 16 days, culminating in the final service on February 23, 2023. Bill Elliff, founding pastor of The Summit Church in Little Rock, drove to Wilmore, Kentucky, to discover for himself what was happening. In his reflections on Asbury, Elliff wrote: > Samuel Davies, the president of Princeton who was in the First Great Awakening, said that during that time, “the gospel became almighty and carried everything before it.” In that nationwide movement, 15% of the population of America came to faith in Christ. Whole towns reported that there were no adults left who were unconverted. Asbury is not that yet, but it is a beautiful mercy drop. In these days of social media and rapid communication, the flame could spread quickly. Millions of desperate believers in our nation are crying out for the next nationwide spiritual awakening. Small outbreaks are happening everywhere. Since 2023, a movement called Unite US has been organizing large evangelistic gatherings at public universities. At Auburn University, Florida State University, the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia, and the University of Arkansas, thousands of students have gathered, with hundreds baptized at each event, many in campus fountains and the backs of pickup trucks. The movement began with one woman, Tonya Prewett, walking the Auburn University campus daily, praying to God for revival. She invited others to join her. From there, a small prayer gathering grew into something no one had expected. Prewett describes what she’s seeing in Unite Us as “a move of God that can only be explained by Him,” adding that students are “hungry for truth and hope.” CityChurch Network President Ray Williams attended the Unite US event at Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus. “In addition to the worship and praise, students heard the gospel of Christ proclaimed, and hundreds responded to the call for repentance and put their faith in Jesus Christ,” he recalls. > Witnessing the hunger of these college students for relationship with Christ filled my heart with joy and inspired renewed hope in this generation and the future of our nation. Ray Williams Jonathan Pokluda, a pastor at Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, spoke at the Unite Us event at the University of George. “The momentum is only building. From Asbury to Auburn, then Passion to Florida State, college students are wanting something more than church on Sundays or religious rituals,” he says. “Universities are pregnant with revival.” ## **Five Marks of True Revival** In “The ‘Quiet Revival’ That Never Was,” John Stonestreet reflects on what we are to make of the cultural shift we are currently seeing in our country. > We can be thankful for the ‘vibe shift’ that has left America in a much different place on a few consequential moral issues. […] We are witnessing younger generations reacting against the confusion, meaninglessness, and ideological totalitarianism of modern secularism. However, we ought to remember that rebelling against what is not true is not the same as embracing what is true. Stonestreet highlights five marks of true revival, as identified by Jonathan Edwards, who witnessed the First Great Awakening firsthand as a pastor and theologian in Colonial America. According to Edwards, true revival is: 1) focused on Jesus Christ, 2) opposed to sin and evil, 3) grounded in the Bible, 4) promotes sound doctrine, and 5) produces love, humility, and unity among believers. “If accurate, especially by that last mark, it would be premature at best to think we are experiencing a revival in America,” Stonestreet writes. He goes on to write that Edwards’ five marks teach us to be discerning so that we avoid two equal dangers—ungrounded emotionalism on one side and cynicism on the other.  Nevertheless, Christians should, in Stonestreet’s words, “expect God to be at work, and even to bring awakening. What a shame it would be to miss a movement of God because it came in a form we didn’t recognize, expect, or even worse, want. But we also must remember that we cannot manufacture what only God can do. Our place is to pray, to work, and to expect.” ## **Missionaries in a Foreign Land** In _Being the Church in a Post-Christian Culture_, S. Michael Craven writes: > It is, in large part, the Church’s present inability to both recognize the changing cultural context and to assert an all-encompassing view of the Christian faith and message that has rendered it irrelevant and left it confused about its purpose and mission. The American Church must begin to see itself as existing within a “foreign” land, and like foreign missionaries, properly contextualize its mission and faithfully proclaim and demonstrate God’s message. The Church’s mission is not merely to survive or maintain its institutions. Rather, its goal is to be an instrument and witness of the gospel that declares that, in Christ, the rule and reign of God has come into the world. All of humanity is called to repent of their sins, submit to Christ as Lord, and enter into His kingdom and a new way of living. How does the American Church live out the mission of God? Craven offers a three-fold approach, drawn from Scripture. First, “the Church demonstrates the rule and reign of God within a distinct community.” Second, “the Church serves the world by doing justice and meeting human needs through compassion and mercy, thereby setting right what sin has set wrong.” Finally, “the Church proclaims the message of the risen Christ as the only means by which one may enter the kingdom of God.” The Church is to be living proof of God’s redemptive power at work in the world, both in individual lives and in communities. “This community, the Church, is intended to bear testimony to the restoration of fellowship with God and each other—a community of self-sacrificial love and support that stands in stark contrast to the fallen world,” Craven writes.  In _The Decline and Renewal of the American Church_, Tim Keller writes: > There is therefore a great need for a new Christian church movement that practices love and justice, that equips its members to do enormous good in society, YET at the same time resists the forces seeking to make it a political instrument; that speaks to and answers the great questions of the human heart and of the human race—of purpose, meaning, hope, happiness, guilt and forgiveness, identity—questions to which the secular culture cannot speak as powerfully. Our vision for a renewed church cannot be simply for a restoration of Christian institutions to former states of strength. […] Our vision should be that the astonishing biblical possibilities for the church as the community of the Spirit would be realized in U.S. society in ways it never has before. The Church has been given divine power to radiate the infinite glory and goodness of God in our lives and relationships (2 Peter 1:3-8), renewing us in the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). It has the capacity to be a “new humanity”—a community of surpassing beauty (Eph 2:14-18; 4:15-16). In turn, under the leadership of Christ’s Spirit, these churches have the ability to make their surrounding communities far better places to live (Matt 5:13-16; Luke 10:25-37; Gal 6:10) so that many are drawn to God’s beautiful glory (1 Pet 2:11-12; cf. Deut 4:5-8). The next 250 years of America will be shaped by what churches in our communities do today. The signs of spiritual hunger are there. The opportunity is before us. But revival doesn’t happen without churches that pray, repent, and work together to reach a secular culture with the good news of Jesus Christ. What’s needed is what missiologist Lesslie Newbigin called a ‘missionary encounter’ where the American Church neither escapes nor merely combats culture. Rather, it engages culture and demonstrates the love of God to win many to Christ and grow and flourish in society. The Church has faced moments like this before, and the faith has outlasted every prediction of its demise. Christ said, “On this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). That promise stands to this day.  The question for church leaders today is not whether God can or will bring renewal. It is whether we will be the kind of churches through which He does. **Bibliography** Barna Group. “Faith’s Shrinking Influence: What 25 Years of Data Reveals.” Barna, December 10, 2025.[ https://www.barna.com/trends/faiths-shrinking-influence/](https://www.barna.com/trends/faiths-shrinking-influence/). Barna Group. “New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance.” Barna, September 2, 2025.[ https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/](https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/). Barna Group. “New Research: Do Americans Think Spiritual Revival is Coming?” Barna, March 30, 2026.[ https://www.barna.com/research/do-americans-think-spiritual-revival-is-coming/](https://www.barna.com/research/do-americans-think-spiritual-revival-is-coming/). Craven, S. Michael. Being the Church in a Post-Christian Culture. Colorado Springs: Colson Press, 2025.[ https://colsoncenter.org/beingthechurch](https://colsoncenter.org/beingthechurch). Elliff, Bill. “Reflections from Asbury.” TruthInk Publications, February 11, 2023.[ https://billelliff.org/blogs/news/reflections-from-asbury](https://billelliff.org/blogs/news/reflections-from-asbury). Gryboski, Michael. “A Move of God’: Thousands of Students Attending Revival Events, Hundreds Baptized.” Christian Post, April 9, 2024.[ https://www.christianpost.com/news/a-move-of-god-students-attending-revival-events-100s-baptized.html](https://www.christianpost.com/news/a-move-of-god-students-attending-revival-events-100s-baptized.html). Keller, Timothy. The Decline and Renewal of the American Church. New York: Gospel in Life, 2022. [https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-of-the-american-church-extended/](https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-of-the-american-church-extended/). Robertson, Abigail. “‘This Will Be Called the Greater Awakening’: Unite US Organizers Discuss Mighty Move of Holy Spirit.” CBN News, May 1, 2024.[ https://cbn.com/news/us/will-be-called-greater-awakening-unite-us-organizers-discuss-mighty-move-holy-spirit](https://cbn.com/news/us/will-be-called-greater-awakening-unite-us-organizers-discuss-mighty-move-holy-spirit). Stonestreet, John. “Is This Revival?” Breakpoint, Colson Center, October 6, 2025.[ https://colsoncenter.org/breakpoint/is-this-revival](https://colsoncenter.org/breakpoint/is-this-revival). Stonestreet, John. “The Quiet Revival That Never Was.” Breakpoint, March 31, 2026.[ https://breakpoint.org/the-quiet-revival-that-never-was/](https://breakpoint.org/the-quiet-revival-that-never-was/). --- --- title: "The First 250 Years" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-first-250-years/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Two hundred and fifty years ago, the American Experiment began with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unlike any nation before it, America would be built on a unique set of ideas. Many at the time doubted whether the" last_modified: "2026-06-24T14:03:50+00:00" categories: [Series, Vision & Mission] --- # The First 250 Years Two hundred and fifty years ago, the American Experiment began with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unlike any nation before it, America would be built on a unique set of ideas. Many at the time doubted whether the experiment would actually work. But it did — and the United States flourished to become the most influential society in the West. What were those ideas that made America prosper, and where did they come from? Was America’s founding Christian or more the product of the Enlightenment? The answer helps us understand not only our past but also our future as we look ahead to the next 250 years. ## **A Profound Influence** The role of Christianity in America’s founding is debated. Two common answers are put forth. The first is that the Founders were all secular men guided by Enlightenment philosophy, not Christian faith. The second is that the Founders were devout, orthodox Christians who drew inspiration from the Bible regarding every political question.  Historian Mark David Hall argues that neither extreme is historically accurate. The more defensible claim is that the answer lies somewhere in the middle.  Hall contends that the Founders were influenced by Christian ideas, even though some were not orthodox believers. Only a handful of the Founders were deists or held beliefs close to that view. At the time of America’s founding, the Christian worldview permeated culture and discourse. In a study of over 15,000 pamphlets, articles, and books on political subjects in the late eighteenth century, Donald S. Lutz found that the Bible was referenced more often than all the Enlightenment authors combined. “It is important to note that nominal Christians might be influenced by Christian ideas, just as it is possible for an orthodox Christian to be influenced by non-Christian ideas,” Hall writes. “I believe that an excellent case can be made that Christianity had a profound influence on the Founders.” ## **The Great Awakening** Among the earliest English settlers in the American colonies, the Puritans believed they were “a city upon a hill” (a reference to Matthew 5:14). “Puritans separated church and state, but they clearly thought the two institutions should work in tandem to support, protect, and promote true Christianity,” Hall writes.  Nine of the thirteen colonies had established churches, and all required officeholders to be Christians. “If one is to understand the story of the United States of America, it is important to have a proper appreciation for its Christian colonial roots,” Hall writes. “By almost any measure, colonists of European descent who settled in the New World were serious Christians whose constitutions, laws, and practices reflected the influence of Christianity.” In “The Great Awakening and the American Revolution,” Glenn Sunshine highlights how ideas birthed out of the Great Awakening of the 1730s and ’40s helped create the conditions that made the American Revolution possible. First, the Awakening challenged authority structures in both church and state. Sunshine writes: > If a regenerate layman was superior to an unregenerate bishop, then the ecclesiastical hierarchy was no guarantee of spiritual legitimacy. The same thinking applied to the state. A king who was unregenerate and ruled unjustly was no better than a beggar and no more legitimate than an illegitimate bishop.  These teachings on spiritual equality spilled over into ideals about social and political equality. As individuals were empowered to challenge elites, historical deference to the king eroded. Within the colonies, this led to the thinking that a republic was superior to a monarchy.  Itinerant preachers, such as George Whitefield, drew huge crowds during the Awakening from across denominations and throughout the colonies. Sunshine notes how this created interconnected networks and a shared sense of purpose among evangelical Protestants. This shared experience was instrumental in shaping an American identity distinct from that of England. The Awakening also reinforced the belief that God was active in history. “It is no accident that Revolutionary leaders framed the struggle against Britain as more than just political. For them, it was a moral crusade to preserve virtue, liberty, and divine favor,” Sunshine writes. “Without the cultural foundations laid by the Great Awakening, the Revolution would likely have lacked moral justification and broad popular support.” ## **One Nation Under God** The Declaration of Independence contains four references to God. God is lawmaker (“the laws of nature and of nature’s God”), founder (humans are “endowed by their Creator”), judge (“the Supreme Judge of the world”), and executive (the “Divine Providence”). Cultural commentator John Stonestreet writes, “The implication is clear. If the powers of government are aligned with God’s will, the people are safe.” The concept of limited government, an idea promoted by Enlightenment thinker John Locke, was rooted in Augustine’s doctrine of original sin and the belief that no individual or group could be trusted with absolute power. This view of human nature was instrumental in the Founders creating three branches of government with enumerated powers. Among the Founders, there was major agreement that religious liberty should be protected, civic authorities could promote Christianity, and that religion belongs in the public square. “There was virtually no support for contemporary visions of a separation of church and state that would have political leaders avoid religious language and require public spaces to be stripped of religious symbols,” Hall writes. After the House approved the final draft of the Bill of Rights, George Washington made his 1789 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, which is worth noting: > Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor…I do recommend…the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be….And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our national government a blessing to all the People…. When the Founders established the American Republic, they believed it required virtuous citizens to function and that faith was indispensable in supplying that virtue. They believed human beings were sinful and that God ordained moral standards that inform legislation. Significant concepts such as liberty were informed by the Bible. And the Founders believed that humans were created in God’s image, meaning they had inherent dignity, were capable of reason, and should be free. For generations, Christian faith played an important role in the lives of Americans. However, the rise of secularism in American society eroded the very ideas upon which the Founders built the nation. And, in the process, the American Church declined. ## **The Rise of Secularism & the Decline of the Mainline** On the surface, the American Church in the mid-20th century appeared to be strong. In 1952, 75 percent of Americans said religion was “very important” in their lives. By 1957, over 80 percent said religion “can answer today’s problems.” Church affiliation went from 55 percent to 69 percent through the 1950s. By the end of the decade, nearly half of all Americans attended church regularly, the highest percentage in the nation’s history. Yet this period of flourishing would not last. Secularization had been occurring in Western societies for centuries, but gained momentum in the United States after World War II and in the 1960s. Instead of defending Orthodox Christianity as an alternative to secularism, mainline Protestant churches—Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, American Baptist, and the United Church of Christ denominations—adopted the secular mindset. The two main features of secularism, the privatization of religion and radical individualism, caused American society to fracture. “The polarization in our society has become severe, and the disagreements are about the most basic ideas of what human nature is and what human flourishing looks like,” writes pastor and theologian Tim Keller in _The Decline and Renewal of the American Church_. > There is no longer any common set of ‘American values’ or a unifying ‘American story.’ And the decline of mainline Protestantism, once the unofficial but real religion of America, was both a cause of and a result of this breakdown in American society. Tim Keller The secular vision of a society united by the belief that the human condition and morality could be explained through reason and science alone has failed. American society has never been more divided and fragmented than it is today because everyone determines their own individual meaning and moral values.  America has become secular, and so have the mainline denominations. If those churches can’t lead the way in renewing the American Church, what about the conservative side of Protestantism—Evangelicalism? ## **The Decline of Evangelicalism** According to the General Social Survey, in the early 1970s, only 17 percent of the population was evangelical. However, Evangelicalism became the largest single religious tradition in 1990, accounting for 29.9 percent of the population. However, since 2007, Evangelicalism has been declining, with 22 percent of the population identifying themselves as evangelical. Along with the decline of liberal and conservative Protestant churches, the number of “Nones”—American adults who have “no religious preference”—is trending upward. In 1972, only 5 percent of Americans reported no religion, but by 2018, that number had increased to 24 percent, according to the General Social Survey. “The United States is slowly running out of traditionally-minded Americans to convert, and conservative Protestants on the whole are unwilling or unable to reach the highly secular and culturally different,” writes Keller. “Virtually all Christian strategies for evangelism and church growth are geared to people with traditional ‘background beliefs.’ But such people are fewer and older, and conservative Protestantism, in general, does not know how to evangelize and win secular people.” ## **Hope for the Future** What is the way forward for the American Church in the next 250 years? Are there any reasons to hope? America has experienced a number of revivals in its short history, including the First and Second Great Awakenings, the Layman’s Prayer Revival of 1857, and the Jesus Movement of the late ‘60s and 70s. When those revivals came, the Holy Spirit was the ultimate cause. However, there were—and still are—means by which the Spirit works to bring revival.  First, there is the recovery of the true gospel. Second, revival is always preceded by a time of extraordinary prayer. Finally, there is repentance. “Real revivals are not triumphalistic but exercises in spiritual humility, in repentance to God and to one another,” Keller writes. While we cannot manufacture revival, we know that when all three of these elements are present, people experience more of God’s presence and relationships are changed—with God, with fellow believers, and with whole communities. If revival is coming to America, it will come the same way it has always come—not through human methods, but through God’s methods. It will come from churches that maintain fidelity to the historic faith and refuse to be assimilated by secular culture. Finally, revival will come from a united Church that has embraced its missionary calling to a post-Christian culture. What does it look like to be the Church in a post-Christian culture? That question is the focus of a companion piece, _The Next 250 Years_. **Bibliography** Hall, Mark David. “Did America Have a Christian Founding?” Heritage Foundation, June 7, 2011. [https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/did-america-have-christian-founding](https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/did-america-have-christian-founding). Keller, Timothy. The Decline and Renewal of the American Church. New York: Gospel in Life, 2022. [https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-of-the-american-church-extended/](https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-of-the-american-church-extended/). Stonestreet, John. “A Nation Under God.” Breakpoint, March 18, 2026. [https://breakpoint.org/a-nation-under-god/](https://breakpoint.org/a-nation-under-god/). Sunshine, Glenn. “The Great Awakening and the American Revolution.” Breakpoint, February 13, 2026. [https://breakpoint.org/the-great-awakening-and-the-american-revolution/](https://breakpoint.org/the-great-awakening-and-the-american-revolution/). --- --- title: "Welcome Darrell Adcock" url: "https://citychurchar.org/welcome-darrell-adcock/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Just a few weeks ago, at the CityChurch Network Flourishing Dinner, we celebrated how Central Arkansas churches are working together to share the light and love of Christ more brightly in our communities. As we shared strategic plans for the" last_modified: "2026-06-02T01:29:02+00:00" categories: [Guest Writer, Vision & Mission] --- # Welcome Darrell Adcock Just a few weeks ago, at the CityChurch Network Flourishing Dinner, we celebrated how Central Arkansas churches are working together to share the light and love of Christ more brightly in our communities. As we shared strategic plans for the coming year, one announcement prompted spontaneous applause. Since not everyone could attend the dinner, we want to share the news with you. On behalf of the CityChurch Network Board and Leadership Team, we are excited to announce that Darrel Adcock has joined the CityChurch Network staff to serve as our Executive Team Leader. I’ve had the privilege of working with Darrell since he came to Little Rock and know him well. His experience, spiritual maturity, and unique combination of gifts for leading prayer and worship and for building teams will help us reach a new level of serving churches in our network. I could say much more, but I would rather let you hear his story in his words.   Darrell, welcome aboard! Ray Williams President – CityChurch Network of Arkansas “Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6) is a proverb, not a promise. But for me, the trajectory of my life is forever shaped by the loving faith community that is the Church. “We serve at the pleasure of the King” is a hallmark in the Adcock family that has guided our steps and built our faith. My wife and I have been blessed to be part of amazing stories of redemption as well as the heartache that often accompanies ministry. And this latest chapter in our story has been the most surprising and rewarding for us. Making disciples and experiencing simpler forms of the Church have revolutionized my faith and ministry. While I treasure every experience God has given me, the rest of my life will be given to making disciples and fostering a united Church that brings to life Jesus’ prayer for unity among His followers. ## Early Life I was raised with a love for God and His Church. My earliest memories are of sitting on a wooden piano bench, watching Mom play the piano while Dad rehearsed with the choir for Sunday worship. Hearing the powerful sound of the church organ fill the sanctuary as Granny played—which she did faithfully for 51 years at the Pittsburg Baptist Church in Northern California, where I was raised—set a context and a course for my life. The oldest of three boys, I grew up to serve the church through worship and leadership. There is nothing like hearing believers worship and pray together as a faith community. Being taught, affirmed, and loved by godly parents who surrounded me with God’s people led me to a saving knowledge of Jesus at age 8.  My dad came off the platform during the invitation of a summer revival to pray with me. He did the same when I was fourteen and felt called to full-time ministry at Jenness Park, a summer camp my dad led for the California Baptist Convention. I traveled with him often as he trained and equipped leaders to have greater kingdom impact in churches and families. ![Old family portrait of a mother, father, and three kids](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-1.jpg)Darrell (black shirt) grew up in a godly home with two younger brothers ## Seeing God’s Faithfulness After high school, I took the money I received from graduation gifts and purchased a ‘65 Ford Fairlane. With the help of my great-uncle, I painted light blue between the pecan trees on our small orchard in Clovis. Sure, she was old, but she was fast!  At the end of summer that year, I packed up everything I owned and set out for Nashville to study music at Belmont University. As amazing as my education was, I learned the most from College Minister Dan Jones and Minister of Music Mark Edwards, who led worship and the choir at First Baptist Church in Nashville. Watching the power of 125 singers (nearly half of them had music degrees!) sing with excellence and a love for Christ exposed me to a world of music I had never known. During college, a cute brunette named Tracy Polk caught my eye, and that changed everything. We married in December of our senior year and graduated in May of 1988. (Just an FYI to you worship leaders out there: right before Christmas probably isn’t the best time for your anniversary). Grad school took us to Louisville, Kentucky, and Southeast Christian Church, where I became Music Director. There we saw the power of God at work, with baptisms at every weekend and midweek service during our 4 years there.  Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of serving in six dynamic churches. From church plants and megachurches to churches in homes, spanning from Las Vegas (Canyon Ridge Christian Church) and Indiana (Northside Christian Church) to Little Rock (Fellowship Bible Church and South City Church). In each place, we have seen God’s faithfulness through His people. ## The Next Chapter I began volunteering for CityChurch Network soon after we moved to Little Rock. Ray Williams painted a picture of a united Church working together for the good of our cities. That was something I’ve prayed for, believing that, together, we can be the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:23: “that (we) may be perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” God has moved powerfully in this movement. Praying with pastors. Hearing Bill Elliff and other kingdom leaders’ tender hearts toward the Lord in seeking revival. The many nights leading worship as churches gather to pray in and for our city. Uniting racially diverse congregations for citywide prayer gatherings such as OneChurch. We are better together! ![group of people in circle praying at the Little Rock Riverfront](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Home-01-Hero-Image.jpg)Group praying at OneChurch Bill Hybels once said, “The local church is the hope of the world,” and that is true. But Jesus is the hope of the Church. When you surrender to Him, serve His Bride, share your faith, and live as salt and light in this world as a “family of families,” you give His hope to others. A recent study by the Barna Group, titled _Reviving Evangelism: Current Realities that Demand a New Vision for Sharing Faith_, reveals that one of the main factors that would generate interest in Christianity among various groups is “if they saw various churches in their community working together more.” Interested in your church working more collaboratively? I’d love to connect with you and hear more of your story ![Large family in a park](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed.jpg)Darrell and Tracy have been married 38 years and have four amazing kids and seven grandkids. They lead a church in their home, network and encourage ministry leaders, and make disciples. Darrell is the new Executive Team Leader for CityChurch Network. --- --- title: "When the Music Ends" url: "https://citychurchar.org/when-the-music-ends/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Since 2023, over 150,000 people have come to Benton, Arkansas, for Amplify, the nation’s largest free Christian music festival. Every summer, crowds of young people, families, and church volunteers gather on the festival grounds behind Holland Chapel Baptist Church. Once" last_modified: "2026-06-02T22:02:25+00:00" categories: [Events] --- # When the Music Ends Since 2023, over 150,000 people have come to Benton, Arkansas, for Amplify, the nation’s largest free Christian music festival. Every summer, crowds of young people, families, and church volunteers gather on the festival grounds behind Holland Chapel Baptist Church. Once a small airport, this sprawling space has become a stage for large-scale outreach, resulting in 5,000 people giving their lives to Christ in the last three years alone. “Amplify is incredible music and inspiring messages that we believe can change people’s lives. We see it happen every year,” says Nick Hall, the evangelist who shares the gospel every year at the festival. “Amplify is all ages coming together, not for a political or sports rally, not because we are against anything or anyone—but rather because there is hope, life, and joy offered to everyone because of Jesus.”  For over a decade, the festival has weathered ups and downs to keep the music going. But there was a time in 2022 when the music nearly stopped. ## **A New Partnership** That year, Nick’s organization, Pulse Evangelism, was looking for opportunities to connect with large crowds. Festivals looked promising. Jay Anderson was on the Pulse team over ministry expansion. When he discovered Amplify, he saw potential for a partnership.  “This is a long-running Christian festival, and it’s free,” says Philip Blunk, Amplify’s Church Relations Coordinator. “That’s always been Nick’s heart. That there be no barriers to the gospel.” Jay reached out to the festival’s co-founders, Matt Brumley and Josh Turner, asking if Pulse could help or support in any way. But Matt and Josh were reluctant. They both had full-time jobs, and the festival had become too large for them to manage on their own. They were considering shuttering the festival altogether. If the festival were to continue, they knew they would need help. “With a festival, a lot of what you do at the local level is relationship building among churches and promotion in the community,” says Philip. “Matt and Josh didn’t have the time to give those areas the focus they needed. My role has been just one of the areas where Pulse has supported Amplify by bringing me on as the Church and Community Relations Coordinator. I’m so blessed to be part of an incredible team that has given an amazing outreach like Amplify the support it needed to grow and flourish.” ![Man with Bible speaking to crowd at sunset](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2025-08-08-BG-Amplify-Edits-105.jpg)Evangelist Nick Hall sharing the gospel at Amplify in Benton, AR ## **CityFest** Nick Hall spent years learning under Billy Graham and Luis Palau’s evangelistic organizations. In 2009, Nick came to Little Rock to serve at CityFest, an outreach led by Luis Palau and church partners of the Nehemiah Network, which later became CityChurch Network of Arkansas.  “I remember sharing the gospel at the skate park and helping emcee the festival, seeing God move in miraculous ways,” says Nick. “I remember Governor [Mike] Huckabee praying for me backstage, and feeling a dream and burden that someday I might be able to regularly partner with this great state.” When Luis Palau’s team came to scout the area, Ray Williams said Philip Blunk would be a great Church and Community Relations Coordinator for the event. In that role, Philip helped bring over 100 churches together for the two-day outreach. CityFest drew 55,000 and saw over 1,100 professions of faith. “It was a dream come true,” Philip says. “Church mobilization is an answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23 when He prays for His body to be one as He and the Father are one. It’s like Nehemiah, who had a monumental task to accomplish in building the wall and bringing safety back into Jerusalem. He was a connector of people, and Jesus’ heart is for His body to be connected and flow together. And I appreciate Pastor Ray for blessing me with the opportunity.” ## **The Evangelist & the Teacher** In their relationship, there were moments of iron sharpening iron between Ray and Philip. “I’m the evangelist guy, and he’s the teacher,” Philip says. “His focus was more on ‘teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.’ I would say, ‘We got to reach the lost,’ and he would say, ‘Yes, but we have to get better at establishing them in the faith. But we both had this mutual epiphany a few years back when I was telling him about Amplify. He told me, ‘Well, Philip, what about all these people that just got saved? Where are they now? What’s going to happen to them?’”  “Somewhere in that conversation, the Lord touched both of our hearts for each other,” Philip says. It dawned on them that they shared the same goal but were coming at it from different perspectives. God showed them how they actually complement one another.  “God is definitely melding the two together—evangelism and teaching. They’re supposed to work in tandem,” Philip says. “We’re ministers of reconciliation. _Follow me, and I’ll make you fishers of men._ That is the full circle of discipleship. You go and fish for men, but you’ve got to disciple them to make them fishers of men.” ![young people excited at music festival ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/530712923_1289685652551310_8867569657763898300_n.jpg)Every year, Amplify draws thousands of young people to this two-day Christian music festival ## **An Evangelistic Gift to Pastors** A lot of time, effort, and resources go into making this two-day festival happen. But Amplify is more than an event. “For twenty years, I have seen that when people put their hope in an event, it will leave them disappointed,” says Nick. “Events don’t save people. Jesus does, through His people. That’s why we work so hard uniting churches, providing our Make Jesus Known training, and providing tools for prayer and follow-up. Every person matters to God, so they should matter to us.” “This is the greatest free local missions outreach opportunity in existence,” says Philip. “We’ve done the work for you. All you have to do is promote, pray, and encourage your people to invite their unsaved family and friends.” “Amplify exists to serve your church,” says Nick. “It’s a high-quality event you don’t need to plan, but you can feel confident rallying your people to it. For those who know Jesus, Amplify will inspire them to share their faith with confidence, while also providing an amazing opportunity to bring friends and families who might not feel comfortable stepping into a church. For churches that are part of Amplify, we point new people back to your community of faith.” When someone makes a decision for Christ at Amplify, they’re invited to text “Jesus” to 73738. Everyone who sends that text is immediately connected to a real person on Amplify’s follow-up team. In addition, contact cards help connect new believers to someone from a church in their local community within 24 hours. “We want to send new believers to strong, healthy churches,” Philip says. “Amplify’s evangelistic heart to reach the lost is a gift to the Body of Christ, as are the pastors and the churches, and we should all be working together.” “The local church is the hope of the world,” Nick says. “For twenty years, we have seen God use our humble efforts to meet this generation right where they are and change the entire trajectory of their lives.” ![Man and woman holding a sign in a crowd that says "Need Prayer?"](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/710745856_1585668749619664_1349538215023233558_n.jpg)The success of Amplify depends on faithful volunteers from local churches. ## **The Greatest Harvest** Amplify is the one event Nick’s family plans their entire summer around. His kids volunteer and are inspired by the displays of faith they see at the festival. “I think of our young evangelists taking bold steps of faith and feeling the joy of a community behind them. I think of the volunteers, praying for people in the prayer tent, driving shuttle buses, and cleaning up trash. This truly is a grassroots move of God that is changing families, mine included.” “We’re on the cusp of the greatest harvest for the Church this world has ever seen,” Philip says. “It’s already happening. Look at the reports from college campuses. These are prominently Gen Zers, which is amazing and harkens back to the Jesus Movement of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. I think the Church is ready to receive these young people and disciple them in the love of God.” “When churches unite for something bigger than any of us, and when believers pray for friends and families who need Jesus and boldly bring them to something like Amplify, communities and families are changed. That’s what Jesus does,” Nick says. This June 12-13, thousands of young people will gather at the festival grounds once again. Pastors and church volunteers will be there, ready to welcome them. Those young people will hear great music and inspiring stories from the stage. But they will also hear the good news of someone who can give them hope and fill the God-shaped void in their souls. And when the music ends, our churches will be ready to receive them and establish them as disciples in communities of faith. For more information on how your church can volunteer at this year’s festival, visit Amplify’s [website](https://www.pulse.org/amplify/).  ![young girl in crowd at music festival](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/481970896_1174156727437537_701159593768197659_n.jpg)“When churches unite for something bigger than any of us, and when believers pray for friends and families who need Jesus and boldly bring them to something like Amplify, communities and families are changed. That’s what Jesus does.” – Evangelist Nick Hall --- --- title: "Flourishing Dinner 2026" url: "https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-dinner-2026/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Flourishing Dinner 2026 Thank you for joining us at this year’s Flourishing Dinner! We’ve captured some of the highlights from the evening, including a link to Mike Sharrow’s keynote, an update on CityChurch Network’s three initiatives, and what’s ahead in" last_modified: "2026-05-14T19:19:42+00:00" --- # Flourishing Dinner 2026 ## Flourishing Dinner 2026 Thank you for joining us at this year’s Flourishing Dinner! We’ve captured some of the highlights from the evening, including a link to Mike Sharrow’s keynote, an update on CityChurch Network’s three initiatives, and what’s ahead in the coming year. [Give a Gift](https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/509eddfe-6d02-4007-a200-dfff92773c4c) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-12.02.43-PM-2-1.jpg) ## Dreaming Bigger for the Church & the City This year’s theme was The Prosperous — the role of commerce, work, investment, and economic opportunity in building flourishing communities. Mike Sharrow, CEO of C12 Business Forums, was our keynote speaker. He shared how “business is a gymnasium of faith for us to work out our salvation and demonstrate the Kingdom of God.” > _God cares about what you do, why you do it, how you do it, who you become on the journey, and the kingdom impact you make._ [Watch Keynote](https://youtu.be/Ow1Ov6uQCzs) ## Transformation is Possible When We Work Together We help churches work together for the good of our cities in three transformational ways — Extraordinary Prayer, Equipped Leaders, and Flourishing Families. Here’s a snapshot of what God has been doing through each one this past year. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/arkansas-icon.png) We’ve engaged **70 churches** across Arkansas. ![praying hands icon](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2.png) ## Extraordinary Prayer - 29th Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit - Arkansas Prays – 22 churches covering Arkansas in 24/7 prayer - Citywide prayer gatherings ![crowd praying and worshiping at A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-2.07.52-PM.jpg) Over 600 people attended A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship at City Center in Little Rock. ## Equipped Leaders ![mountains icon ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.png) **FLOURISHING CITIES SUMMIT** **50** leaders **25** churches **10** cities ![upward graph with arrow icon](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/6.png) Growing number of churches establishing believers in the essentials of the faith ![graduation cap icon](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/7.png) **18** leaders pursuing theological degrees **4 **to complete doctoral degrees ## Flourishing Families ![two rings icon](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3.png) ## Arkansas Marriage Initiative **25 **churches participated in the Arkansas Marriage Challenge ![school icon](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4.png) ## Church/School Partnerships **40+ **partnerships helping families get access to mentors and resources ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CHECK.png) ## The Future is Bright This is only the beginning. This year, we’re expanding our network to more cities, strengthening our leadership, and launching new leadership cohorts. And we need partners like you who believe Arkansas churches can change their cities for God’s kingdom. ### 1. Expansion In addition to the 70+ churches connected with our network, we’re expanding statewide to NWA, Hot Springs, Conway, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, and other key cities. ### 2. Leadership We’ve hired Darrell Adcock to join our Executive Leadership Team to provide additional leadership to our expanding efforts. ### 3. Cohorts We’re launching new senior leadership cohorts to provide a proven peer learning environment to encourage and help leaders thrive. [Partner with Us](https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/509eddfe-6d02-4007-a200-dfff92773c4c) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-4.42.41-PM.jpg) Lauren Linz (left), CityChurch Network Vice President, interviewing Robin Miller of Homeservices Arkansas Realty under Berkshire Hathaway --- --- title: "Equipping Leaders Where They Are" url: "https://citychurchar.org/equipping-leaders-where-they-are/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Sydni Watts was finishing her undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University. She wasn’t sure what was next after graduation. “I wanted to be heavily involved in ministry for the rest of my life,” she says. For people like Sydni, the" last_modified: "2026-05-04T21:46:49+00:00" categories: [Equipped Leaders] --- # Equipping Leaders Where They Are Sydni Watts was finishing her undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University. She wasn’t sure what was next after graduation. “I wanted to be heavily involved in ministry for the rest of my life,” she says. For people like Sydni, the next logical step was leaving home to attend seminary, most likely out of state. Then, on a random Wednesday, her pastor texted her. “You should try this class tonight.” That was it. No explanation. Sydni was intrigued and drove from the OBU campus in Arkadelphia to her church (South City Church) in Little Rock that evening. The class, a study in Acts through the Antioch School, explored the patterns that the Apostles used to plant, establish, and multiply churches. “It helped remove the Western, traditional church lens from Acts that I was unintentionally reading into it and helped me see it through more of a first-century perspective,” Sydni says. When Sydni got home that night, she felt like her eyes had been opened. She had never read her Bible like that before. She kept making the drive every week to be a part of the class. After she graduated from college, she enrolled at the Antioch School for Church Planting and Leadership Development and moved to Little Rock to pursue her master’s degree. ## **A New Generation of Leaders ** Sydni represents a new generation of leaders who are rediscovering the patterns of the early church, when the gospel spread through simple, reproducible communities. Before churches became institutions of programs and buildings. Before theological training moved off-site and out of the local church. There were first-century believers living and learning in community by the way of Christ and His Apostles. The Antioch School is training leaders by looking back to move forward in a rapidly changing world. “The church in America is facing a large cultural shift, and we need foresight in how to handle that,” Sydni says. “We need to revamp and not just do what our parents did. Not that what they did was wrong at the time, but it’s not working anymore.” ![Photo of young woman](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/668561490_1595218538442021_6709038253594836925_n.jpg)Sydni Watts is pursuing her master’s degree from the Antioch School. She currently serves on South City Church’s staff. ## **One Challenge That Changed Everything** Dee Brown has spent over 30 years in consulting and engineering. Today, he is the Arkansas Chair of C12 Business Forums, facilitating peer advisory groups and executive coaching for Christian CEOs and business owners. He is also a Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. In February, he received a master’s degree from the Antioch School and is currently working toward a doctorate degree. For decades, Dee was active in his faith and served in leadership at his church. But it wasn’t until he was 38 years old that he realized something. “I remember being challenged, ‘Now, you guys know how to make disciples, right? Do you know what you would do and how you would do it?’ I thought, ‘I’ve been in church a long time, but I don’t know that I actually have a strategy for how to do that,’” Dee says.  That moment put Dee on a new path of learning with the Antioch School. “I really wanted to hone my skills and thinking. I wanted to be confident in leading people on a spiritual journey together. I wanted to do it right. Don’t we want to be good at that?”  ## **Outdated Models That Aren’t Working** Within Dee’s industry, engineers are expected to be trained and skilled in engineering. No one would trust an engineer to build a bridge who hasn’t demonstrated competency in their work. Dee wondered, “How is it that we accept those expectations in other areas like vocation, but don’t apply that same standard to training leaders in our churches?” In his article “Educated Clergy, Uneducated Laity,” Edward Farley writes: > Why is it that the vast majority of Christian believers remain largely unexposed to Christian learning—to historical-critical studies of the Bible, to the content and structures of the great doctrines, to two thousand years of classical works on the Christian life, to the basic disciplines of theology, biblical languages, and Christian ethics? Why do bankers, lawyers, farmers, physicians, homemakers, scientists, salespeople, managers of all sorts, people who carry out all kinds of complicated tasks in their work and home, remain at a literalist, elementary school level in their religious understanding? (1) One of the biggest issues facing the American church today, according to Dee, is that we’re training leaders with outdated models. “Our culture is shaping us more than we realize,” Dee says. “Part of the challenge for church leaders is to recognize the cultural waters we’re swimming in. If we’re thinking of church as a concert and a TED talk, how are we actually helping people understand how to live out their faith in a crazy culture? It’s not 1980 anymore. It’s certainly not 1950s Mayberry America anymore, when most people had some biblical foundation, and there was an agreed-upon morality for how we should live this out.” ![Woman and man holding diplomas in front of purple backdop](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-2-1.jpg)In February, Dee Brown received his master’s degree from the Antioch School. Sydni Watts was also recognized. ## **Equipping the Saints ** In 2020, the National Study on Disciple Making in USA Churches found that fewer than 5% of churches in the US have a reproducing disciple-making culture. The solution put forth by the study is for churches to return to the way of Christ and His Apostles to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). > We need to return to Jesus-style disciple-making and embrace strategies that inspire and empower everyday Christians to become disciple-makers. We need simple, effective, and reproducible models that will produce successive generations of disciplemakers if followed. (2) “We need a lot more trained leaders and less professionals doing ministry, less distance between clergy and laity,” says Sydni. South City is one of many churches in Central Arkansas that has adopted the Antioch School’s approach to leader equipping. “We’ve gotten a lot of people at South City who don’t know what they want exactly. They’ve done traditional ministry and didn’t love it, or got chewed up and spit out.” What people experience at the church is hands-on training for ministry. Church members are trained to lead City Groups, lead Discovery Bible Studies for new believers, lead communion, and lead worship. “You’re going to be trained on how to do these things, and you can use these tools anywhere you go,” Sydni says. “The more that we get to know one another, the more we’re going to sharpen each other.” The goal, she says, is to get people to realize that they don’t have to rely on their pastor to start a young adults group or minister to the widows at the church. ## **Ministry Training in Real Life** The Antioch School’s church-based training takes place where ministry happens: in the context of real church communities. Students stay rooted in their local church while gaining the biblical and theological depth they need to lead effectively. Theological concepts they study connect to real-world experience and application. Cohort discussions wrestle with the challenges leaders are currently facing in their churches. Coursework not only helps students grow academically but also makes them more effective in their local ministry. “I know there are a lot of online programs, but there’s something powerful about doing this locally among churches and leaders working together,” Dee says. “Dialogue in community is one of the best ways people have learned for thousands of years. That’s why I believe CityChurch Network has a responsibility to keep this program alive and in front of as many church leaders through relational connections in a citywide movement to move the gospel forward.” “I was taking Antioch’s Pauline course on establishing local churches,” Sydni says. “As I was going through it, I felt convicted that I needed to launch a new City Group. The one I was in was maxed out. We couldn’t fit in people’s homes. It’s easy to get in that small group mindset and say, ‘Let’s hang out forever in our little Holy Supper Club.’ I had been waiting around for someone else to do it. It was just developing that awareness that I can do this, and this is what the Lord has called me to do. So, last summer, we started four people. Now, we have 12. That couldn’t have happened in my previous group.”  ![Group studying in a brick room](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Leaders-01-Hero-Image.jpg)Leaders from one of the first cohorts of the Antioch School in Central Arkansas ## **Raising the Standard** For Sydni, what matters more than growth in numbers is what it produces in people’s character. “When you recover the mindset that the church is a family, then your heart as a leader should be that the people you’re bringing up reach spiritual maturity and are able to raise their own families,” Sydni says. “That’s a parent’s heart for their child. If your child never left the house because you didn’t give them the tools they needed to leave your house, you would feel like a failure. What if we raised the standard that everyone should reach maturity, that everyone should be participating in ministry?”  “The Antioch School has helped me develop an awareness of how to practically do ministry,” Sydni says. “What I get out of my classes is actually studying and praying that what I see in the New Testament is true of my church. That we structure our church so that we can live out the ‘one anothers.’ That people are trained to do those things that we see in scripture.” “Through church partners, we’ve already trained over 2,500 people in the essentials of the faith with the goal of training 10,000,” Dee says. “We’re gaining momentum. We’re helping churches see that there needs to be a discipleship pathway that is built around the First Principles of the faith. We’ve got a problem in our culture, and we need to start addressing the fragmentation in the Church and how to get back to real unity.” The Antioch School’s church-based theological training is helping to do that. The Antioch School is one of several church-based training programs available to leaders in Arkansas. It offers accredited degree programs from certificate to doctorate, but its courses are available to church leaders at every level, from pastors to elders to Sunday school teachers and laypeople. If you’d like more information about the Antioch School, contact CityChurch Network’s Equipped Leaders Director, Lauren Linz, at [llinz@citychurchar.org](mailto:llinz@citychurchar.org).  END NOTES (1) Edward Farley, “Educated Clergy, Uneducated Laity,” _Fragility of Knowledge: Theological Education in the Church & the University_ (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1988). (2) Grey Matter Research & Consulting, _National Study on Disciple Making in USA Churches: High Aspirations Amidst Disappointing Results_, sponsored by Discipleship.org and Exponential (Phoenix, AZ: Grey Matter Research & Consulting, March 2020), 3–4. --- --- title: "Crying Out to God in This Civilization Moment" url: "https://citychurchar.org/crying-out-to-god-in-this-civilization-moment/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "One of the most stirring examples of the power of prayer in American history occurred during the darkest days of the Civil War. In 1863, with the nation fracturing and its future uncertain, President Abraham Lincoln called on the country" last_modified: "2026-05-05T03:44:12+00:00" categories: [Extraordinary Prayer] --- # Crying Out to God in This Civilization Moment One of the most stirring examples of the power of prayer in American history occurred during the darkest days of the Civil War. In 1863, with the nation fracturing and its future uncertain, President Abraham Lincoln called on the country to pray. In a brutal war that pitted brother against brother, Lincoln recognized the need for national repentance and divine help. His proclamation speaks directly to our generation and our great need for God today. Here is the president’s proclamation in full: > **By the President of the United States of America —  A Proclamation for a National Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer** Whereas the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the supreme authority and just government of Almighty God in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and humiliation:  And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord: And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness. Now, therefore, be it known that I do set apart Thursday, the thirtieth day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. And I do hereby request all the people to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite at their several places of public worship and their respective homes in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to the occasion. All this being done in sincerity and truth, let us then rest our hopes in that God who has never forsaken this favored land, and on Him let us humbly invoke the Divine guidance and blessing upon our country and all its people. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh. Abraham Lincoln ## **Our Civilization Moment Calls for Humility & Prayer** He did not frame prayer as a ceremonial gesture or add-on to civic life. He described it as the duty of nations. In times of national crisis, prayer opens the way for moral clarity: a confession that we need wisdom beyond our own and forgiveness for the failures that have tarnished our common story as a nation. The need for prayer is urgent in what commentator and theologian Os Guiness describes as a _civilization moment_ — “a critical transition phase in the rise, course, and decline of a civilization when a civilization loses its decisive connection with the dynamic that inspired it.” When that happens, Guinness states there are only three possible outcomes: renewal, replacement, or decline.  How will we respond to the civilization moment we live in currently? Will we return to the ideas, ideals, and inspiration that contributed to our nation’s founding and flourishing? Or, with our roots severed and no replacement, will we decline and die? ## **National Day of Prayer** In times of division, anxiety, and moral confusion, prayer forces us to look beyond ourselves. The deepest needs of a nation cannot be solved by policy alone. The National Day of Prayer is not simply about asking God for blessings. It is about asking God to shape us. We don’t gather to demand that God affirm our agenda. We gather to humble ourselves before Him — to confess our need for God, choose dependence on Him over self-sufficiency without Him, and pray earnestly for revival and spiritual awakening in our land. Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation reminds us that prayer is not a last resort. It never has been. It is the first and most powerful thing we can do for our nation. When communities and churches gather to pray, they are declaring their dependence on the mercy and guidance of Almighty God. ![2026 National Day of Prayer Graphic](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Theme-NDP-SM-Graphic.jpg)The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is “Glorify God Among the Nations — Seeking Him in All Generations.” ## **Participate in This Year’s National Day of Prayer ** On Thursday, May 7, we invite you to join millions across the United States in praying for our nation. As you consider how you might participate, you can: - Set aside time to pray with your family. - Gather with friends or attend a gathering at your church. - Attend a Citywide gathering of prayer. One wonderful opportunity will be the multi-church United Prayer Gathering of Prayer and Worship held at Fellowship Bible Church – West Little Rock at 7:00 PM. From Lincoln’s proclamation to the present day, the call remains the same: humble ourselves, seek God, and pray for the healing of our land. In this civilization moment, will you join us in crying out to God? ![Info flyer for May citywide prayer gathering called A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-1.52.02-PM.png)You’re invited to the citywide prayer gathering on May 7 at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. ## **2026 National Prayer** > Almighty God, King of Glory, we confess our sins and repent of our pride that sought our own glory and comfort, allowing evil to take root instead of Your fruit in our hearts, homes, culture, and country. Please forgive us.  Now, with this declaration of rededication, we humble ourselves, pray, and seek Your face, turning from our wicked ways, that You would heal our lives and our land.  Please purify and renew our hearts with holy attributes, affections, attitudes, and actions to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We give You glory as we repent and rededicate our lives and our nation to You. For 250 years, You have guarded and guided American wisdom, grace, mercy, and love. We praise and thank You for our Founding Fathers, for all who sought You in fervent prayer throughout history and answered Your call to defend justice and freedom; to protect and serve, preach and teach, innovate, communicate, learn, work, worship, and establish our laws. May Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done in our lives, our Families, the Church, Education, Business, Military, Government, Arts, Entertainment, and Media as it is in heaven. We prayerfully commit to “Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations.”   In Jesus’ name, Amen! For more information on the other National Day of Prayer events and helpful resources for families, churches, and communities, visit the [National Day of Prayer Website](https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/). --- --- title: "A Glimmer of God’s Glory" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-glimmer-of-gods-glory/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Poverty, at its core, is disconnection. It is being disconnected from relationships and resources, which are the wellspring of wealth and life — material and spiritual, external and internal, temporal and eternal. We see poverty in both its breadth and" last_modified: "2026-04-09T17:52:22+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families, Guest Writer] --- # A Glimmer of God’s Glory Poverty, at its core, is disconnection. It is being disconnected from relationships and resources, which are the wellspring of wealth and life — material and spiritual, external and internal, temporal and eternal. We see poverty in both its breadth and depth. The breadth of poverty is determined by how many disconnects there are, and its depth by the distance between those disconnects. The culture of generational poverty is marked by a profound depth and breadth of poverty. As ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21), we are called, first, through the gospel, to reconcile people back to God (life eternal), and, second, to reconcile them back to all of His resources intended for human flourishing (life abundant). Due to the depth and breadth of the disconnects, the reconciliation and reconnection process is usually slow and incremental. Having served in this cultural context for the last 25 years, we measure progress in inches per year, not miles per hour. Slowly, over generations, we see change and growth, healing and hope, productivity and progress. We rejoice in steps forward and lament the steps backward. Sometimes, we catch a glimmer of God’s glory in our cultural context — acts of sacrifice and service that put the more privileged among us to shame. ![Pastor Keith Lape on an outdoor outing with youth from River City Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed-3.jpg)Pastor Keith Lape on an outdoor outing with youth from River City Church ## **Loved by the Father and His Children** We met Charlene about 15 years ago. We would see her wandering the streets with a detached zombie-like expression. Her facial features were so bony, and her body so skeletal, I was not sure that she was a woman until we started speaking to one another. I began to greet her at every opportunity in a genuine, warm, and enthusiastic way.  At first, she was distant and apathetic, but she eventually warmed up. Over time, we had the joy of sharing Christ with her. She eventually confessed her faith in Him and was baptized. She became a much-loved member of our River City Church family, beginning her journey of healing, recovery, and transformation. We learned more of her story: decades of crack addiction, prostitution, HIV/AIDS, serious health and dental problems, toxic and violent family dynamics, being raped as a child, dropping out of school, repeated stints in jail and prison. Through the years, we’ve helped her get into more than a dozen rehabs.  She had been living clean and sober for many months, only to fall back into her addiction. She’s now a couple of months clean, living in Fort Smith, away from the people, places, and things that trigger her addiction. Through all the twists and turns, she knows she is loved by her Heavenly Father and by her church family. That knowledge has never left her. ![Charlene, a beloved member of River City Church family.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed-4-2.jpg)Charlene, a beloved member of the River City Church family. ## **God’s Kingdom in Hard Places** In 1998, when Charee was 9 years old, my wife, Laura, began mentoring her. We developed a lifelong bond of love and friendship with her and her family. Charee grew up in generational poverty, with a mother who struggled with a crack addiction. Charee was often left to care for and raise her four younger siblings.  As she moved into adulthood, there were some seasons of disconnect from the Lord and us. But upon reaching a low point — falling into homelessness in 2019, with two adolescent children — she came to live with us for a short time, until she transitioned into Hand Up Housing, our transitional and transformational housing ministry.  A few years later, she transitioned into her own home with the help of a social worker at River City Ministry, where she also received some medical and dental assistance. She found work as a home health provider. She and her teen children are now active members of our church family. I am now mentoring her 17-year-old son in the same youth mentoring ministry through which we met her 28 years ago. He’s a disciple of Jesus and is growing as a leader in our church family. Just last week, Charee kept vigil with her dying patient. She combed her hair, made her comfortable, and shared words of comfort from her faith in Jesus. All on her own time, off the clock for a woman who herself struggles to make ends meet. This is what the kingdom looks like in the hard places, and it is available to all of us who are willing to show up. ![Summer youth camp for River City Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed-5-2.jpg)Summer youth camp for River City Church ## **Being a Minister of Reconciliation** We all can make our own contributions to the reconnection process. Here are some ways you can do so: - Pray! Pray for open hearts, open minds, and open lives. Pray for comfort, healing, strength, and hope. Pray for workers. Pray for doors of opportunity to open. - See the poor, the homeless, the panhandlers, the disadvantaged, the addicted, and the profoundly dysfunctional through the eyes of Jesus. Learn from John 9 how to see people as Jesus saw the blind man, rather than how everyone else saw him. - Exude warmth, grace, love, and exuberance when encountering the disadvantaged. Make eye contact, smile, and speak graciously. - Pursue genuine relationships with those in need, and provide vocational training and employment opportunities. Take risks out of reverence for Christ. - Support ministries, youth mentoring programs, and Christian youth camps that are making a difference in this setting. We are each called to be God’s ministers of reconnection — partnering with Him and one another — to help make, by His grace, one connection at a time.  Let us be found faithful in this Kingdom enterprise. --- --- title: "From Crisis to Career" url: "https://citychurchar.org/from-crisis-to-career/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Betty Winders had been battling addiction for 14 years. Then, in December 2024, everything fell apart. Already on probation and facing multiple charges, she was facing prison time. That’s when she made the hardest decision of her life: she placed" last_modified: "2026-04-03T00:56:33+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] --- # From Crisis to Career Betty Winders had been battling addiction for 14 years. Then, in December 2024, everything fell apart. Already on probation and facing multiple charges, she was facing prison time. That’s when she made the hardest decision of her life: she placed her children in foster care so she could get help. She entered rehab at In His Wings, a Christian-based recovery program. Slowly, Betty began to rebuild her life. She completed parenting classes, attended 12-step meetings, received counseling, got life-skills training, and found a job.  Before graduating from In His Wings, Betty heard about the 100 Families Initiative. She was determined to get her kids back. So, in July 2025, she enrolled. She connected with advocates, who helped her navigate her foster care and criminal cases. She earned a promotion at work, got all her charges dropped, graduated In His Wings, and secured a home. Exactly one year to the day she lost custody, Betty got her kids back. She became the first parent in Craighead County history to do so within a year. Betty already knows what she wants to do next. She wants to be a drug addiction counselor, to walk alongside other moms walking the same road she once did. ![Betty with her two children](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-12.16.57-PM.jpg)Betty with her two children ## **Unintended Consequences** After working overseas in financial technology, Paul Chapman (Executive Director at Restore Hope) returned to the U.S. in the early 2000s and started volunteering at a local prison through his church. “Through trying to help some guys get out and stay out, I realized how hard it was for them — the complexity involved in gaining access to substance abuse treatment, work, a car, and all those things to get you back with your family,” says Chapman. In 2006, Chapman joined Fellowship Bible Church full-time as Executive Pastor in Missions and worked closely with families impacted by corrections and foster care. In the years to come, Chapman saw the problem only get bigger. From 2012 to 2016, Arkansas had the fastest-growing prison population in the nation. “The unintended consequence of that was that the number of children who entered foster care was huge,” says Chapman. “It put a huge stress on our child welfare system.” Along with Ray Williams, then on Fellowship’s staff, Chapman developed partnerships across Little Rock to serve families in need. Two of those partnerships were with the Department of Corrections and Arkansas Baptist College. “Inmates were being taken out of prison and taken to Arkansas Baptist College, a historically black college. They were going through a pre-release program, and it was going really well.” The program was working, but they could only serve 200 people a year. The state was releasing 10,000 people from prison every year. “It was very clear that scaling individual programs wasn’t going to get us out of the trouble we were in,” Chapman says. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/225961c3a4229192c-2151188528-2.jpg)Paul Chapman, Executive Director, Restore Hope ## **It Was So Kumbaya** In 2015, newly elected Governor Asa Hutchinson created a task force to address the state’s growing crises in incarceration and foster care. Chapman sat on the task force. “The governor put it on everyone. [He told us,] ‘We’ve got to figure out how we’re going to work together to address the crises that are going on in incarceration, in foster care,’” Chapman says. “It’s not that we couldn’t help anyone. It was that our best wasn’t good enough, and things had gotten worse.” What the task force came up with was a collective impact approach that connects organizations across multiple sectors to provide the care people need. Hutchinson loved the idea and asked Chapman to help implement it, but he was reluctant.  “It was so kumbaya — the government’s going to work with the community, and everyone’s going to hold hands. We’re going to go to the toughest city that’s having the biggest problems — where it’s like a Jerry Springer show, chairs flying — and we’re somehow going to be kinder and gentler. It was so ambitious.” Chapman was torn. He wished that he could give the job to someone else. But he told his wife, “I can’t face Jesus and tell Him I said, ‘No.’” ## **Collective Impact** The problem wasn’t a lack of effort. It was a lack of coordination. “Agencies operate in silos. Nonprofits work in silos. Churches work in silos,” Chapman says. State agencies and nonprofits were working hard. But they weren’t working together. In response, the task force created a plan to link government agencies and community organizations. What they came up with was a collective impact approach that launched as the 100 Families Initiative in Sebastian County in 2016. The model called for an alliance of community partners that created a continuum of care to help someone move from crisis to stability and, eventually, a career.  Chapman compares the collective impact approach to building a house. “You’ve got plumbers and electricians. They go deep in their field. But you wouldn’t ask any one of them to build the house. There are professionals in the human service world who deliver expert-level services, and a client usually needs more than one of those at the same time. But there’s no coordination.”  As the backbone organization, Restore Hope acts as the general contractor, coordinating all the professionals involved. The 100 Families Initiative is a collection of alliances across Arkansas that provide on-the-ground connections and support using Restore Hope’s model. The tool that makes it work is HopeHub, Restore Hope’s case management software that connects service providers on a participant’s care team. When someone walks in for help, a family advocate assesses their situation across thirteen areas — housing, employment, recovery, transportation, and more — and builds a care plan. Everyone working with that participant can see their progress in real time. In Russellville, local leaders say HopeHub changed everything. For Journey Church Lead Pastor Steve Pyle, it transformed how his church measures success. Before HopeHub, success meant attendance and donations. Now it means something more tangible. “We can point to families who are still together, people who’ve been working steady jobs for two years, kids who have food, transportation, and stability,” Pyle says. For Russellville Police Chief David Ewing, it changed how his officers do their jobs. Before HopeHub, his department was the default resource for every crisis call. “We used to be the Yellow Pages for everything,” Ewing says. “People would call us at two in the morning needing food, housing, or mental health help, and we didn’t always know who to call.” Now, officers can connect people directly to the help they need. “It lets us get back to what we’re supposed to be doing while knowing people are still getting help.” ## **She Kept Going** Christina was a single mother of three who had run out of options.  “At my lowest point, I didn’t have anyone,” she says. “I didn’t have a family I could rely on. I didn’t have friends I could turn to. I felt completely alone.” That’s when the 100 Families Initiative of Sebastian County stepped in. Volunteers repaired her home. Community partners donated furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies, and toys. Melinda, one of the volunteers, offered her a job. Things started looking up for her. Then her stepfather asked her to leave their trailer, leaving her and her kids homeless. She also lost her job. But Christina refused to give up. She kept going — kept applying for jobs, kept showing up for her kids. With every setback, 100 Families was there for her, providing what she needed to take the next step. In September 2021, Christina and her children moved into the Community Rescue Mission (CRM). Slowly, things began to turn around. She got a job at Home2 Suites. Head Start provided childcare, United Way helped her with gas cards, and she got a seasonal job with Grainger. DHS helped her get housing assistance, and she got her driver’s license reinstated. Christina began focusing on earning her GED and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license. After getting both of them, she started working at Mercy Hospital. The nurses she worked with encouraged Christina to apply for nursing school. Working full-time, raising three kids, and going back to school in her thirties felt daunting. But the words of her supervisor gave her the courage to go for it: “You have the heart of a nurse.” Christina enrolled in nursing school at ATU-Ozark. Today, she’s a straight-A student. The support network 100 Families provided showed Christina that she wasn’t alone. “For the first time in a long time, I felt seen. I felt supported,” she says. “They showed me that I could trust people, that I wasn’t meant to walk this journey by myself, and that asking for help isn’t weakness — it’s strength.” Later, at a 100 Families Appreciation Event, Christina shared: “For every resource, every act of kindness, every prayer, every late-night conversation reminding me why I started — I want you to know it mattered. It changed my life.” ![Christina and her three children](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/smartjustice-org-2025-11-24-hsw7e8e5-IMG8234.JPG.avif)Christina and her three children ## **A Safe and Happy Home** Steven was facing one of the hardest seasons of his life. His wife was incarcerated. His job gave him little purpose and stability. He wanted more for his family, but was having to carry all the weight with his wife in prison. With an open DCFS case, his twin boys were placed in foster care, making an already bad situation worse.  Steven wanted to rebuild his life and his family. Through the 100 Families Initiative, Steven worked with a family advocate on goals to reunite his family and create a stable home. He created a résumé and started looking for jobs that aligned with his goals. Volunteers helped him complete the required substance abuse classes and navigate his DCFS case.  With the help and encouragement of others, Steven stayed the course. In May, his wife returned home. He found a steady job with the service department at Central Chevrolet in Jonesboro. And he has stayed sober for two years. On August 30, Steven and his wife reunited with their two boys and brought them to a safe and happy home.  ![Steven with his wife and their two boys](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/smartjustice-org_2025-12-17_qozkgine_01-Compiled-file-of-received-reports-as-of-1015.avif)Steven with his wife and their two boys ## **No Wrong Door** As of this writing, 2,277 people have moved from crisis to career through the 100 Families Initiative. The reunification rate in foster care is 68%, which is much higher than the national average. The same is true in employment retention, which is 85%. What started in one county has grown to 19 Arkansas counties, spread to communities in Michigan, Iowa, Tennessee, Texas, and Canada, and served more than 11,000 people in crisis. Communities across North America are taking notice. In Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has built her 10:33 Initiative around the model. Named after Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, the initiative unites churches and state government to provide wraparound support for every Arkansan in need. The initiative is launching statewide to ensure “no wrong doors” for anyone seeking help. The initiative is eliminating barriers to care by integrating HopeHub to build support teams around clients. “Instead of having to navigate a maze of agencies and applications, families will experience real coordination, real support, and real follow-through,” says Morgan Warbington of the Governor’s Office. Churches play a vital role in the initiative. “Church participation is essential to the success of the 10:33 initiative,” says Warbington. “Together, we can build something bigger than any one organization and show what’s possible when faith and government services stand united.” In the next three to five years, Restore Hope plans to help two to three new states replicate its model every year. And just like Arkansas, those states will have their own local alliances that will create solutions with their own leaders. Stories like Betty’s, Christina’s, and Steven’s are happening across Arkansas. Restore Hope is proving that when communities work together, families don’t just survive.  They flourish. BIBLIOGRAPHY Chapman, Paul. Interview by _Wonks at Work_ (podcast). “Come Healing: Paul Chapman.” Accessed April 1, 2026.[ https://soundcloud.com/wonks-at-work/come-healing-paul-chapman](https://soundcloud.com/wonks-at-work/come-healing-paul-chapman). Chapman, Paul. “Restore Hope Arkansas Model.” YouTube video transcript. Accessed April 1, 2026.[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlObD-a4KlU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlObD-a4KlU). Ramsey, Kayley. “A Father Builds Stability and Reunites With His Family.” _Smart Justice_, December 17, 2025.[ https://smartjustice.org/100-families/a-father-builds-stability-and-reunites-with-his-family](https://smartjustice.org/100-families/a-father-builds-stability-and-reunites-with-his-family). Ramsey, Kayley. “A Mom Who Fought for Her Kids and A Community Who Believed in Her.” _Smart Justice_, November 24, 2025.[ https://smartjustice.org/100-families/a-mom-who-fought-for-her-kids-and-a-community-who-believed-in-her](https://smartjustice.org/100-families/a-mom-who-fought-for-her-kids-and-a-community-who-believed-in-her). Ramsey, Kayley. “Recovery and Reunification for Betty’s Family.” _Smart Justice_, February 9, 2026.[ https://smartjustice.org/100-families/recovery-and-reunification-for-bettys-family](https://smartjustice.org/100-families/recovery-and-reunification-for-bettys-family). Steward, Karen. “How HopeHub Transformed A Community: ‘It’s the Secret Sauce.’” _Smart Justice_, October 31, 2025.[ https://smartjustice.org/100-families/how-hopehub-transformed-a-county](https://smartjustice.org/100-families/how-hopehub-transformed-a-county). Steward, Karen. “10:33 Initiative Unites Church and Government for ‘No Wrong Door.’” _Smart Justice_, March 3, 2026.[ https://smartjustice.org/100-families/1033-initiative-unites-church-and-government-for-no-wrong-door](https://smartjustice.org/100-families/1033-initiative-unites-church-and-government-for-no-wrong-door). “100 Families Overview: A Collaborative Approach.” YouTube video transcript. Accessed April 1, 2026.[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3YKX9YvdOI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3YKX9YvdOI). --- --- title: "Passing the Torch" url: "https://citychurchar.org/passing-the-torch/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, no one quite knew what to expect. Thirty-one pastors from ten different denominations sat in their seats as the bus made its way to the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit. Many" last_modified: "2026-02-28T03:30:29+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Extraordinary Prayer, Vision & Mission] --- # Passing the Torch As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, no one quite knew what to expect. Thirty-one pastors from ten different denominations sat in their seats as the bus made its way to the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit. Many of us had only met that day. As I sat in my seat, I felt a nervous excitement. We were going to spend four days together in prayer. Would we see God move, or would this be a spectacular failure? I had no way of knowing. Two years earlier, I was serving at a church I deeply loved in Little Rock. I saw spiritual fruit there and knew of other churches doing good things in the city. However, what I didn’t see was citywide transformation.  Through this desire for greater spiritual impact in our city and the major health issues of a close family member, the Holy Spirit led me to pray and seek God’s intervention through a time of fasting and prayer. On April 2, 1996, the Spirit spoke to me. While it wasn’t audible, His words could not have been clearer. I sensed God calling me to unite pastors in Central Arkansas through prayer.  In the following weeks, as I waited on the Lord to reveal the next steps, the Holy Spirit began to direct me to other pastors whose hearts were being stirred in similar ways. Through these new and expanding relationships, God brought all the details together for the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit in January 1998. During that four-day experience together, God transformed hearts and minds. As we worshipped and prayed together, we began to encounter God’s presence in a new way. We confessed sin to God and one another. We shed many tears. New relationships formed and existing ones deepened. These pastors who began that bus ride as strangers became brothers. The brokenness and humility we felt together led to a genuine unity that has become a sustained prayer movement for our churches and cities in Arkansas. ![Participants from the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit in 1998](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/blog5.jpg)Participants from the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit in 1998 ## **Seeds of a Movement** The seeds for that movement were actually planted years before the first Prayer Summit. Pastor Tony Minick (River of Life) had been praying for a cooperative effort among different churches in Little Rock. The memories of churches uniting for crusades he led in cities across the South had stuck with him. Could something similar happen in Central Arkansas? Tony invited a small group of pastors (including me) to pray weekly for their city. He told us, “We have to come together. This needs to be a citywide move of God. We need to be here for each other, so God blesses the other, and He blesses our efforts.” Reflecting on those early meetings, Tony says, “We had some awesome times. There were times when we didn’t want to leave. It was that great. You’d see things you had missed all your life because you were involved with your own denomination. Our singing and prayer time together—it was a foretaste of heaven and what we will experience in eternity.”  That group showed me what we are capable of when we work together, when we set aside our own agendas for God’s agenda. And it was this group and those relationships that sowed the seeds for the first Prayer Summit. ## **A United and Praying Church** What began as a handful of pastors praying together would become Nehemiah Network and, later, CityChurch Network of Arkansas. For nearly 30 years, God has done amazing things through a united and praying Church. Churches have demonstrated the love of Christ to their neighbors through citywide events such as ShareFest and CityFest and collaborated on statewide initiatives related to foster care (The CALL), literacy in schools (ARKids Read), racial reconciliation (Race Under Grace), and marriage (Arkansas Marriage Challenge). Throughout CityChurch Network’s story, the Prayer Summit has been an essential part of our mission to help churches work together for the good of our cities. “We have sought to come together, continually, with one mind to pray,” says Pastor Bill Elliff (The Summit Church). “Each year that this happens, amazing results occur. There is always an increase in unity, connection, instruction, and direction from God. United prayer is uniquely irresistible to God, and Arkansas needs the spiritual awakening that could occur when God’s leaders pray together!” For pastors who have attended, the Prayer Summit has been a lifeline. “I would not have made it through 20 years of urban ministry were it not for the encouragement and deep fellowship I’ve experienced at these summits,” says Pastor Harry Li (Mosaic Church). Pastor Greg Kirksey (The Church at Rock Creek) describes it as “among the most incredible and meaningful times of prayer I’ve ever experienced in my life. Those in attendance were bonded together in an authentic unity that can’t be fabricated.” ![Pastors praying at the Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Prayer-04-Prayer-Summit-copy-2.jpg)Pastors praying at the Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit ## **What I’ve Learned** In 1989, Dr. Joe Aldrich, then the President of Multanoma University, asked a question during the first Prayer Summit in Portland, Oregon: _What would it take to see a move of God initiated and sustained in a geographic area?_ As I reflect on what God has done in Arkansas since the first Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit, there are many memories and thoughts, but three key lessons of God’s faithfulness stand out. **A significant transformation in a place begins with the transformation of its leaders.** Near the end of the first day of the first Prayer Summit in January 1998, a dear brother and fellow pastor, James Walker, came up to me with tears streaming down his face. He said he had been dreaming and praying for this moment—pastors praying together— for years, but wasn’t sure if it would ever come. He went on to share how he had struggled with his relationship with God since he had lost his son years before. That afternoon, as he experienced the love of God in the fellowship of other pastors, he released the bitterness he had felt toward God. He would later say that he knew that moment saved his ministry, and it might have saved his life. Each of our stories is different, but I have watched God’s grace and power transform again and again when pastors are praying together. **When pastors prioritize time to seek God together, He provides Spirit-led direction. **At the second Prayer Summit, through various stories, we began to see that the community was not hostile to churches. It was simply indifferent. When they considered the challenges our cities faced and what was important, the Church did not come to mind. There were glimmers of light here and there, but the light of Christ was not visible. During that Summit, pastors united around a simple idea. What if each church, in its own way, committed to doing a project—at a school or in our neighborhoods—on the same weekend to bless our communities? It would create a light show our city couldn’t miss. That moment, birthed in united prayer, led to 10 years of churches demonstrating the love of Christ through an annual event called ShareFest. Seeing the transformative impact of thousands of lights shining together inspired an even bigger light show at CityFest with the Luis Palau Festival. **God is answering Jesus’ prayer in John 17, and when God is doing something, it will endure challenges. **It was our last night together, and we had one of the most meaningful times I had ever experienced at a Prayer Summit. As we were beginning to wrap up our time, a pastor made a statement that ignited a significant conflict in the group. People expressed their opinions, emotions flared, and some spoke hurtful words. We were all stunned in disbelief. It felt like the unity that had developed over the years was evaporating before our eyes. Finally, a wise leader in the group appealed to the group to pause. There was agreement that the issue was unresolved, but we could no longer make progress in the heat of that moment. I noticed a pastor who had left just before the evening session but had returned. I approached him and said (I have to admit, somewhat sarcastically), “Well, I guess you are glad you came back.” His answer surprised me. He said, “Actually, I am really glad I did. If the movement survives this, I will know it is of God.” And it did. Key leaders representing both sides of the disagreement came together. Through the power of the gospel, humility, forgiveness, and unity were maintained (Ephesians 4:1-3). ## **The Legacy Continues** Today, a new generation of pastors is carrying the prayer torch forward. Pastor Jordan Bowen (Hillcrest Community Church) is one of them. “Every missionary movement started in a prayer room,” he says. “What we’re seeing now is a move of God, because we’re coming back to recognize that prayer is the most important thing we could ever do. We’re inviting Him to do what only He can do in and through our lives.” In early 2025, a group of pastors started meeting every Monday to pray at 317 Coffee & Cafe. It didn’t take long for them to outgrow the conference room there, and Pastor Tim Caldwell offered his church, Fellowship Midtown, as a place to meet. Rod Vestal attends Antioch Community Church, where members have been praying for revival in the city since 2018. In November of 2024, Rod was studying past revivals, such as the 100-year-long Moravian Prayer Movement. On November 19, he wrote in his journal: “Who is contending for revival in Little Rock? How can churches collaborate?” Later, in April, Rod attended One Voice, a quarterly prayer gathering at Hillcrest Community Church. His pastor introduced him to Jordan, who invited him to Monday morning prayer. “It was amazing,” Rod says. “I felt like this was my tribe. This is what I had been yearning for in our city.” Rod is among the oldest in the Monday morning prayer group. The vast majority of others are decades younger. At the front of his journal, Rod has written a verse from Psalm 71: _Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation._ “My role here is to serve this generation and pray for them and spur them on,” Rod says. His words remind me of Tony Minick and other pastors who championed prayer for younger pastors like me all those years ago. Josh Starks attends the Monday prayer gathering. One day, he was praying by the Arkansas River. “Lord, what’s the next step of obedience you’re calling us to?” he asked. The Lord told him to contact Jordan. The next day, Jordan was running by the river. He had no idea Josh had been there. He stopped to pray at the same spot where Josh had prayed the day before. His phone rang. It was Josh. “Both of us had the same desire for a united gathering of prayer and worship,” Jordan says. That conversation led to A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship, a citywide event on November 9, 2025, at City Center in Little Rock. There was no elaborate setup or marketing strategy. As Pastor Grant Harrison (Epoch Church) put it, “We just came together to pray and seek the Lord.”  Nearly 600 people from churches across Greater Little Rock showed up to do exactly that. God had done something far greater than anyone in the Monday morning prayer group could have ever imagined. ![Pastor Jordan Bowen (Hillcrest Community Church) speaking at the United Gathering of Prayer and Worship in Little Rock, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-11-09-United-Night-of-Prayer-Worship-DSC06456-copy.jpg)Pastor Jordan Bowen (Hillcrest Community Church) speaking at the United Gathering of Prayer and Worship in Little Rock, AR ## **Prayer Changes the World** Jordan Bowen believes that prayer changes everything. “We need faith that lives can be transformed, and a city can be fully consecrated unto the Lord,” he says. “Revival and awakening really can happen. We need faith that our neighbors are going to come to know the Lord. That our families are going to be restored, and marriages are going to be stronger. That a world can change because of prayer, because of God.” Bill Elliff, Jordan’s mentor, has watched this prayer movement unfold for nearly three decades. “The results have created a culture of prayer among us in large measure,” he says. “We are better together. But we only experience the depths of that benefit as we pray together. The Prayer Summit has helped us get there in ways nothing else can.” What began with a bus ride to the first Prayer Summit nearly 30 years ago has become a movement of Spirit-led, worship-fed, Scripture-based, corporate prayer that continues to bear fruit today. The torch is being passed to the next generation, and it continues to burn brightly. As we look ahead, I am more convinced than ever that prayer is the foundation of everything God wants to do in and through His Church in Arkansas. May we be faithful to prayer that is increasing, unceasing, and persevering until earth reflects heaven in our cities. We are grateful for the pastors across Arkansas who are uniting to intercede in prayer for our communities. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Redeeming Business" url: "https://citychurchar.org/redeeming-business/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "You will spend approximately 83,000 hours of your life at work. For most of us, that’s more time than almost anything else we do. As believers, the question we face is: What place does God have during those work hours?" last_modified: "2026-02-28T03:51:35+00:00" categories: [Guest Writer, Series] --- # Redeeming Business You will spend approximately 83,000 hours of your life at work. For most of us, that’s more time than almost anything else we do. As believers, the question we face is: What place does God have during those work hours? Is He welcome there, or is the office door closed to Him? That question has shaped my life in the workforce for 35 years: 15 in the corporate world, 20 as a business owner, and now four years focused on a mission to equip Christian CEOs and business owners to build great businesses for a greater purpose. For most of that time, my faith was more of a personal and private endeavor. Looking back, I can see how much I missed by not integrating my faith more into my work. On Sundays, we hear the sermons and admonitions to be generous, make disciples, and love others. But beyond our immediate families, how do we live out our Christian faith in a way that honors God in all areas of life? We wouldn’t say God has no place in the work space, would we? Yet, we tend to live compartmentalized lives that effectively do just that. ## **Purpose and Profit** Based on a six-year study comparing 18 iconic companies, Jim Collins’ _Built to Last_ explores how visionary companies sustain long-term success. In the book, Collins identifies one key finding from the study. > Contrary to business school doctrine, we did not find “maximizing shareholder wealth” or “profit maximization” as the dominant driving force or primary objective through the history of most of the visionary companies. He goes on to write: > We’re not saying that the visionary companies have been uninterested in profitability or long-term shareholder wealth (notice that we say that they are “more than” economic entities, not “other than”). Yes, they pursue profits. And, yes, they pursue broader, more meaningful ideals. Profit maximization does not rule, but the visionary companies pursue their aims profitably. They do both. Profitability is a necessary condition for existence and a means to more important ends, but it is not the end in itself for many of the visionary companies. Profit is like oxygen, food, water, and blood for the body; they are not the point of life, but without them, there is no life. There has been some understanding of the need to marry purpose and profit in business, but knowing how to put that into practice isn’t always clear. Many Christian business owners aren’t sure how to integrate their faith into the purpose that drives their business. ## **Integrating Faith and Work** Faith and work integration is not optional. It is the recovery of God’s original design for work and has eternal significance for each of us. Running a business is demanding work. I know this firsthand. You’re responsible for getting the work done, managing your team effectively, satisfying your customers, and meeting the demands of your employees, vendors, and suppliers, all while turning a profit. Most days, you feel stretched thin with little margin left for anything else. Living a balanced life, with all its demands, means following God’s guidelines for managing those things, including work. God’s first command in the Garden of Eden was to cultivate and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15). Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The inherent value of work is not all we provide as business leaders. God’s design is for business leaders to use their businesses as assets for His kingdom. God owns it all, and we are stewards of it. An integrated life seeks to honor God in all areas of life, meaning what we do, how we do it, and who we are becoming in the process is important to God.  ![man talking to customers in bicycle shop](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AdobeStock_279231665-copy.jpg) ## **Three Models Worth Understanding** When people think about business as it relates to ministry, it helps to distinguish between three models: - **Business for Ministry**: This model channels profits from commercial ventures to fund external ministry endeavors.  - **Business as Mission**: This model positions business itself as a platform for sponsoring or enabling evangelism and service, often in restricted regions.   - **Business as a Ministry (BaaM)**: The model calls leaders to view their companies and their role as entrusted “kingdoms” for which they are fully accountable to God and integrated contexts of mission. When people first encounter the phrase “business as a ministry,” it can seem exciting, daunting, or even confusing. As I have moved further in my understanding of what Business as a Ministry means and learned frameworks, tools, and practices that show how faith and work inform our business decisions, I have found this very refreshing. Integrating faith and work should not be seen as a threat or weakness in a business leader. When done well, it is a real opportunity to strengthen and develop your people and improve employee engagement. That blesses others and makes a significant impact for God’s kingdom. ## **Worldview Matters** Theology was once considered the queen of the sciences. After all, from a Christian worldview, Jesus is the King. However, since the Enlightenment, the biblical worldview has gradually been displaced as the North Star guiding our understanding of the world and the greater questions of life. When a worldview excludes God in certain areas (such as work), it leads people to adopt a different set of commitments that, over time, hollows out the purpose and meaning that sustain individuals and organizations. We’re now seeing why worldview matters and how it informs our understanding of all areas of life, including business and economics. In reality, a biblical worldview assumes that Christ reigns as King over every area of life. Or, as Abraham Kuyper once said: > There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, “Mine!” In his final book, _The Divine Conspiracy Continued_, theologian Dallas Willard writes that we need to be “much better at casting a vision of God’s kingdom life, which may first require a long, steady journey down the path of personal and institutional transformation toward Christlikeness.” What does that long, steady journey look like? Willard goes on to write: > Surely the best course is to take up one’s own business vocation as a divine appointment from God through intelligent discipleship to Jesus Christ. This provides a time-tested and experiential foundation for professional life that yields the nobility seen by Ruskin, Brandeis, and many others. We must come to the point where all Christian businesspeople understand the opportunity and necessity of embodying the life of Christ in their cubicle, at their desk, in their boardroom, at their counter, and on their shift. ![two blue collar workers looking at document](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AdobeStock_554050741-copy.jpg) ## **Equipping the Saints** As church leaders, we have a responsibility to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). Let’s take stock of how we are preparing our people to live out their faith Monday through Saturday as we fulfill God’s desire for work, maturing in our faith, and ultimately for each person to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28) in that work which He has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).  God cares about our work: what we do, how we do it, and who we are becoming in the process. I encourage you to reflect on how you can integrate your faith into all areas of your life, and help the people in your church do the same. While our faith is deeply personal, it is not meant to stay private. It must be lived out publicly, where we demonstrate love for God and love for others. As you approach this year, what will be different? How are you preparing your people to carry their faith into their workplaces? Can we say together that we are equipping our churches to redeem business for the good of others and God’s glory? --- --- title: "Surprised by What I Found" url: "https://citychurchar.org/surprised-by-what-i-found/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "The doctor looked at me and said, “I have to admit I was surprised by what I found.” When I heard those words, I was taken aback. A month earlier, I’d attended my annual cardiology appointment. It seemed routine, including" last_modified: "2026-08-21T16:12:37+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families] --- # Surprised by What I Found The doctor looked at me and said, “I have to admit I was surprised by what I found.” When I heard those words, I was taken aback. A month earlier, I’d attended my annual cardiology appointment. It seemed routine, including the echocardiogram they recommended after five years since my last one. “We’ll call if there are any concerns,” the nurse said.  Two weeks later, while on vacation with my daughters and their families, I got a call. The doctor had seen something unclear and wanted me to undergo a heart catheterization. They scheduled it for my birthday, more than a month away. The wait actually gave me some peace. If they were truly concerned, wouldn’t they have moved faster? An opportunity came to do it earlier, and I jumped at it. Who wants a heart cath on their birthday? Though mildly sedated, I remained awake throughout the 30-minute procedure. I’ll never forget the doctor’s first words to me afterward: “I have to admit I was surprised at what I found. You had a 99% blockage in your LAD artery (the widowmaker). I put in a stent and saved your life today.” I was more than surprised. I was shocked and grateful. I immediately thanked the doctor and praised God for His grace and mercy, but it took longer to fully process the implications of what had just happened. When my wife Carolyn received the report, she cried.  Since that day, I have reflected deeply on what might have occurred had I not undergone that heart check-up. I’ve imagined the impact it could have had on my family, friends, and life’s work. It has deepened my relationship with God and strengthened my determination, not just to improve my heart health, but to focus on something equally important. Just as good heart health is essential for a vibrant life, healthy relationships are vital for flourishing families, churches, and communities. At the heart of these relationships is marriage. ## **Marriage Matters to God** Genesis 1:27-28 says God created man and woman in his image to be fruitful and multiply. He created us to reflect the love relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Marriage is God’s means for His creation to bear children and multiply. It’s true that marriage can bring great joy and satisfaction. But it is also true that God created it as a sign of a greater reality to come.  In his letter to the Church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul looks back to Genesis but adds that marriage is a great mystery. Marriage is to be an illustration of the relationship of Christ and His Church. This mystery is only possible through Jesus Christ.  Christopher West, in _Our Bodies Tell God’s Story_, writes, “the gift of Christ’s body on the cross gives definitive prominence to the spousal meaning of God’s love.” In fact, from beginning to end, in the mysteries of our creation, fall, and redemption, the Bible tells a covenant story of marital love. It begins in Genesis with the marriage of the first man and woman, and it ends in Revelation with the marriage of Christ and the church. And these spousal “bookends” provide the key for understanding all that lies between. Indeed, we can summarize all of Sacred Scripture with five simple yet astounding words: God wants to marry us.  Marriage matters because it is intended to powerfully communicate the gospel of Christ’s sacrificial love. ## **Marriage Matters for Children and Families** Research confirms what God’s word teaches and what our culture once assumed: marriage is better for everyone, especially children. Melissa Kearney, author of _The Two-Parent Privilege_, writes: “Marriage is the most reliable institution for delivering a high level of resources and long-term stability to children.” After studying poverty, inequality, and family structure for nearly 25 years, she writes with confidence that “the decline in marriage and the corresponding rise in one-parent homes has contributed to economic insecurity, has widened the gap in opportunities for children, and today poses challenges we cannot afford to ignore—but may not be able to reverse.” Brad Wilcox, in _Get Married_, presents compelling research on the importance of healthy marriages for community flourishing: > From our nation’s growing happiness divide to surging deaths of despair to the stagnant state of the American Dream—questions of marriage and family are often better predictors of outcomes for people than the topics that currently dominate our public conversation—like race, education, and government spending. Likewise, having the benefit of a family headed by stably married parents, where both parents are on hand to love you day in, day out, share life’s joys and frustrations, and devote their combined financial resources to your home, your extracurriculars, and your schooling ends up being the ultimate privilege for the millions of today’s boys and girls across America who are fortunate enough to grow up in an intact family. ## **Marriage Matters for Our Churches** In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, God’s people are instructed to love the Lord God with all their heart, and they are to teach his ways to their children. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul instructs fathers to teach their children. We are likely familiar with these and other passages. It makes sense that children need both their dad and mom in the home, and recent studies confirm that having both in the home is important for the Church as well.  In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in what are called the “nones,” those once connected with a church but no longer report an affiliation with a church. Recent studies, such as [The National Study on Relationships and Faith, conducted by Communio](https://communio.org/nationwide-study/), confirm what has been reported for years by scholars such as Mary Eberstadt in _How the West was Lost _and Carl Zimmerman in _Family and Civilization_. J.P. De Gance of Communio summarizes it this way: “The collapse in marriage and the resulting decline of resident fatherhood may offer the best explanation for the decline of Christianity in the United States.”  Scripture has revealed it, history has recorded it, and modern social science has confirmed it: healthy marriages are vital for flourishing families. ## **What Churches Can Do** In 2022, Arkansas had the highest divorce rate in the nation, 67% higher than the national average. Today, 1 in 2 children in our state grows up without both parents at home. These aren’t just statistics. They’re real circumstances with profound consequences for real people. Given the challenge we face in the breakdown of marriage, what can we do?  There is hope. Our hope is in Christ, and when His Body works together, we can see significant transformation. So, what can we do? **First, we can pray. **We call out to the God who has created marriage for His purposes. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We can pray with confidence for marriages because healthy marriages are His will. We also know that when communities pray together and when spouses pray together, relationships are strengthened, our purposes are aligned with God’s, and marriages are strengthened. [Download the “Praying for Marriage Prayer Guide”](https://citychurchar.org/monthly-prayer-guide/) **Second, we can prioritize teaching the first principles of marriage **to everyone in our churches**,** in age-appropriate ways. We need to teach the theological importance of marriage—the biblical why—to adolescents and adults. We need to teach the knowledge and skills to build healthy relationships. And we must view teaching as more than transmitting information. The Great Commission says to teach them to “observe” or “obey” everything Jesus commanded. Another word for this is “training.” We need to model and teach our children. **Finally, we can unite together. **Transforming the institution of marriage is more than any one church can do alone. It’s for this reason that CityChurch Network is a network partner in the Arkansas Marriage Initiative (AMI). AMI is a collaborative effort of churches, non-profit organizations, businesses, and government working together to strengthen the institution of marriage by increasing the number of healthy marriages in Arkansas through: - Increasing the marriage rate and the number of married households - Reducing the divorce rate, and - Increasing the number of children living in married households. We’re excited to see a growing number of churches becoming AMI Church Partners, bringing the hope of Christ into marriages. ## **The Arkansas Marriage Challenge** One upcoming AMI event is The Arkansas Marriage Challenge. Awakened by the importance of marriage and the challenges our state faces, we’re inviting couples to take one specific action this February 7-14 to strengthen their marriage.  You can strengthen your marriage and the institution of marriage in our state by:  - Going on a date with your spouse - Signing up to attend a marriage/healthy relationship class - Getting a marriage check-up These are all established best practices for strengthening marriages, but I want to say a special word about the marriage check-up. Remembering the difference a heart check-up made in potentially saving my life, what difference could a timely marriage check-up have in saving a marriage? According to Dr. John Gottman, couples wait an average of six years too long before getting help. This year, Carolyn and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. God has given us a wonderful marriage, but we aren’t perfect. We want to keep growing. Believing in the importance of a regular couple check-up, we recently met with a trained Prepare/Enrich facilitator at our church and took a couples assessment. It offered specific areas where we can continue to grow. Together, we can change the story of marriage in families, our churches, our cities, and our state! Visit [arkansasmarriage.com](http://arkansasmarriage.com) to join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge and find an opportunity near you. --- --- title: "Catch the Little Foxes" url: "https://citychurchar.org/catch-the-little-foxes/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "James and Mandi Barham had given their lives to taking the gospel to Central Asia. For years, they poured themselves into church planting overseas. They thought they’d be there forever. But something wasn’t right. To their supporters and co-workers, they" last_modified: "2026-02-03T15:21:03+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families] --- # Catch the Little Foxes James and Mandi Barham had given their lives to taking the gospel to Central Asia. For years, they poured themselves into church planting overseas. They thought they’d be there forever. But something wasn’t right. To their supporters and co-workers, they were fulfilling God’s call to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Inside their marriage, a different story was unfolding. “We grew distant, had challenges—miscommunications and misunderstandings. Nothing major happened other than lots of little things piled up,” James says. The challenges led James and Mandi back to the States to save their marriage. “I started studying marriage and family therapy in New Orleans just because I was back at square one. I didn’t understand marriage.” James graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2011. That same year, the Barhams moved to Jonesboro, where James joined the team at Arkansas Baptist Children’s and Family Ministries (ABCFM) as a Christian counselor. > “I frequently tell folks, ‘Catch the little foxes that spoil the vineyard. Little foxes are cute, and they don’t look like that big a deal unless you have a vineyard or a chicken coop. We’re more vigilant now. We’re really trying to be more intentional. But in those early years of marriage, I didn’t do my homework. I didn’t pay attention to things. My leadership style was I saw a need, and I just announced it to my family and the team, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ My wife grew weary of that, and I don’t blame her.” People assume Christian counselors have smooth, problem-free marriages. That wasn’t James’ reality. “We have not had an easy road with our marriage. This ministry with ABCFM comes out of applying the gospel to our own brokenness.” ![James and Mandi Barham](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Barhams.jpg)James and Mandi Barham ## **Only Christ** As a counselor for ABCFM, James would see six or seven clients a day. He met with kids and families, “every diagnosis in the book.” Over time, he began to focus more on marriages. “I started seeing a lot of couples, not knowing the answers to tell them. But I could sit and cry with them. Hear their pain, hear their stories. And at some point, circle back to the truths that the Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever, His faithfulness to all generations.” James has walked with couples through the pain and brokenness that marriage sometimes brings—communication breakdowns, infidelity, addiction, the loss of a child, financial stress, and the slow drift of growing apart. However, he’s seen the limits of counseling from both sides of the room, as both a therapist and a client. > “Marriage counseling is valuable, but it doesn’t solve the core issues of the human heart. We have some great tools in the toolbox, but it is only Christ. It is only by His grace. Christ holds all things together. Marriage is His design. It is His covenant. If someone tries to do marriage without Christ, I think you have a better chance going to Tunica or Vegas. The odds are not in your favor. But whenever you let Christ in your marriage and surrender your household to Him, it’s not a gamble. You are banking on His faithfulness and His promises.” ## **Not This One** You can’t let Christ into your marriage and keep His Bride out. For James and Mandi, that meant opening up to their church. On March 3, 2024, James did just that. > “One of the main breakthroughs for Mandi and me was whenever we opened up about our marriage and our struggles with our local church, Central Baptist. I went down the aisle and told Archie, my senior pastor, ‘This is not working. We’re about to have a train wreck. I don’t care if I lose my job. I want this marriage to work. I love God, and I love Mandi. I love our children, and I know God can do it. He is faithful.’” Through ABCFM, James talks to pastors across the state. He sees the crucial role they play in helping marriages. “I tell pastors, ‘Don’t defer your authority to anybody else in the community. You’re called by God, and your role is to maintain God’s design for the family and for marriage.’ I don’t ever want pastors to feel insecure about helping couples.” Recently, a pastor in Northcentral Arkansas called James. “We’ve got a couple hurting. What do we do?” he asked. James told the pastor to assemble a team. “It’s not just one person who’s going to carry that couple through their distress. Get an older couple in the church to mentor them. Make sure he’s plugged in with a men’s ministry. Make sure she’s plugged in with a women’s ministry. Make sure they have someone they can call whenever they need to send out an SOS.”  James also wanted the pastor to understand his authority. “Pastor, you’re the shepherd. You’re as essential to that team as a marriage counselor or anybody else. The enemy has been doing things for years to destroy that marriage. Bring the full weight of the spiritual authority of the local church to bear and fight for that couple and say, ‘Not this one.’” Talking of spiritual authority and fighting the enemy as a church sounds weighty. Some might feel intimidated. Others might think, “I don’t want to interfere” or “What if it gets messy?” “The Church’s job is to intercede and pray for healing,” James says. “If someone gets cancer, my phone blows up. If somebody’s little boy gets hurt, my phone blows up. ‘He’s in the ambulance. He’s on the way to the hospital. Let’s pray.’ But when it’s a marriage in trouble, we don’t want to get involved. It’s messy. We don’t want to gossip. But, wait a minute, the enemy’s bringing hell to destroy that marriage. What are we going to do when the covenant of marriage is under direct assault?” ## **Marriage Tune-Ups** Since 2024, the Barhams and a team of couples have been leading Marriage Tune-Up workshops, which help couples connect through a Friday banquet and Saturday breakout sessions. “We’re just trying to keep the conversation going. We incorporate prayer, worship, the Bible—all those elements that are key to our spiritual health.” The Barhams have a Marriage Tune-Up coming up in West Memphis. “There’ll be 50 couples there. 50 couples who would surrender their marriages to Christ. They could make an impact in West Memphis, and that would be felt.”  At these events, facilitators remind couples that challenges are part of every marriage story. “It’s okay if you’re facing some headwinds and turbulence. God loves you, and there are so many people in our churches who will help. When a couple goes through pain, there’s grief, and there’s mourning. We don’t rush to solutions. Mourn with those who mourn, and they will trust you to speak truth and love and grace to them.” Marriage Tune-Ups are helping churches reach couples. But James knows it will take more than individual churches working alone. It will take more churches working together to make Arkansas a fortress for marriage. > “What y’all are doing with CityChurch Network is creating a culture in Arkansas churches where it’s okay for people to say, ‘We need help. Our church needs help.’ You’re connecting the dots with churches to say, ‘We are the Body of Christ. We’re in this together.’” ![Couple holding hands at table](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/couplehands.jpg)Marriage Tune-Ups give couples the opportunity to connect and build a stronger marriage ## **Get Ready to Grow** One way churches are coming together to support marriage is through the Arkansas Marriage Challenge, happening February 7-14. Participating churches are promoting marriage through community date nights, marriage workshops, and by offering marriage check-ups. For a church that’s considering joining the challenge, James says, “Get ready to grow. You’ll have so many young couples who see you as the church in their community that is a champion for marriage and is a safe place for them.”  While most churches would welcome more couples into their congregations, very few have a marriage ministry or a plan to start one. The Marriage Challenge connects churches with resources such as the Arkansas Marriage Initiative, which helps churches across the state build comprehensive marriage ministries.  Starting a marriage ministry isn’t as difficult as it might seem. And the burden doesn’t have to rest entirely on the pastor’s shoulders. Whenever James talks to pastors, he keeps it simple. “One of the things I ask pastors is, ‘Who are your two or three couples that you trust the most? You trust their marriage. You trust their prayer life. Name them.’ If they name them, I’ll say, ‘Would you let them be your marriage ministry team?’” ## **God’s Spirit Poured Out** What if building strong marriages became a core strategy for churches across Arkansas? “I wish that could become the DNA of each of our churches,” James says. “I think it would bring enthusiasm and focus, so that we’re not distracted or pulled in so many different directions. If we saw God’s Spirit poured out in such a way that it begins to heal, awaken, and revive marriages on a widespread scale, that would bring healing to everything we’re facing in society.” We’re grateful for the exceptional work of churches and organizations throughout Arkansas that are working together to build strong marriages. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 To sign up for the Arkansas Marriage Challenge or find an event in your area, go to [arkansasmarriage.com.](http://arkansasmarriage.com) To request a Marriage Tune-Up at your church, go [here](https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=QVcSzaZuTkGHXoLY_yyjAIEHPQ9GM0NIjx1UeG9u5V9URUZVVUMyQUFHMlZORDhYSUhQU0hXTEY2Uy4u). --- --- title: "The Shift" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-shift/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Geyer Springs First Baptist Church wanted to plant a new church in Little Rock. They had building plans. They were raising funds. For a church like Geyer Springs, it’s what you do. You build a new building and fill it" last_modified: "2026-01-05T20:47:01+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] --- # The Shift Geyer Springs First Baptist Church wanted to plant a new church in Little Rock. They had building plans. They were raising funds. For a church like Geyer Springs, it’s what you do. You build a new building and fill it with people. For 50 years, that strategy had worked. But then something started to shift. Dave Hughey, Lead Pastor at Geyer Springs, sensed it. “We realized that’s not a good strategy anymore. We can’t ask them to come to us. We have to go where they are. We’ve got to enable more people in our church body to go out and do the work of ministry in small ways. It sounds foolish to even say it out loud because Jesus said, ‘Go.’ He didn’t say, ‘Invite them to come.’ But that’s what we had done for years.” Dave wasn’t alone. Others felt a change coming. One Sunday, Dave stood before his congregation and offered a different way of seeing missions in their community. He pulled up a map showing a five-mile radius around their church. There were four Walmart Supercenters and more than 20 Dollar Generals. “We’re doing Dollar General,” he told them. “We’re going to send people out to different parts of the city where they have a heart and let them develop and see what happens.” Instead of planting another church, Geyer Springs would create small, scattered mission points across their community. To do this, they’d need to fundamentally change their approach to training and equipping their people. For a large church, adopting a “scatter instead of gather” approach was an enormous paradigm shift.  They needed someone who could walk everyone through the shift. ![Dave Hughey, Lead Pastor at Geyer Springs FBC, preaching](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20250105_025-Worship-Center-2-copy.jpg)Dave Hughey, Lead Pastor at Geyer Springs FBC, preaching ## **Called to Live Missionally** Around the same time, Adam Miller was praying about where God was leading his family next. He grew up at Geyer Springs. His first ministry position was there, serving under Dave’s leadership. Years later, Adam moved to Northwest Arkansas and served on the pastoral staff at Cross Church. He and his wife, Abigail, served there for 7 years and loved it. His family felt comfortable and content there. But something started to stir in him. “The Lord started calling me to church revitalization, church planting, and then really seeing the church expand all over the world.” When Dave heard Adam had watched the “Dollar General” message online, he reached out. They talked for 45 minutes as Adam shared his heart for missions. After the call, Dave went directly to the church’s Executive Pastor and told him, “You need to hire him. He’s the guy we need to lead this thing.”  Adam was hired as the Mission Mobilization Pastor, an entirely new role at the church. His job wasn’t just to organize overseas mission trips. It was to train Geyer Springs’ people to understand that living missionally is the call of every believer. “One of the things that we are trying to instill within our body is a disciple’s obedience to Christ by understanding where they’re at on the Disciple’s Pathway,” Adam says. It starts with salvation and baptism, but it doesn’t end there. Believers join a biblical community, grow spiritually with accountability, and are equipped to live on mission. “Once you’re trained and equipped to live on mission, your heart and soul will long for the kingdom of God to expand.” Geyer Springs was going back to the model established by the early church, one that focused on equipping the saints for ministry. Adam understood that what was happening at the church was bigger than Geyer Springs. “When I got here, I didn’t want to do this as just Geyer Springs,” Adam says. “I wanted to be able to do this in unison with other churches in the area.”  ![Adam Miller, Mission Mobilization Pastor at Geyer Springs FBC, with his wife, Abigail](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_6291-2.jpg)Adam Miller, Mission Mobilization Pastor at Geyer Springs FBC, with his wife, Abigail ## **The Kingdom Cooperation Network** Adam believes that when God is working somewhere, the Holy Spirit draws people toward the same movement. Over time, he started to wonder, “Who else is thinking this way?”  That’s when God started putting pieces of the puzzle together. Conversations led to more conversations. Pastors began to realize they weren’t the only ones who wanted to see God’s people living on mission. “We started connecting,” Adam says. “Ultimately, we said, ‘Hey, let’s talk about what it would look like to train and equip our believers in the same way so that we can expand the kingdom together.’” The first meeting included pastors from four very different churches—Geyer Springs, The Way Church Network, Impact Inner City, and South City. This first meeting was critical because they had to answer one fundamental question: “Can we work together?” Despite their differences, these pastors could agree on one thing. “When the church’s primary function is what Jesus wants it to be, the form can take many different shapes,” Adam says. They didn’t have to agree on every single thing to work together. They concluded that, yes, they could do this together. The next question was _how_. If they were going to train together, they needed to get their people in the same room. Geyer Springs had a space called The Station located four miles from the church. The four churches started meeting there on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. With a large church like Geyer Springs involved, Adam and Dave knew it could pose problems. Egos can get in the way—or at least the perception of ego. “I didn’t want this to live or die on the shoulders of Geyer Springs,” Adam says. That’s when CityChurch Network entered the story. Dave knew CityChurch Network through Lauren Linz, who leads the organization’s Equipped Leaders initiative. “It made perfect sense to work with and through CityChurch Network because none of the other churches would feel threatened,” Dave says. “We weren’t the principal drivers. They were. That made it a lot easier to bring them all together.” “CityChurch Network was crucial in this piece because it became the mediator,” Adam says. “It doesn’t have any ego behind it because their mission is to see churches unified and working together. What a blessing it was to have CityChurch Network being the one that’s leading and mediating between all of our hearts.” They called themselves the Kingdom Cooperation Network, and the training began. They focused on two essential questions during a year-long program for participants: “What is a disciple?” and “What is the Church?” ![Participants in the Kingdom Cooperation Network meeting at The Station](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CCN-Photos_002-copy.jpg)Participants in the Kingdom Cooperation Network meeting at The Station The goal wasn’t to make churches look more like Geyer Springs, a house church, or an urban church. It was to return to a biblical understanding of what it means to make disciples and be the Church. To do this, they used resources from BILD International—_Expanding the Great Commission_ and _Teaching the First Principles_—that address the early church’s approach to establishing believers in the faith. One of the most important things the training focuses on is relationship-building. “What we tend to do in our evangelism and discipleship is tell people the answers or tell them what is right and wrong,” Adam says. “The problem is that we’re not engaging relationally. In a post-Christian world, relationships are key, and people want to belong to a community before they’ll believe.” The Kingdom Cooperation Network is training people to develop relationships and bring scripture into them as a way to expose truth. “We’re finding out there are a lot of people in this Bible Belt area who don’t know who Jesus is,” Adam says. “They have religious backgrounds. They’ve attended church. But they couldn’t tell you anything about what the Bible says or who Jesus is. Our people have to move religious jargon out of their conversations. One of the greatest things our resources help with is training our people to think critically, think biblically, and ask really good questions.” ## **Exercising Your Faith** Ed and Cynthia came to Geyer Springs from Woodson, a small community outside Little Rock. They connected with Dave on a trip to Israel. That’s when Ed pulled Dave aside and told him, “We’re not growing. We’re not being discipled.” They ended up at Geyer Springs and went through the Kingdom Cooperation Network training. Then they realized something: “We need to go back to our community.” So, they returned to Woodson, determined to live on mission there.  “They started with prayer and found out there are a lot of people in their community who don’t know each other. There’s a spirit of isolation and depression,” Adam says. “They’re bringing hope and light to their community. That all started from their understanding that, biblically, they were ambassadors for Christ in their community. They didn’t have to wait on some pastor to do it for them.” Then there’s Rick and Robin Miller, Adam’s parents. “I’ve known them for years,” Dave says. “Robin’s been on mission trips with me, and they were solid people, but boy, they have grown exponentially through this process.” Rick, a retired fireman, is called to be an ambassador for Christ in the fire department. Robin recently started a real estate company and wants it to be more about expanding the kingdom than selling real estate.  “It’s pretty exciting to watch them, especially since it’s Adam’s parents, and he’s leading that process and seeing them come through that,” Dave says. “My dad has shared the gospel more in the last year than he’s done in his 62 years of life,” Adam says. “He was just another guy caught up in cultural Christianity, showing up, sitting in a pew or chair, and just listening to a sermon, but never applying it. He is so active in his faith now, and he exercises it. His understanding of his relationship with Christ is so important to him now.” “Rick sharing his faith is so natural. It just flows out of him,” Dave says. “I look at Rick and think, ‘How many people through the years have we sat in seminars on how to share your faith, giving them all these verses, and they never get it. For Rick, it’s just very natural.” ![First commissioning service for graduates of the Kingdom Cooperation Network](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2024-02-22-at-10.28.12-AM-2048x1147-1.jpg)First commissioning service for graduates of the Kingdom Cooperation Network ## **Equipped and Sent Out** The Kingdom Cooperation Network celebrates through commissioning services at Geyer Springs, where all the churches come together to pray over and send out those who’ve completed the training. These aren’t pastors or church staff. Just everyday people being released to live on mission where they are. At the first commissioning service, Lauren Linz stood on stage with pastors and leaders from all four churches. “These churches saw the need to train their people in the essentials of the faith and offer something more than just another class,” Lauren says. “They wanted their training to equip them to live on mission as disciple-makers in everyday life. My face beamed with joy as I thought about how much God had done through these churches.” Neal Scoggins, pastor at Impact Inner City, remembers what led to that day. “The initial conversations about bringing multiple churches together to focus on one goal seemed insurmountable,” he says. “However, after getting involved and going down the road, this journey has been one of the sweetest I’ve had in my thirty years in ministry!” “There have been at least three commissioning services,” Adam says. “It’s been such a great celebration. Light bulbs are going off, and our people are asking, ‘Why are they doing that?’ And then they realize, ‘Oh yeah, that’s not the job of the pastoral team. That’s us!’” More churches are asking to join the Kingdom Cooperation Network. Adam is excited about what’s ahead—more commissionings and more believers equipped to do the work of ministry in their families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. The journey has taught Dave an important lesson: “We’re better together. We all have different resources. We all have different strengths. And clearly, a unified church is going to have a lot more strength, a lot more effect on a city than a bunch of little churches scattered everywhere.” What started with one question—“Who else is thinking this way?”—has become a movement of churches training together, serving together, and reaching Central Arkansas together. We are grateful for the exceptional work of Geyer Springs First Baptist Church and other churches in our cities that are equipping everyday believers to live on mission. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Making the Most of Our Time" url: "https://citychurchar.org/making-the-most-of-our-time/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "“I want to grow in my faith.”“I want to lose 15 pounds.”“I want to spend more time with family.” Do you have a New Year’s resolution? One thing most resolutions have in common is that they relate to time. Many" last_modified: "2026-01-07T20:07:06+00:00" categories: [Series] --- # Making the Most of Our Time “I want to grow in my faith.” “I want to lose 15 pounds.” “I want to spend more time with family.” Do you have a New Year’s resolution? One thing most resolutions have in common is that they relate to time. Many already feel overwhelmed and can’t imagine adding anything else to their overpacked schedule. Perhaps that is why some give up on their goals or never even bother to set them. In a time when many of us feel overwhelmed by everything coming at us, it’s easy to get lost trying to find a better technique or system to manage our time. But personal productivity is more than managing our to-do list. What if the solution isn’t another productivity system, but remembering why God gave us time in the first place? ![colorful post it notes](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AdobeStock_477006470.jpeg)One thing most resolutions have in common is that they relate to time. ## **God’s Design For Our Time** One of my perennial goals has been to manage my time more effectively. This began in college, but it intensified during my time as an officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. After my active-duty service, I joined a close friend, Mike Atkinson, at his consulting firm Time and Life Management. I’m always on the lookout for the latest book or time-management system. I’ve enjoyed classics such as _How to Control Your Time and Life _by Alan Lakein, _Seven Habits of Highly Effective People_ and _First Things First_ by Steven Covey, Getting Things Done by David Allen, and _Free to Focus_ and _Your Best Year Ever_ by Michael Hyatt. More recently, _What’s Best Next _by Matt Perman and _Redeeming Your Time_ by Jordan Raynor have been added to the mix. You may not share my passion for reading books on productivity. However, what we do share is the desire to make our time count because God made us that way. The Apostle Paul writes, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10). Later, in Ephesians, he writes, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16). God created us for good works. He calls us to make the best use of our time. But what does that actually mean? In _What’s Best Next_, Perman gives us an idea. > The fact that productivity is about doing good works also means that our productivity is first about others, not ourselves. A radical concern for others is to be at the heart of our productivity and at the heart of everything we do every day. Hence, being productive is not just about getting things done. It’s about being a useful person, making a contribution, and leaving things better than you found them. It’s about always being on the lookout to do good for others and knowing how. Christians are to be known by their love — not just love in the abstract but in their everyday lives. And this is substantially shown through a concern for being of benefit to others in all that we do (not just some things that we do). Personal productivity isn’t about becoming more efficient for our own sake. It’s about taking our talents, abilities, and opportunities and making them useful for the good of others and the glory of God. ## **Productivity and Community Flourishing** Jonathan Edwards understood this well. In his book _Charity and Its Fruits_, he writes, “Christian love… disposes a person to be public-spirited. A man of a right spirit is not a man of narrow and private views, but is greatly interested and concerned for the good of the community to which he belongs, and particularly of the city or village in which he resides, and for the true welfare of the society of which he is a member.” Perman connects Edwards’ insight to our calling as exiles: > A rightly oriented Christianity causes us to care not only about ourselves and our families but also about our communities, cities, and society generally. Edwards is simply expressing the truth of Jeremiah 29:7, where God commands his people to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” This is a restatement of the creation mandate for Israel’s time in exile. It shows that, even in exile, the creation mandate is not suspended. As Christians today, we are sojourners and exiles on the earth (1 Peter 1:1, 17; Heb. 11:13). Jeremiah 29:7 is intended to be instruction for us: even though we have no lasting city here, we are to seek the good of our cities and communities and society.   Our faithfulness in how we use our time has everything to do with the flourishing of our communities. William Wilberforce saw this clearly when he wrote, “I must confess equally boldly that my own solid hopes for the well-being of my country depend, not so much on her navies and armies, nor on the wisdom of her rulers, nor on the spirit of her people, as on the persuasion that she still contains many who love and obey the Gospel of Christ. I believe that their prayers may yet prevail.” Scripture connects our productivity—how we make the most of our time—with the advance of the gospel. Praying for and seeking the good of our cities is essential to building prosperous communities. When Christians are productive for the good of others and the glory of God, communities are transformed. As Perman puts it, “Being productive in our lives is not separate from our task to transform the world through the light of the gospel; it is an integral part of it.” ![father at desk working with his daughter hugging him](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AdobeStock_397285380.jpeg)When Christians are productive for the good of others and the glory of God, communities are transformed. ## **Four Essential Steps** How do we actually do this? How do we make the most of our time for the good of others and the glory of God? Perman offers four practical steps for what he calls “Gospel-Driven Productivity”: - **Define: **_Know your mission, vision, and roles. _What good works has God prepared for you? A pastor mentoring young leaders. A business owner prioritizing employees. A parent discipling their children. We can’t do everything, but we can be faithful to what God has given us. - **Architect: **_Build rhythms, not rigid schedules._** **Weave your priorities into your life. The goal isn’t a perfect calendar, but making yourself available for what matters most. - **Reduce: **_Get rid of what doesn’t fit._** **Say no to good things for the sake of the best things. If God has called you to mentor someone, you may need to step back from other commitments.  - **Execute: **_Make things happen every day. _Show up consistently for what you’ve committed to. Trust God with the results, but be faithful with the process. Jordan Raynor adds an important distinction in _Redeeming Your Time_: We should embrace productive busyness while ruthlessly eliminating hurry. Busyness in the service of others is good. Hurry—that frantic, anxious rushing—is not. Jesus was often busy, but never hurried. He had time for interruptions and for what the Father called him to in each moment. These aren’t productivity hacks. They’re disciplines of love that help us steward our time to serve others and advance the gospel in our cities. ## **Making the Most of Our Time** God loves us and has created us for good works. His love calls us to faithfulness, to keeping the commitments we have made to ourselves and to each other. God has given us all the time we need to do what he has called us to do, but it must be stewarded well. God has called us to make the best use of our time for our personal goals and for the flourishing of our communities. His faithfulness to accomplish his purposes through our weaknesses means that, as we seek to be faithful, we can rest and trust him with the results. As you begin the new year, ask yourself: _What step can I take to make the most of my time for the good of others and the glory of God?_ > So teach us to number our days  that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Return, O Lord! How long?     Have pity on your servants!  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,     that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,     and for as many years as we have seen evil.  Let your work be shown to your servants,     and your glorious power to their children.  Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,     and establish the work of our hands upon us;     yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:12–17 (ESV) --- --- title: "A Quiet Revival" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-quiet-revival/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "It was Sunday morning, and Brad was all alone on Pinnacle Mountain. His grief was heavy. He needed time and space to process. He didn’t expect two middle school girls to walk up and talk to him. “The girls were" last_modified: "2025-12-03T21:51:18+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # A Quiet Revival It was Sunday morning, and Brad was all alone on Pinnacle Mountain. His grief was heavy. He needed time and space to process. He didn’t expect two middle school girls to walk up and talk to him. “The girls were part of Pleasant Valley’s middle school group having their worship service up there,” says Jonathan Storment, the church’s pastor. “He’s probably thinking, ‘Where are your parents? Why are they letting you talk to some strange man?’”  But the girls saw how sad he looked. “Are you okay?” they asked. “My mom died a year ago,” Brad told them. “I’m just kind of feeling that right now.” “Can we pray for you?” one of the girls asked.  The girls prayed with Brad and invited him to worship with their group. Brad agreed. The following Sunday, Brad came to Pleasant Valley Church of Christ’s service. After that, he joined the church’s men’s group, BetterMan. Four months later, he was baptized. “God was doing something in his life, and he’s not the same guy he was,” Jonathan says. “And that’s just one example among plenty of others. Every week, people we didn’t invite are showing up.” Jonathan pauses. “God is doing something. It’s a quiet revival. It seems like it’s happening everywhere, not just at our church. It’s really, really inspiring and exciting.” ## **Back to Their Roots** Pleasant Valley Church of Christ is part of the Restoration Movement, a 250-year-old movement that began with a vision for Christian unity. “It was basically like the OG nondenominational movement,” Jonathan says. “That’s what the goal was—unity.” But a hundred years later, many Churches of Christ, including Pleasant Valley, had drifted from that vision and became sectarian. “We’re the only ones going to heaven,” Jonathan says. “That’s what a lot of people know about Churches of Christ.” Fifteen years ago, Pleasant Valley’s leaders began spending time with Christians from other traditions through things such as Bible Study Fellowship. “They started opening their mind that they weren’t the only ones in God’s kingdom,” Jonathan says. The church’s elders decided they wanted to get back to their roots and focus on unity. In 2018, the church needed to find a new pastor to oversee this shift. They called Jonathan, who had been pastoring in Abilene, Texas, for sixteen years. At first, Jonathan didn’t think he was a good fit. But when he talked with the elders, he saw something that made him reconsider. “I could tell our elders were courageous. They knew this was a different trajectory.” Jonathan arrived almost ten years ago to shepherd the congregation through a huge change. “I’ve been here since 2018, and man, I think it’s one of the healthiest churches I’ve ever worked with.” ## **Thick Fellowship** “When people come to faith at PV, or they come from another tribe, one of the things they notice is how thick the fellowship is.” By ‘thick fellowship,’ Jonathan means a close-knit community where people actually show up for each other. When Jonathan and his family moved back to Arkansas, they moved into his childhood home. His parents rented it out for twenty years, and it needed major renovations. “200 people from the church spent thousands of hours just helping us.” When Pleasant Valley’s executive pastor’s fourteen-year-old daughter got blood cancer, the congregation surrounded the family with support. “I don’t think they made a meal for a year,” Jonathan says. “Stuff like that happens all the time. It’s quiet, and it’s just kind of assumed.” Jonathan says the church’s practice of singing a cappella reflects a culture of participation. Unlike churches with worship bands leading from the stage, Pleasant Valley’s entire congregation sings together. Every voice matters. “I love instrumental worship. The churches I’ve worked at in the past were instrumental. So, I’m not hung up on only singing a cappella,” Jonathan says. “But I can tell you, over time, it’s a spiritual habit that forms you. Church is not done by professionals. It’s done by all of us.” ![A cappella worship service at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG_13424-copy.jpg)A cappella worship service at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ ## **Good News to the City** Churches with a close-knit community can easily become internally focused. Pleasant Valley has resisted that temptation. “That’s one of the things I’m most proud of with our church,” Jonathan says. “You don’t want to invite people to belong to something that’s not worth belonging to. One of the things they have responded really well to is just to be the Good News to the city.” In March 2023, a tornado tore through Little Rock, devastating neighborhoods near Pleasant Valley. The church mobilized immediately, serving more than a thousand affected families. A Christian relief organization from Nashville provided supplies, but it was the local church community that showed up day after day. “People came out of the woodworks from Fellowship Bible Church,” Jonathan says. “It was our neighborhood that was affected more than theirs. They sent dozens of volunteers who worked hundreds of hours to serve people who weren’t their literal neighbors.” Pleasant Valley has also launched a college ministry at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Half of the UALR wrestling team now attends the church, including Caden Darwin—Charles Darwin’s great-great-grandson—who was baptized a year ago. At six-foot-six and 285 pounds, Caden is a tremendous wrestler. “At their first meet earlier this month, I looked around, and there were a hundred PV people here,” Jonathan says. “Half of them aren’t wrestling fans, but they’re fans of these guys. They really like these guys.” The wrestlers have become leaders on campus. “Those guys are on fire,” Jonathan says. “They’re preaching and doing stuff at their campus devotional that happens a couple times a week.” Rika came to Pleasant Valley four years ago as a Muslim from Iran. She was baptized at the church and now works as a greeter at Dillard’s and Walmart. She constantly invites people to church, so much so that both places have had to ask her to stop. “She can see the gospel for what it is. She didn’t grow up with it, and so she doesn’t take it for granted,” Jonathan says. “She’s the best evangelist we’ve got. So many people have come to faith through Rika.” Two years ago, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders asked whether anyone from the Middle East could pray at her prayer breakfast. Jonathan gave her Rika’s name. “It was the highlight of her life,” Jonathan says. “It was so cool watching Governor Sanders dote on her and honor her.” ![Church volunteers serving at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/A62B46CF-4C5E-4465-936E-156EABD99BF7.jpg)Church volunteers serving at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ ## **Going Deeper** For the last five years, the church has focused on discipleship groups (D-groups) where people learn what it actually means to follow Jesus. Hundreds of people have gone through these D-groups. These same-gender groups all begin the same way: with everyone sharing their spiritual autobiography. “During the first four to six weeks, you’re just sharing your own story,” Jonathan says. “When it’s your turn to share, you feel exposed and vulnerable. I’ve seen church leaders confess things they’ve been carrying around for a long time. Sometimes people share similar struggles, and you realize you’re not alone. But to be in a group of brothers where, after you share, this secret shame that’s been weighing you down is lifted, and you hear the other brothers say, ‘Is that it? God’s grace covers you, man.’”  After the spiritual autobiographies, the groups go through a catechism that covers the essentials of the Christian faith. That is followed by the group learning spiritual practices together. “The secret sauce is the spiritual autobiographies, confession, and then the practices,” Jonathan says. “You’re actually forming spiritual habits.” One woman who went through a D-group had recently divorced after an abusive marriage. She carried a lot of trauma from that relationship. “She said at the end of it, ‘This helped me heal more than any therapist ever could,’” Jonathan says. The church also runs Regeneration (ReGen), a recovery program that’s both a 12-step program and a discipleship tool. “People are finding sobriety from a lot of different things. Guys who have struggled with porn addiction for decades come out of hiding and can look people in the eye and say, ‘I once was, and now I am.’ The shame has lifted.” ![Women's discipleship group at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/53825ADA-0D90-4A98-9535-80DE2B70B807_1_105_c.jpg)Women’s discipleship group observing communion at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ ## **In My Father’s House** Pleasant Valley’s commitment to unity goes beyond its own walls. Years before Jonathan arrived, one of the church’s pastors, Jeff Spry, helped start City Connections, which works with churches, nonprofits, and community partners to serve needs in Central Arkansas. “City Connections is great. Most of our networking and working with other churches still happens through them,” Jonathan says. Through City Connections, Pleasant Valley serves alongside churches in initiatives such as the Hunger Relief Army. Jeff Medders, whom I’ve known for a decade, runs it. He goes to other churches, and they do food packing parties. It helps to feed hungry Arkansans and gets the churches involved, both monetarily but also with their time. Everybody from Senior Saints to a 10-year-old can help make those nutritious meals.” These partnerships across denominational lines reflect a conviction Jonathan shares often at Pleasant Valley. “One of the things we say at PV all the time is, ‘How many churches are there in Little Rock?’ One church.” “Jesus said, ‘In my Father’s house, there are many rooms,’” Jonathan says. “What unites us is way bigger than what divides us. I’m very grateful to get to call people at Fellowship Bible Church and St. Andrews and New Life and First Baptist my brothers and sisters in Christ.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of Pleasant Valley Church of Christ and other churches in our cities that are working together as one Church of the city. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Light and Life to All He Brings" url: "https://citychurchar.org/light-and-life-to-all-he-brings/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "At our Thanksgiving dinner this year, I asked what for me was an unusual question: “Do you have a favorite Christmas hymn?” I’m someone who typically resists starting Christmas activities until after Thanksgiving weekend. But this year, with the first" last_modified: "2025-12-02T17:48:42+00:00" categories: [Vision & Mission] --- # Light and Life to All He Brings At our Thanksgiving dinner this year, I asked what for me was an unusual question: “Do you have a favorite Christmas hymn?” I’m someone who typically resists starting Christmas activities until after Thanksgiving weekend. But this year, with the first Sunday of Advent falling on Thanksgiving weekend, the question felt right. I had been reflecting on how the Apostle Paul connects being filled with the Spirit, singing, and giving thanks in Ephesians. > Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20, NLT The responses from our family table—and others I asked throughout the weekend—were remarkably consistent. Two Christmas hymns came up again and again: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night.” ## **“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”** In _Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions_, K. W.  Osbeck shares:  > Written by Charles Wesley in 1739, the hymn emphasizes the glory of Christ’s birth and the peace He brings. Like many of Charles Wesley’s more than 6,500 hymns, this text clearly presents biblical doctrine in poetic language. The first stanza describes the song of the angels outside Bethlehem with an invitation to join them in praise of Christ. The following verses present the truths of the virgin birth, Christ’s deity, the immortality of the soul, the new birth, and a prayer for the transforming power of Christ in our lives. For more than 200 years, believers have been enlightened and blessed by the picturesque manner in which Charles Wesley has retold the truths of our Savior’s birth. _Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!__ __Hail the Sun of Righteousness!__ __Light and life to all he brings,__ __risen with healing in his wings.__ __Mild he lays his glory by,__ __born that we no more may die,__ __born to raise us from the earth,__ __born to give us second birth._ _Hark! the herald angels sing,__ __“Glory to the newborn King”_ ![Stained glass nativity scene](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AdobeStock_516160957.jpeg) ## **“Silent Night”** A few pages later, Osbeck tells the inspiring story of “Silent Night”: When this beloved hymn was written by two humble church leaders for their own mountain village parishioners, little did they realize how universal its influence would eventually be. > Joseph Mohr, assistant priest in the Church of St. Nicholas in the region of Tyrol, high in the beautiful Alps, and Franz Gruber, the village schoolmaster and church organist, had often talked about the fact that the perfect Christmas hymn had never been written. So Father Mohr had this goal in mind when he received word that the church organ would not function. He decided that he must write his own Christmas hymn immediately in order to have music for the special Christmas Eve mass. He did not want to disappoint his faithful flock. Upon completing the text, he took his words to Franz Gruber, who exclaimed when he saw them, “Friend Mohr, you have found it—the right song—God be praised!” Soon Gruber completed his task of composing an appropriate tune for the new text. His simple but beautiful music blended perfectly with the spirit of Father Mohr’s words. The carol was completed in time for the Christmas Eve mass, and Father Mohr and Franz Gruber sang their new hymn to the accompaniment of Gruber’s guitar. The hymn made a deep impact upon the parishioners even as it has on succeeding generations. When the organ repairman came to the little village church, he was impressed by a copy of the Christmas carol and decided to spread it all around the region of Tyrol. Today it is sung in all major languages of the world and is a favorite wherever songs of the Christmas message are enjoyed. _Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth._ _Silent night, holy night, Wondrous star, lend the light; With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born._ My oldest daughter, Christy, shared this about why she chose “Silent Night”: “It’s not just the beauty of the lyrics, it reminds me of memories growing up and that I am now sharing with my children of singing it at the end of our church candlelight service.” ## **Light in the Darkness** Both hymns declare the same wonderful truth: Christ brings light into the darkness of our world. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance” (Isaiah 60:2-3, NLT). The apostle John writes in the beginning of his gospel: “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:4-5, NLT). All three stanzas of “Silent Night” speak to Christ’s light, as does the third stanza of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” They echo Jesus’ own declaration: “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12, NLT). ![Candlelight service at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/93F680BC-8246-44CF-8020-EC9102FBAEE2_1_105_c.jpg)Candlelight service at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AR ## **Let Your Light Shine ** As we prepare to celebrate Christmas this Advent season, we remember that we are now children of His light, called to let our light shine. Paul writes: “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT).  He also writes, “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true (Ephesians 5:8-9, NLT).  And Jesus commands: “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16, NLT). The Christmas candlelight services Christy remembered illustrate this perfectly. One candle lights another, then another, until the entire room glows. A single light is beautiful, but a room full of lights transforms the darkness. The same is true for our churches. It’s beautiful when one church lets its light shine. It’s even brighter when churches across a city shine together. I am thankful for all the churches across Arkansas who are displaying the beauty and radiance of Christ this season—through light displays, Christmas programs, meals for the hungry, gifts for families in need, and countless other acts of generosity. Whether you have a favorite Christmas hymn or several, may we as individuals, families, and churches let our light shine this Advent and Christmas to display His radiant glory. --- --- title: "The Long Road Home" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-long-road-home/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "For nearly two years, Epoch Church had been homeless. After selling their downtown building in 2022, they became nomads, meeting on Sunday nights at First Baptist and then at Grace United before returning to First Baptist.  One week, Grant Harrison" last_modified: "2025-10-31T22:07:52+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # The Long Road Home For nearly two years, Epoch Church had been homeless. After selling their downtown building in 2022, they became nomads, meeting on Sunday nights at First Baptist and then at Grace United before returning to First Baptist.  One week, Grant Harrison didn’t know where they’d meet for the upcoming Sunday. He and Nathan James, Epoch’s co-pastors, looked all over Little Rock, but nothing was working out. Sunday was coming, and they didn’t have a place to meet. Grant knew he had to tell the congregation. “We don’t know yet,” he told them. He braced for the reaction. He’d understand if people were frustrated. They hadn’t met in one place consistently for a long time. He was ready to hear complaints or questions about whether leadership knew what they were doing. Instead, he heard: “Just tell us where we’re meeting. Whatever you find is fine. We’ll be there.” That moment has stuck with Grant. “There was never ‘You’re not meeting our expectations.’ It was always ‘We’re a church family. We’re in this together. We’ll figure it out.’”  Epoch Church has been on the move for 20 years. And while their location might have changed, one thing hasn’t: their belief that church isn’t a place. It’s a people. ## **California Dreamin’** Grant and Nathan have been lifelong friends. They met in elementary school, but didn’t become close until college. While studying at Ouachita Baptist University, they served together in a college ministry called Refuge. Grant led worship, and Nathan preached. It was a good pairing. They both served at First Baptist Arkadelphia under Pastor Clay Cunningham. Their time at First Baptist Arkadelphia gave them a glimpse of what church could be. “We started seeing that church is not ‘Youth do this, older people do that.’ It’s a family. This is what it means to be a part of the family of God,” Grant says.  During their last year at Ouachita, Grant and Nathan were thinking about life after graduation. Friends from California invited them to visit and check out Cal Baptist University. Grant and Nathan were more than intrigued. After graduation, they packed up everything and headed west. “We were done with Arkansas. We were never coming back.”  California was sunshine and beaches. And there were plenty of work and ministry opportunities. “We loved it. We still have great friends there.” Occasionally, they’d talk to friends and family in Arkansas. Both of them heard something in those conversations. Many of their friends from Ouachita didn’t have any real connection to a church community. “They would go to a different church every week because that was just something to do.”  Grant and Nathan felt the Lord stirring. “Maybe the Lord wants us to go back to Arkansas.” But they weren’t sure. However, the more they talked to people back home, the clearer it became—God was calling them back. To do what? That part still wasn’t clear. In 2005, they moved back to Arkansas with no plan. “We were just going to see what happens. We never thought about starting a church.” Grant and Nathan saw the people around them. They were hungry for something different. When the idea of planting a church came up, friends told them, “We want to do that.”  “You have to remember this was 2005,” Grant says. “There wasn’t a ton of church planting going on. We didn’t have a mother church. Nobody was sending us. So, it was really simple. Let’s get together.” On July 31, 2005, twelve people met at the Capitol Bistro in downtown Little Rock for an evening worship service. Despite having no plan or strategy, Grant and Nathan were now pastors of a church plant.  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/527539277_18520479595004339_3458688982349961632_n.jpg)Grant Harrison (left) and Nathan James (right) with their wives, celebrating 20 years at Epoch Church ## **Aging Out** For nearly 17 years, downtown was home to Epoch. After starting at Capitol Bistro, they moved to the Legacy Hotel. From there, they met at the Junior League on 4th and Scott. Eventually, they landed at a space on South Main for eight years before purchasing their own building across the interstate on 9th and Main. They stayed there for about a decade. In the beginning, the church grew through relationships. Congregants invited their friends, neighbors, and co-workers. But downtown residents were less open. “Most of the people had an experience with church that was not great,” Grant says. “These were younger people working in coffee shops and delis. They were a lot more liberal in their thinking and living. They didn’t want anything to do with churches. For the first time in my life, I was hesitant to tell someone I was a pastor.” Building relationships with their neighbors was slow. “It took about 10 years before we really started seeing fruit downtown,” Grant says. Sometimes, however, their best efforts had unintended consequences. When the church met on South Main, they wanted to be involved in the community. But things got complicated. “They thought we wanted to push our beliefs on them. We were part of the leadership for community events. When people found out we held to traditional beliefs, they quit talking to us.” The church realized it had to take a different approach. “We said, ‘We don’t want to lead anything. We just want to be a part of the community and serve.’” So, they served without expecting anything in return. For example, they helped The Root Cafe build a garden and fence for their restaurant. By 2019, a pattern had emerged. The church attracted young adults—singles, young couples starting their careers—who liked living downtown. They would come and be an active part of the community. But they’d get married and have kids. Many would leave downtown for the suburbs and churches that could better serve families. As Epoch’s leadership watched people “age out” and move away, they faced a decision. “Being a young church, we had always wanted older people in our community, but we were young pastors. Most older people probably aren’t going to listen to a 28-year-old pastor. I’m not saying that’s bad. They’ve lived a lot more life than I have.”  Grant and Nathan wanted Epoch to be multi-generational, but knew they couldn’t force anything. The truth is, becoming multi-generational wasn’t happening downtown. So, that year, the church put its building up for sale, unsure where the next chapter would take them.  ![Epoch Church service in gym](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/469552027_18474728557004339_2311505241476839138_n-copy-2.jpg)Epoch Church service in First Baptist’s gym ## **When Community Isn’t Enough** For years, Grant and Nathan had emphasized the importance of community. Deep relationships, having home groups, and being involved in each other’s lives. But then came a season that tested everything. “It was the hardest time I’ve ever been through in ministry,” Grant says. As Grant and Nathan walked alongside their people through that challenging season, “some people just didn’t have legs to stand on.” Both of them had to face a hard truth. “We were so focused on community that I wonder if we minimized Christ.” The experience forced the two pastors to think about the church’s priorities. “We wanted to make sure that our foundation is not a community. Our foundation is Christ, because community’s going to hurt sometimes,” Grant says. “If community is your foundation, it’s not going to last. I don’t care how great your relationships are. Everyone’s going to let you down at some point. Your foundation has to be on something solid. We didn’t understand that until after the fact.” The church came through that season stronger. But when their building finally sold in 2022—three years after putting it on the market—Epoch found themselves homeless. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/474493282_18483278911004339_27328709031506373_n.jpg)Pastor Nathan James baptizing one the church’s youth at Epoch Church ## **Rolling with the Changes** In 2025, after bouncing from church to church for two years, Epoch moved into a new home in Breckenridge Village. Their first service in the renovated space was this past Easter. Through all the changes and hardships, Epoch’s people have learned to be flexible. They understand that things don’t often happen quickly in their community. It wasn’t a quick process getting into their new space. “Our people have been 100% about this whole move of the last few years,” Grant says. “They’ve just been amazing.” They’ve opened their space to other organizations, such as Young Life and Likewise Worship. “We know what it’s like not to have a building. We said that we don’t want a place unless we’re using it—not just for us, but for anybody.” They’ve also started a NextGen group for youth, something they couldn’t do before because they didn’t have youth. Now that they do, they’re involved in different parts of ministry, whether it’s prayer before the service or serving communion. “They’re not separate. To be intergenerational, you’ve got to be it in all aspects.” Grant knows change is part of church life. “We’re going to have an open house for all the businesses here. That might change how we do things in the community. _How’s that going to look? _That could change a year from now, but that’s okay. We don’t have to have it figured out. It might sound cheesy, but we’re like clay. Every year, there’s a different shape to us. Sometimes, you’ve got to crush it and start over. If the Lord’s doing it, it’s going to be fine.” ![Epoch Church members after a service](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_5842.jpg)Epoch Church members after a service in the church’s new space in Breckenridge Village Despite all the changes, one thing has remained constant. “We’re a community that loves the Lord, loves each other, and wants to be the Church wherever the Lord has us. Right now, it’s Breckenridge Village. Who we are as a church is still to reach the lost for Jesus. It may look different than it did downtown, but our goal is still the same. We want to be a church that is a light in Breckenridge Village. We may not be a big church, but it doesn’t take a big church to do some big things for the kingdom.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of Epoch Church and other churches in our cities that are shining Christ’s light where they are. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "It All Begins in Prayer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/it-all-begins-in-prayer/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Sarah Bowen was disappointed. She’d been looking forward to the Collegiate Day of Prayer at Texas A&M for months, but she couldn’t find a babysitter. Usually, this wasn’t a problem. But this time, no one could help her. She’d have" last_modified: "2025-11-02T15:25:39+00:00" categories: [Events, Extraordinary Prayer] --- # It All Begins in Prayer Sarah Bowen was disappointed. She’d been looking forward to the Collegiate Day of Prayer at Texas A&M for months, but she couldn’t find a babysitter. Usually, this wasn’t a problem. But this time, no one could help her. She’d have to stay home while her husband, Jordan, went without her. Discouraged but determined to participate, Sarah watched the livestream from home. As the event unfolded, she felt something stirring. Halfway through, she muted the TV and started praying. “The Lord was really speaking to me about prayer for the city,” she says. “As I’m praying, He tells me, ‘I’m calling you to pray for revival in the city, but don’t do it alone.’” The day after Jordan returned, they traveled to Missouri for a funeral. On the drive, Jordan told her what happened at the event. “The Lord’s stirring me to unite churches to pray together,” he said. “To reach out to pastors, so we’re not praying by ourselves.” Sarah was stunned. They had heard the same thing. ## **Praying for Revival** Jordan is the teaching pastor at Hillcrest Community Church in Little Rock. His mentor is Bill Elliff, a pastor devoted to prayer and the study of revival. Jordan and Sarah met with Bill and shared what God told them. “You’re not the only people praying for revival here,” Bill told them. “Ask the Holy Spirit to show you who they are.” As they sat in Bill’s office praying, God revealed five ladies to Sarah. “It wasn’t an effort at all to contact them,” she says. “One of them, someone I had never met, reached out to meet with me. I would run into others and say, ‘What’s the Lord showing you?’ and they’d say, ‘God is moving so much, and I want to be a part of it here in the city!’” ![Sarah and Jordan Bowen](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_7498-2.jpg)Sarah and Jordan Bowen The same thing was happening to Jordan. The first person he met was Tim Caldwell, a pastor at Fellowship Midtown. Jordan asked him, “Who’s another pastor who has the same heart for praying for the city?” Tim mentioned Grant Harrison, the worship pastor at Epoch Church. In January, Grant had traveled to the UK to meet with pastors and see how the Spirit was moving there. “They kept saying, ‘It all begins in prayer,’” he says. “It wasn’t like they had 500 people coming to pray. There was weekly prayer, and sometimes eight people showed up. We sometimes think it’s got to be real big, but it was just faithful people seeking the Lord and asking Him to move.” Grant wanted to see something similar happen in Central Arkansas. “I don’t care about a program. We just got to start praying,” he says. The day after Jordan’s meeting with Tim, he and Sarah walked into 317 Coffee & Cafe. There, sitting at a table, was Grant Harrison. Jordan approached him. “You’re not going to believe this, but I have you in my phone to call.” They talked and understood that God was moving and calling them into something. They just weren’t sure what it was yet. “The Lord kept putting people on our path,” Sarah says. Over the following weeks, they spoke with about 15 pastors and ministry leaders who shared the same heart for revival. “So, we said, ‘Let’s get together and pray on Monday mornings for four weeks leading up to Easter.’” ## **Who’s Contending for Revival?** In March, the group began praying in a conference room at 317 Coffee & Cafe. “It was really powerful from the first time we met,” Sarah says. After the fourth week, everyone agreed. They needed to keep going and invite more people. Word spread, and it didn’t take long for the group to outgrow the conference room. Tim told the group that Fellowship Midtown could host the gathering, which is where the group has been praying ever since. Rod Vestal attends Antioch Community Church, where members have been praying for revival in the city since 2018. “My wife and I have been part of the Antioch Movement for many years,” he says. Back in November, Rod had been reading about past revivals, such as the Moravian Prayer Movement, which lasted over a hundred years. On November 19th, Rod wrote in his prayer journal: “Who is contending for revival in Little Rock? How can churches collaborate?” In April, Rod attended One Voice, a citywide prayer event at Hillcrest. His pastor introduced him to Jordan, who invited him to come to Monday morning prayer. “I went, and it was amazing,” Rod says. “I felt like this was my tribe. This is what I had been yearning for in our city.” Rod, a member of the Boomer generation, is one of the oldest in the group. At the front of his journal, he’s written a verse from Psalm 71: _Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation._ “My role here is to serve this generation and pray for them and spur them on.” ![Group praying together](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_1876-copy.jpg)Group praying together at Monday morning prayer ## **The Lord’s Prayer** Years ago, Jordan asked Bill Elliff to teach him to pray. “One of my favorite things is when Bill takes the Lord’s Prayer and breaks it down. We did that for years. _Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. _As we prayed that together, Bill would ask, ‘What would it look like for heaven to come down in my life?’ Then, Bill would expand the question. ‘What would it look like for heaven to come down _in your church_?’ ‘What would it look like for heaven to come down _in this city_?’ ‘What would it look like for heaven to come down _in the world_?’ “When we pray that prayer, we’re literally inviting the kingdom of God down onto earth. That’s what I think revival and awakening are,” Jordan says. “It’s heaven coming down. It’s the Lord’s Prayer being answered.” “I’m guilty of not praying, which is why I need Mondays,” Jordan says. “They remind me that this is the most important thing I can do. And it’s the most valuable thing we can do as churches. Jesus said, ‘All things are possible through me.’ Christ is constantly bringing us back to prayer, which is communion and fellowship with the Father. It’s intimacy. You can’t be intimate with Christ if you don’t talk to Christ.” “Not praying says we don’t need God,” Grant says. “If we’re not spending time in prayer, we’re saying, ‘Lord, we’ve got this.’ We’ve all been in that place, trying to do things in our own strength, and it fails every time. Those are reminders that it’s all Him. It begins and ends in prayer.” ## **A Move of God** Simple is the best word to describe the Monday prayer gathering. There’s no signage. No handouts. No PowerPoint. Just a pot of coffee and an open door.  The group meets in Fellowship Midtown’s atrium, an open space with open seating arranged beneath stained glass windows. People start showing up around 8:30 AM. After some brief announcements, Jordan leads the group into prayer. There’s no set structure. Jordan may call on the group to praise God with a word or phrase. He might direct them to prayer through scripture or spend time in confession. He may invite people to pray specifically for people and their needs. Someone with a guitar might lead the group in a worship song or two. Overall, the group goes wherever the Spirit leads them. The prayers you hear every Monday are bold. Prayers for revival and spiritual awakening. For healing and restoration. For God to transform their city and the world.  ![Monday morning prayer group at Fellowship Midtown](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_1878-copy-2.jpg)Monday morning prayer group at Fellowship Midtown “Every missionary movement started in a prayer room,” Jordan says. “What we’re seeing now is a move of God, because we’re coming back to recognize that prayer is the most important thing we could ever do. We’re inviting Him to do what only He can do in and through our lives. If you want to see transformation in your life, in your family, your church, and your city, you’ve got to be praying.” The group is praying for God to move. They’re seeing it happen in and around them. One church had a group of women praying for months, asking God for people to respond during services. Week after week, the altar stayed empty. Then, one Sunday, something changed. Instead of people gathering their things to leave, they filled the altar. Dozens of people bowed in prayer, crying out to the Lord.  Someone in the group was praying when the Lord said, “Go to the cafeteria at Baptist Hospital.” They went and met a lady there, who gave her life to the Lord in the middle of the cafeteria. Others have reported breakthroughs in relationships and how, all of a sudden, people are more receptive to hearing the gospel. “Hearing about little movements like these has been very encouraging,” Sarah says. ## **A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship** Josh Starks attends the Monday prayer gathering. One day, he was praying by the Arkansas River. “Lord, what’s the next step of obedience you’re calling us to?” he asked. The Lord told him to contact Jordan. The next day, Jordan was running by the river. He stopped to pray at the same spot where Josh prayed. His phone rang. It was Josh. “Both of us had the same desire for a united gathering of prayer and worship,” Jordan says. That conversation led to plans for A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship, a citywide event on November 9th at City Center in Little Rock.  There’s no elaborate setup and staging. No extensive marketing strategy. Just a simple black-and-white flyer and a couple of informational meetings to invite churches to pray. “It’s going to be simple,” Grant says. “We’re just coming together to pray and seek the Lord. And we’re going to wait on Him to move and see what He wants to do. That’s it.” News about the gathering is spreading by word of mouth. “We’ve been praying for favor,” Jordan says. “I’m going to stand before my church and encourage all of us to come. I have a good friend who says, ‘History is transformed through friendships.’ We’re just operating in our friendships. We’re just sharing and inviting people to come.” ![Flyer for "A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship" on November 9th at CityCenter in Little Rock](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1.jpeg)Flyer for “A United Gathering of Prayer and Worship” on November 9th at CityCenter in Little Rock For Rod, this moment represents something the Church desperately needs. “The Lord is inviting us to be part of the harvest in our day and time. This emphasis on prayer prepares us for the harvest. There are so many disturbing things happening in our world today, and this is an opportunity for the Church to release hope. Christ is the hope of the world, and He’s calling us and inviting His Church to be part of what is on His heart, and our desire is to delight Him. So, we’re saying, ‘Yes,’ to this invitation, and, in faith, we will see it. And we know that faith is what really pleases the Lord. In fact, we can’t please Him without it.” Jordan believes God is doing something unprecedented. “We’re seeing an increase in people coming to Christ, baptisms across the board. Europe is probably the coldest continent in regard to Jesus, but people there say they’re in a time of revival. It’s because there’s more prayer than probably ever before. What we’re seeing happen every 60 years or so is a generational shift. It’s repentance. It’s a return to Christ, to the gospel, and to prayer. God is uniting churches in that.” “We need faith that lives can be transformed, and a city can be fully consecrated unto the Lord. Revival and awakening really can happen,” Jordan says. “We need faith that our neighbors are going to come to know the Lord. That our families are going to be restored, and marriages are going to be stronger. That a world can change because of prayer, because of God. That the stories we read of are actually possible.” Every Monday morning, this group shows up to pray. And on November 9th, they’re inviting the rest of the Church in Central Arkansas to join them. --- --- title: "Seven Million Men Missing" url: "https://citychurchar.org/seven-million-men-missing/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In a recent podcast of The World and Everything In It, host Nick Eicher interviews David Bahnsen of The Bahnsen Group. The episode begins with this startling statistic: In the United States today, nearly 7 million men between the ages" last_modified: "2025-10-02T11:50:15+00:00" categories: [Series] --- # Seven Million Men Missing In a recent podcast of _[The World and Everything In It](https://wng.org/podcasts/moneybeat-missing-men-1759083682)_, host Nick Eicher interviews David Bahnsen of The Bahnsen Group. The episode begins with this startling statistic: In the United States today, nearly 7 million men between the ages of 25 and 54—prime working years—are out of work and are no longer looking for work. That’s one in ten of the entire male workforce in that key age bracket. Historically, that group has been nearly fully employed, at about 98 percent. Now it’s down to 89 percent. While the interview touched on some of the contributing factors, its primary purpose was to sound the alarm about a significant cultural trend that should concern all Americans, especially Christ followers who desire to see our communities flourish. In his recent book, _Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life_, Bahnsen writes: “The work rate for prime-aged men this last decade is lower than it was in the Great Depression! Does that not chill you to the bone?” He goes on to write: The trends, absolute numbers, and changes in ratios over time are too compelling to ignore an obvious message: We have an epidemic of worklessness, primarily in men, with different negative consequences depending on which demographic group we are talking about. Whether we are referring to young adults, the over-55 group, or those in their prime working-age period, the data is troubling. It speaks to a broad cultural reality that is eroding economic growth, suffocating productivity, and cutting people off from their God-created purpose. However, this crisis extends beyond economics. As Bahnsen reminds us, we are made in God’s image—created to be productive and creative. “We work because God worked,” he writes, “and in working, we find purpose and calling.” Work is woven into the very fabric of what it means to be human. ## **The Biblical Vision for Work** The importance of work and its relationship to our created purpose is one key aspect of human flourishing. In a previous article series, we explored how the Bible addresses six domains of flourishing that Amy Sherman identifies in her book _Agents of Flourishing_, including what she calls “the Prosperous”—the domain of commerce, work, investment, and economic opportunity. The biblical vision is clear: work is not a curse but a blessing. From the beginning, God entrusted humanity with the responsibility of stewarding creation—to tend the garden and cultivate its possibilities. We were made to be productive, creative image-bearers who meaningfully participate in our communities. When seven million men are disconnected from work, they are cut off from a fundamental way they express their God-created design. This is not merely an economic crisis. It is a crisis of purpose and identity. But we must understand the world we’re in. Sin has distorted God’s design for work. The Fall introduced scarcity, exclusion, and exploitation into economic life. Greed plagues every economic system. Yet even in our fallen world, we still bear God’s image and are granted intelligence, creativity, and strength to fulfill His mandate to be fruitful and multiply. Here is the question before us: What does it look like for Christ-followers to live faithfully in this world marked by both brokenness and possibility? How do we use our work, resources, and opportunities to help individuals and communities flourish, especially those seven million men who have given up looking for work? ![Man looking over cityscape](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AdobeStock_218647467.jpeg)“The work rate for prime-aged men this last decade is lower than it was in the Great Depression! Does that not chill you to the bone?” (David Bahnsen) ## **Four Themes To Live By** In _Agents of Flourishing_, Sherman offers four themes to guide the Church’s response: - **Living in alignment with proverbial wisdom.** “We must continue to live into the cultural mandate to work, steward, and produce—but with attentiveness to our new conditions postfall and to God’s instructions. God’s wise law, which he gives to us that we might find a measure of shalom east of Eden, provides counsel at both the personal and interpersonal levels.” - **Economic practices to empower and include the poor and oppressed. **“Because of the realities of human sinfulness and human frailty (given the fall, some community members are now weak, disabled, or infirm), humans must implement practices that prevent the vulnerable from becoming a permanent underclass.” - **Redeeming business. **“Because of common grace, believers and nonbelievers seeking to operate in alignment with the original purposes for business can do much good. A productive economy can help lift people out of poverty; indeed, the capacity for a for-profit business to do this is greater than that of nonprofit organizations or philanthropy.” - **Living in the King’s economy. **“We can push back against the idol of _homo economicus _by remembering and practicing our true identities as persons made in God’s image. This will require confronting the ways (subtle and not) we have been ‘conformed to the world.’ As Rhodes and Holt remind us, Jesus teaches Econ 101 differently. We must eschew the norms, values, and practices that are not in line with those of Jesus’ kingdom economy.” Each of these themes offers a pathway for churches to equip their people to contribute to the prosperity of their communities. In the coming months, we’ll explore each theme in depth, examining what it means practically to live out these principles in a world where millions have lost their sense of purpose in work. For now, we conclude with these reminders from Scripture: > We have been created for good works. Walking in the purpose for which God created us brings both good to others and life satisfaction for us.  Ephesians 2:10 > Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 > They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Isaiah 65: 21-22 May we encourage one another with these words. --- --- title: "The Greatest Hope" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-greatest-hope/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Charisse Camp wasn’t supposed to be there. She was a last-minute substitute for someone else who couldn’t make it to the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit on September 25th. She didn’t know much about CityChurch Network or what the Summit was" last_modified: "2025-10-01T16:07:45+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Events, Extraordinary Prayer] --- # The Greatest Hope Charisse Camp wasn’t supposed to be there. She was a last-minute substitute for someone else who couldn’t make it to the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit on September 25th. She didn’t know much about CityChurch Network or what the Summit was supposed to be about. “Probably just another conference,” she thought. Charisse works on the lobby team for Family Council and is the Executive Director for AR Future Foundation. She’s also a member of St. Mark Baptist Church. She walked into Sanders Hall at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock that Thursday morning and found her seat among over 50 pastors and nonprofit leaders representing more than 30 churches across Arkansas. Anthony Hampton leads CityChurch Network’s Flourishing Families in Schools initiative and serves as an elder at The Way Church Network. “You come in with this mindset that this is another one of those conferences where, even though they say it’s going to be this, you still come in with some sense of expectation that it’s just going to be a bunch of people talking to you about what they’ve done, what they’ve accomplished.” That’s not what happened. The Summit didn’t start with a keynote address. No breakout sessions. It began with prayer—three hours of it. The Summit was framed around Jeremiah 29:7: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” First, pray. Then, collaborate on ways to impact cities for good. “I’ve never been to an event like that. It was very eye-opening for me,” Charisse says. “I thought it was an excellent idea to start it out in prayer and worship and get our hearts and minds in a good place where we were humbled.” Logan Bloom, who leads CityChurch Network’s prayer initiative, and Pastor Jordan Bowen of Hillcrest Community Church led the prayer time. What happened during prayer set the tone for everything that followed in the 24 hours spent together. ## **Begin with Prayer** Leaders broke into small groups and prayed for one another. The group prayed through Psalm 85, a psalm of revival. They prayed for their churches, their cities, their nation, and the world. Harold Nash pastors Fellowship North in North Little Rock. For him, the simple format of praying together stood out. “I appreciated getting the opportunity to pray with other believers about God’s work in the city.” When it came time to pray in small groups, Jordan chose his group deliberately. “Probably the biggest highlight was when we got in groups of three or four. I don’t think I knew anybody in my group, which is what I wanted. It was really encouraging to be able to pray with pastors, to pray over their church, and pray for revival to begin in them and their church, and then for them to do the same for me and my church.” Jason Ancarrow directs CityChurch Network’s Arkansas Marriage Initiative. He’s also an elder at South City Church. “It’s easy to say everything should begin with prayer, but when you actually do it, you realize, ‘Oh, yeah. That’s why we begin with prayer.’ It really set the tone for the Summit.” Charisse describes what the extended prayer time accomplished. “We repented, we laid aside our agendas and our own thought patterns and plans. We laid it all at the altar to seek His will and His plan for our lives. It was refreshing and rejuvenating to spend that much time in worship and prayer with other believers before we even got into what our plans are, just to center our hearts on God.” ## **The Theological Theory of Everything** After dinner Thursday evening, Dr. Scott Duvall, New Testament scholar and professor at Ouachita Baptist University, shared a message titled “The Theological Theory of Everything.” Using 1 John 4:19, Duvall spoke about how everything starts with God’s love. “You can’t strive your way into _shalom_,” he said. “You have to receive God’s love first.” Keith Lape pastors River City Church in North Little Rock. Years ago, he was sent as a missionary to the inner city by his Church of Christ congregation. “Duvall’s message was so simple, but so real and on point and good for reorienting. All the complexities pretty much boil down to God’s love. Everything’s got to tie ultimately back into that.” Charisse connected Duvall’s message to the question of how cities flourish. “He talked about _shalom_ and nothing being broken, nothing missing. How do we get there? It’s through accepting. We have to first accept God’s love in order to properly demonstrate it to other people. We have to accept His love in order to pour that out.” Jordan brought a friend with him to the Summit. “I’ve been deeply praying with Will, praying for him. To hear Duvall’s words, I thought, ‘Man, I need that, but I know that the season Will’s in and that’s exactly what he needs to know—the depths of God’s love for him.’ I was really thankful. I’m so glad Will got to hear that.” ## **The Foundation** On Friday morning, Don Blackmore of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro spoke about marriage ministry as discipleship. The statistics he began with immediately captured everyone’s attention. 72% of all churches in America lack a substantive marriage ministry. 74% of all churches have no ministry for newlyweds. 93% of churches do not offer any ministries for singles. A large majority of churches report spending zero percent of their ministry dollars on marriage and relationship ministries. Harold Nash heard Don’s message and started thinking. He and his wife lead the marriage ministry at Fellowship North. “I enjoyed hearing how God is using Central Baptist in Jonesboro for marriage. It stirred me. I was thinking about the Air Force base in Jacksonville. There’s a couple in our church, and I was asking them if they knew of any marriage ministry happening on the base. I think that might be a good outreach opportunity to do marriage ministry there.” Keith took away something specific for his context. “I want to be more intentional about infusing language and teaching into my messages that highlight marriage and family, and cultivating holy relationships. Especially to help our people who come from generational poverty, especially our young folks, help cast a vision for them to see a new normal, a healthy normal. It’s God’s Plan A design, even though most of what they’ve experienced is more of the enemy’s Plan B.” Charisse sees strong families as the foundation for building a flourishing community. “In order to have flourishing cities, you have to have flourishing families. The foundation of any society is the family. If you’ve got strong men that are believers and strong leaders in their family, that creates strong marriages, which create strong families, because they raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. That foundation builds strong churches, which builds strong communities, which make strong cities, states, and nations.” ## **Next Step Conversations ** After Don’s message, leaders divided into four Next Step Conversations: Prayer, Equipped Leaders, Marriage Ministry, and Church/School Partnerships. The goal in these conversations was to get practical, for leaders to say, “So, what are we going to do about it?” Anthony Hampton led the church/school partnerships conversation with three people. “Pastor Minick and Pastor Russell were talking about connecting with Southwest High School. They want to teach the gospel and be bold about it. I began thinking about the resources and connections we have. FCA has connections at the high school. Instead of going around another way with all the headaches, let me connect you with them, and hopefully, there’s an inroad for you there.” Keith attended the prayer conversation. His next steps were specific. “Assess our prayer efforts with our church and in my larger ministry network and strengthen it. Make more public pleas to pray. Urge more prayer in our monthly ministry leaders luncheon amongst our Church of Christ preachers. Facilitate even more prayer, especially if I can cultivate the mindset of Spirit-led, scripture-fed, worship-based prayer. And then create more space for prayer in our gatherings.” Bill Reed coaches young men ages 18 to 35 through his organization, Navigation Strategies. He spoke about what the conversations were designed to do. “If you’re really going to affect change, you really must develop strategies. That’s what the next step does—develop a strategy. With all these good things, now what are we going to do? Do we just say that was good fellowship and go back to our regular places? Or do we go back with some type of plan to implement change?” ## **You Can’t Do It Alone** Philip Blunk pastors Impact Church in North Little Rock and serves as Church and Community Relations Coordinator for Amplify Fest. When asked why church unity is important, Philip says, “It’s Jesus’s prayer, primarily in John 17:20-23. We’re answering His prayer. It’s really simple. Jesus prays, ‘Lord, may they be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know the Father, that You sent Me and loved the world even as You love Me.’ That complete unity is the Church united on the day of Pentecost. They were all in one place, in one accord. So we really need to begin diving into that. Holy Spirit, show us what this means. What does complete unity that You’re praying over us mean for us as Your body in Arkansas?” Keith sees both obedience and cooperation in unity. “If it’s important to do things God’s way, and if it’s important to advance his kingdom, then we’d better obey His commands and follow them, which includes actively practicing the unity of the body and working together. One is obedience, and the other is kingdom concentrated cooperation through our connecting, communicating, and collaborating.” “My friend says history is transformed through friendships,” Jordan says. “In studying the Great Awakenings, everything could be traced through prayer and relationships. You can see how God moved in that way. The same with Paul. He ends Romans by listing names of people from different churches at different locations with different giftings, and how all of that played into the move God was doing through Paul and his missionary journeys. When I can collaborate with other leaders in a city to unite together, I know the Lord is building new friendships that will potentially provide new avenues to impact new people.” Anthony’s assessment is blunt. “If we don’t unite, we fail. God called us to walk in one accord. That’s what took place in the book of Acts. They were all on one accord when they were working together, and God got the glory for it. If we’re not living out the Great Commission, if we’re not living out the church of Acts that many of us boast and brag about and how it started, then what good are we doing? Our communities fail. People fail. Society fails. When the Church does not work together, then we fail.” But Anthony also sees hope. “It’s not too late to engage. It’s not too late to turn things around, to change, to really engage yourself in the moment, in the culture and the climate that we find ourselves in. The Church still has a place, and the Church needs to be bold and take its stand. We need to be unified and say, with one voice, ‘God is who we serve. Jesus is the only way. And we need to go live that out.’” Bill Reed sees the practical wisdom in unity. “There’s always safety in numbers. We’re not just Lone Rangers out here doing our things. We don’t need to compete with other churches. We’ve got enough people who are not going to anyone’s church—that’s who we go after.” ## **The Greatest Hope For Our Cities** Pray for and seek the welfare of the city. For twenty-four hours at the Summit, over 50 leaders from churches big and small did exactly that. They prayed. They collaborated. And they left with practical next steps to demonstrate the love of Christ to their neighbors. But the work is far from complete. The mission for a united church in Arkansas remains. That is the greatest hope for our cities. Real change is possible when we work together. And together, we are building flourishing communities. We are grateful for the exceptional work of churches across Arkansas—those who attended the Summit and those committed to real unity and real change throughout our state. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "A Vision for Flourishing Cities" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-vision-for-flourishing-cities/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "It was Spring 1995, and I was nearing the end of a wonderful year of participation in Class X of Leadership Greater Little Rock. It was a nine-month leadership program connecting community leaders to promote understanding and dialogue around the" last_modified: "2025-09-03T19:40:51+00:00" categories: [Events, Vision & Mission] --- # A Vision for Flourishing Cities It was Spring 1995, and I was nearing the end of a wonderful year of participation in _Class X_ of Leadership Greater Little Rock. It was a nine-month leadership program connecting community leaders to promote understanding and dialogue around the top opportunities and challenges facing our communities. Memories of those meetings have faded over time, but there was one meeting that I will never forget. The topic of this meeting was economic development. The presenter that day handed each of us a recently published booklet about life in Central Arkansas. It included information about housing, hospitals, schools, dining, shopping, and recreation. As I flipped through the booklet, I noticed one glaring omission. There was nothing about churches. Out of curiosity, I shared my observation with the presenter at the next break. He seemed surprised as well. Two days later, I received a letter apologizing for the omission. When I shared the letter with a fellow pastor, we both had the same painful feeling. Although some churches were doing good things, it didn’t even occur to the authors to include churches in the booklet. Once considered vital to a thriving community, the church had lost its place of influence. That new awareness was a sobering wake-up call to me and other pastors.  ## **Called to Faithful Obedience** The experience that day has stuck with me as I work with pastors every day who long to see the truth of Jesus Christ transform our cities. One question many are wrestling with is:  _What can we do to bring about real change in our community?_ The statistics paint a stark picture of why this question is so urgent. Arkansas has the nation’s highest divorce rate. We’re in the Top 5 for teen pregnancy and violent crime. One in three kids grows up without both parents in the home. Forty-one percent of families can’t afford basic necessities. Only 16% of seniors are college-ready. That data is clear—our cities need us. The Church can help. Sadly, fragmented efforts to bring about real change have frustrated many leaders. But I’m seeing something encouraging on the horizon. Pastors and leaders across Arkansas are beginning to catch a vision for what God commanded His people to do in Jeremiah 29:7. > Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. God gave this command to the Israelites while they were in exile, but the New Testament reveals that it remains relevant for us today. The Apostle Peter addresses Christians as “foreigners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11), reminding us that while this world is not our ultimate home, we are called to faithful obedience wherever God has placed us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Our goal as the Church is to bring heaven down to earth. In our homes. In our workplaces. In our schools. In our neighborhoods. In our city. In our state.  We become the salt and light that changes our cities when we do two essential things:  - Praying for our cities  - Seeking their welfare But what does it actually look like when churches do this in our state? ![Men praying at One Voice event](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Home-03-Initiatives-Prayer.jpg)Men praying at One Voice event ## **A Glimpse of What’s Possible** Lauren Linz, who oversees CityChurch Network’s Equipped Leaders Initiative, told me about a commissioning service that gave me hope for what’s possible when churches work together. Four churches—Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, South City Church, The Way Church Network, and Impact Inner City—had spent months collaborating through our Kingdom Cooperation project to train people as mission-ready disciple-makers. That Sunday, Lauren addressed the congregation: “Today, we are commissioning three ‘mission-ready’ couples who have completed in-depth studies of Acts and the first-century church, paradigm-shifting training that teaches how to facilitate great conversations, and a system for equipping someone in the First Principles of the Faith.” Neal Scroggins, pastor at Impact Church, told Lauren, “The initial conversations about bringing multiple churches together seemed insurmountable. However, this journey has been one of the sweetest I’ve had in my thirty years in ministry!” Adam Miller, Mission Pastor at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, had this to say: “This is so rare, but I pray we see more of it. What God started through Kingdom Cooperation is _exactly_ what Arkansas needs to expand the kingdom into broken and unengaged areas.”  These churches chose to work together because God’s kingdom is bigger than any one church.  ![Leaders being prayed over during Kingdom Cooperation's commissioning](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot-2024-02-22-at-10.28.12-AM-2048x1147-1-2.jpg)Leaders being prayed over during Kingdom Cooperation’s commissioning ## **Pursuing Shalom** We long for flourishing communities. The remarkable truth is that this longing isn’t wishful thinking. It’s what God has promised to give us. Isaiah 65:17-25 offers a breathtaking glimpse into the future reality of the new heaven and new earth—a place where joy and celebration replace sadness and grief, people live long and healthy lives, children are thriving, there is economic prosperity for all, and everyone feels safe and secure. In _Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society_, Amy L. Sherman explains how our longing for community transformation connects to the Hebrew concept of shalom: > The Bible teaches that we are made for four foundational relationships: with God, ourselves, others, and the creation itself. The Hebrew word _shalom _captures the notion of peace in these four relationships. Shalom signifies spiritual, psychological, social, and physical wholeness. And shalom is God’s normative intention for us. Shalom is what we find in his original creation, and shalom is what will characterize the new heaven and new earth in his consummated kingdom. Put another way, God designed us for flourishing. This is because, as Art Lindsey has said, flourishing is simply “shalom in every direction, personal and public. Flourishing extends beyond spiritual realities into tangible aspects of community life. The Thriving Cities Group at the University of Virginia has identified six endowments of community well-being that align with the biblical vision of flourishing: - The True — the realm of human knowledge and learning  - The Good — the realm of social mores and ethics  - The Beautiful — the realm of creativity, aesthetics, and design  - The Prosperous — the realm of economic life  - The Just and Well-Ordered — the realm of political and civic life  - The Sustainable — the realm of natural and physical health Throughout history, followers of Christ have been catalysts for community transformation. As Sherman writes: The saints who have gone before us contributed in major ways to the peace and prosperity of their cities. Notably, they did it from a variety of social locations, from the margins to the center of culture and places in between. They did it sometimes with sparse resources and other times with plenty. At all times they did it through rigorous thinking, fervent prayer, strong leadership, long-term commitment, and a willingness to sacrifice and suffer. With the same ingredients we too—as individual believers and corporate churches—can be used by God to influence significant, positive change in our communities. We, too, can be used by God to build flourishing communities and transform our state. When churches come together around a shared vision for flourishing, something powerful happens. Relationships deepen. Resources multiply. And what seemed impossible becomes possible. Instead of being invisible in the community, people can see a united Church as the greatest hope for our communities in Arkansas. ## **A Historic Opportunity** The Church can be that again. That is the conviction behind the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit on September 25th and 26th. Something like this has never been done in Arkansas—a statewide gathering of church and nonprofit leaders united around the vision of Jeremiah 29:7. Picture church leaders from Conway to Texarkana, from Mountain Home to Jonesboro, from different denominations and backgrounds, gathering with one shared purpose: to seek God and seek the welfare of the cities and people we love and serve. The Summit isn’t a conference where you sit, listen, take notes, and go home unchanged. In fact, it’s _not_ a conference. It’s a gathering of the Church in Arkansas to obey the two commands given in Jeremiah 29:7. Thursday will be devoted to seeking God together—extended time to prayer and worship as we cry out to the Lord for our cities. Friday will focus on collaborative strategies and practical next steps for impacting our neighbors and cities for good. ![Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit 2025 graphic](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1.png)The Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit will be on September 25-26 at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock. ## **Rising to the Occasion** Scott Harness, the lead pastor at That.Church in Sherwood shared his hope of what is possible when we work together:  > Think about all the things that would not have existed if it weren’t for cooperative work. We wouldn’t have mission work, hospitals, or orphanages. We wouldn’t have school systems like we have today. We wouldn’t have the Red Cross. We wouldn’t have nursing. We wouldn’t have the abolition of slavery. All of that is because of the cooperative work of the Church. The Church did big things back in the day because the Church worked together. There was cooperation. We should do the same thing. Then we would see things happen that we had read about, rather than just read about them. Our generation has an opportunity to do that. Scott’s hope is what’s driving the Summit—not to replace what individual churches are doing, but to amplify those efforts with extraordinary prayer and strategic collaboration. ## **The Time Is Now** In a culture marked by growing division, decline, and despair, the heartbreak isn’t found in statistics. It’s found in the lives of people we know. The couple at your church that can’t afford this month’s rent. Your brother, whose marriage is falling apart. Your coworker’s daughter, who can’t read at grade level. Your neighbor’s son, who asks his mom why other kids’ dads show up for their baseball games. These aren’t distant problems. They’re our neighbors. Our friends. Our family. And they’re looking for a reason to hope.  Let’s give them one. The Church has both the mandate and the resources to do something. What we often lack is the unity to multiply our impact. The Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit is an opportunity to change that as churches unite as agents of flourishing. We can write a new chapter in Arkansas—one where churches unite to bring glimpses of God’s kingdom to every corner of our state. Together, we can transform Arkansas.   The Summit will take place September 25-26, 2025, at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock. Click [here](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing) to learn more about this year’s Summit. --- --- title: "God of the Impossible" url: "https://citychurchar.org/god-of-the-impossible/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Nine people told Tony Hammack it was impossible. “You can’t just start a radio station,” they said. “It’s against the law without a license from the FCC.” There were no available frequencies in the Batesville area where he pastored, and" last_modified: "2025-09-06T04:57:08+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] --- # God of the Impossible Nine people told Tony Hammack it was impossible. “You can’t just start a radio station,” they said. “It’s against the law without a license from the FCC.” There were no available frequencies in the Batesville area where he pastored, and the FCC’s filing window wouldn’t be open for years. Tony was determined, but every path led to the same dead end. Tony believed God called him to start a Christian radio station. He’d produced a TV program while at his previous church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. “I thought if I could produce a TV program, surely I could do radio.” But every phone call left Tony discouraged. “I kept telling God that I couldn’t do it,” he says. “And He kept telling me, ‘Yeah, I want you to do it.’ So, I just kept calling people. I didn’t know what else to do.” The ninth person Tony called was Farron Dice at the WayFM radio network. Like all the others, he told Tony it couldn’t be done. Tony had heard the response so many times he burst into laughter. “I know! But I’m supposed to do this.” Farron laughed. “Hey, buddy. Where’d you say you live again?” “Batesville, Arkansas” Tony heard typing on the other end. And then silence. “You’re not going to believe this,” Farron said. “There’s a radio station in your area that’s gone dark. If you can work something out with the owner, you can get that frequency.” Initially, the frequency owner was reluctant, but Tony persisted. After several meetings, she gave the frequency to Tony. In 2008, the station launched. Today, KBAP 88.1 FM broadcasts praise and worship music across Independence County, reaching beyond Batesville. Every Thursday morning at 10:00, Tony hosts a talk show. “I interview different people. It’s usually the same guys, though. These grumpy old men. They’re mad about the world, and it’s awesome. I have a blast with those guys.” The station went on the air one year after Tony arrived in Batesville to pastor Jubilee Family Church. He was willing to pursue the radio station, believing that God could do the impossible. The same could be said for his church. For Jubilee is not a place where you’re likely to hear “It can’t be done” from anyone there. ## **Do We Have Anybody Who Can Score?** Tony coached high school basketball for nine years. In all that time, one thing stood out above the rest. “There are basic fundamentals in basketball. There’s footwork, ball handling, passing, and rebounding. All those things are really important,” Tony says. “But there’s one statistic that is the most important. You can do everything well, but if you can’t do this, you’re going to lose every single game. It’s scoring. You’ve got to have somebody on your team who can shoot.” Tony sees a parallel to life in the church. “We’ve got people who can stack chairs. Pick up the Kleenexes after Sunday service. We’ve got people who can run the sound system. Strum a guitar. Sing. We’ve got people who can speak. But do we have anybody who can score? Is there anybody who can make a disciple?” Tony’s conviction about making disciples through relationships comes from his own conversion experience. Raised as “a humanist with a little bit of hedonism on the weekends,” he knew virtually nothing about Christianity when he came to faith at 17. His first mentor, Aaron Layton, showed him what Christian living looked like in practice. “He would roll out of bed and roll right into prayer every day. He carried his Bible everywhere he went. He didn’t drink. Didn’t have sex with girls. He just lived this out in front of me. It was amazing that I had this guy in my life.” ![Pastor Tony Hammack of Jubilee Family Church in Batesville, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Untitled.jpg)Pastor Tony Hammack of Jubilee Family Church in Batesville, AR “There are no shortcuts to discipleship other than spending time with people. You can’t just sit a guy in front of a whiteboard and tell ’em a bunch of stuff and expect that to do the trick,” Tony says. “You’ve got to really love that guy. You’ve got to build a real relationship. I’m a hundred percent for teaching the Bible. But it’s nice to see a human being who’s living it out.” At Jubilee, Tony puts this philosophy into practice using resources like _Real Life Discipleship: Building Churches that Make Disciples _by Jim Putman. “I’m using it with the people I’m discipling at the church. It’s intentional. It’s a ‘come and follow me’ model. Pretty simple. You just do stuff with people. If a person can get the concepts of Jesus’ discipleship ministry, I think that’s a pretty good thing to do.” One of the men Tony is discipling is a retired school teacher. “He got into trouble, ended up homeless, and went through a recovery ministry. He just plugged in at the church, and he’s super faithful. We talk every single day. He burned some bridges, and I’m trying to help him reconcile with his kids.” Among its members, Tony sees two kinds of people within their church. “There are some who are cool to just come on Sundays. ‘I need to get my battery charged, and I’m good.’ Then there are those who are really hungry and want to do more. I’m really excited about both groups. Jesus had a multitude. But Jesus also had the 72, the 12, and then the 3. Some people aren’t content to just be there. They want to turn the world upside down for Jesus.” ## **Creating a Stir** Batesville moves at a different pace than Little Rock or Bentonville. It’s a small town of about 11,000, and you don’t have to travel far to get everything you need. “If you’re a hustle-and-bustle kind of person, Batesville might not be your place,” Tony says. “But if you want to throttle down a little bit and enjoy your life, it’s a great place to live.” At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of Jubilee’s members approached Tony. “Pastor Tony, do you want to give away produce?” Her parents owned a farm in Missouri and had extra food that would spoil if they didn’t get rid of it. Tony was open to the idea. “Sure. Why not?”  He went to the police to warn them about potential traffic jams, but they didn’t seem too concerned. When the first 18-wheeler pulled up to the church, no one at Jubilee could have imagined what it would lead to.  What started with one truckload quickly escalated into more deliveries, causing quite a stir in an otherwise quiet community. Cars lined up for miles to receive boxes of produce. This tiny congregation of about 80 had undertaken a project that would challenge churches several times its size. Several weekends into the distribution, an angry police officer showed up demanding to know who was in charge. When he found Tony, the officer told him, “You should have told somebody you were going to do this.” “I tried to warn you guys!” Tony told him.  Weekend after weekend, the church rallied in the sweltering Arkansas heat. Volunteers organized traffic flow, stationed people at multiple loading points, and coordinated the logistics of moving pallets. Prayer teams walked through the car lines asking, “Is there anything we can pray with you about?” Some people waited for hours in line just to see what the commotion was about. By the time it was over, the church had given away nearly 500,000 pounds of produce. “I was super proud of the church,” Tony says. “People here still remember it. They say, ‘Hey, man. That was awesome. Thanks for doing that.’ We, as a church, had this opportunity to seize the moment, and we took it.” ## **Nine Minutes** Bob Stegall sat in the congregation in his wheelchair, hooked to an oxygen tank with tubes in his nose. Bob suffered from pulmonary fibrosis and was already in hospice care. He knew his last day was drawing closer and closer. He and his wife Annie had driven from Calamine to attend revival meetings with evangelist John Kirby at the church.  When Kirby walked up to Bob, he asked, “Are you ready to get out of that chair?” “I sure am,” Bob replied. Tony watched in amazement as Bob pulled the tubes from his nose, locked his wheelchair wheels, and slowly pushed himself to his feet.  “Come with me. Walk with me,” Kirby said. Bob’s wife, Annie, whispered to Tony: “If he stands up for longer than thirty seconds without oxygen, he’s going to turn blue and pass out.” “I wanted to stay close to Bob because I wasn’t sure if he was going to receive a miracle or if he was going to collapse and fall to the ground,” he says. But Bob didn’t collapse. He stood upright. For nine minutes.  The congregation burst into applause and shouts of praise. ![Bob Stegall taking his first steps](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bobs-first-steps.jpg)Bob Stegall taking his first steps After the service, Bob talked with others, said goodbye, and pushed his empty wheelchair out the door. The next night, he returned—without his wheelchair, without his oxygen tank—and sat through the rest of the revival as though nothing was wrong. When the hospice worker came to Bob’s house to remove his bed, he was shocked. “I’ve never done this before,” he told Bob. “When I come in to take a hospice bed, it’s because the person has died.” ## **Spiritual Deliverance** Recently, one of Jubilee’s members was in crisis. She had endured severe trauma in high school that led to cutting and suicidal thoughts. After giving her life to Christ, she experienced years of relief. But those thoughts returned with renewed intensity. “She told me, ‘I’ve had the worst week. I want to kill myself,’” Tony says. She asked Tony and a worship leader to come to her house and pray for her. When they arrived, they understood that this woman was under demonic oppression. Tony asked her if she would be willing to renounce the evil spirit oppressing her. One by one, they renounced how it was manifesting. First, anxiety. Then, depression. When they got to suicide, she faltered. Whatever was oppressing her did not want that word coming out. “She would say, ‘s-s-s…sui…s-s-s…sui’” Tony says.  After she had finally renounced the evil spirit, the woman told them, “I feel sick.” She went into the bathroom and threw up. “I’ve seen this before in cases of demonic oppression — the physical response when the spirit leaves,” Tony says. “Her suicidal thoughts left her immediately.” When she came out, she looked like a different person. “She’s no longer suicidal. She’s happy now.”  Tony acknowledges that many are skeptical about stories of healing and deliverance, but that doesn’t bother him. “I’m not too worried about the skepticism. I’m more interested in the truth,” he says. “I just throw the newspaper on the porch. What you get out of it is up to you.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jubilee-Aug-25-2025.jpg)Worship service at Jubilee Family Church ## **God’s Business** On the surface, Jubilee may look like an ordinary small-town church. But spend enough time there, and you will discover a community that operates by a different set of principles. They believe God is still in the business of doing the impossible.  And in the quiet town of Batesville, He is doing just that. We are grateful for the exceptional work of Jubilee Family Church and other churches across Arkansas that are equipping people with the truth and believing God for the impossible. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Our Moment in History" url: "https://citychurchar.org/our-moment-in-history/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "August is the time when families are preparing to go back to school. Children are excited about new school supplies, new clothes, reconnecting with friends, and getting back into sports. Some parents, like their children, are looking forward to returning" last_modified: "2025-08-05T16:40:30+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources] --- # Our Moment in History August is the time when families are preparing to go back to school. Children are excited about new school supplies, new clothes, reconnecting with friends, and getting back into sports. Some parents, like their children, are looking forward to returning to the school routine. For some, it may be a special moment that brings a mix of emotions. The anticipation of a family whose first child is going to school. For others, it could be their last child is starting school, or a high school student beginning their senior year, or beginning college. For a group of students preparing to start the school year in September of 1957, it was anything but routine. That year would not only be life-changing for nine African-American students and their families, but it would also be a pivotal moment in Arkansas and U.S. history. Many of us are familiar with those heroic students remembered as the Little Rock Nine. They had to be escorted by the 101st Airborne Division through angry mobs and braved tremendous abuse that school year to integrate Central High School. Each year in September, we remember and honor the names of Minnijean Brown, Terrence Roberts, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, Jefferson Thomas, and Carlotta Walls—and the courageous sacrifices they and their families made to move toward racial equality in our education system. While their story is well known, there was another act of courage that morning that deserves to be remembered. ## **An Unfamiliar Hero** Recently, I learned about a white pastor, Dunbar H. Ogden Jr., who also made a courageous contribution to that historic moment. His story is told in the 2008 book _My Father Said Yes_, written by his son, Dunbar H. Ogden III. Ogden and his family moved to Little Rock in 1954 to pastor Central Presbyterian Church. In that same year, the _Brown v. Board of Education_ Supreme Court decision declared state-sponsored segregation unconstitutional. On August 30, 1957, a federal judge ordered the integration of the Little Rock Schools to go forward. On September 2, the day before school started, Governor Orval Faubus ordered an armed detachment of the National Guard to surround Central High. He said it was because of evidence of disorder and threats of disorder. The Little Rock School Board instructed the black students to stay away on September 3rd. Later that day, a federal judge ordered integration to start the next day. That evening, Daisy Bates called Ogden. She asked him, as the leader of the interracial ministerial alliance, if he could rally a group of white ministers to accompany the boys and girls to school the next morning. He agreed to contact as many clergy as possible and to meet with the students the next morning, but also communicated that he did not know if he would accompany them. Of the dozen or so ministers he called that night and who he thought most likely to go with him, all but one declined out of fear. Ogden wrestled through the night about what he should do, and when he left the next morning to meet the students at 12th and Park, he was still undecided. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Little_Rock_integration_protest.jpg)Rally at the Arkansas State Capitol to protest the integration of Central High School, 1957. Photo credit: John T. Bledsoe, Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons. ## **8:09 AM** It was at 8:09 AM, one minute before the scheduled 8:10 AM departure time, that Ogden decided to accompany the students. As his son later recalled, in that moment Ogden, “had the really strange feeling, as clear as day he felt ‘This is right; this is what I should do.’ There was not the slightest doubt, but that I should do it. I ought to do it. And I felt this was the will of God for me. Every bit of fear just drained out.” “All right,” he told the students, “we will go with you.” Dunbar III writes: > In that moment, he made a choice that would change his life and the course of history. He turned and began to walk down Park toward Central High. He did not look back. The little band followed along two here and three there. My father led out. Then the black students and David (Dunbar III’s brother). They were confronted by a mob as they reached the front of the school. Dunbar III goes on to describe the scene: > A movement of soldiers shifted just behind the armed line. The line opened. Out stepped Lt. Col. Marion Johnson, commander of the troops, tan shirt with stars, a heavy helmet hooding his eyes, middle-aged, beginning double chin, a mouth set for giving orders, a thick white nightstick in his grip. He stuck the baton at Carlotta Walle’s stomach, at Ernest Green’s chest. An aide, rifle up, stood beside him. My father stopped. The group collected in front of Lt. Col. Johnson. The mob closed in a half-circle behind the children. In the silence, it was Ogden who spoke first. “Are you here to see to it that these children enter this school or to prevent them from entering?” Colonel Johnson made it clear that the children could not enter, and then he and the soldiers turned and marched back to the safety of the school, leaving the group at the mercy of the white mob. During the following year, Dunbar Ogden went on to be a prominent spokesperson for truth and justice during this pivotal moment in our history. In the book’s foreword, Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes: > During 1957-58, Dunbar Ogden and Daisy Bates formed an unlikely coalition and became the leaders for school integration in Little Rock. He was a white Presbyterian pastor. She was a black journalist who, with her husband, owned and edited the black newspaper in town. They supported each other and, by example, gave each other courage.” He goes on to write: > Dunbar Ogden and Daisy Bates maintained surprisingly little contact with each other. Yet they had one thing in common. They faced terrible opposition from within their own communities, as well as from outside. Within a year, Ogden’s congregation would force him to leave town, and within two years, Bates’s customers would force her to shut down her newspaper. But because of their collaboration, they affected a turning point in American education—the integration of Central High School. This story of moral courage in 1957 speaks directly to the challenges facing Christian leaders today. ## **A Civilization Moment** Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV). It was out of his deep faith and regular practice of spending time in God’s Word that Dungar Ogden had clear conviction about what was true and the clarity and courage to act in a way that influenced his cultural moment for good. How will we respond to our moment? In Acts 17, Paul says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” (Acts 17:26, ESV). Like the Little Rock Nine and Dunbar Ogden, God has created each of us and appointed us to our particular time and place. In 2025, we face another pivotal time in our history. It is what Os Guinness has called a “civilization moment.” In a recent interview, Guinness explained: > Some people are misusing ‘civilizational moment’ as a fancy word for the present moment. No, it has a real definition. A civilizational moment is that period, not a day, a period when a civilization loses touch with what made it great. And when that happens, it faces three broad choices. Either it must renew the civilization, replace it with an equally adequate one, or decline and fall. Now clearly, our Western civilization is a Christian civilization that owes a lot to the Greeks and the Romans. But its principal source is the Gospel rooted in Judaism. The intended replacement was the Enlightenment, which espoused many of the same Christian truths, only without God and without the Bible. It wanted reason and progress without God, and that has failed. And that’s why we’re at this civilizational moment. Either there’s a renewal of the Christian faith, or the West is declining and will fall. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Frame-16-2.jpg)Os Guinness in _Truth Rising_ ## **Truth Rising** Guinness’s powerful message is featured in the new documentary film _Truth Rising_, developed by the Colson Center and Focus on the Family, and scheduled to release on September 5th. In addition to the documentary, a free small-group Bible Study will be available. In a culture that’s redefining truth and identity, _Truth Rising_ offers a Christ-centered path forward. Watch the documentary and then start this six-week small group study. The study invites you to explore four themes: - Hope in the midst of chaos - Truth that never changes - Identity rooted in Christ - Calling to live faithfully in today’s world Through engaging video sessions and guided discussions, you’ll be equipped to stand firm in your faith and live with clarity and courage. Whether you host a group or join one, this is your opportunity to grow spiritually and connect deeply with others in your church family. As John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, emphasizes in the film: “We can make a difference in the world, and we’re in this time and place in history because God wanted us there.” ![Truth Rising social graphic](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/TruthRising_square2000X2000.jpg)The Truth Rising documentary premieres September 5th. As pastors and Christian leaders, may we respond to our time in history by leading our churches to understand our moment in history and to stand for truth with courage, clarity, and conviction. The question each of us must answer is the same one Dunbar Ogden faced at 8:09 AM that September morning:  _In our moment, will we choose to act?  _ Let’s rise together in truth and love. ## **Resources** Link to _Truth Rising_ trailer: [https://www.truthrising.com/trailers-clips/](https://www.truthrising.com/trailers-clips/) Link to _Truth Rising_ study promotional video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_6xu8_MHhk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_6xu8_MHhk) Link to _Truth Rising_ Pastor’s Digital Tool Kit that has graphics and banners: [https://fotf.app.box.com/s/gpcw69q1qqcx6cb7fg7uzydqz1iqav03](https://fotf.app.box.com/s/gpcw69q1qqcx6cb7fg7uzydqz1iqav03) --- --- title: "Hold All Things Loosely" url: "https://citychurchar.org/hold-all-things-loosely/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In January 2010, Central Baptist Church faced an impossible decision. They were about to send 350 of their core leaders across town to plant the Journey Campus. Young families. Committed leaders. Financial supporters. The very people who made Central Baptist" last_modified: "2025-08-05T17:53:42+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] --- # Hold All Things Loosely In January 2010, Central Baptist Church faced an impossible decision. They were about to send 350 of their core leaders across town to plant the Journey Campus. Young families. Committed leaders. Financial supporters. The very people who made Central Baptist what it was would be leaving. Don Blackmore, Adult Discipleship Pastor, remembers the weight of that moment. “We were sending our best,” he says. Would Central Baptist survive losing so much of its foundation? The decision came down to a principle that had long guided the church, taken from 2 Corinthians 9:6: “If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly. If you sow generously, you reap generously.” Central Baptist believed in this principle. Instead of hoarding their best, they were willing to give them away. At first, they were discouraged. “We sent 350 people over there. A lot of our core families left, and it seemed like Central had lost a lot of momentum,” Don says. Then came God’s response. Don marvels at what happened next. “God said, ‘I’ll see your 350 and I’ll add another 700.’” The results proved a simple truth the church had long lived by: > I have learned to hold all things loosely, so God will not have to pry them out of my hands. Corrie ten Boom The willingness to hold all things loosely would also take on personal meaning for others at Central Baptist. ![Worship during a service at Central Baptista](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/483591482_1041391018018332_9221114476116576330_n.jpg)Worship during a service at Central Baptist ## **Never Too Old** The moment that changed everything for Ceila Torres came at a missions conference in 2021. There, she found herself standing before a missionary’s booth covered with photos of children, and something broke inside her. “I looked at those pictures, and it shredded my heart,” she says. She was staring at dozens of faces, children from around the world. “They’re all lost. I’m looking into the eyes of lost children.” Then she heard the call clearly: “God said, ‘Okay, you’re mine, you’re going.’” At 61, most people her age slow down. They pick up hobbies. Spend time with grandchildren. Go antiquing on weekends. Not Ceila. Despite having deep roots, three loving daughters, and a 22-year teaching career in Jonesboro, she left everything to become a missionary in Cape Town, South Africa, through Send Relief, a crisis response and compassion ministry. Her daughters were “taken aback a little bit” when Ceila told them. But they had seen her heart for missions before. “They said, ‘If that’s what God has called you to do, we’ll support you,’” Ceila says. Before her departure, Ceila reflected on her life-changing decision. “When you’re serving God, it’s the most exciting thing in the world. It is so empowering to know that you’re in God’s will,” she says. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s scary to be leaving everything that you’ve ever known. But He goes before me, and I’m not worried about that at all.” Ceila’s story shows what happens when Central Baptist’s culture takes root in individual lives. The same principle that led them to send away 350 core leaders compelled a 61-year-old woman to cross an ocean to serve. “I want everyone to know that you are never, ever, ever too old to serve God,” she says. “The older you are, the more life you’ve experienced. God has empowered you to help others in more and more areas because you can relate to people on so many different levels.” ![Ceila Torres of Central Baptist Church Jonesboro](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-04-at-2.37.25-PM.jpg)Missionary Ceila Torres of Central Baptist Church ## **Finding Purpose** As an older widow, Ms. Peggy felt sidelined at Central Baptist. She watched others serve while she wondered about what she could do. One day, Senior Adult Pastor Jay Jacobs invited her to help prepare a local school for the new year. Ms. Peggy spent the day alongside thirty other senior adults, hands busy decorating bulletin boards, moving chairs, and assembling office furniture. After they finished, Ms. Peggy sought out Jay. “I want to thank you for finding me something to do,” she said. “Most of the time we get put on the shelf, but you found something that I could do, and for a whole day I got to serve Jesus by loving on that school.” Jay had watched this transformation happen repeatedly among senior adults who felt sidelined. “To me, that’s the home run when we connect people,” he says.  For Ms. Peggy’s generation, there’s no expiration date on finding your purpose. ## **Every Generation on Mission** Jacob Simmons arrived at Central Baptist as a college student. He met Jonathan Freeman, Central Baptist’s NextGen Pastor, who started mentoring him. “Jonathan was very instrumental in my life, walking with me through a very dark season,” Jacob says. In one of their conversations, Jonathan helped Jacob see a different future. “He told me, ‘You can’t take away the past. But if you’re going to pursue Christ and look forward, you’re going to be a disciple who makes disciples.’” That mentoring relationship gave Jacob a new outlook. It also captured the kind of culture that marks Central Baptist as a church on mission. “Being a disciple who makes disciples has been embedded into everything,” he says. “As people get raised up, it just leaves room for them to leave. We’ve developed that culture really well as far as having great Senders and great Goers.” ![NextGen Pastor Jonathan Freeman and his wife, Sarah](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/494195036_1082506410573459_4305681489479377095_n.jpg)NextGen Pastor Jonathan Freeman and his wife, Sarah Now Jacob serves as Young Adult Pastor, leading over 100 young adults every Tuesday night at The Gathering. Soon, he will leave to plant Central Baptist’s church plant in Columbia, Missouri. The college student going through a dark season has become the sent-out church planter, a complete embodiment of Central Baptist’s philosophy. For younger leaders like Ethan Glenn, the pattern continues. He came to Central Baptist in 2019 when his girlfriend convinced him to visit. Wrestling with his calling, he found a church that saw potential where others might see inexperience. “What I saw coming in as a young guy was if you wanted to get involved in some area of ministry at this church, you had every opportunity,” Ethan says. “If you show up wanting to serve, there will be a place for you.” After serving as an intern at the church and teaching at a local high school for two years, Ethan joined the 320 Network residency program, which builds future leaders and plants multi-generational churches. ## **The Harvest Continues** Central Baptist’s willingness to build up leaders and send them out has created a multiplication effect that extends beyond Jonesboro. They’ve planted churches in Spokane, Washington, and are preparing to plant one in Columbia, Missouri. The Paragould campus, launched seven years ago, now averages 1,800 people on Sunday mornings and has already outgrown its building. But the real measure of success isn’t in numbers. It’s the people. While they baptize around 300 people annually, each one represents a changed life. It’s in the transformed lives of people like Ceila Torres, who proved you’re never too old to serve God, and Ms. Peggy, who found purpose later in life. It’s in young leaders like Jacob and Ethan being raised up as church planters. This summer alone, 29 college students embarked on six- to eight-week mission trips. Five are now in the process of becoming full-time missionaries through the International Mission Board. Through Central Baptist’s marriage ministry, they’ve led over 30 marriage retreats, helping strengthen marriages before they reach crisis. ![Commissioning of young people participating in Central Baptist's summer short-term mission trips](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/494503724_1082675167223250_4541804017024092951_n.jpg)Commissioning of young people participating in Central Baptist’s summer short-term mission trips “We’ve been blessed at Central Baptist with how much missions has mattered in our church,” says Kenzie Flippo, Missions Pastor. “It really is a church of obedience.” What began as a leap of faith in 2010, sending away 350 core leaders, proved that their long-held principle works even in the most challenging circumstances. They do, indeed, hold all things loosely. And over the years, they’ve learned that you really can’t out-give God. We are grateful for the exceptional work of Central Baptist Church and other churches in our cities that are equipping leaders to live on mission wherever they are. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Only God" url: "https://citychurchar.org/only-god/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Mitch Tapson didn’t want to go. He’d worked all day, and a Tuesday night association meeting on the other side of Arkansas didn’t seem worth the effort. But his church secretary was the clerk for the association and needed a" last_modified: "2025-06-21T02:03:59+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Extraordinary Prayer] --- # Only God Mitch Tapson didn’t want to go. He’d worked all day, and a Tuesday night association meeting on the other side of Arkansas didn’t seem worth the effort. But his church secretary was the clerk for the association and needed a ride. So Mitch went. During the meeting, Mitch stared at the catfish on his plate and tried to pay attention. He was beyond tired. “I was like a zombie.” Just a few routine reports and catching up with friends. Nothing remarkable—until Jordan Bowen spoke. As it turns out, Jordan didn’t feel like going to the meeting either. He only went because he was one of three pastors scheduled to speak about their church plants. When Jordan started sharing, Mitch leaned in. “Jordan’s a very exciting preacher to watch. Very animated,” Mitch says. “That caught my attention. But what really caught my attention was when he said: ‘We’re in the Hillcrest area.’” After the meeting, Mitch introduced himself. He discovered Jordan’s church was two blocks from his. “You could throw a rock and hit it. They were meeting in a school. The church was just Jordan, his family, and a few others from Oasis Church in Maumelle. He was one of four pastors sent out to plant an Oasis church in Little Rock.” Later, the two men got to know each other over coffee. “In those early moments, I heard his story and he heard mine. It just clicked.” ## **A Friendship That Changed Everything** When Mitch arrived at Woodlawn Baptist Church in 2011, the congregation consisted mainly of senior adults. “It was a good little church, but people get older. As they get older, they go into nursing homes or assisted living or die. And since we had no one coming in, every person that left was one less person there. Over the years, we got down to 25. Some Sundays we would have 15. There were a couple of Sundays when I not only preached but also played the piano and led music. You just can’t grow a church like that.” Down the street, a small group started meeting in Jordan’s home. Within five weeks, they had run out of space. Pranay Borde, another pastor sent out with Jordan, recalls, “Through that group, there was a teacher at a special ed school down the road. They had a small indoor playroom. They let us use that for a little while. A few chairs, two mics, and a rug for a stage. That was it.” “I have a friend who says history is changed through friendships,” Jordan says. “Every move of God, every great awakening, every revival, all of it is connected through friendships. I feel like that’s so much of our story. When I met Mitch, I knew this was a man I wanted to do life with. He’s going to be a friend. I called my dad after we met and said, ‘God’s about to do something.’” “It was the idea that he needs what I’ve got and I need what he’s got,” Mitch says. “We never said that out loud, but it was a mutual understanding. Going into the fall of 2019, we began to talk about having two churches in one space. It’d be two distinct churches with two different services. Everybody thought that would work.” Then one phone call changed everything. ![Jordan Bowen preaching](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HillcrestCommunityChurch_May18_2025-7041-copy.jpg)Jordan Bowen preaching ## **A Season of Pain** “The week we moved into Woodlawn was the week that Oasis started the process of dissolving,” Jordan says. “It was painful for Pranay and me to be planting a church and, through a phone call, realize our sending church is no more. I was in a lot of pain, trying to lead people who were in pain. All of us were operating in that. But we had such a dear friend in Mitch in that season.” Jordan reached out to another friend and pastor, Bill Elliff. “Bill was my mentor during that painful season. I told him, ‘I need help. I don’t know what to do.’ I asked, ‘Can you teach me how to pray?’ because I had no other option. Honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened. Through the pain, God birthed a praying church. All of us became a family of friends who had nothing else to do but pray.” Pranay remembers the prayer of one lady from Woodlawn, Miss Becky. “She told me, ‘I’ve been praying for something different at this church.’ I asked how long. She said, ‘Sixty years.’ I said, ‘Sixteen, that’s cool.’ That’s what I heard. And she told me, ‘No. _Sixty_ years.’” Pranay was stunned. “No one prays that long anymore. People move churches if they’re uncomfortable for sixty minutes. But she had been faithfully praying, and the answer to her prayers had come.” In early 2020, the two churches still had separate services. When the pandemic hit, both shut down. “By May, we said, ‘We cannot not be the Church. We’ve got to start meeting again,’” Mitch says. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we just have one service for everyone?’ That’s when the floodgate opened. That was the inspiration to become one church. Looking back, COVID-19 was a blessing to us because it expedited everything in one fell swoop.” “There was a lot of heartburn with a few guys from Woodlawn. They had such a strong attachment to the church,” Mitch says. “They didn’t want it to disappear. One of them was going to sue us. But, in the end, it worked out. I mean, it had been working all along as far as our friendships. Jordan and I had developed a rhythm together. So in August, we officially became Hillcrest Community Church.” ![Mitch Tapson praying with church members](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HillcrestCommunityChurch_May18_2025-6895-copy.jpg)Mitch Tapson praying with members of Hillcrest Community Church ## **Never Stop** As a new church, the focus of their prayers was ‘only God.’ “We want our story to be something that only God could write,” Jordan says. “We came to the point where we said, ‘The best place we can be is desperately depending on the Lord.’ We’ve asked Him to keep us in that place.” Jordan recalls one Sunday that made that prayer feel real. “You could just sense God’s presence during the service. Later, he found out Miss Donna, another Woodlawn member, had been praying through the entire service in the library, which was being repurposed as a prayer room. The room wasn’t finished yet. No announcements were made about it. “When we realized she had been in there the whole time, we said, ‘Never stop.’ Since then, she and many others have been praying for every person in the service.” Today, despite health challenges, Miss Donna still shows up every week to pray.  “This is a group of men and women who just keep saying, ‘We will desperately depend on the Lord.’ Again, it’s just friendships. We were praying for grandmas and grandpas in the faith. We were young and people from other countries. We knew we needed friends. They needed friends.” Through friendships and prayer, a culture began to emerge at the church. And that culture shaped the church’s desire to be on mission in their neighborhood—and beyond. ![Pranay Borde talking with a church member at Hillcrest Community Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.09.29 PM-copy.jpg)Pranay Borde talking with a church member ## **In the City for the Nations** Today, Hillcrest Community Church lives out its mission to be a church in the city for the nations. “Our mission is more than a tagline. It’s what we’re about,” Mitch says. “We have twenty different nationalities that worship with us. We have a Burmese congregation that comes in on Sunday nights. My church was a group of 25 aging people. Jordan’s church was a young group with no place to meet. And through a catfish dinner, God brought us all together.” One of the most powerful expressions of the church’s mission happens in worship. “We have people from other countries who worship here,” says Leslie Harper, Hillcrest’s worship leader. “So I want our worship to look a lot like heaven.” Leslie incorporates worship songs in different languages, such as Hindi, Ebo, Telugu, and Spanish. She often has international members lead worship. “I want them to be able to worship in their heart language. It’s beautiful to see their love for Him on their faces. It’s made my love for Jesus and His Church grow.” Many who attend Hillcrest come from UALR, a university near the church. “We want to reach the nations that have come to Little Rock. Primarily families, but also international students,” Jordan says. Pranay works with the university’s Dean and their master’s students. The Vice Chancellor has asked him to oversee the onboarding of all international students. “We’re working with other churches to make sure every international student is hosted by a believer and loved by a believer so that they can experience and then hear the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Jordan says. “We had a worship service at UALR last fall. We baptized eight students in the swimming pool there,” Mitch says. “It was several churches and on-campus ministries like the BCM and Chi Alpha—all working together,” Jordan says. “It all began with a girl from Italy, who came to Christ at the Unite Us event at UALR. She got baptized here and said, ‘I think God wants to do something on my campus.’  It’s all been student-led, a lot of track-and-field people. It’s beautiful to see God put all the pieces together so that only He gets the glory.” “We’re a transient church. Many of our church members are foreign passport holders, including students and contract employees,” Pranay says. “We might have someone for the summer. Or an undergraduate for four years. God has entrusted His sheep to us for a time before they’re on their way to another people or untouched soil. For us, it’s a question of, ‘Are we making the most use of that time?’” That time, though brief, can have an eternal impact. “Rosita, an Indonesian, led a young woman from Iraq to the Lord and baptized her,” Jordan says. “Last year, Pranay and Rosita were working with another young woman, Conctia, a Brahman from the priestly caste in India. A couple of months ago, she accepted Christ and was baptized on campus in front of hundreds of students, including her Hindu roommate. To see the nations be able to reach the nations and say in front of the entire school, ‘I used to think Jesus was a God I could add, but He’s the only God.’ It’s the Lord, a hundred percent.”  “We’re looking forward to August, when we’ll have new international students,” Pranay says. “Despite the political chaos, God is still opening doors. How are we being faithful, from picking them up at the airport to bringing them into Christian families, knowing that God may lead them elsewhere? We have to value our link in the chain.”  ![Leslie Harper leading worship at Hillcrest Community Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.07.13 PM.jpg)Leslie Harper leading worship ## **A Shared Story** As Hillcrest Community Church approaches its fifth anniversary, and Woodlawn its hundredth, Jordan reflects on the friendships that made their shared story possible. “We want our story to honor Oasis and their value and impact in our lives. We want it to honor Brother Ray Williams and CityChurch Network. They helped us realize that we should unite others in prayer. Now, churches are praying every Monday for revival and awakening. I want to honor Bill Elliff, who taught me to pray and kept me from giving up. And I want to honor Mitch. He’s my best friend.” But a story only God could write is not confined to the borders of Little Rock. The church’s international leaders are taking the gospel back to their home countries. One leader, Benny, went back to India last year with Pranay. Another leader, Rosita, recently returned from leading a team to Indonesia.  “God is the great Author,” Jordan says. “We pray that God would take every part of our lives and write a story that fully glorifies Him. That expands His kingdom in the city for the nations. That He would be the main character of our story—as individuals, as families, as a faith family.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of Hillcrest Community Church and other churches in our cities that are desperately depending on the Lord through prayer. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Steve Needs Our Encouragement" url: "https://citychurchar.org/steve-needs-our-encouragement/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "What a difference a year has made. Steve’s friend had invited him to attend an outdoor music festival called Amplify with him. He usually didn’t attend this type of event, but he knew one of the groups performing. And, best" last_modified: "2025-06-21T02:12:16+00:00" categories: [Equipped Leaders, Events] --- # Steve Needs Our Encouragement What a difference a year has made. Steve’s friend had invited him to attend an outdoor music festival called Amplify with him. He usually didn’t attend this type of event, but he knew one of the groups performing. And, best of all, it was free. Aside from the August heat, the different artists and the event atmosphere were better than he had anticipated. But what was life-changing was the message. It came through from many of the artists, but most from the speaker, Nick Hall. He clearly presented the good news of Jesus Christ. Steve realized he had never trusted in Christ, and that night, he decided to follow Him. William and Kayla came to Amplify for the first time after hearing about it on social media. At the festival, they went to the prayer tent to ask for prayer. They shared how William had lost his job, lost his truck, and they were in danger of losing their home. After praying for these needs, the prayer team leader asked them if they knew Jesus as Savior and Lord of their life. After a conversation about what this meant, they were asked if they wanted to be sure they knew Jesus. They said, “Yes,” and prayed to receive Him. They were encouraged that someone from a church would be reaching out to encourage and explore next steps to continue growing in their faith. Steve, William, and Kayla represent just three of the 1,700 people who responded to the gospel message that weekend at Amplify. Each person has a unique story, but they all share at least one thing in common. They are new to the faith or at a vulnerable place in their spiritual journey and need the help of a spiritual community to grow and mature. ## **A New Opportunity** On August 8th and 9th, thousands will hear the gospel clearly proclaimed at this year’s Amplify. Hundreds, maybe thousands, will respond. One crucial question is, “How will the body of Christ in Central Arkansas steward opportunities to come alongside those who have made a decision and help them to continue following Jesus?” At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20 NLT). There are two parts to his primary command “to make disciples.” The first part is to baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is what we refer to as the evangelism aspect of discipleship. The second is to teach a Christ follower all that Jesus commands. This means that after the Amplify event has ended, the discipleship process for many will have just started. I am confident God will accomplish His purposes in the lives of every new believer. Or as Paul writes: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns”_ _(Phil. 1:6 NLT). My prayer is that many churches across Arkansas will experience the joy of participating in this exciting opportunity. ![Nick Hall sharing the gospel at Amplify](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/484239390_1177885853731291_1805442851714107747_n.jpg)Nick Hall sharing the gospel at Amplify. ## **Learning from Paul’s Example**  How can we prepare to participate not only in the harvest at Amplify but also in the work of establishing new believers in the faith? Paul’s letter to recent converts in 1 Thessalonians gives us helpful insights. Consider the following. **He prayed for them.** “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers” (1:2) “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (3:12-13) **He was relationally connected with them and lived in a way that demonstrated his concern for them.** “You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” (1:5) “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.  “For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.” (2:7-9) **He observed and commended them for the evidence they showed of their conversion.** “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1:6–9) **He treated them as family. ** “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.  “For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” (2:7,11) **He enlisted others to assist in the process of strengthening their faith.** “Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,** **and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.” (3:1–3) ![Attendees at Amplify](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/469544517_18466148986040597_6811350401486233135_n.jpg)Attendees at Amplify ## **Three Essential Practices to Follow** How might we follow Paul’s example as we follow up with someone who has decided to follow Christ at an event like Amplify or in any setting where the gospel has been proclaimed? Approaches will vary depending on the situation, but here are three essential practices to consider. **Connect with them relationally.** Whether you’re reaching out to someone you know or a stranger, start by listening. Ask questions. Learn their story. I’ll admit, I’ve sometimes seen response cards as tasks instead of people. If the connection feels hard, will we persevere to build a relationship? A vital part of that connection is confirming their understanding of the gospel. Clarify that salvation is by grace through faith, not through works or church attendance. **Invite them into your church family.** Invite them to be baptized as a step of obedience and a public declaration of their faith in Christ. Invite them to your church’s new member class. Invite them to participate in environments in your church where they can develop relationships and grow in their faith. Trust God’s timing, but don’t give up on people. **Establish them in the faith.** Provide an intentional and ordered growth path that will establish a person in the essentials of the faith. One resource widely used internationally and by churches in our state is _The First Principles Series,_ developed by BILD International. For more information on this excellent tool, contact Lauren Linz at [llinz@citychurchar.org](mailto:llinz@citychurchar.org) or visit the BILD International [online store](https://store.bild.org/the-first-principles-series-overview/). ## **Praying and Preparing for the Harvest** What if 2,000 people or more respond to the gospel at Amplify?  May we, as churches, pray that God will open the hearts of those who attend. May we encourage our people to be prepared and serve by relationally connecting with those who respond, inviting them into our church families, and implementing effective plans to establish every new believer in their faith. > And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 To get tickets to this year’s Amplify or learn how your church can get involved, visit [amplifyfest.org](https://www.pulse.org/amplify/). --- --- title: "Flourishing Cities Summit" url: "https://citychurchar.org/flourishing/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Our Cities Need Us. The Church Can Help. Join leaders across Arkansas working together for the good of our cities. The Arkansas Flourishing Cities SummitSeptember 25–26, 2025Geyer Springs First Baptist Church (Little Rock, AR) Thursday 1:00-8:30p | Friday 8:00a-12:00p Feeling" last_modified: "2025-09-09T20:06:21+00:00" --- # Flourishing Cities Summit # **Our Cities Need Us. ** **The Church Can Help.** Join leaders across Arkansas working together for the good of our cities. **The Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit** September 25–26, 2025 Geyer Springs First Baptist Church (Little Rock, AR) Thursday 1:00-8:30p | Friday 8:00a-12:00p [**Save my spot**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) ## Feeling Concerned About Your City? As a society, we’ve never been more divided. Culture is in steep decline, and people are losing hope. - Marriages are in crisis. - Families are struggling to meet basic needs. - Students are falling behind academically. - Children are growing up without someone to guide them. - Communities are facing near-insurmountable barriers. - Leaders feel isolated and lack support. - Fragmented efforts limit the Church’s impact. - Real change feels impossibly out of reach. [**Register now**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) ## **Together, We Can Transform Arkansas** The Summit is more than an event. It’s a statewide gathering of church leaders: **Seeking God Building Relationships Advancing God’s Kingdom Together** At the Summit, you’ll experience: - **Stronger connections** to the wider body of Christ in Arkansas - **New and deeper relationships** with kingdom-minded leaders like you - **Collaborative conversations** for citywide transformation through prayer, leader equipping, stronger marriages, and church/school partnerships. - **Practical next steps** to impact your neighborhoods and cities for good ![Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit graphic](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CCN-Flourishing-Cities-Summit-2025-Social-Cover-1.png) # Speakers ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2016-12-07-duvall-3057168622-copy.jpg) **Dr. J. Scott Duvall** Dr. J. Scott Duvall is a distinguished New Testament scholar and professor at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he holds the J.C. and Mae Fuller Chair of Biblical Studies. He also serves as a senior professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Duvall has significantly influenced biblical scholarship through his co-authored works, including Grasping God’s Word, Living God’s Word, and God’s Relational Presence. His research interests encompass spiritual formation, biblical interpretation, the book of Revelation, the life of Christ, and New Testament Greek. Beyond academia, Dr. Duvall is known for his pastoral heart, mentoring students and contributing to the broader Christian community through his writings and teachings. **Don Blackmore** Pastor Don Blackmore has been serving as the Adult Discipleship Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, since June 2006. With a passion for guiding individuals to become fully devoted followers of Christ, he leads various ministries focused on family and care, including support groups and discipleship programs. Pastor Blackmore also extends his ministry beyond the church walls by serving as a volunteer chaplain for the Jonesboro Police Department and the Arkansas State Police. He and his wife, Barbara, have four married daughters and are dedicated to investing in marriages within their church and community. ![Done Blackmore](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/donblackmore.jpg) [**Save my spot**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) ## **A United Church is the ** **Greatest Hope for Our Cities** CityChurch Network of Arkansas is a relational network of churches working together for the good of our cities. **Helping the Church Fulfill Its Mission** For 25+ years, we’ve connected, equipped, and mobilized churches to show the love of Christ to their neighbors. **Bringing Leaders Together Across Arkansas** Join leaders in our network who are committed to building flourishing communities. “I have known the CityChurch Network Leadership for more than twenty years. They have a proven track record of uniting churches for the good of the community. I highly recommend that every Christian leader connect with them to help bring significant transformation to their city and ministry.” — **Robert Lewis**, Pastor [**Register now**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) ## **3 Simple Steps** Take these easy steps towards transforming your community for the better, starting today. **Register** Secure your spot at this historic event. **Invite Others** Bring other leaders from your city to attend with you. **Attend the Summit** Pray and network with others. Leave with practical next steps to impact your neighborhood and city. [**Save my spot**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) ### **We Can Do More Together** In God’s kingdom, there are no Lone Rangers. It takes all of us. In a time when division, decline, and despair grip our communities, your heart longs for a flourishing city. You know the impact of broken families, youth struggling to find their way, and the mounting problems your city faces. Yet, the efforts to bring real change often feel disjointed and ineffective. But there is good news. _Hope flourishes in unity._ **The Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit** offers a solution: a united network of churches committed to extraordinary prayer, equipping leaders, and strengthening families. By attending the Summit, you will gain new connections with kingdom-minded leaders and leave with practical next steps to impact your neighborhood and city for good.  Together, we can make our state a place where everyone can flourish. [**Register now**](https://citychurchnetwork.my.salesforce-sites.com/default/CnP_PaaS__home?sid=a3hUx000001DigzIAC&mode=site) --- --- title: "Walking Out of the Fog" url: "https://citychurchar.org/walking-out-of-the-fog/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "The message men often hear is that there is something inherently defective in the male character. Many men today feel discouraged, devalued, and demoralized.  Like all of us, men tend to live up—or down—to the expectations placed on them.  Boys" last_modified: "2025-06-20T22:43:08+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources] --- # Walking Out of the Fog > The message men often hear is that there is something inherently defective in the male character. Many men today feel discouraged, devalued, and demoralized.  Like all of us, men tend to live up—or down—to the expectations placed on them.  Boys are performing worse than girls at all levels of education. […] Men are more likely than women to be homeless, to suffer mental illness, to wind up in prison, to commit suicide, to be murdered, to be addicted to drugs or alcohol. Men’s workforce participation has dropped to Depression-era levels. In recent years, men’s life expectancy has even gone down, while women’s has remained the same. The _New Scientist_ says, “Being male is now the single largest demographic factor for early death.” **Nancy Pearcey **_The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes_ ## **A Manhood That Works** _What does it mean to be a man?_ The answer used to be clear. But times have changed, and today many men are confused. They don’t know what’s expected of them. They lack purpose. And they’re disconnected from a larger vision of manhood. Many drift through life in a manhood “fog.” Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Without a True North, men feel lost, rudderless. With no guide to follow, they’re left to answer life’s most important questions alone. In our culture, we see the rise of a “weightless” manhood. Or as C.S. Lewis put it in _The Abolition of Man_: > We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful. The world looks very different than it did two generations ago. The lines between male and female roles have blurred. Marriage is in decline. Cohabitation is rising. Most children born to moms under 30 are born outside of marriage. Sexual norms have changed, and gender is seen as fluid. The ground is shifting, and many men are asking, “Where do I stand?” Is there a vision of manhood that works in today’s world? One that’s rooted, reliable, and life-giving? Can men find their way out of the fog and into a purpose worth living for? That’s what Sean Robertson was searching for. ## **Something More** When he was younger, Sean attended Men’s Fraternity, a men’s study created by Pastor Robert Lewis. He couldn’t fully articulate why, but it spoke to something deep inside him.  Over the years, he had been part of different men’s groups. He enjoyed them, but he wanted something more. “I wanted something where men could be ‘raw and real’ with one another. Something that would stoke the fire and challenge the warrior in a man,” Sean says. “God created us to be in battle for Him and to engage without fear because His Spirit is in us. To embrace the fight for manhood. Full armor.” Around that time, Sean’s pastor invited him to visit Downline, a program designed to equip believers to know God’s Word and make disciples. After visiting, Sean was hooked. He signed up for the year-long course.  ![Sean Robertson](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_9430.jpg)Sean Robertson At the last session, his instructor gave everyone a challenge: _Pray about who God is calling you to disciple._ “My heart was burdened for men,” Sean says. When a friend told him to check out an interview with Robert Lewis talking about his latest project, BetterMan, Sean was intrigued. He saw an opportunity and signed up to lead a group. However, he had two problems. He had no men and no place to meet. Sean prayed and God provided twelve men to do BetterMan with him. The group was a mix of men at different stages and walks in life. Recent high school graduates. Men in recovery. Businessmen. Men who hadn’t been to church in a long time. Sean thought the dynamic was perfect. “It demonstrated God’s power and creativity, just like the disciples Jesus called.” They wanted to meet somewhere that didn’t feel like church. “We needed a place with a good vibe,” he says. One of the men pitched an idea: “I know a guy that we just built a barn for.” The moment Sean stepped inside the barn, he knew it was the right place. ## **The Barn** For twelve weeks, the group met every Tuesday morning at 5:30. People must have wondered what the men were doing in that barn so early, but it was really about what God was doing. The men shared things they’d never shared. Experienced breakthroughs. Confessed sin. Prayed for one another. Learned to forgive. Found freedom and real identity, many for the first time. Before the last session, Sean remembered his Downline instructor’s challenge. Sean challenged each man: _Go and find another guy to join you for another group._ Tom was part of the second group. Years earlier, he got burned by the church and refused to ever step foot inside of one again. But a friend invited him, and to everyone’s surprise, Tom agreed to come. At first, he was quiet and distant. “Tom might have been there, but not all of him,” Sean says. That changed at the third meeting. The evening’s format was different. There was no teaching and discussion. The men shared a meal together. After dinner, they split into table groups, and each man shared his life story.  “At first, Tom was resistant to the idea. But he had to share. There was no way out of it.” Once he started sharing, the dam broke. “Tom poured his heart out to those guys. On the way home he had to pull over to the side of the road to just sob. He was so overcome with emotion.” God was working on Tom. His relationships with his wife and daughter changed. He re-engaged in church community. He’s led multiple BetterMan groups and currently disciples other men.  Mark also joined one of the groups. He told Sean that BetterMan helped him define the kind of man he was made to be. “His wife saw the change,” Sean says. “One day she came up to me and asked, ‘What are you doing with my husband?’”  To date, seven groups have gone through BetterMan. Everyone has noticed the change in the men, including their wives. “Where’s BetterWoman?” they asked. So, Sean’s church, Holland Chapel, established Real Woman with groups meeting weekly now. ![Men having dinner during BetterMan in a barn](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_4370.jpg)Sean’s BetterMan group meeting in the barn ## **No Empty Booths** A few years ago, Sean began meeting two graduates of BetterMan at a local restaurant at 6:00 a.m. to continue their journey together. The rhythm eventually became a ministry called Verses. “It’s simple,” Sean says. “We break bread, get in the Word, and sharpen iron. One guy picks the verse, we study it during the week, and he shares a story of how it’s impacted him. Then we walk through it together and talk about how to apply it.” The group grew. One day, Sean said, “Wouldn’t it be great if God filled the whole restaurant with men for Verses?” That’s exactly what happened. Eventually, the restaurant’s manager told them they were breaking the fire code and crowding out other customers. So, the group moved to the farmer’s market in downtown Benton. Today, there are additional Verses groups in Bryant, Arkadelphia, and North Little Rock. “These stories are just the tip of the iceberg,” Sean says. “There are so many more I could share about other men.” It all started with a simple desire: something more for men. With each step of obedience, God made a path for Sean and the men who followed. And it changed them. ![Men meeting for Verses, a men's ministry](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-3.13.06 PM3-2.jpg)Men gathered for Verses in Benton, Arkansas ## **One Community Away** All around us are men who feel lost and confused. But many of them hunger for more, for something real. Some chose to re-engage. To lean in. Men who were one community away from transformation and found it. That’s what makes stories like Sean’s so powerful.  We’re grateful for churches in our network that are investing in men. For men’s groups calling them into a manhood that’s rooted, reliable, and life-giving. For the mentors guiding younger men. For the husbands and fathers who show up every day to love and lead like Jesus. To churches that may not yet have something specific for men, we invite you to ask: “How can we help men grow into who God made them to be?” The answer isn’t just about doing more. It’s about seeing the opportunities right in front of you. They’re there. It’s about being intentional with men and giving them a clear vision of manhood.  When they have it, it changes everything. And we all benefit. ## **Something is Happening** Recent data gives us reason to hope. Barna’s _State of the Church_ 2025 report reveals a significant spiritual resurgence among young adults, especially young men. Since 2021, commitment to Jesus among U.S. adults has jumped from 54% to 66%, representing nearly 30 million more people who now say Jesus is central to their lives. Gen Z men have experienced a 15-point rise in commitment since 2019. Millennial men report a 19-point increase. In a reversal of long-standing trends, young men are now more likely than young women to say they follow Jesus. Barna CEO David Kinnaman says, “We are seeing interest in Jesus that is growing among those who do not otherwise describe themselves as Christians, indicating that many of the new followers of Jesus are not just ‘recycled’ believers. Along with younger generations coming to Jesus, this is another strong sign that interest in Jesus is brewing in new population segments of society.” God is moving. Men are waking up. Their hearts are open.  The fog is lifting. For more information about BetterMan, visit [betterman.com](http://www.betterman.com). For more information about Verses, visit [versesconnect.com](http://www.versesconnect.com). Note: The section “A Manhood That Works” was adapted from Session 1 of BetterMan | Core. --- --- title: "The Love of God is in This House" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-love-of-god-is-in-this-house/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "At first she hesitated. “What will everyone think?” “I dunno.” “Maybe next time.” But something kept gnawing at her to go. She was a resident at the Dorcas House recovery center. A few months earlier, she had given her life" last_modified: "2025-05-29T21:27:58+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # The Love of God is in This House At first she hesitated. “What will everyone think?” “I dunno.” “Maybe next time.” But something kept gnawing at her to go. She was a resident at the Dorcas House recovery center. A few months earlier, she had given her life to Christ. Her life was in repair. She needed prayer…but not for herself. Eventually, she found the courage to move.  She took the first step. Then another toward the altar. She approached Sherri Blunk, co-pastor of Impact Church. “I’m not sure whether I’ll go back to my husband after I get out,” she told Sherri. “Let’s pray that my husband will come to the outreach next week, that he’ll give his life to Jesus, and that he’ll get baptized.” Sherri was stunned. “Wow,” she thought. “That’s some faith.”  They knelt together and prayed. A week later at the outreach event, Sherri recalls, “Someone grabbed my arm. ‘Hey, you have to come!’ I thought there was an emergency.” But it wasn’t an emergency—it was God’s answer. “I came running to where the baptisms were and there was my friend. She was sobbing and pointing. ‘That’s my husband! He’s the one we prayed for.’” Her husband came out of the water. He was crying, too. He turned to Sherri. “I just gave my life to Jesus. I hope there’s someone who can help me, because I don’t know how to do this.” “Don’t worry,” Sherri told him. “It’s going to be alright.” In the coming months, people at Impact made sure this family didn’t walk alone. They helped with rides to church. Cared for their kids. Taught them what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. Whatever the need, someone always showed up. That was three years ago. “They’re doing amazing now,” Sherri says. “They’re both out of any substance abuse. He’s got a great job. Their kids are doing great in school. They’re consistent in church. And they’re just honoring the Lord.” Stories like these are not rare at Impact Church. “We’ve had some pretty dramatic salvation encounters—people who were really bound in their life found freedom in Jesus,” says Philip Blunk, co-pastor of Impact Church and Sherri’s husband. “We’ve seen miracles—brain tumors completely gone. We’ve also had veterans from the V.A. and women from domestic violence and drug abuse programs join us. We’ve been blessed to minister to and love them.” ![Black man being prayed over](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-10.24.41 AM.jpg) Prayer during a worship service at Impact Church ## **A House of Worship** Terry Nance came to Christ in 1973 during the Jesus Movement. He remembers revival sweeping across the country, including his hometown of Magnolia, Arkansas. “We spent our Friday nights in parking lots witnessing, handing out tracts,” he says. “It was amazing.” In 1979, Terry and his wife, Kim, joined Agape Church in Little Rock. While serving on staff in the early 1980s, they established the Agape School of World Evangelism. In 1990, Terry wrote _God’s Armor Bearer: How to Serve God’s Leaders._ The book emphasizes the role of servanthood. The title reflects Terry’s revelation from 1 Samuel 16:21, when God called him, like David, to support his pastor’s vision, promising, “What you make happen for someone else, I will make happen for you.” “Honestly, I didn’t think anybody would read it,” Terry says. But word spread, and _God’s Armor Bearer _became a bestseller. To date, it has sold over a million copies.  Terry and Kim stayed with Agape until 2003. They relocated to Northwest Arkansas, and Terry began traveling the country, leading Armor Bearer conferences. In 2008, after years on the road, he sensed a transition coming. “I got up one morning and reread the story of Moses,” he says. “I felt the Holy Spirit say, ‘What did I tell Moses to do when he spoke to the children of Israel?’ And then it hit me: God told them to go out to Mt. Sinai and have a worship service. The most important thing in life is our relationship with God and knowing Him.” Soon after, the Nances moved to Sherwood to plant a church. A friend let them use a vacant warehouse space behind his carpet store. “The focus was to build a church around worship. We said, ‘Let’s just meet on Wednesday nights and worship.’ After we worshiped, we’d pray for our city. It was really about the presence of the Lord and honoring Him. That’s how we started.” It began small, but the church grew. People encountered God’s presence—and wanted more of it. ![Terry Nance of Impact Church preaching](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/hq720-2.jpg) Terry Nance preaching ## **A Passion for Evangelism** Among them were Philip and Sherri Blunk. Years earlier, they served as volunteers in Agape’s student ministry. “We go way back,” Philip says. “Terry and Kim were our instructors at the Agape School of World Evangelism.” Through the years, the Blunks and Nances lost contact. But one day in 2014, Philip felt the pull to visit Terry. The next Sunday, he and Sherri visited Impact. “We’re not church hoppers,” Sherri says. “But we try to let the Lord show us where we need to be. The timing was perfect.” The Blunks brought a passion for evangelism with them. “The moment I live for is when lives are translating out of darkness into light. That’s the whole reason I show up,” Sherri says. “It’s the greatest satisfaction to see precious souls come to Jesus,” Philip says. “That is the Father’s kiss — the harvest of righteousness on seed sown. ‘Well done, son. You went and took my Son Jesus to other people.’ There’s nothing greater than seeing that.” Sherri says this passion goes back decades. “When we started dating, we would go and do outreach as dates. We didn’t need anybody dragging us along to do evangelism. It was just supernaturally natural.” ![Sherri and Philip Blunk of Impact Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-10.19.55 AM.jpg)Sherri and Philip Blunk, pastors at Impact Church ## **Bringing Churches Together** As evangelists, the Blunks have always felt a burden for youth. “It breaks our hearts to see the casualties of the culture we live in,” Sherry says. In 1997, God led them to start an outreach to unchurched youth in their city. It started with doing free concerts and weekly Bible studies. They did this for three years. Before long, fifteen churches across different denominations joined them, and the B1 Student Network was born.  “The name comes from Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23 that His people would be one as the Father and the Son are one,” Philip says. B1 organized outreach events across Central Arkansas, from the go-kart track to baseball games to water parks. “It grew to where we were able to rent out Wild River Country and do big outreaches of a thousand plus kids out there. Dozens got saved. It was awesome.” Around the same time, local pastors had started the Nehemiah Network (now known as CityChurch Network of Arkansas). “We had similar hearts—to bring churches together. When Luis Palau’s team came to town to scout the area for CityFest in 2009, Pastor Ray [Williams] told them I would be a good fit as the Church and Community Relations Coordinator.” Philip helped bring over 100 churches together for CityFest, a two-day event in North Little Rock’s Riverfront Park. The result: 55,000 attendees and 1,100 professions of faith. “It was a huge catalyst in the Body of Christ here in Central Arkansas to mobilize believers to serve the community and to proclaim the gospel through those acts of service.” Years later, the Blunks launched their nonprofit, Love Unity. “It’s always been in our DNA to bring unity among churches,” Sherri says. “We can do more together in ways that we couldn’t on our own.”  Love Unity has held outreach events and equipping conferences in churches, skate parks, bars, concert venues, coffee shops, and entertainment districts. Recently, they held an outreach to the recovery community with Brian “Head” Welch from the rock band Korn. ![CityFest 2009](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2009-central-arkansas-cityfest_4041881412_o.jpg)CityFest 2009 in North Little Rock, Arkansas ## **New Role, Same Mission** Amplify began in 2012 out of Holland Chapel Baptist Church in Benton. Held in the church’s backyard — a former airstrip — the two-day outreach event has grown into the largest free Christian music festival in the nation, drawing over 70,000 attendees each year. By late 2022, the event’s co-founders, Matt Brumley and Josh Turner, weren’t sure if the festival would last another year. The weight of executing such a large festival outreach had begun to take its toll. Around the same time, Philip and Sherri were praying for direction. “We were at a stagnant point,” Philip says. That’s when Sherri made a suggestion: “Why don’t you reach out to the people at Amplify Festival?”  Philip called Matt Brumley the next day. “Hey, I just want to serve and support you guys,” Philip told Matt. Matt laughed. “You’re the second guy who’s called me this week asking if you can help out. You need to call the guys up at Pulse.” Pulse is a national evangelistic ministry in Minneapolis led by Nick Hall, someone Philip had met during CityFest in 2009. Pulse and Amplify had joined forces recently. Pulse brought large-scale training and outreach experience. Amplify brought church partnerships to supply volunteers, promotion, and follow-up. Philip reached out but didn’t expect much. “Fifteen minutes later, the evangelistic campaign director called me. I told him about the festivals, the outreaches, the work Sherri and I had done. He said, ‘Well, I’m flying in tomorrow. We’ll hang out for a couple of days and talk.’” “It all came together. I served at some of their outreaches in the spring and fall.” By early 2024, Philip joined Amplify as the Church and Community Relations lead. “It’s all full circle. Now, we’re bringing churches together for evangelism through Amplify.” ![Crowd at Amplify Fest](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-2.14.34 PM3.jpg)Crowd at Amplify in Benton, Arkansas ## **Go-And-Doers** Walk into Impact Church, and you sense it. “You just feel God’s presence,” Philip says. “That’s really our prayer. We want people to encounter the love of Jesus. Virtually everybody that’s visited says, ‘The love of God is in this house.’” “Jesus led with love. He fed and ministered to people before He ever spoke truth to them. So we want people to encounter God’s love, be revived in that, and go, ‘I’m going to commit my life wholeheartedly to Jesus.’” Mission and outreach flow from that love. “We’re not sit-and-listeners. We’re go-and-doers.” The church hosts at least one outreach—a food drive, a worship night, a guest speaker—every month. “We want to be out in the public domain, sharing the gospel together. Not just individually, but as a church.” ## **No One Grows Alone** For this community, evangelism’s end goal isn’t someone saying a prayer. It’s someone learning how to walk as a disciple. “Jesus intended for us to continue His work,” Sherri says. “We’re investing in the kingdom. We’re investing in people. In their maturity. In their growth. So, they can then do the same and carry on the work of Jesus with others.” At Impact Church, no one grows alone. “We’re surrounding them from the moment they give their lives to Jesus. Walking with them through day-to-day stuff. That’s what family does,” she says. “Think about a family gathering where there’s a three-year-old running around. Who looks after him? _Everybody_. ‘Let me get you a drink.’ ‘Don’t do that. You’ll hurt yourself.’ That’s discipleship in community.” The Blunks lead a life group in their home. “We can’t disciple everybody,” Sherri says. “But we believe that when we disciple people, they will, in turn, disciple people. There’s a couple that’s in our church now. They’re sharing Jesus with others, inviting friends, gathering people. They want others to experience the same freedom they’ve found.” ![Two women from Impact Church in Sherwood, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/462497564_8531205977000519_8620258335768590301_n.jpg)Members of Impact Church ## **He’ll Revive You** In October 2024, Impact Church underwent a leadership transition. After sixteen years, Terry and Kim Nance passed senior leadership to Philip and Sherri Blunk. “Transitions can be challenging,” Sherri says. “But God has been good, and the transition has been smooth. We’ve had a tremendous amount of grace and support.” After decades encouraging others to serve their leaders’ vision, Terry is now doing the same. This time, for the Blunks. But that doesn’t mean he’s retiring. “The call of God is not something you ever lay down. I’m back out traveling, doing conferences again, and I really enjoy it,” Terry says.  “We’re in a season where the Holy Spirit is calling us back to our prayer closet to continue to know Him. His presence most often comes to us when we’re in worship. All you have to do is hunger for more of Him. That’s really what it’s all about. Spend time in your prayer closet. He’ll touch you. He’ll revive you.” Impact Church started with a call to worship. It wasn’t complicated. Just a hunger for more of God’s presence. That desire continues to fuel the church’s mission to be _a house of revival, a house of discipleship, built around a culture of love._ What began in one generation continues through the next. “We thank God for His presence,” Philip says. “We thank Him for His goodness and all He’s doing at Impact. All we want to do is lift Jesus up. We want to reach people. We want them to know Him and His love.” We’re grateful for the exceptional work of Impact Church and other churches across Arkansas that are bringing people into God’s presence. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 This year’s Amplify will take place on August 8th and 9th. The event will feature performances by today’s top Christian artists and gospel presentations by Nick Hall, Maverick City Music, Lecrae, Switchfoot, Matthew West, Charity Gale, TRU-SERVA, Gio, Terrian, and Jamie MacDonald. For more information, visit [amplifyfest.org](https://www.pulse.org/amplify/). --- --- title: "Desperate Times, Desperate Prayer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/desperate-times-desperate-prayer/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Today marks this year’s National Day of Prayer, a moment set aside each spring to seek God’s wisdom and mercy together as a nation. Since its official designation by Congress in 1952 and its fixed observance on the first Thursday" last_modified: "2025-05-29T21:43:28+00:00" categories: [Extraordinary Prayer, Guest Writer] --- # Desperate Times, Desperate Prayer Today marks this year’s National Day of Prayer, a moment set aside each spring to seek God’s wisdom and mercy together as a nation. Since its official designation by Congress in 1952 and its fixed observance on the first Thursday of May since 1988, this day reminds us that desperate times call for desperate prayer. In a culture marked by division, decline, and despair, we need more than wishful thinking. We need _hope_. The kind only God can give. The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer comes from Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. True hope is not something we generate on our own. It’s something we _receive_ through faith in Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture and at defining moments in our nation’s history, leaders have called on the nation to remember our dependence on God. To cry out to Him for mercy, protection, and guidance. ![Black guy worshiping in a crowd](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/igor-rodrigues-RmKVs7aVqB4-unsplash.jpg) If you haven’t yet joined a local observance, there may still be time to find one near you. But whether or not you attend an event, would you take a few moments today to pray? Pray for our national, state, and local leaders. Pray for our communities. And pray for another spiritual awakening in our land. To help guide your prayers, we’re sharing a timely article from Bill Elliff, Founding and National Engage Pastor at The Summit Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas. With over 50 years of experience in pastoring and revival ministry, Bill will tell you that the key to revival is—and always has been—_prayer_. These are extraordinary times. May we be a people of extraordinary prayer in them. For the flourishing of our cities, ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ray-Williams-Signature-450x137-1.png) Ray Williams, Founder and President of CityChurch Network of Arkansas ## **The Model of Prayer in the Early Church** _What follows is a reflection from Bill Elliff on how the early church made prayer its foundation — and why that still matters today._ The book of Acts is a model for us of how Christ followers and the church are to function. There is one abundantly clear element throughout the book. They prayed. **Chapter 1: Prayed for the coming of the Spirit and power** Acts 1:14: These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Pentecost) and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit … (2:4) **Chapter 2: Prayed as the foundation of the church, and the church grew** Acts 2:42, 47: They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer … And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. **Chapter 3: Prayed corporately in a regular rhythm and people were healed**** **Acts 3:1,6: Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer … But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” **Chapter 4: Prayed for boldness when they were persecuted** Acts 4:31: And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. **Chapter 6: Prioritized prayer when they had a ministry problem**** **Acts 6:3-4: Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” … And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. The Word of God kept on spreading and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly. **Chapter 7: Prayed when they were persecuted**** **Acts 7:55-56, 59-60: But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” … They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. **Chapter 8: Prayed for the power of the Spirit on others**** **Acts 8:11-16: Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. **Chapter 9: Prayed for healing and help and direction** Acts 9:11-12: “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” **Chapter 9: Prayed to resurrect the dead**** **Acts 9:40: But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. **Chapter 10: Prayed to find God**** **Acts 10:1-5: Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.” **Chapter 10: Prayed and God destroyed prejudice and gave ministry direction**** **Acts 10:9,11: On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray … and he fell into a trance and saw the sky opened up … **Chapter 12: Prayed to see someone delivered from bondage**** **Acts 12:5-7: So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. **Chapter 13: Prayed to select and appoint missionaries**** **Acts 13:2-4: While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit … **Chapter 14: Prayed to select elders in every church**** **Acts 14:21-23: After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. **Chapter 15: Prayed when they were imprisoned**** **Acts 16:25-26: But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. **Chapter 16: Received encouragement in prayer **Acts 16:9-10: And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” **Chapter 19: Prayed for the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Ephesians**** **Acts 19:6: And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. **Chapter 20: Prayed over the Ephesian elders** Acts 20:36: When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. **Chapter 21: Praying as they said farewell** Acts 21:5: After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. **Chapter 23: Prayed and received encouragement** Acts 23:10-11: And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.” **Chapter 27: Gave thanks in prayer** Acts 27:34-35: “Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. **Chapter 28: Prayed for healing of a leader** Acts 28:8: And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. **Chapter 28: Thanked God in prayer** Acts 28:15: And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Without question, the power of the church came from the frequency of their prayers. They prayed unceasingly.  Will we? ![Pastor Bill Elliff](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-10.22.45 AM.jpg)Pastor Bill Elliff of The Summit Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas You can read more from Bill’s blog [here](https://billelliff.org/). For additional prayer resources, visit the National Day of Prayer Task Force [website](https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/). --- --- title: "When Two Become One" url: "https://citychurchar.org/when-two-become-one/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Joshua Hurlburt dreamed of pastoring a multi-ethnic church. Bishop Steven Arnold was looking for a place for his church to meet.  Neither pastor knew the other existed until one phone call became the answer to their prayers. In 2014, Joshua" last_modified: "2025-05-01T16:42:20+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # When Two Become One Joshua Hurlburt dreamed of pastoring a multi-ethnic church. Bishop Steven Arnold was looking for a place for his church to meet.  Neither pastor knew the other existed until one phone call became the answer to their prayers. In 2014, Joshua became the lead pastor at Grace Church in Little Rock. “When leadership handed me the church, they said, ‘You can do whatever you want to with it,’ because the church was struggling,” Joshua says. “The ship was burning, and I had to fix the ship.” After two years working to get the church in a better place, Joshua began thinking, “What’s next?” “I grew up on the not-wealthy side of Memphis,” Joshua says. “I was a minority in my middle school. When someone from a different race and I passed each other, you could just cut the racial tension with a knife. I went to a giant, all-white megachurch, and just because of my upbringing, I thought, “It shouldn’t be like this.’” ![Bishop Steven Arnold and Joshua Hurlburt, pastors at Grace United in Little Rock, Arkansas](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_5356.jpg)Bishop Steven Arnold (left) and Joshua Hurlburt (right) Joshua wanted Grace Church to be multi-ethnic—but making that a reality was harder than he expected. “We hired an African-American worship pastor, Jessica Garrett. She did a great job, and to this day, I call her a hero. Then we hired an African-American youth leader, but it just never caught,” he says. “I was doing the best I could, but it was exhausting for all of us. It was just a slog.” Discouraged, he looked to God for answers. “I prayed, ‘Lord, I feel like you called me to do something, but I’m struggling.’” He waited for a response. When it came, it was loud and clear. “God told me, ‘I want you to pray that I will bring an African-American congregation to move into your building. I’ll make you a multi-ethnic church. But I don’t want you to tell anybody about it. Not your wife. Not the elders. Keep it a secret, so that when that happens, you’ll know it’s from me.’” At Grace Temple, Bishop Arnold was also asking God for answers. “We were coming out of the pandemic and looking for a location to meet. I reached out to a mutual friend to see if he knew of anyone who was willing to share a space,” he says. As it turned out, Joshua was with this mutual friend when Bishop Arnold called. “I put that call in. Brock called me back and said, ‘You need to call Joshua. He’s open,’” Bishop Arnold says. When they met two days later, Joshua told Bishop Arnold, “I hesitate to say this, but I’ve been praying for a while, and I know why you’re here. You don’t know why you’re here, but I know why you’re here.” Bishop Arnold was impressed. “I’m a big faith person, and what blessed me was that he told me, ‘I know why you’re here,’” he says. ## **Two Churches, One Building** What began as a simple meeting quickly became something more for two pastors from two very different churches.  “We start talking about the possibilities,” Bishop Arnold says. “My suggestion was, ‘Let’s start doing some things.’ I refer to it as the dating period. Let’s get to know each other because not only are we dealing with two different cultures, we’re dealing with two different, almost belief systems. I’m Pentecostal and Joshua’s a long way from Pentecostal.” At first, Grace Temple just leased space from Grace Church. “Our service was at one time, and their service was at another,” Bishop Arnold says. “There was kind of this separation—two churches in one building.” Over time, they agreed to worship together every fifth Sunday. “It was going so well. We moved from fifth Sundays to every fourth Sunday, basically as one church. We really got serious about praying about a merger.” “We came from two different cultures. So, there were adjustments,” he says. “But at the same time, we’d run into little roadblocks, but we would knock ‘em down and just keep going. Just like a couple from two different backgrounds dating.”  The more they worshiped together, the more both congregations pushed for a merger.  “A lot of times, as a leader, you’re pushing something that you think is important, and people aren’t responding. This was the other way around,” Joshua says. “They’re saying, ‘Can we wrap this up and make this happen?’ But we’re  telling them, ‘Let’s make lots of decisions and get there before we pull the trigger.’” “We have literally prayed to figure it out as we go,” Bishop Arnold says. “We built the leadership, constitution, and bylaws as we went. The church came together as one church before we had everything else in place.” “We were painting the boat as we floated,” Joshua says. “We put it out to sea and then fixed things.” ## **Walking Forward Together** “If you go downstairs, there’s a case with some stones in it,” Joshua says. “In the Old Testament, when parties agreed that they were heading in the same direction, they would make a monument out of stones. Before we merged, we knew the Lord was in it and wanted us to move forward together. We had a ceremony and laid the stones. We said, ‘We are going to start walking forward together and figuring it out, and we are committing to one another at this point, even though we haven’t merged.’” ![Stones display from a ceremony at Grace United](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4903.jpg)Stones display from a ceremony at Grace United “I refer to that ceremony as the engagement ceremony,” Bishop Arnold says. “What was significant about that? It was great that the leaders came up on the stage. They had someone from their congregation to speak, and we had someone from our congregation speak, one of our older ladies. Now, in our culture, the pastors are put in very high regard. She said, ‘In time past, I’ve had one pastor, and if someone came after him, they had to deal with me. Moving forward, I’ve got three. And if someone deals with them, they have to deal with me.’” First, they met. Then they dated. Eventually, they got engaged. After a year and a half, Grace Temple and Grace Church married to become Grace United. Many churches would love to build a multi-ethnic church. But few realize the challenges that come with it. “People ask all the time, ‘How’s it going?’” Joshua says. “It’s both the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in ministry and the hardest thing I’ve ever done in ministry.” ## **Life Together** Making the merger official was one thing. Grace United now had to learn to live as one family, bringing different cultures, traditions, and expectations under one roof.  It didn’t take long for differences to show up. One of the first differences surfaced in worship. “Obviously, worship styles are different,” Joshua says. “If you listen to a standard white Christian radio station, a lot of the songs are like this: ‘Lord, I’m struggling.’ ‘Lord, I’m doubting.’ ‘Lord, my time is hard. Be with me.’ If you listen to a gospel station, you hear about victory. ‘I’m overcoming.’ ‘I can because God is with me.’” ![Worship service at Grace United in Little Rock, Arkansas.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4084.jpg)Worship service at Grace United When two cultures come together, there are plenty of teachable moments. “It is language. It is tradition. It is what people have done all of their lives without even thinking,” Bishop Arnold says. “Case in point—church anniversary. They had never had a church anniversary. That’s a big thing in the African-American church community. Years ago, our foreparents on plantations had to get permission to have church. Whenever they were really at liberty to have church, that was a point of celebration. If you’ve had church now for a whole year, this is another time to celebrate.” Both pastors have learned to celebrate their differences, including preaching styles. “We haven’t changed the way we preach,” Joshua says. “We’re not trying to build some weird middle church where no one understands. It was very important for us to keep the important elements of both cultures. When Bishop preaches, it’s a very different style from my exegetical preaching. I’m a teacher preacher, he’s a preacher teacher.” For Grace United, this isn’t something they could figure out on paper. It has to be done in real time with real people. “You just have to have a long humility in this process,” Joshua says. “There’s no book on how to do this.” ## **The Next Generation** For all the challenges, Bishop Arnold and Joshua see plenty to celebrate, especially among the next generation. “As a 65-year-old African-American, my attention turns to the younger generation. That’s where my mindset is. ‘Lord, allow us to build something that outlives us.’ I’ve got nine grandchildren, and the youngest is one. With what God is doing here, I have my granddaughter in mind because she is being raised in a different society. I was raised in a very segregated society. That’s not going to be her story,” Bishop Arnold says. “We have young adults here. I refer to them as my ‘sons’ and ‘daughters.’ They refer to me as ‘Pops’ or ‘Dad’ because I’ve raised them,” he says. “This church is designed for them because they have white friends and groups they are a part of. So, they feel right at home in this environment. To me, that’s a touchdown, and those are the things that motivate me. I am just as passionate about this today as I was 40-some years ago when I got started.” Joshua sees a church like theirs being the standard, not the exception, in the future. “Barna surveys reveal that multi-ethnic churches are growing and mono-ethnic churches are dying. What we’re doing here will be the norm in 20 years. Younger generations are just not going to have the patience for church being the only place in their life that isn’t diverse.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0085.jpg)Bishop Arnold with youth and young adults from Grace United ## **It Takes All of Us** Grace United isn’t the first multi-ethnic church in Central Arkansas. Churches like Fellowship North and Mosaic came before them. Joshua credits leaders like Harold Nash (Fellowship North) and Harry Li (Mosaic) for helping them navigate the journey. Still, each church has its own story and purpose. That’s the beauty of the Church—different expressions, one body. “The Lord has given us all different gifts. We bring those together for the good of the Church. I extend that to churches,” Joshua says. “All churches aren’t supposed to be the same. Our church isn’t supposed to be Mosaic, and Mosaic isn’t supposed to be Fellowship North. We do different things, and that’s okay—as long as we’re doing what the Lord wants us to do.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of Grace United and other churches in our cities pursuing unity alongside diversity. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Leading the Way in the Education Reformation" url: "https://citychurchar.org/leading-the-way-in-the-education-reformation/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Across the country, a growing number of parents, pastors, and educators are realizing that something is deeply broken in our education system. In The Education Reformation: Why Your Church Should Start a Christian School, authors Jimmy Scroggins and Trevin Wax" last_modified: "2025-04-02T21:47:41+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families] --- # Leading the Way in the Education Reformation Across the country, a growing number of parents, pastors, and educators are realizing that something is deeply broken in our education system. In _The Education Reformation: Why Your Church Should Start a Christian School_, authors Jimmy Scroggins and Trevin Wax are clear and to the point:  “American families and churches are facing a crisis.”  They go on to explain: > Postmodernism, expressive individualism, the sexual revolution, intersectionality, and theological liberalism have acted as acids, dissolving once-common assumptions about God, the Bible, morality, marriage, and family. The educational system in our country, especially at the elite levels of policy and influence, has been captured by people hostile to Christian teaching and morality. Consequently, American families and churches are meeting active opposition, from the preschool to the university. The Christian values that once shaped our schools have been replaced by a secular worldview that stands in direct opposition to biblical truth. This opposition is about more than policy shifts or curriculum changes. It’s a shaping of how our culture defines what is good, beautiful, and true. Vishal Mangalwadi and David Marshall, in _The Third Education Revolution: From Home School to Church College_, call this moment “a new dark age.” They explain, “In the absence of divine revelation, universities no longer know what is logic or language, the difference between right or wrong, male or female, marriage or family, nation or justice, self and God: an intellectual revolution is required to restore the soul of education. Learning must earn public respect as a pursuit of truth and virtue.” They note how universities “can teach students how to make a great robot, but not how to be a good spouse, parent, neighbor or citizen.”  What are Christian families and churches to do? “In light of these realities, our job as Christian parents and members of Christian churches is to build a culture within a culture,” Scroggins and Wax write. “If we are to pass on ‘the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all’ (Jude 1:3) to new generations, we must cultivate and sustain a distinctively Christian culture.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AdobeStock_279229543.jpeg) ## **A Compelling Vision** This culture within a culture is not about retreating from the world. It’s about rebuilding from within. Scroggins and Wax offer a compelling vision for families and churches to reclaim their God-given role in education: > We need trustworthy, biblically grounded, family-friendly, and evangelistically minded institutions to sustain, defend, and advance the gospel. We need tools and allies to do the deep work of spiritual formation in our families and churches. We must rebuild a distinctively Christian culture that loves the people in the world yet resists the world’s influence at the same time. … There is also a growing desire to explore a new paradigm in education outside of the traditional Western model. One way to spark educational reform within the public schools themselves is by offering the competition of a healthy alternative. Starting new Christian schools could become a pathway to renewal for our entire culture. “We bless our communities not only as individual Christians, but through institutional expressions of what we value. Our redemptive presence is not just personal, but corporate,” they write. “What better way to bless our communities than to build new and better institutions that accomplish the educational and moral formation of our children?” ## **The Golden Triangle** In response to this crisis, parents and churches are promoting the idea of the Golden Triangle—an educational model built on families, churches, and schools working together. When these three institutions are aligned in supporting one another, children are surrounded by God’s truth, strengthened by loving relationships, and equipped with a clear moral framework. Scroggins and Wax affirm this approach, writing, “We believe that a new commitment to a partnership between home, church, and school represents a better way forward in a hostile world.” They add, “Theologically robust, financially accessible, academically excellent church-based schools give us a fighting chance to hold onto our kids, pass on our values, and do effective evangelism.” Without the Golden Triangle, children receive mixed messages about truth, identity, and purpose—and that confusion often leads them away from God and His truth. But when families, churches, and schools work together, children learn to see the world through a biblical worldview and develop the godly character necessary to navigate life with faith and purpose. ![Students at CityChurch College Station's Courage School. ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CS2024-01.jpg)Students at CityChurch College Station’s Courage School. The school launched last year in Little Rock. To read more about their story, read our church profile on them [here](https://citychurchar.org/a-vision-for-educating-youth-equipping-leaders/). ## **Education Is Discipleship** Education is not neutral. It is always shaping the mind and conforming the heart to whatever worldview a teacher values most. That’s why, for Christians, education must be rooted in discipleship that takes place in the family, church, and school. In _Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society_, Amy Sherman outlines six biblical truths that show why education is central to God’s design for the world: - “God designed human beings to be learners.”   - “The goal of pursuing knowledge and wisdom is to know God and to embrace his mission of shalom in the world.”   - “Scripture affirms the place of parents as the principal agents of transferring wisdom. Human learning takes place first and foremost in the family.”   - “The story of Jesus affirms the educational process. In the incarnation God did not come to earth as a man but as a child.”   - “In his word, God teaches us about many things beyond religious matters.”   - “God’s gifts of common grace and general revelation show he desires that nonbelievers, as well as believers, gain broad-ranging knowledge and insight.” In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, God tells parents: > Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Scroggins and Wax put it plainly: “Education is a central feature of Christian discipleship.” But they warn, “In a hostile world, secular schools create a huge obstacle for Christian faith formation in kids from Christian families.”  They go on to list six obstacles parents face in our current crisis: - **Time.** Kids spend 8–10 hours a day—and sometimes even more!—at school and participating in school-affiliated activities. Family time and church time can’t compete with those odds. - **Oppositional Values.** Today’s secular schools are committed to many values that are directly opposed to biblical beliefs. How are we to instill these ideals in our children? - **Conflicting Influences.** Students are continually bombarded with messages that undermine what Christian parents and churches are trying to teach their kids. - **Quality. **Many secular schools are practicing indoctrination rather than critical thinking. Many students in these schools are receiving a sub-standard education. - **Pressure to Conform.** Affirming biblical views can get teachers, administrators, and kids ‘canceled’ in our society today. How are we to counter this divisive culture? - **Physical Danger.** Some public schools are becoming violent, and many school systems have lost the will to discipline unruly kids. How will we prioritize safety for our children in all respects? “When a society gets to the point of their people finding nothing in common, its culture falls apart. This is exactly what is happening in America today,” they write. “Anti-Christian waves of neo-paganism, self-worship, and moral degeneracy are beating against the homes of every family. No wonder we have a crisis of belief, a crisis of confidence, and a crisis of clarity.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AdobeStock_510595690.jpeg) ## **5 Things Churches Can Do** What can we do in response to the crisis? Here are five practical ways your church can get involved today: - **Pray.** - **Launch or strengthen church/school partnerships.** For more information on church/school partnerships, go [here](https://citychurchar.org/church-school-partnerships/). - **House an alternative school **in your church (e.g., home school co-op, micro school). - **Equip parents** to be active in their child’s education and explore available school options. - **Start a church-based school.** One exciting new option is Courage Schools—a church-based education initiative launching in Central Arkansas that offers families a Christ-centered, truth-filled, mastery-based, and mentor-guided learning experience. Designed around the Golden Triangle of home, church, and school, this model creates a unique partnership where discipleship and academic formation happen together under one roof—your church. Students are guided not only in subjects like reading, math, and science but also in character, calling, and biblical worldview.  With the LEARNS Act making this kind of education more accessible for families starting in 2025, Courage Schools represent a timely and transformative opportunity for churches to re-engage in education and help shape the next generation. ## **The Flourishing Dinner** On April 29th, CityChurch Network will host the 3rd annual Flourishing Dinner at 317 Coffee and Cafe in Little Rock. This year’s theme is on “The True” in education and how the Golden Triangle of families, churches, and schools working together can transform young lives and impact entire communities in Arkansas.  Dr. Gary Arnold, a nationally recognized education leader and member of the Arkansas State Board of Education, will be the keynote speaker. The evening will also be a celebration of what God is doing in CityChurch’s relational network of churches. ![girl holding bible in the air against silouette background](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AdobeStock_463009675.jpeg) ## **The Education Reformation is Here** Ephesians 4:12 tells us that the role of the Church is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” That includes preparing the next generation to live faithfully in an increasingly hostile world. As Jimmy Scroggins and Trevin Wax remind us in _The Education Reformation_, “The stakes are high. The future of our children and grandchildren depends on whether we rise to the challenge.” > We understand that not every church will start a school right away. Some already have one. Others may never plant one. But every church can play a part in this modern education reformation. In the New Testament, stronger churches didn’t just grow—they helped plant and strengthen others. That same pattern should apply to Christian schools.  Start a school. Strengthen a school. Support a school. But above all—do something. Step in. Show up. Fight for the future of the children and families in your community. Scroggins and Wax If we want to pass on our faith, we can’t outsource education and spiritual formation. As the Church, we must take the lead in education. It’s our God-given calling.  Together, we can see a generation that seeks God’s wisdom, stands on His truth, and is shaped by His love and grace—in the home, the church, and the school. --- --- title: "Good Works That Shine a Light" url: "https://citychurchar.org/good-works-that-shine-a-light/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "It was a Sunday like any other at Mosaic Church. And all of a sudden—it wasn’t.  Pastor Mark DeYmaz was in the middle of his sermon when he noticed the medical team get up and walk out. He kept preaching." last_modified: "2025-04-07T13:41:55+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # Good Works That Shine a Light It was a Sunday like any other at Mosaic Church. And all of a sudden—it wasn’t.  Pastor Mark DeYmaz was in the middle of his sermon when he noticed the medical team get up and walk out. He kept preaching. Emergencies weren’t unusual at this inner-city church. A man had come through the woods behind the church. He was holding two babies. One was already dead. The other wasn’t breathing.  The medical team took the unresponsive child. They tried to resuscitate her. Again and again, they tried. Until they heard it— A cry. Small, shrill, but alive. Everyone on the team sighed in relief. “That’s the environment we’re in here,” Mark DeYmaz says. “We’ve had twenty deaths on or adjacent to our property in the last four and a half years.” Poverty, gun violence, addiction, and homelessness are realities Mosaic Church faces every day on the corner of Colonel Glenn/Asher and University in Little Rock. People in this part of the city need more than an encouraging word on Sunday to get them through the week. They need a place to shower and a hot meal.  They need freedom from addiction. They need medical assistance they can’t afford. “We engage people at the bridge of Christ’s humanity, hoping you can earn the right someday to help people someday cross the bridge of His divinity,” Mark says. “This is Matthew 5:16, that good work is shining a light on Jesus, and it becomes a credible witness of the Gospel to others.” That’s what Mosaic has been doing for over 20 years in a community forgotten by many. ## **Hard Questions** Mosaic began with 40 believers across the city asking hard questions. Why didn’t churches reflect the diversity of the city? Churches in the first century were multiethnic and economically diverse, so why did Sunday morning feel so segregated in the twenty-first-century church? This group wanted a church that resembled the kingdom of God—where black and white, rich and poor, native-born and immigrant could walk, work, and worship God together as one. In the summer of 2001, the group started meeting. They had no building, so they rotated between locations before landing at a tiny church across the street from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) campus. After two years, they grew to around 100 people and started renting an 80,000-square-foot abandoned Walmart down the street. “This part of town was very much the inner city, at-risk and under-resourced people, abandoned or underutilized buildings, highest violent crime in the city at the time,” Mark says. “But back in the ’60s and ’70s, this corner was _the_ corner in Arkansas. Over time, it became neglected, falling into disrepair and ill repute. “Our people lived with flea bites for six months because of feral cats in the building. It had drop ceilings, and we had to hire animal trappers to come and trap all the animals living in the place. Back then, we didn’t have chairs. So, people brought their chairs, like soccer mom chairs. There were no children’s classrooms. The bathrooms were all dysfunctional. You went into three toilets, and maybe one worked.” ![Baptism during a recent Hispanic service at Mosaich Church in Little Rock.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5J6A6522.jpg)Baptism during a recent Hispanic service at Mosaich Church ## **Community-Wide Renewal** Mosaic’s people didn’t show up for bells and whistles. The church had none. What they had was a passionate desire to be a different kind of church. They endured the gritty conditions in a month-to-month lease for more than 12 years before buying their own building in what they’ve helped to define as Little Rock’s emerging University District. As a church, they’ve brought the once-abandoned 100,000-square-foot space back to life to serve the needs of a community many gave up on. Vine and Village, the church’s 501(c)(3) umbrella non-profit, operates out of the building. Among other services, Vine and Village houses the largest food distribution center in Little Rock, The Orchard, 48 out of 52 Sundays annually. On Fridays, low-income and unsheltered neighbors can come to the Hope Center to shower, do laundry, and eat lunch prepared in the church’s commercial kitchen. An award-winning program uses chess to teach reading and problem-solving skills to at-risk youth.  ![Volunteers at The Orchard, Little Rock's largest food distribution center. It operates out of Vine and Village through Mosaic Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_2042.jpeg)Volunteers helping at The Orchard, Vine and Village’s food distribution center Beyond its own church and nonprofit programming, community-based partnerships have been established inside Mosaic’s building, a former Kmart. Since 2015, 10 Fitness has operated in 38,000 square feet of the facility. More recently, Divine Mercy Health Center opened a 2,400-square-foot primary care clinic offering mental health and addiction services for only $300 a month. John Brown University’s counseling clinic rents space there, too. In two years, the church plans to reopen offices for immigration services. These and other service providers have brought hope to a community in which some 24% of residents are living at or below the poverty line. Other nonprofits have emerged from Vine and Village. Eric and Kara Gilmore started Immerse Arkansas with a heart for youth in crisis. That includes vulnerable youth who are aging out of foster care, homeless, or trafficking victims. “Youth can come here, and we’re going to help them with their needs and their dreams,” Eric says. “They can get food or get help getting a job. They can see a therapist. They can get help getting into college.” Immerse recently opened its own transitional living facility to help more youth in crisis become overcomers. Last month, the church launched the Midtown Event Center, which offers space for a variety of community events. The overarching goal of Mosaic’s ministry is community transformation. Mark says the church is “heavily engaged in justice, compassion, and merciful work in this community, helping to bring it back to life. And in so doing, demonstrate redemption, not just preach about it.”  ![Man receives a warm coat as part of the Hope Center's outreach through Mosaic Church.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/485754864_28938324559147327_8417118438324934660_n.jpg)Man receives a warm coat as part of the Hope Center’s outreach A 2008 study found that unless 335,000 square feet of abandoned or underused property in the area were restored, there was no hope of revitalizing the community. Mosaic has been responsible for bringing back 54% of that total. Others have joined the church in bringing the community back. Commercial developers revitalized the Village Shopping Center across the street from the church. “When we came here, there wasn’t a Walgreens. There was no Circle K, car wash, Waffle House, Wendy’s, or Captain D’s, and now, we’re getting a Starbucks right across the street. It only took 24 years,” Mark says. In 2016, the church received the Economic Development Award from Arkansas’ Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, which recognized the church’s role in helping generate over $20 million of investment in the University District. ## **Stories of Changed Lives** Mosaic works with key partners like UALR to transform the University District because it’s _their_ neighborhood, too. These are their_ _neighbors they’re serving. And behind everything they do are stories of people who’ve been changed by a church that refused to give up on them. Brian was in the grip of opioid addiction. He lived on the streets with his wife, Lisa, and their two teenage children. Brian came to The Orchard at Mosaic needing food. He wanted to change and asked to volunteer at the food distribution center. With community support, Brian got sober, transitioned into stable housing, and now works on the food distribution team. Today, Brian and his family are active members at Mosaic. Donna and her family were living at a dangerous campsite. She was in her fifties and caring for her 73-year-old grandfather, who was suffering from dementia. When the team at Hope Center met Donna, they connected her to the Divine Mercy Health Center and social work services. This intervention put her family on the path to safety with medical and housing assistance. For months, the only refuge Cassandra could find was at the Hope Center. She was living in a camp racked with opioid addiction. In December, she found out she was pregnant. Volunteers responded quickly, getting her access to prenatal care. With their help, Cassandra has remained sober and is working toward stable housing before her baby arrives. Christy struggled with homelessness and addiction for over a decade. Her life changed when she visited The Orchard and showed interest in volunteering. With consistent support and access to care within Mosaic’s network, Christy overcame her meth and opioid addiction. Today, she works on the Vine and Village team and is a trusted voice in the homeless community. ## **Understanding the Signs of the Times** > From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NLT) In a culture that’s rapidly changing, Mosaic’s leadership knows churches must understand the changes and adapt. Demographics are shifting. So are social norms and opinions. Advances in knowledge and technology have reshaped everyday life. What worked yesterday doesn’t work today. What moved one generation doesn’t necessarily move the next. While these changes can feel disorienting, they open the door for innovation—something Mosaic has embraced. “​​Men like the tribe of Issachar understood the times and knew what was the best course of action for Israel to take,” Mark says. “They thought deeply, they recognized their moment was different than the past, and they charted a new course for the nation. Now, pastors need to do that. The need is there. The possibilities and potential are there.” ![Pastor Mark DeYmaz of Mosaic Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20JF_LEADERSHIP_Mark-DeYmaz—Part1_1021x640-2186019057.jpg)Pastor Mark DeYmaz Mark uses football as an example of what their church structure looks like, adapted for the twenty-first century. “An American football team is actually made up of three teams—offense, defense, and special teams—and they have to be functioning independently but synergistically for the entire team to win.” The offense is the spiritual team. They are the pastors and ministry leaders who love to teach, evangelize, lead worship, pray, and make disciples. It’s “all the people in your church who say things like, ‘I just have such a heart to teach children about Jesus.’ ‘I just have such a heart for prayer,’ and ‘I love to visit people in the hospital when they’re sick.’” The defense focuses on justice, compassion, and mercy work. This includes social workers, counselors, recovery specialists, and those who feed the homeless or work with at-risk kids.  Special teams are for business people and entrepreneurs who know how to make money and steward the church’s resources well. “This team is generating a return on investment. You have 1) members giving tithes and offerings; 2) local, state, and federal grants, as well as donations from other churches and the community at large; and 3) for-profit business income. The aggregate of those three main streams is how you not only survive but thrive to do more good and sustain the effort in the twenty-first century.” This structure has helped Mosaic put the right people with the right skills on the right team for over twenty years. For them, it doesn’t make sense to put an offensive lineman at cornerback or a wide receiver at linebacker. Better to utilize the skills God has given His people in the areas where they are most effective. ![Celebration outside of Mosaic Church on the corner of Colonel Glenn/Asher and University in Little Rock.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/169971462_5314387111967737_6122862704084239534_n.jpg)Celebration outside of Mosaic Church on the corner of Colonel Glenn/Asher and University in Little Rock ## **Pursuing Unity Together** Mosaic is doing great things in their corner of Little Rock. But believers there know it takes more churches working together to transform an entire city.  “What credibility would there be in a church like ours that says, ‘Hey, we got to walk, work, and worship God together as one’ if I refuse to talk to any other church? Cooperate with any other church?” Mark says. “To do this work, we have to take the diversity and the unity and push it out and make an impact—to bless the city, lead people to Christ, promote the greater good, and fulfill the Great Commission. No one church can fulfill the Great Commission. We have a responsibility to pursue unity with others throughout the city as well with other local churches and their pastors.” We’re grateful for the exceptional work of Mosaic Church and other churches across Arkansas that are pursuing unity and bridging divides in Little Rock. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "God is Moving to Save Children & Families in Arkansas" url: "https://citychurchar.org/god-is-moving-to-save-children-and-families-in-arkansas/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "My wife Carolyn and I have enjoyed countless Valentine’s Day dates over the years, each one memorable in its own way. However, this Valentine’s Day stood out to us. This year, we were together with friends at a community date" last_modified: "2025-04-05T18:12:08+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families] --- # God is Moving to Save Children & Families in Arkansas My wife Carolyn and I have enjoyed countless Valentine’s Day dates over the years, each one memorable in its own way. However, this Valentine’s Day stood out to us. This year, we were together with friends at a community date night. We savored our desserts as laughter and music filled the air. But there was something else that contributed to the joy I felt. This Valentine’s Day coincided with our participation in the Arkansas Marriage Challenge, a statewide initiative during National Marriage Week (February 7-14). Carolyn and I joined hundreds of couples who committed to strengthening marriages in Arkansas through community date nights, relationship skill education, and marriage checkups. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/43090012_10214254138126199_136506644921057280_n-copy.jpg)Ray Williams dancing with his wife, Carolyn ## **Praising God for His Work** We enjoyed the evening but it was more than a fun night out. It was a reminder of how much God values healthy marriages because they are vital for children’s well-being, adult happiness, and thriving communities. When we invest in marriages, everyone wins. A recent [report](https://ifstudies.org/blog/four-proven-ingredients-of-a-lasting-happy-marriage) from the Institute for Family Studies and the Wheatley Institute highlights four proven ways to invest in your relationship to have a happy and stable marriage:  - Being fully committed to your spouse and marriage - Protecting your spouse - Participating in shared church attendance - Going on regular date nights. Driving home from the date night, I remembered the report. I thought, “That’s exactly what the Arkansas Marriage Challenge is doing—building a lasting love through commitment, faith, and moments like these. As Carolyn and I reflected on the evening, we couldn’t help but praise God for His presence in our marriage and how He is moving through His Church to strengthen children and families across Arkansas. Would you join me in praising God for his work during the challenge? Through it, we saw: - More than 25 churches from cities across Arkansas worked together to offer opportunities for couples to strengthen their marriage. - Over 50 pastors, church leaders, marriage educators, and counselors participated in the Arkansas Marriage Summit on February 11th at Williams Baptist University. - Governor Sanders declared National Marriage Week as Marriage Week in Arkansas. ## **Renewed by the Gospel: One Church’s Story** As I write, we’re receiving stories from churches that joined the challenge. Michael and Heather Harrison were among the couples who participated in the Arkansas Marriage Challenge. They worked with a team of couples to host a date night titled “Renewed” at their church in Conway. Here’s Heather’s story: > Grace. Hope. Support.  Those were the words our small team of eight held close as we planned a night devoted to marriage. We didn’t want anyone to feel as if those on the stage for a panel discussion were untouchable experts or that a good marriage was attained by following a simple equation. We are real, live, complex people, not AI renditions of marriage. We wanted them to be surprised by grace, encouraged to hope, and strengthened by support. We wanted the star of the night to be the Living God and His power and patience. So we prayed to this end. We asked God for His thoughts. We declared this to be His night, His people. “Do whatever you want,” we nervously declared. And He did.  Since my husband is a pastor and I am a therapist, we knew most of the couples who attended and many of their stories. Several marriages in the crowd had dealt with infidelity, addiction, tragic loss, a recent diagnosis, and talk of divorce. And though knowing this made it more difficult, it also prevented us from pretense. These precious marriages needed more than platitudes. They were desperate. They needed more than we could give; they needed God Himself and the power of the gospel. So this, or rather, He, was our focus. We kept this question in mind as we prepared, and it became our focus as we spoke: _How does the gospel of Christ impact our marriages? _ Even the practical details, like beautiful decorations, a delicious dinner, and multiple giveaways, were ways we sought to display God’s extravagant love and care. My husband and I shared together after dinner, followed by a panel of four couples who humbly shared portions of their stories. We then had time to discuss with one another. We ended the night by singing and reading a marriage liturgy aloud. The response to this night was even better than we expected, causing us to realize the great need and to ask for God’s guidance in how to continue to encourage the husbands and wives within our church and community. We titled the night “Renewed” because our ultimate goal was for each couple to know and experience the power and beauty that comes from the renewal of the gospel. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/312831142_10160781857468413_1274489371607116794_n.jpg)Michael and Heather Harrison with other sons Special thanks to our Arkansas Marriage Challenge media partners—Salem Media, KVNE, and KLRC—for promoting the challenge in cities across the state. --- --- title: "Faith Beyond Borders" url: "https://citychurchar.org/faith-beyond-borders/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Pastor John Molina sighed as he hung up the phone. It happened again. In 2006, break-ins and robberies were frequent at Centro Christiano Espano on West 36th Street in Little Rock. “We were known as ‘the Hispanic church’ on the" last_modified: "2025-06-21T02:13:10+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] --- # Faith Beyond Borders Pastor John Molina sighed as he hung up the phone. It happened again. In 2006, break-ins and robberies were frequent at Centro Christiano Espano on West 36th Street in Little Rock. “We were known as ‘the Hispanic church’ on the African-American block,” John says. “Back in those days, the African-American community was like, ‘You guys are strangers. We don’t want you here doing nothing.’” Their words stung, but they were true.  “That was really a wake-up call for us,” John says. The church was great at attracting Hispanics in the community but not others. Church services were in Spanish with no translation. Even the church’s name felt exclusive. John and other church members saw a problem. They were in the community but not part of it. It wasn’t until they met Mo that things started to change. Mo (short for Moses) was a former gang member in the 80s who lived nearby. When some church members tried to reach out to him, he challenged them. “Are you guys doing anything for the community? Look at the park across the street from the church. If you do something there, people will come. You gotta do something to meet people in the community.” For Centro Christiano Espano, it was a giant step outside its comfort zone. “Are we going to be the Hispanic church, or are we going to be the Church? That was the challenge,” John says. Mo’s words proved prophetic when the church did an outreach event at the park. People showed up. The following Sunday, people came to the church’s worship service. John asked one of the second-generation youth in the church to translate his sermon into English. It was a small gesture that told everyone: “This is a church for the community.” That one outreach event “changed completely the perspective for us, plus the community,” John says. People outside the Hispanic community started attending the church. The church did more outreach in the community. Neighbors began looking out for the church. “We haven’t had a break-in or robbery since,” he says. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-12.05.30 PM.jpg)John Molina with his wife ## **Planting Hispanic Churches in Arkansas** Between 1990 and 2000, Arkansas’s Hispanic population surged from 19,876 (0.8%) in 1990 to 284,127 (9.2%) in 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau). Seeing an opportunity to reach Hispanics, the Assemblies of God denomination launched Hispanic Project 2000 to plant Spanish-speaking churches for first-generation Hispanics immigrating to Arkansas. One of the key figures in this project was Janie Wead Mobley, a missionary within the denomination. Janie served in Spain for years before God called her to Juarez, Mexico, to teach at a Bible school. At a missions conference in Bentonville in 1993, a pastor told her about Hispanic Project 2000. The project excited her, and she tried to recruit students at her Bible school, but no one said, “Yes, I’ll go.” That’s when God told her, “It’s not them. I’m calling _you_ to Arkansas.” So, Janie, a single mom, moved her and her kids to Arkansas and began planting churches. Hispanic Project 2000’s first church plant was in Siloam Springs. From there, the project planted churches in Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale, Fort Smith, and Van Buren. John Molina moved to Arkansas in 1990 to be part of a church plant in Van Buren. Early on, church plants were in Northwest Arkansas. Later, the project identified Central Arkansas as a focus for future church plants. In 1998, Centro Christiano Espano (Spanish for ‘Hispanic Christian Center’) was planted in Little Rock with David Gomez as pastor.  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-11.51.11 AM.jpg)Missionary Janie Wead Mobley at an outreach event Arturo Rosado is the church’s current youth pastor. He came to the U.S. in 1998 from Mexico. “We were part of the church where David Gomez pastored in Reynosa near the border,” Arturo says. “When my parents decided to come to the U.S., they were following a group of people who used to be members of [that] church. When we came here, we came directly to this church.” The church began meeting at an Assemblies of God church on 65th Street before moving to its current location. “There were only two or three families,” Arturo says. “I remember we used to sit in the front of the church in the first pews. But they were very passionate about church planting. So, they made the church grow to an extent.”  ## **Growing Pains** Centro Christiano Espano became a gathering place for the Spanish-speaking community. “If you were able to find a Hispanic person on the street, it was like finding a needle in a stack of hay,” Arturo says. “There were only two Mexican stores. It was very rare to go to a place where people speak your language. So, the church was very important for Hispanics.” The church gave Spanish-speaking people a place to worship. It gave them community. It gave them access to resources they couldn’t find elsewhere. In 2006, David Gomez left to pastor another church in Texas, and John Molina became the church’s pastor. By the time John took over, things had changed at the church. “We were mainly Hispanics, but we were representing first-, second-, and third-generation Hispanics. Plus a lot of mixed marriages,” John says. “I came here when I was 10,” Arturo says. “So, I know more of the American culture than Mexican culture. I speak Spanish because my parents forced us to learn. But these generations, they’re born here. English is their first language. Some of our youth were not connecting.” John noticed the generational differences while watching his kids argue at the dinner table. “They were fighting in English, talking to us in Spanish, and switching back to English.”  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/468988273_9221051914594067_9117655194466006540_n.jpg)Arturo Rosado with his wife and daughter After the outreach event in the park in 2006, the church made all its services bilingual. “Some of our worship team members who don’t speak English had to start learning songs in English and singing by faith,” Arturo says. Someone always translated the sermon. “Translation has become a huge part of the church culture now,” he says. “I think that if one day we don’t translate, I think people will feel weird. Even Hispanics will be like, ‘Man, why is nobody translating to me?’” Tensions rose when the church changed its name to Revive Christian Center. First-generation members objected. “How can you take the Hispanic out of our name? That’s who we are.” “It was a huge process of people adapting, people changing,” Arturo says. “Our name was a blessing when the church began, but then it became a problem for people who didn’t want to come to the church because that name was not allowing people to feel that they’re going to be received.” “We have people in our church from all over the place—Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico,” Arturo says. “This church has become very multicultural. There are a lot of things that you create and stereotype about other people. But when they come to the same building, and you get to spend years with them, you realize they’re no different than you are. Part of the transition was knowing we cannot simply be a Hispanic church because even the people in our church are part of a different culture.” “One of the advantages we have as a church opening up to an entire community is that we get to know the other side of other cultures,” Arturo says. “We get to see the good and the amazing things that the white culture brings. We get to meet people, extraordinary African Americans, who are doing amazing things in their communities. If you’re willing to open up, you’re going to see that every other culture has something to contribute to your church.” Arturo remembers Lee Kitchen, a black man who started attending the church years ago. “When he came, I was like, ‘Okay. We have a black person coming to church. That’s different.’ The thing is, he studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, and speaks Spanish. He had very sophisticated Spanish, which connected with Pastor John because Columbians are known for having sophisticated Spanish. He was one of our first translators. It was a powerful experience to have a Colombian pastor preaching in Spanish with someone translating who wasn’t Hispanic but was an African American speaking Spanish.” ## **Give It All Away** “If there’s a moment in which the Church has to be effective, it’s in the moment of need,” Arturo says. “If you don’t function as a church when the moment of need comes, you are not doing something right.” For Revive Christian Center, the pandemic presented such a moment. “There are a lot of kids in the public school system, and the only place where they can have breakfast and lunch is school. For some kids, the only meals they eat are at school,” Arturo says. With schools moving to online classes, kids had no access to meals. That’s when John got a call asking if the church could do a drive-thru to give out meals. John answered, “Yes, definitely.”  The church received $3,000 to buy groceries and make meal packages for 100 kids. John remembers the first day well. “It was a Monday. The parking lot was completely full. We gave away everything.” The next day, the church passed out 300 packages. Soon, the church became a hub for food coming in and going out. “I received a call from Northwest Arkansas,” John says. “They said, ‘Somebody gave me your number. We have an 18-wheeler that was going to a church but they couldn’t receive it. Did you guys want it?’” Even though they gave away everything, the church never ran out of food. A phone call or connection would always lead to more. By the end of 2020, the church had given away nearly half a million dollars worth of food. “It was the principle that when you give what God gave you, He gives you more,” John says. “It changed our hearts and our desire to give and use those moments to connect with people. When the connection is there, people are open to you. I think that put us in the position we’re at now because we’re seeing growth. God gives that growth. We have two services on Sundays now, and the place is packed.” “What was most impressive is you had a generation of young people running this operation,” Arturo says. “And it was not in Spanish. It was in English. And it’s because they’ve been used to adapting, changing, and giving to all the generations in the church that they’re the ones running this entire thing.” “What a beautiful picture to see all the young people willing to serve and doing it with joy,” John says. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-11.43.38 AM.jpg)Church members praying together during a worship service ## **Being a Blessing to the Community** “We are the Church, and the Church is here to influence communities,” John says. “I feel that every church has a purpose in the community where they are. It’s like when the people of God went into exile in Babylon. They wanted to get out of exile, and the Lord spoke to them through Jeremiah: ‘After 70 years, I’m going to bless you guys. But now you need to build your houses. You need to pray for the peace of the city.’ “The kingdom of God is what the kingdom of God does. We know that God brought us with a purpose here so we can be a blessing to our community. That has completely changed the picture [for us] because we are expanding as a church. Are we here for the community? Are we here to be the Church or not? Let’s unite ourselves and let’s do something. Let’s get in unity and bring change to the community.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of Revive Christian Center and other churches in our cities that are a blessing to their communities. They are helping the whole Church grow.  > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "A Church Reborn" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-church-reborn/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Drew Cline could not imagine going back to Temple Baptist Church. He loved his role as Creative Catalyst at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. He was free to do what he loved as an artist, whether leading the worship" last_modified: "2025-04-07T13:44:33+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] --- # A Church Reborn Drew Cline could not imagine going back to Temple Baptist Church. He loved his role as Creative Catalyst at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. He was free to do what he loved as an artist, whether leading the worship team or cultivating a songwriting culture. Fellowship was open and innovative. Temple, on the other hand, was traditional and conservative. Their congregation had declined. Most of their large church building was neglected. Once the flagship church of the Baptist Missionary Association, Temple was slowly dying on the vine. Yet, there was still a place in Drew’s heart for the people and place that was his church home growing up. “Everything that happened spiritually in my life pretty much up happened at Temple,” he says. “Saved. Called the Ministry. Married on the steps. The whole nine yards.” While Drew thrived at Fellowship, he felt a calling to lead at another church. Maybe it was at one of Fellowship’s campuses or a church plant somewhere. Then, one day, he got an invitation to a youth group reunion at Temple. “I came, and we went into the family life center. I was talking with the sound guy, and he was like, ‘The church is really struggling. We meet here now.’ I said, ‘You don’t meet in the main sanctuary?’ because there were close to a thousand people there when I was a kid. He told me there were 40 people left. When he said that, my heart just dropped. I told the group, ‘Let’s pray for Temple. Let’s pray that God sends them who they need,’ never thinking that was going to end up being me.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Drew-Cline-1.jpg)Drew Cline Temple was on Drew’s mind a lot after the reunion. “I’m an idea guy,” he says. “I love building things and starting things, creating things.” But Drew still didn’t want to go back. Eight months later, Drew had a dream. “The Lord just downloaded ideas and people and vision and a heart for the church that wasn’t me.” Donnie Parish, Drew’s youth pastor at Temple, knew Drew and Temple’s story well. Drew came to him and asked, “Am I crazy? What’s going on?” Donnie told Drew, “I think God might be calling you to a lifelong season there.” “When he said that, I couldn’t deny it,” Drew says. Drew scheduled a lunch with the church’s pastor, Jerry Kidd. “I had written all these ideas down, and I’m basically going to tell him, ‘I think God called me to take your job.’ He’s the active pastor at the church. It sounds insane. What kind of moron would do such a thing?” Over lunch, Drew stared at the table and avoided eye contact with Brother Jerry. He knew what was coming. “Finally, I get out all the things I feel I need to say. I look up at him, and he’s weeping. He’s drying his face and says, ‘I’ve been praying for you for almost a year.’” Brother Jerry told Drew he had been praying that one of the young men from the reunion would be God’s man to lead the church. ## **Changes** It took Drew a year of wrestling with God to make a decision. “It’s a conservative church. It just feels like it isn’t me. At Fellowship, I’m living in a free environment of creativity where I can do things,” he says. “It literally came down to, if I don’t do this, I’m going to be disobedient to the Lord.” In the fall of 2016, Drew left Fellowship for Temple. Four weeks later, Brother Jerry asked Drew to lunch at Cracker Barrel. “I meet him there, and he’s got this look on his face,” Drew says. “I can’t tell what he’s thinking. He’s got a good preacher voice and tells me, ‘God loves and provides for His Church, Drew.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He told me, ‘I’m going to give you what salary I make. It’s not much.’ I said, ‘I feel like you need to keep your salary, and you need to stay on board with me. Let’s do this together. I’ll lead, but you come alongside me as our legacy pastor. Help us lead and help us dream.’” Three weeks after that conversation, Brother Jerry asked Drew to lunch again. Once again, Brother Jerry told him, “God loves and provides for His Church, Drew.” “Yes, sir,” Drew responded. This time, Brother Jerry pulled something from his coat pocket and put it on the table. It was a deposit slip to the church’s account for $417,000 from a brother and sister at the church who had left money in an estate. It took Drew by surprise, but he saw God at work. “God is with us! God is doing something bigger than us! I didn’t know what, and I was scared to death.” Drew was upfront with the church’s leadership about big changes at the church. Behind these changes was answering one essential question: “What is the _why_?” “It’s the mission of Jesus,” he says. “Everything we do has to be around the _why_ of making disciples. That’s the only thing that matters.” Three months later, the first change was proposed: to transition from a congregation-led church to an elder-led church. That change came down to a vote by the congregation. “I remember sitting at the front with Brother Jerry, and I said, ‘If this vote doesn’t go through, we’re done.” The vote was unanimous to become an elder-led church. Next, there were conversations about the church’s name. Drew wondered, “Does the name work anymore? Is there a history with the name we could lose?” Six months later, Temple Baptist Church became South City Church. With this change, the church adopted a new mission statement and core values. They also renovated the church sanctuary. “We were doing what everybody else was doing. I always loved small groups and small group community. We were growing, and we got to COVID, and that was a crazy season,” Drew says. Around that time, Drew and elders from the church started the Antioch School, a church-based training program for church leaders. What they learned about the early church’s approach to ministry at the Antioch School didn’t look like what they were doing. They also learned from church planting networks like the Kansas City and Tampa Underground. As they learned, puzzle pieces fell into place, giving them a picture of what it meant for them to be a church on mission. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/384483448_703176121853921_1411019340321098281_n.jpg)South City City Group meeting in a home ## **Life on Mission** The church launched a program called Equip, taking members through The First Principles, a series from BILD International that follows the model of the early church in establishing believers in the faith. For a year and a half, they moved their Sunday service to 9:30 and did training through Equip at 11:00. “That was a big deal,” Drew says. Equip training was voluntary, but people there were eager to learn. Through Equip, people learned about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and love your neighbor.  Out of this training came another change. Small groups became city groups. Currently, 12 city groups meet in homes as a ‘small family’ across Central Arkansas on alternating weeks. City groups come together for a ‘large family’ gathering when they don’t meet in their homes. Behind the concept of city groups is a desire to equip believers to fulfill the mission of God. “We’re not content with ‘See you Sunday.’ That’s not getting the church anywhere. Status quo is the enemy of Jesus,” Drew says. “God called us to love one another and be on mission.” South City’s executive pastor, Darrell Adcock, says, “We’ve grown in what we understand disciple-making to be. It’s broader than just offering a class and people growing in their knowledge of Jesus. But it’s really moved to an obedience-based understanding. How are people living out what the New Testament is calling us to? We’re seeing that not just in one couple or a few places. It’s really become the culture of who we are and what we’re all doing together as a family of families.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/420189993_768187482019451_6440525721781168719_n.jpg)Darrell Adcock (second from left) with his wife, Tracy, and others from South City With city groups, there was a cultural shift in the church. Leadership roles rotated. Different families hosted groups. Different people led worship and group discussions. The same was true at ‘large family’ gatherings on Sundays. Darrell says, “We have a skeletal staff, and it requires more lay volunteers to own ministry. This is all a team sport. The kingdom is all of us using our gifts. I’m proud of the men in our church who told us, ‘I’ve never prayed out loud before,’ or ‘I’ve never led communion before.’ We said, ‘Alright. Let’s talk about that.’ We just want ordinary, everyday people doing the work of ministry, and we’re seeing that happen. It’s walking hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder. When you stumble across something you’ve never done before, let’s do it together. We’re becoming more distributed as we grow. As leaders grow in their experience, it allows the whole organism, the whole family, to be stronger.” ## **Amy and Ken’s Story** Amy Bridgeport, a South City member, says her city group helped her and her husband, Ken, discover a practical approach to loving their neighbors. “We started going to South City, and we didn’t realize it was a different model of meeting in city groups across the city. We loved the community and the city group we were in. We loved that the leadership saw some strengths and gifts in us that seemed to dovetail into the vision of loving people,” Amy says. A turning point came when Amy and Ken realized the simplicity of Jesus’ command to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”1 “It dawned on us that ‘Love your neighbor’ means, guess what, ‘Love your neighbor.’” For Amy and Ken, this led to small but intentional changes. “We wondered how we could love our neighbor, and one of the things we realized was that taking a walk is not just taking a walk,” she says. “Walking is meeting people, talking to people, praying for the homes we walk by, and paying attention to people’s rhythms.” The couple started inviting neighbors over. “It was all really fun. We play games and pull practical jokes on each other now.” For Amy, it’s been a joy to see those connections deepen. “Our neighbors used to know each other back in the day, but people have come and gone over the years. They’re starting to get to know each other again.” Crucial to these relationships are neighbors meeting needs for one another. “We have some people in our neighborhood who have medical or practical needs. Often, we’re able to just listen and take groceries or whatever we need to do. Serving each other is starting to be contagious in our neighborhood. It’s not just us meeting needs anymore. It’s families helping families.” Amy has learned to let people meet her needs, too. “When we went on vacation last summer, we asked our new neighbor to watch our dog. They were very accommodating and jumped right in!” Amy continues to grow in her understanding of what it means to obey Jesus’ command. “We’re becoming a lot more comfortable with bringing the church to and loving people where they are instead of expecting them to jump into our paradigm. The whole goal is to just be a vessel, and hopefully, our prayer is that people will experience God through us, whatever that looks like to them. We’re still learning. We’re still working on that.” ![small group meeting in home](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/469000089_980429957461868_8953469792049063197_n-2.jpg)South City City Group meeting in a home ## **317 Coffee & Caf**e With all the changes at South City, one thing had not changed—their location. The former Temple building was old, and upkeep was expensive. “We have this big property—25 acres and 60,000 square feet under our roof is very expensive. One year it cost us $230,000 just for facilities maintenance,” Drew says. Furthermore, they only used a few rooms there. “There were places in that building I never even looked in.” Drew had visions of restoring it, but even Brother Jerry told him, “We have to get out.” The elders talked about what to do with the property. They decided to sell the property to a charter school, which allowed the church to meet there for two years. After that, South City needed to find another place to meet. There were discussions about renting a space, but Drew had another idea. “I said, ‘Hey, what if we got something bigger and were able to do a coffee shop, and maybe it was big enough to have some live music. So, we started dreaming about what they would look like.’” Around that time, a place right off of I-430 on South Shackleford became available. Formerly Regas Grill and later P.J. Chang’s, the property had been neglected for years. It was in near disrepair. But Drew saw potential. From the moment he set foot inside, he knew _this _was the place. “I could see as clear as day what it could be.” They made an offer for the property and came to an agreement with the owner. One day, the owner asked to meet with Drew. He told Drew, “I’ve got another offer that is $400,000 more than what we agreed to. I’ll honor your offer, but you have to make a decision tonight.” That evening, the elders debated what to do. “We prayed and decided not to do it. We said, ‘If we’re going to make a decision tonight, the answer is no,’” Drew says. The elders felt at peace about the decision. Drew was reluctant to let the dream slip away. He and others thought there might be another opportunity. “For three months, I’d come over there and have lunch. I’d walk around the building and pray or just sit in my car and pray,” Drew says. What happened next shocked everyone. Four offers on the property fell through, and it was once again available. “So, we made an offer, and we got it,” Drew says. A small team that included Drew and Darrell oversaw the renovation project. Drew worked alongside the general contractor they hired. “I’ve never done anything like this. It was a total redo from the ground up,” he says. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/471665981_122148384818342682_4653028364008738042_n.jpg)Construction of 317 Coffee & Cafe on Shackleford Rd in Little Rock They also hired a director, chef, and baristas for the coffee shop, which they named 317 Coffee & Cafe. Drew’s dad gifted the coffee shop recipes for dishes he made famous at Cordell’s, a restaurant he owned that gained a cult-like following after it closed. Along with those recipes, they came up with new concepts. Step by step, things came together. Fifteen months later, in August, the church was ready to open. The café would open later in December. Drew wanted Brother Jerry, who was not in great health, to be there when the church opened. “I just kept praying that God would allow him to see this place. And he did. For the first service, he prayed over this place, and it was amazing,” Drew says. That day was the culmination of hard work and dedication by many to make the dream a reality. For Drew, the last few months have been a mix of joy and grief. “My dad passed away in June, so he didn’t get to see it finished. It was a heartbreaker. Then, my wife was diagnosed with cancer in September, which was world-shaking. My brother, who was going to help us get started with the recipes from Cordell’s, died in November. It’s been a really hard year.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_2862-copy.jpg)Drew with Brother Jerry outside of 317 Coffee & Cafe Reflecting on what he’s learning in a difficult season, Drew says, “There’s nothing much that matters but the mission of Jesus. I don’t matter. My name doesn’t matter. South City’s name doesn’t matter. If we can be a blessing to our city for the mission of Jesus and make disciples, that’s what matters.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of South City and other churches in our cities that are dedicated to the mission of Jesus and making disciples. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 1 Mark 12:31 --- --- title: "A Beautiful Story of Lasting Love" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-beautiful-story-of-lasting-love/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Every year leading up to Valentine’s Day, I remember my friend and fellow pastor, Mel Amrine. He had a deep love for Christ, a commitment to pray for revival and the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, and a passionate vision to" last_modified: "2025-04-05T18:14:54+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] --- # A Beautiful Story of Lasting Love Every year leading up to Valentine’s Day, I remember my friend and fellow pastor, Mel Amrine. He had a deep love for Christ, a commitment to pray for revival and the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, and a passionate vision to see the Church display the beauty of Christ through our unity. After serving 40 years of pastoring churches in multiple states, he returned to Arkansas to start Grace Gospel Church in the 90’s. Mel and I connected through our common vision to see pastors praying together. He was a part of the original team of pastors for the first Arkansas Prayer Summit in 1998 and served on the Nehemiah Network Servant Leadership Team (now CityChurch Network of Arkansas) for many years. Highly respected as a spiritual father to younger pastors in our community, his deep voice and joy-filled prayers were an inspiration at many Prayer Summits before he went into the presence of our Lord in March of 2020. Ironically, what prompts memories of Mel on Valentine’s Day is something that didn’t happen on Valentine’s Day. It happened the day before Mother’s Day in 2014 and made national news.  Watch this inspiring story covered by CBS Evening News: Mel and Doris Amrine’s story is a beautiful picture of lasting love, and it’s fitting that the theme of National Marriage Week this year is “Pursuing a Lasting Love.” National Marriage Week is an opportunity to celebrate the value of marriage. Marriage is good for couples, for children, and for communities. It is a great reminder to invest in your relationship. Whether newlyweds or celebrating decades together, there’s always room to grow and strengthen your bond as husband and wife. Sadly, despite the overwhelming evidence of the value of marriage, Arkansas is facing a marriage crisis. Along with a divorce rate that was the highest in the nation in 2022 (60% higher than the national average), we are also facing a steep decline in the number of marriages in the last ten years. This year, as we celebrate National Marriage Week and remember the lasting love of couples like Mel and Doris, we invite couples to remember the value of marriage and pursue a lasting love by joining the [Arkansas Marriage Challenge](http://www.arkansasmarriage.com/) during National Marriage Week (February 7-14, 2025). [Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge today!](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-challenge/) --- --- title: "AMC Resources" url: "https://citychurchar.org/amc-resources/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Church Resources Equip your church with creative ideas and proven tools to help couples build a lasting love—from date nights to marriage and relationship education resources to marriage check-ups. Date Night Ideas Hosting a date night for couples at your" last_modified: "2025-12-30T17:53:03+00:00" --- # AMC Resources ![Arkansas Marriage Challenge 2025 logo](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Arkansas-Marriage-Challenge-2025-logo.png) # **Church Resources** Equip your church with creative ideas and proven tools to help couples build a lasting love—from date nights to marriage and relationship education resources to marriage check-ups. ## Date Night Ideas Hosting a date night for couples at your church or the surrounding community can be a fun, low-pressure way to encourage couples to invest in their marriages intentionally. We recommend following the 80/20 rule for a successful date night: - **80% fun and entertainment** - **20% skills and exercises** This balance allows couples to have a memorable, enjoyable experience while gaining practical tools to enrich their relationship. Here are some creative ideas to inspire both the fun and learning portions of the evening. **Fun & Entertainment** **(80%)** - **Couples Game Night**: Fun team games like The Newlywed Game or Charades. - **Painting & Dessert Night**: Couples create art and share sweet treats. - **Love-Themed Trivia Night**: Compete in marriage-themed trivia for prizes. - **Comedy Night**: Laugh with a comedian or marriage-themed improv. - **Concert Night:  **Enjoy a musical artist – love songs and encouragement. - **Stories & Testimonies Night: **Be inspired by testimonials from couples telling their stories. - **Karaoke & Dance Party**: Sing love songs and learn fun dances. **Skills & Exercises (20%)** - **Active Listening Exercise**: Partners practice listening without interrupting, then paraphrase what was heard to ensure understanding. Source: [Talkspace](https://www.talkspace.com/blog/communication-exercises-for-couples/) - **“I” Statements Practice**: Couples learn to express feelings using “I” statements to reduce blame and defensiveness during conversations. Source: [Talkspace](https://www.talkspace.com/blog/communication-exercises-for-couples/) - **Positive Language Exercise**: Partners practice rephrasing negative statements into positive ones to improve communication tone. Source: [Talkspace](https://www.talkspace.com/blog/communication-exercises-for-couples/) - **Love Map Building**: Couples ask each other open-ended questions to deepen understanding of each other’s world and strengthen their bond. Source: [marriage.com](https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/couple-bonding-activities-to-strengthen-the-relationship/) - **Daily Couch-Time**: Couples engage in 5-15 minutes of focused, face-to-face conversation daily, free from distractions, to strengthen their connection. Source: [One Extraordinary Marriage](https://oneextraordinarymarriage.com/18-daily-connections/) - **Marriage Check-Up**: Couples assess their relationship’s health, identifying strengths and areas for growth, to enhance understanding and intimacy. Source: [Prepare/Enrich](https://www.prepare-enrich.com/the-assessment/married/) - **Communication Tune-Up**: Couples identify everyday communication patterns that may unintentionally block connection and explore simple ways to improve understanding. Source: [Relational Peace](https://relationalpeace.org/) ![couple laughing and talking on a couch](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AdobeStock_205926811.jpeg) ## Relationship & Marriage Education Resources In the book _Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America_, author J.P. DeGance highlights studies showing that just **8 hours of relationship and marriage education every year** can significantly reduce divorce rates while increasing marital satisfaction. The resources below are designed to help your church foster stronger, healthier marriages. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-24-at-11.45.38 AM.jpg) **Communicating for a Change** **Building Great Relationships Through Great Listening** Equip yourself with practical skills to build trust, deepen connections, and create thriving relationships. **Format:** Six-module video series with role-play practice sessions [Visit website – click here](https://www.relationalpeace.org/courses/communicateforachange#register) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-24-at-11.47.12 AM-edited.png) **CoupleTalk** **Cracking the Code to an Amazing Relationship** **Part 1:** _Cracking the Code to a Deeper Connection_ (5-part video series with workbook) **Part 2:** _Cracking the Code to Handling Conflict_ (5-part video series with workbook) [Visit website – click here](https://coupletalk.com/) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-24-at-11.49.08 AM.png) **Art of Marriage** **Discovering God’s Design for Marriage** Candid discussions on topics like finances, communication, love, habits, in-laws, mental health, addiction, and work-life boundaries. **Format:** Six topical sessions with videos and a workbook [Visit website – click here](https://www.familylife.com/art-of-marriage/home/) ## Marriage Check-Up We maintain our cars, our homes, our health with regular maintenance—but what about our marriages? Regular check-ups help couples strengthen what’s working and address challenges before they escalate. Below are resources for getting a marriage check-up. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/prepareenrich-3870365964.png) **Prepare/Enrich** **The #1 Premarital and Marriage Assessment for over 45 Years **Prepare/Enrich is the most researched couples assessment in the world, helping couples at any stage—from dating to decades of marriage—build stronger relationships. Through personalized insights and expert guidance, couples learn practical skills to strengthen their connection and navigate challenges together. Research shows it works: couples who complete Prepare/Enrich reduce their risk of divorce by 31% and report improved relationship satisfaction. [Visit website – click here](https://www.prepare-enrich.com/) --- --- title: "A Revealing Story of Grace & Forgiveness" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-revealing-story-of-grace-forgiveness/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Claire Culwell was raised in an adoptive family where she felt deeply loved and thrived. Her life had been so rich and full that she never considered trying to learn anything about her birth mother. That changed when her younger" last_modified: "2025-04-05T18:15:44+00:00" categories: [Events, Flourishing Families, Recommended Resources] --- # A Revealing Story of Grace & Forgiveness Claire Culwell was raised in an adoptive family where she felt deeply loved and thrived. Her life had been so rich and full that she never considered trying to learn anything about her birth mother. That changed when her younger sister, Rachael, also adopted, got to meet her birth mother. Later, as a relationship developed between Rachael and her birth mother (Olivia), Claire also met Olivia. Claire noticed how alike Rachael and her birth mother were, and she began to reflect on how grateful she was that Olivia had made the choice to place Rachael up for adoption. It was the first time Claire personalized the courageous decision her birth mother had made. Meeting Rachael’s birth mother gave Claire the desire to find her birth mom and tell her how thankful she was for her choice. She was a little nervous about how her adoptive parents might feel until she learned they fully supported her desire. Her adoption was a closed adoption, so neither she nor her parents knew any details about her birth mom. Knowing it might be a long shot, they began the process. They were able to locate the caseworker, and while she could make no promises, she agreed to help. A few weeks later, Claire received a call from her case worker (Debbie) with the news she had found her birth mother, and she was willing to talk to her. She also learned her name was Tonya, and when she gave birth to Claire, she was only fourteen years old. After their initial phone conversation they decided to meet at a location between their respective cities. Their first meeting, which included Claire and her parents and Tonya with her husband and two children, was wonderful. Claire and Tonya continued to have conversations and eventually decided it would be nice for her to visit Tonya at her home in Oklahoma. That visit would reveal a part of the story that would change Claire’s life forever. After a wonderful beginning to their time, Tonya asked Claire to join her in a place where they could talk alone. Claire shared a card with her mom, including a personal note to express her gratitude for the choice she had made to give Claire life. Tonya began to cry. Claire recalls: > My birth mother stammered through the truth about my birth. It was not the story I had believed for the past twenty years. I put my arm around her as the shock pulsed through my mind. In a moment, the story of who I was changed radically. At once, I saw that just about everything I had assumed about my birth was not what had happened at all. Tonya shared the story of how, as a pregnant fourteen-year-old girl, she had been forced by her parents to have an abortion. A few weeks later, after some continued physical complications, they discovered she had been carrying twins. One had been aborted, but the other was still there.   Because Tonya was now in her third trimester, it was illegal to perform an abortion in Oklahoma.   Tonya’s mom took her to a nearby state where third-trimester abortions were legal, but instead, Claire survived and was given up for adoption. The full story is told in the book _Survivor: An Abortion Survivor’s Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption_. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/claireculwell16.jpg)Claire (right) and her birth mother, Tonya. While God, in His grace, has turned Claire and Tonya’s horrific beginning into a beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption, it also provides real names and faces to the almost unimaginable realities of abortion. Her story, along with others like Melissa Ogden, who formed the Abortion Survivors Network after surviving a saline infusion abortion, humanizes the hundreds (some estimate thousands) of abortion survivors in the U.S.  ## The Primary Moral and Justice Struggle of Our Time This month in Arkansas, the** **47th Annual March for Life will be held at 2 p.m., Jan. 19, 2025, along Capital Avenue to the front of the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol. This observance is a peaceful and prayerful event that attracts thousands of Arkansans from across the state, including churches and families, to remember the millions of unborn children killed by legal abortion. In the U.S., the lives of more than 70 million human lives have ended because of abortion. This event, sponsored by Arkansas Right to Life (ARTL), will remember the 52nd anniversary of the _Roe v. Wade_ Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States on January 22, 1973. On June 22, 2022,  the U.S. Supreme Court overturned _Roe v. Wade_ in the case of “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.” The Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, returning the authority to regulate abortion laws to individual states.   While many thought the Dobbs decision outlawed abortion or that the issue was settled, we have seen this is far from reality. Many states, even some thought to be pro-life, have rushed to pass pro-abortion laws and to enshrine abortion rights in their constitutions. In the two years following the Dobbs decision,  it has become increasingly clear that while the decision overturned an earlier bad legal decision and returned the right to regulate abortion to the states, the culture has shifted. In a day of growing relativism and individual expressivism, a majority of Americans, including many professing Christians, have moved significantly toward valuing the “right to choose” over protecting the lives of innocent unborn children. In Arkansas, abortion is currently illegal. However, a significant attempt was made in the last general election to place a proposed amendment in the Arkansas Constitution to make abortion legal. More efforts will likely follow.  Abortion is not primarily a hotly debated political issue, although it has become that. It is the primary moral and justice struggle of our time. As we remember the anniversary of Roe this January, how should we respond? ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AdobeStock_385885547.jpeg) ## God is Calling His Church to Respond **Pray** - First, we must pray. We can start with prayers of lament. We must grieve for not only the loss of millions of unborn lives but for the ongoing pain of those who have experienced abortion and for the silence and passivity of the Church.   - Pray that God will give courage to young mothers and fathers facing an unexpected pregnancy to choose life. Pray that churches will show the love of Christ through compassion and practical support. - Pray churches will recognize the spiritual warfare in the struggle to protect innocent lives.  Our struggle is not against flesh but against spiritual forces in the heavenly places. Pray we will courageously speak the truth and fear God instead of man. - Pray for a day in Arkansas when abortion is not just illegal but unthinkable. **Equip** - As churches, we can proactively teach the biblical view of human life. _The Case for Life_ by Scott Klusendorf is one of the many excellent resources that can help. - Develop a clear and official church position on abortion and communicate it publicly and regularly. - Teach the first principles of marriage to adult church members, including young adults. - Teach people to have winsome conversations that speak the truth about abortion in a way that leads to the gospel. _Street Smarts _by Greg Koukle is a great resource. **Love** - Develop ministries in the church to give love and compassion to those who are considering or have had an abortion. - Develop ministries in the church to love and practically support young women who have chosen to give life. - Support adoption and crisis pregnancy centers and networks. - Volunteer in community organizations that provide lifeskills mentoring to young adults, including healthy relationship skills. In the concluding chapter of her book, Claire writes: > God uses things that were meant for evil and turns them into things that are beautiful and fruitful, like he did with me. Bad things have been transformed into beautiful things in my life. My journey has included plenty of pain and bumps in the road, but God took someone destined for death and turned me into an advocate for life. He took something bad and made it into something very good. Now that I can see the bigger picture, I truly appreciate that I survived, grew up, and now have my own family. It’s possible you have something in your life that’s painful and doesn’t make any sense at this moment. You, too, can trust in the God that sees the bigger picture and experience the transformation that takes place when the heart moves from fear to trust.  One woman who knew how to do this was Mary, the mother of Jesus. She faced a seemingly bad situation. She was a teenager who was pregnant out of wedlock and living in a very traditional religious culture. The society all around her dismissed her and judged her. It’s amazing to me that her husband-to-be, Joseph, stuck around. It must have been a troubling time for Mary, but she trusted God, put her fate in his hands, and gave birth to the baby boy who would save the world. At the time, she couldn’t see the bigger picture, but we can all see it now. Like Claire and Melissa and those they represent, may we courageously speak out on this issue until abortion is not only illegal but unthinkable in Arkansas for the glory of God. --- --- title: "Taking Jesus as He Is to People as They Are" url: "https://citychurchar.org/taking-jesus-as-he-is-to-people-as-they-are/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Mark Evans was the pastor of a thriving youth ministry at his Florida church in the early 90s. On any given week, 750 kids attended the church’s youth group. He lived an hour from the beach each way, and Disney" last_modified: "2025-01-02T23:42:18+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Uncategorized] --- # Taking Jesus as He Is to People as They Are Mark Evans was the pastor of a thriving youth ministry at his Florida church in the early 90s. On any given week, 750 kids attended the church’s youth group. He lived an hour from the beach each way, and Disney World was only 20 minutes away. Mark was also next in line to become senior pastor at the church. On the surface, Mark thought, “Man, I’m set.” But something stirred in Mark that maybe God had a different path for him. “God laid it on my heart and my wife’s heart to start a church from the ground up.” For the next three years, Mark studied the success stories and cautionary tales in church planting worldwide. “I knew of a few people who had started churches, but I didn’t know anything about it,” he tells me. As he and his wife Terry prayed over the future, God narrowed their list of cities down to Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, and Little Rock, Mark’s hometown. Atlanta appealed to Mark because it was a major metropolitan area, but, as Mark recalls, “God kept closing doors everywhere else and opening doors in Little Rock.” Eventually, Mark and his wife took a step of faith into an unknown future. In August 1995, they packed everything into a U-Haul and moved their family back to Little Rock. When they arrived, they had nowhere to meet, no people, and little money. But that didn’t deter Mark. Being a driven, Type-A personality, Mark went right to work. “We hit the ground running. We just needed to start, so we started talking to people.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/rock1_1118_t800-1212725309.jpg)Pastor Mark Evans In November, the Church at Rock Creek had its first service with 24 people. The next Sunday, attendance dipped to 17. Mark quips, “And that’s why you never start a church during deer season.” The journey wasn’t without its moments of doubt and uncertainty. _Were they headed in the right direction? Was God in this? _It wasn’t until Easter that Mark had an ‘Aha!’ moment. “When I saw how people responded, that’s when I thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to make it.’” Mark describes the early years at Rock Creek as “a whole lot of trust in God and the constant experience of seeing God do something that you didn’t see coming in ways He would provide. Seeing how God would show up and how God is faithful in those things, it was just a life-changing adventure, one that has laid the groundwork for our church all of its life.” ## An Unchanging Mission It’s a cold, overcast day in December when Mark and I meet for an interview. It’s close to Christmas, so things are quiet around the church office. Some have already taken off for the holidays, while others are out sick. Mark greets me when I arrive and leads me into his office. He’s wearing a button-down shirt, a puffy vest, jeans, and sneakers. Mark is an excellent communicator, a skill he’s developed over decades of teaching. He doesn’t ramble or wander in conversation; he is efficient and precise in answering questions. Except for family photos, baseball memorabilia fill the walls of his office. “I’m a huge Chicago Cubs fan and go to as many Cubs games as I can. I was the batboy for the Arkansas Travelers, and then I was their clubhouse manager. I traveled a lot with them. I did that from the time I was nine years old until I was 18, and I built a lot of relationships with players. There’s a whole world of stories from that time.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/4328048127_8b9258ccdc_b-4216637890.jpg) A lot has changed at Rock Creek since 1995. The church moved from a warehouse on South Shackleford to a 40-acre campus on the other side of I-430. The church and its congregation may be bigger today, but one thing that hasn’t changed is its mission—to take Jesus as He is to people as they are. Mark tells me, “We want to reach people where they are, not expect them to be somewhere that they can’t be in their life spiritually. Lost people are going to act lost. We know that Jesus is a good fisherman—He catches fish and then cleans them. He never cleans them before He catches them.” ## A Church That Looks a Little Like Heaven For Mark, every ministry at Rock Creek reflects its mission. “We see where people are, and we show them the love of Christ with the hope that we lead them to a relationship with the Lord.” That includes meeting people’s felt needs and their physical needs. Recently, the church built an 11,000-square-foot food bank to feed families, including 1,800 children every weekend across Central Arkansas. There is a children’s home on campus. “We have house parents there, and the state refers children to us who have been neglected or abused and taken out of their homes. We are a temporary emergency home for them until they can go into foster care or be reunified with their family.” There is also a car ministry led by a volunteer team that receives donated cars, gets them road-ready, and gives them to families, single moms, and widows. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RockCreek-1024x610-462270246.jpeg)Dedication of the church’s food bank. When Mark talks about the personality of Rock Creek’s people, reaching everyone in their community is essential to everything they do. “I do want our church to look a little bit like heaven, meaning we’ve got people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, all races, and all economic factors. At the heart of all those people—whether they’re Black, White, Hispanic, in poverty, or in wealth—they share something in common spiritually. That’s a connector for them and for us. Ministry connects them, too, because all those people, no matter their differences, care about things like feeding kids, and that brings them together.” When I ask Mark how the church has adapted to changes in culture over the years, he tells me, “We’ve been a church for 28 years now, and we’ve seen the needs of the city change, especially in Central Arkansas.” He goes on. “Being innovative for the sake of innovation is not effective, but being innovative for the sake of figuring out another way to reach people is. We’ve done some good things to make those changes, and we’ve done some bad things, too. I constantly remind everybody that it’s okay for us to fail. We don’t want to make it a way of life, but it’s okay to fail if we’re trying. Because of the changes in culture—especially after the pandemic—we’ve had to figure out new ways to reach and disciple people.” ## Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders One way the church drives innovation is through the Immerse Institute, an on-campus discipleship program designed to encourage, educate, and equip Christ-followers for biblical discipleship. The church’s other teaching pastor, Greg Kirskey, leads the program, which offers a practical and unique approach to discipleship. Mark tells me, “It’s been great because it’s taken discipleship to a new level. It’s a nine-month program, and some of the classes are at a college level. We have about 200 people involved right now.” At 61, Mark still has the energy and motivation to continue leading. That being said, he wants to develop tomorrow’s leaders at the church. “We’re all working toward giving ministry away, giving leadership roles away, and letting others make decisions. Leadership development is about walking with them through those processes, letting them see me do it, walking with them while they do it, and then letting them go do it. It really is the Jesus model.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/442438110_877377794420463_6825384100535004398_n.jpg)Participants of the Immerse Institute “How would you describe Jesus as a leader?” I ask Mark. He pauses for a moment and says, “Jesus’ approach to people as a leader was to love them where they were and figure out what their need was. He led with that. Jesus shows us that a person’s need really becomes their superpower at a certain point. Once they come to the Lord and find their need met in Him, they often end up finding others with the same need who don’t yet know the Lord. “Jesus knew how to plug into that and connect with people. Think about everybody he encountered—Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, and on and on. That’s what he did. But He did it all out of a place of a loving heart. His style of communication was never about yelling or condemning. Certainly, Jesus was clear about what is right and wrong, and He didn’t compromise on truth. But how He went about it is what influenced people the most.” ## A Hundred Years from Now As one church of many in the city, Mark sees the value of churches working together in Central Arkansas. Churches of all sizes can think of creative ways to collaborate. He explains, “I think the importance is in how we can help each other. What is it that we, as a church that’s larger, might have that a smaller church needs?” ![man and woman talking in church lobby](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/463075792_971146038376971_5952382706407442342_n.jpg) When Mark thinks about the church’s legacy 100 years from now, he hopes Central Arkansas is different because of Rock Creek. “At some point, I think most everyone in Little Rock wakes up one day—maybe they’re far from the Lord, maybe they’ve never gone to church, maybe they don’t know anything about the Lord—but at some point in their life, they wake up and say, ‘Man, I need to do something. I’m going to die someday. I need to figure something out.’ One hundred years from now, I hope people think, ‘I need to go to the Church at Rock Creek. I think they can help point me in the right direction.’ I want our reputation to continue to be a congregation that shows the love of Jesus more than anything else.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of the Church at Rock Creek and other churches in our cities working together to take Jesus as He is to people as they are. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Opportunities" url: "https://citychurchar.org/opportunities/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Find opportunities near you Whether you’re looking for a date night in your community, seeking to develop your relationship skills, or interested in a marriage check-up, partner churches are here to support you because your marriage matters. Date Nights Benton" last_modified: "2026-02-19T19:02:05+00:00" --- # Opportunities ![Arkansas Marriage Challenge 2025 logo](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Arkansas-Marriage-Challenge-2025-logo.png) # **Find opportunities near you** Whether you’re looking for a date night in your community, seeking to develop your relationship skills, or interested in a marriage check-up, partner churches are here to support you _because your marriage matters_. ![couple near lake embracing with sun in the background](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AdobeStock_276118132.jpeg) ## Date Nights **Benton** **Married Up** Date: Friday, February 20, 6:30 p.m. Location: Midtowne Church – [4037 Boone Rd, Benton, AR 72015](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JZGribhBTtReiPFD8) Cost: $20 per couple (dessert and childcare included) Registration: Text “date” to 501-365-9556 **Date Night** Date: Saturday, February 21, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Location: Holland Chapel Baptist Church – [15523 I-30, Benton, AR 72015](https://maps.app.goo.gl/u3kjnDBYK6aSbsAU8) [Registration Link](https://hollandchapel.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3430410) **Bentonville** **Foster Parents Night Out **Date: Saturday, March 21 Location: Grace Hills Church – [805 SE 22nd St, Bentonville, AR 72712](https://maps.app.goo.gl/285dbTqjcD8Uty8r9) Contact Jared Lett – [jared@gracehillschurch.com](mailto:jared@gracehillschurch.com) [Registration Link](https://ghills.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3458050) **Bryant** **Love Out Loud – Valentine Dinner **Date: Saturday, February 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Location: Collective Church – [3230 Market Place Ave, Suite 2, Bryant, AR 72022](https://maps.app.goo.gl/b5Y3kQp6kcsTb53a9) [Registration Link](https://collectivechurchsaline.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3387528) **Marriage Matters Valentine Celebration **Date: Wednesday, February 11, 6:15 p.m. Location: Indian Springs Baptist Church – [23581 I-30, Bryant, AR 72022 ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/NnCDz2k9BNmGyPb8A)Registration: Closed Contact: Gary Briggs – 501-309-5318 **Date Night **Date: Friday, February 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Crosspointe Church – [401 N Reynolds Rd, Bryant, AR 72022](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9xFRyp9GnpZFheGA9) Contact: Ryan Ingold – [ryan@crosspointesaline.org](mailto:ryan@crosspointesaline.org) **Conway** **Renewed Marriage Night** Date: Friday, February 6 Location: Fellowship Bible Church – [1051 Hogan Ln, Conway, AR 72034](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RyGfYNqciavjATug8) Registration Closed Contact: Michael Harrison – [mharrison@fellowshipconway.org](mailto:mharrison@fellowshipconway.org) **Little Rock** **Fellowship Date Night** Date: Saturday, April 25 Location: Fellowship Bible Church WLR – [1401 Kirk Rd, Little Rock, AR 72223](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9qyvfSz8AZK4ChzBA) Contact: Stephen Brannon – [sbrannon@fellowshipar.com](mailto:sbrannon@fellowshipar.com) Registration Link Coming Soon! **Acts of Renewal** Date: Saturday, March 14, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Location: Redeemer Community Church – [11512 W David O Dodd Rd, Little Rock, AR 72204](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RyGfYNqciavjATug8) Contact: Carlos Santiago – [csantiago.rcc@gmail.com](mailto:csantiago.rcc@gmail.com) _Join us for a hilarious evening of comedy and theater that explores the practical, real stuff of marriage and sees biblical truths in a new way! $25 per couple, dessert and childcare (with advanced registration) included._ **North Little Rock** **Parents Night Out **Date: Friday, February 13, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Location: Park Hill Baptist Church, Main Campus – [201 East C St., North Little Rock, AR 72116](https://maps.app.goo.gl/XR1iHpsSZLBpwkK46) [Registration Link](https://park-hill-baptist-church-61607.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3354189) ## Workshops & Classes **Conway** **Created for Connection – Marriage Workshop** Date: March 13-14 (Friday 5:30-8:00 p.m. – Saturday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) Location: Fellowship Bible Church – [](https://maps.app.goo.gl/82efsPt9hKTWjrvV6)[1051 Hogan Ln, Conway, AR 72034](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RyGfYNqciavjATug8) [Registration Link](https://www.heatherharrisoncounseling.com/c4c) **Hot Springs** **Marriage Tune-Up** Date: February 6-7 (Friday 6:00-8:00 p.m. – Saturday 9:00-11:00 a.m.) Location: Walnut Valley Baptist Church – [1698 N Hwy 7, Hot Springs, AR 71909](https://maps.app.goo.gl/82efsPt9hKTWjrvV6) Contact: Aamie Mason – [aamie.mason@abcfm.org](mailto:aamie.mason@abcfm.org) **Jonesboro** **Re|Engage Marriage Class **Date: Wednesdays, 6:15 pm Central Baptist Church – [3707 Harrisburg Rd, Jonesboro, AR 72404](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5nu2e1n1KKa67UXG8) [Registration Link](https://churchteams.com/m/Register.asp?a=QmM3QUo5cGUrdGM9) Contact: Don Blackmore – [dblackmore@cbcj.net](mailto:dblackmore@cbcj.net) **Little Rock** **“You and Me Forever” **Date: February 11 – April 22 and 4th Wednesday night of each month (6:30-7:30 p.m.) Location: Grace United – [12900 Cantrell Rd, Little Rock, AR 72223](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yYhHZXA6CB8euAK39) Contact: Doug Mary – 501-258-1580 **North Little Rock** **God**’**s Design for Marriage** Date: February 8, 10:30 a.m. Location: River City Church – [620 Curtis Sykes Dr, North Little Rock, AR 72114](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yYhHZXA6CB8euAK39) Contact: Keith Lape – 501-944-6419 ## Marriage Checkup **Benton** **Centerpoint Church **Location: [20383 I-30 Frontage Rd E, Benton, AR 72015](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JtsZaCWiq1jQ9wtj8) Contact: Billy Altman – [billy@enspireglobal.org](mailto:billy@enspireglobal.org) **Conway** **Fellowship Bible Church **Location: [1051 Hogan Ln, Conway, AR 72034](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RyGfYNqciavjATug8) Contact: Michael Harrison – [mharrison@fellowshipconway.org](mailto:mharrison@fellowshipconway.org) **Hot Springs** **Lake Valley Community Church **Location: [910 Shady Grove Road, Hot Springs, AR 71901](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RyGfYNqciavjATug8) Contact: Jeff Benda – [jbenda@lakevalleychurch.com](mailto:jbenda@lakevalleychurch.com) **Little Rock** **South City Church** Location: [317 S Shackleford Rd, Little Rock, AR 72211](https://maps.app.goo.gl/snBvzQDacnovWhGR6) Contact: Jason Ancarrow – [jancarrow@citychurchar.org](mailto:jancarrow@citychurchar.org) **North Little Rock** **Fellowship North** Location: [1 E 52nd Pl, North Little Rock, AR 72116](https://maps.app.goo.gl/snBvzQDacnovWhGR6) Contact: Harold Nash – ‭501-249-2810‬ **The Summit Church** Location: [6600 Crystal Hill Rd, North Little Rock, AR 72118](https://maps.app.goo.gl/LBYgwmsbXziUJdeJA) Contact: Bryant Jones – [bjones@thesummitchurch.org](mailto:bjones@thesummitchurch.org) **Sherwood** **Cornerstone Bible Fellowship **Location: [7351 Warden Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120](https://maps.app.goo.gl/snBvzQDacnovWhGR6) Contact: Jason Bogardus – [jason.bogardus@cbf.us](mailto:jason.bogardus@cbf.us) If you do not see an opportunity near you or have questions, contact Jason Ancarrow at [jancarrow@citychurchar.org](mailto:jancarrow@citychurchar.org). --- --- title: "Arkansas Marriage Challenge" url: "https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-challenge/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "When Churches Unite Around Strong Marriages, Everything Changes Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge this February 7-14, 2026 Marriages Struggle in Isolation In 2022, Arkansas had the highest divorce rate in the nation. Right now, couples across Arkansas feel stuck and alone" last_modified: "2026-01-07T19:29:11+00:00" --- # Arkansas Marriage Challenge # **When Churches Unite Around Strong Marriages, Everything Changes** Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge this February 7-14, 2026 [For Pastors](#couples) [For Couples](#churches) # Marriages Struggle in Isolation **In 2022, Arkansas had the highest divorce rate in the nation.  ** Right now, couples across Arkansas feel stuck and alone in improving their marriage.  Pastors feel overwhelmed trying to help marriages in crisis. Couples shouldn’t have to figure out marriage alone. They need practical support and know where to find it.  And churches need resources and community to provide that support. That’s what the Arkansas Marriage Challenge does. ## What is the Arkansas Marriage Challenge? The **Arkansas Marriage Challenge** is a statewide event through the **Arkansas Marriage Initiative** happening February 7-14, 2026. During that week: - **Couples** take one simple step to strengthen their marriage - **Churches** offer marriage enrichment events and support - **Communities** across Arkansas make marriage a priority When couples know where to turn for help and churches provide it, we change the story of marriage in our state. - ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/rings.png) THRIVING **COUPLES** ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/church.png) GROWING **CHURCHES** ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/community.png) FLOURISHING **COMMUNITIES** ![arkansas marriage challenge logo](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AMC2026.png) ### Pastors: You Can Help Marriages Thrive As a pastor, you’ve got a lot on your shoulders. You see marriages struggling and wish you could do more to help. The Arkansas Marriage Initiative partners with churches across the state to build comprehensive marriage ministries. We help church leaders provide practical marriage support that leads to healthier and happier marriages. **The Marriage Challenge gives your church a** **practical way to start strengthening marriages right now**, with ready-to-use resources, coaching, and a community of churches doing the same. **Here’s How It Works** **Step 1: **Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge (February 7-14, 2026) **Step 2:** Commit to one of three options: - Host a community date night - Offer a marriage class or workshop - Provide marriage check-ups **Step 3: **Receive ready-to-use resources, coaching, and support immediately [Sign Up My Church](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FWfnviWpaqU1GikR2FbAuaXZFpn5-jLDEXxa5kK38SQ/edit?ts=690e5879) ### Couples: Your Marriage is Worth It Marriage is rewarding but hard. You’re doing your best, but you could use some help. The Arkansas Marriage Initiative connects couples across the state with church-based marriage ministries equipped to help couples thrive.  **The Marriage Challenge is** **your next step toward a stronger marriage** and a community that supports you. **Here’s How It Works** **Step 1: **Join the Arkansas Marriage Challenge (February 7-14, 2026) **Step 2: **Choose how you want to participate: - Attend a community date night - Register for a marriage class or workshop - Get a marriage check-up **Step 3: **Connect with ongoing marriage support [Find Events Near Me](https://citychurchar.org/opportunities/) ## Who’s Behind This? The **Arkansas Marriage Initiative** **(AMI) **is part of **CityChurch Network of Arkansas**, which has connected, coached, and collaborated with 300+ churches over the past 25 years. Our team brings over 65 years of combined experience in marriage ministry—providing coaching, resources, and support to help churches strengthen marriages across our state. > _We went through a season where every day we heard about a new couple whose marriage was at risk. We didn’t have a plan. It became overwhelming. With AMI’s help, we formed a marriage discipleship team. Since then, we’ve been able to invest in couples and minister to those who have reached out. Now, some of those at-risk couples are plugged in and serving in our church!_ Pastor Nick Calaway, Holland Chapel Baptist Church, Benton **Together, we’re mobilizing churches to strengthen marriages in every corner of Arkansas.** ## Questions? We’re here to help. Talk to an AMI team member today. **Jason Ancarrow** Phone: 281-460-5522 Email: [jancarrow@citychurchar.org](mailto:jancarrow@citychurchar.org) [Sign Up My Church](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FWfnviWpaqU1GikR2FbAuaXZFpn5-jLDEXxa5kK38SQ/edit?ts=690e5879) [Church Resources](https://citychurchar.org/amc-resources/) --- --- title: "Arkansas Marriage Initiative" url: "https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-initiative/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Strong Marriages Build Flourishing Communities Discover how your church can transform marriages and strengthen your community. The Challenge We Face Marriage is at a crossroads in our culture. Marriage rates have dropped 65% since 1970. Fewer than 1 in 2" last_modified: "2026-06-24T22:20:35+00:00" --- # Arkansas Marriage Initiative # **Strong Marriages Build Flourishing Communities** Discover how your church can transform marriages and strengthen your community. [Get started today](#nextsteps) ## **The Challenge We Face** Marriage is at a crossroads in our culture. Marriage rates have dropped 65% since 1970. Fewer than 1 in 2 adults are married for the first time in U.S. history. Children of divorced families face higher risks of: - Behavioral and academic challenges - Emotional instability - Criminal behavior and domestic violence Divorce is linked to a shorter lifespan due to stress and associated health risks. **When marriages break down, whole communities suffer.** **But it doesn’t have to be this way.** ![black couple laughing ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AdobeStock_536903680.jpeg) ## **Why Marriage Matters** Your marriage is worth fighting for. The Arkansas Marriage Initiative (AMI) exists to restore and redeem marriages in Arkansas by God’s power and for His glory. _Outside of our relationship with God, marriage is the most profound relationship there is._ Timothy Keller ## **What We Do** We partner with churches to strengthen marriages by: - **Connecting** churches, organizations, and individuals to improve relational health - **Equipping** churches with proven marriage and relationship training - **Empowering** leaders with tools to champion marriage in their communities **Together, we can reverse the trends and see marriages flourish in Arkansas.** ![couple hugging](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AdobeStock_344484985.jpeg) ## **Empowering Churches** Marriage ministry is a missing link in a culture searching for answers. AMI empowers churches with the tools to restore marriages and transform communities. Starting a marriage ministry can feel overwhelming. Many churches lack tools and support, leaving them stuck and discouraged. With 65 years of experience, our team offers proven training and resources to guide you every step of the way. **Together, we can see marriage restored in our state.** _I know of no better way to build strong marriages and families than to do what the Arkansas Marriage Initiative is doing—walking alongside men and women to help them build the marriages they always dreamed of having._ Carl Caton, Founder, San Antonio Marriage Initiative ## **Next Steps** Take the next step today and transform marriages in your community: ### **Talk to an AMI Team Member** Learn how your church can get started with marriage ministry. ### **Attend a Marriage Roundtable** Join other leaders to explore strategies for making an impact. ### **Become an AMI Partner** Access training and resources to help couples thrive. Ready to take the next step? Want more information? [Contact us](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-families-contact-form/?families_area=Building%20strong%20and%20healthy%20marriages) --- --- title: "Immanuel: God with Us" url: "https://citychurchar.org/immanuel-god-with-us/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "While I (Ray) can’t remember the year, there is a distinct Christmas memory I will never forget. My wife Carolyn and I had just celebrated Christmas with our extended families. As the sun set on Christmas Day, I stepped outside" last_modified: "2025-04-05T21:38:49+00:00" categories: [Vision & Mission] --- # Immanuel: God with Us While I (Ray) can’t remember the year, there is a distinct Christmas memory I will never forget. My wife Carolyn and I had just celebrated Christmas with our extended families. As the sun set on Christmas Day, I stepped outside to catch a breath of fresh air. Suddenly, in the midst of a wonderful Christmas celebration, I felt a sadness I couldn’t explain. Why this sadness at a time when we are singing Christmas carols like “Joy to the World” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”? That mix of joy and sorrow has stayed with me, becoming even more vivid in the years since. At the time, I wasn’t experiencing significant personal pain or loss, but I couldn’t ignore the collective brokenness and conflict in the world around me.  Today, in a time of growing division and uncertainty, that tension remains. Yet, Advent reminds us of the hope we have in Christ—the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and the Light of the World (John 8:12). It points us to His first coming and invites us to anticipate His return when He will make all things new. ## **The Promise of His Presence** The miracle of Christmas is that Jesus humbled himself to become a human being, to be present with us, to die for our sins, and now is present with us through the Holy Spirit. Matthew captures it well in his gospel when he writes:  > Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ Matthew 1:23 (NLT) At the end of his gospel, Matthew reminds us that this promise continues. Jesus tells His disciples: > “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) ## **God’s Dwelling Place** Through His Spirit, Christ’s presence extends beyond individuals and into the Church as a whole. Paul writes in Ephesians: > Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.  Ephesians 2:20–22 (NLT) God built His Church to be where His relational presence dwells. Scott Duvall and Daniel Hays describe this beautifully in their book _God’s Relational Presence: The Cohesive Center of Biblical Theology_: > Consequently, as part of the new-covenant community, they are identified as God’s family, the Spirit’s temple, and Christ’s body—all images that stress God’s relational presence. Jesus is the husband or bridegroom of his bride, the church. God intends for this divine marriage to result in an eternal love relationship between himself ​and his people. In Christ all individual believers also form one body, with Christ as the head. As the temple of the living God, the church fulfills what the tabernacle and temple attempted to facilitate, though imperfectly: to locate God’s presence permanently among his people. The church is now that building in which God lives by his Spirit. As living stones, they are being built into a spiritual house or temple to be a holy priesthood with eternal access to God’s presence (1 Pet. 2:4–5). This new humanity, created in Christ, now reconciled to God, is indwelt by God’s personal presence. He is the shepherd; we are his flock. He is the vine; we are the branches. As he has loved us, so also we should love one another. The heart of Christmas is that Jesus came to dwell among us. And just as He entered the brokenness of the world to live among us, He calls us to reflect His presence as salt and light in our world. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/max-beck-c72eCrOstC4-unsplash.jpg) ## **Being Salt and Light** Jesus describes this calling in the Sermon on the Mount when He says: You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. > You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT) What does it mean for the Church to be salt and light? Christ calls His followers to preserve what is good and illuminate what is true. Salt preserves and enhances, preventing decay and sustaining life. Likewise, the Church upholds truth, advocates for justice, and promotes virtues that lead to flourishing. Light reveals and guides, dispelling darkness and exposing hidden things. In a world of confusion and fear, the Church illuminates hope and truth through God’s Word, directing lives toward the virtues of truth, beauty, and goodness that reflect Christ’s character. To be salt and light means reflecting Christ in word and deed, showing compassion, humility, and justice. It means engaging with the world’s brokenness, offering hope and peace. When the Church lives out this calling, she becomes that city on a hill that transforms communities through God’s power. ## **Seeking His Presence** Francis A. Schaeffer once wrote in _No Little People_: > The church of the Lord Jesus Christ, individually or corporately, [tends] to do the Lord’s work in the power of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. True success in God’s kingdom doesn’t come from human effort but from Christ’s presence working in and through us. When we seek His presence to be His presence, we fulfill His purposes and bring real hope and transformation to our communities. Christ’s presence in us ensures that His kingdom will endure, no matter the circumstances. This truth anchors our mission, calling us to reflect His love and truth, even in uncertain times. In this mission, we must remain faithful in seeking His presence and bringing it wherever we go. Together, we can be the salt and light that ushers in a season of renewal and revival in Arkansas. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/aaron-burden-Zjnlv9jAAXU-unsplash.jpg) ## **Preparing for Christmas** This Advent season, we are deeply thankful for the churches in Arkansas that are faithfully working together to display the light and presence of Christ through the proclamation and demonstration of Christ’s love for our cities. Whether feeding the hungry, providing shelter and clothing for the homeless, mentoring students in our schools, fostering children, loving and helping to restore those in and out of prison, and sharing the good news of Christ’s love, the presence of Christ is being shared and felt. Check out the companion [article](https://citychurchar.org/the-whole-body-fit-together/) to learn more about specific stories of churches being salt and light in our cities. As you prepare for Christmas this Advent season, would you consider helping to build “God’s holy temple” by praying for the unity of the Body of Christ and visiting with your church leadership about how you can use your spiritual gifts to build up the church and to display the light of Christ more brightly? Advent reminds us that the hope, joy, love, and peace we long for are found in Jesus, Immanuel—God with us. May we carry His presence into our communities this Christmas, shining His light for all to see.  That Christmas evening, as I stood outside in the stillness of the fading day, I felt both joy and sadness. In that moment, I began to understand how Christ’s presence doesn’t erase our sorrow but transforms it, bringing hope in the midst of brokenness and light in the depths of darkness. Let us go and do the same for others. --- --- title: "The Whole Body Fit Together" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-whole-body-fit-together/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "As the bus rolled out of the church parking lot on a crisp January morning in 1998, quiet conversations mingled with the hum of the engine. Thirty-one pastors from twenty churches across ten denominations had stepped onto that bus, unsure" last_modified: "2025-04-05T18:26:13+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders, Extraordinary Prayer, Flourishing Families, Vision & Mission] --- # The Whole Body Fit Together As the bus rolled out of the church parking lot on a crisp January morning in 1998, quiet conversations mingled with the hum of the engine. Thirty-one pastors from twenty churches across ten denominations had stepped onto that bus, unsure of what to expect. Some carried the weight of ministry challenges, while others were skeptical that this gathering would be meaningful. Among them was Ray Williams, wondering what the next four days would hold. Ray’s journey to this moment began two years earlier. His church’s ministry was fruitful, but he longed for something greater—a citywide movement of churches working together. The fragmented efforts of churches to bring about real change weighed on him. At the same time, a close family member’s health struggles brought him to his knees in prayer. Seeking God’s intervention, Ray committed to forty days of prayer and fasting. On April 2, 1996, while reading the book of Nehemiah, the Spirit gave Ray a clear call: to unite Arkansas pastors in prayer. From there, Ray started meeting pastors, culminating in the first Arkansas Prayer Summit. The four days exceeded all expectations. Worship and prayer broke down barriers, and God’s presence became tangible. His holiness brought some to tears and others to their knees. Pastors confessed sins, shared struggles, and formed bonds that turned strangers into brothers. By the end, they were no longer the same men who had boarded the bus. Brokenness and humility in prayer united them, planting the seeds for what would grow into CityChurch Network of Arkansas, a relational network of churches working together for the good of our cities. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-25-at-9.48.25 AM.jpg)Participants at the first Prayer Summit ## **God Dwells Among Us** Advent is a season for remembering Jesus Christ’s first coming. The Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He was and is Immanuel (“God with us”). Today, the Spirit of God dwells in His people, the Church. Just as Jesus came into a world marked by violence, injustice, suffering, and death, the Church is called out into a world longing for redemption, healing, hope, and the transformative power of God’s love. How does God change the world? Through His Church. And a united and thriving Church is the greatest hope for the world and our cities.  ## **The Body of Christ: A Foundation for Unity** If you’ve read one of our church profiles, you know we end every profile with Ephesians 4:15-16. > Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. In this passage, Paul expands on the body metaphor he used earlier to illustrate the Church’s maturity, emphasizing that every member has a crucial role in its growth. Love is central to this maturity and to true Christian ministry.  Several key principles emerge from Ephesians 4:15-16: - **Speaking the Truth in Love**: The Church matures when truth is shared with love, strengthening faith and building relationships that reflect Christ’s character. - **Growth Toward Christ**: Christ, as the head, provides direction and unity, calling His Church to grow together into His likeness. - **Unique Contributions in Unity**: Each believer brings unique gifts to the Church, working together like parts of a body to strengthen and sustain the whole. - **The Centrality of Love**: Love is the heartbeat of true unity and ministry, uniting believers in a shared mission to reflect God’s grace to the world. - **Equipped Leaders**: Faithful leaders equip believers to grow in Christlikeness, stand firm against false teachings, and nurture unity and spiritual stability within the Church. When each part of the body works properly, the Church thrives in unity and purpose, as seen in Ephesians 4:25–32 and echoed in Christ’s teachings in Matthew 25:31–43 and 26:6–13. Paul’s metaphor works well for one church, but what about the—capital C—Church? If we look at the Church from this perspective, we see that every church in a city is called to contribute to their gifts to build up the Body of Christ.  The issues that plague our communities—high divorce rates, children falling behind in school, fatherless homes, generational poverty, rates of depression and loneliness at epidemic levels—are too big for any one church to overcome. But they aren’t too big for all of us. Together, we are better.  ## **How God Changes the World** God’s transforms the world through His Body, the Church. When all the parts work together properly, our churches become Christ’s presence in our communities. When God’s people unite in prayer, equip believers in the essentials of the faith, and build flourishing families, God’s kingdom advances in tangible and lasting ways. CityChurch Network unites churches around three transformational initiatives: - Extraordinary Prayer - Equipped Leaders - Flourishing Families Let’s look at these initiatives and how churches in our communities are helping the whole Church grow. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/masthead-building-front.jpg)Little Rock Church ### **_Extraordinary Prayer_** Prayer has always been central to Little Rock Church. Elder Gerald Driskill explains, “It’s core to our house churches, main assemblies, and CityChurch Network’s citywide prayer initiative.” Reflecting on his first prayer summit, he shares, “I realized if I can’t escape to pray with others for a few days, then I am busier than Jesus.” That experience transformed his view of prayer, renewing his hope for unity, the Good News to impact the city, and leaders to collaborate. Today, the church uses a “team-of-teams” model, including a prayer team that, as Gerald notes, “covers our church and beyond in daily prayer” as part of Arkansas Prays. Read more: [Little Rock Church: A Heart for the City](https://citychurchar.org/little-rock-church-a-heart-for-the-city/) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_7103-copy-2-scaled-1.jpg)Leader commissioning for Kingdom Cooperation ### **_Equipped Leaders_** Lauren Linz, who leads the Equipped Leaders initiative for CityChurch Network, recalled the impact of the Kingdom Cooperation commissioning event in February. “These churches saw the need to train their people in the essentials of the faith and offer something more than just another class. They wanted their training to equip them to live on mission as disciple-makers in everyday life,” Lauren wrote. Adam Miller of Geyer Springs First Baptist had this to say about the cooperation: “In a culture where divisiveness is rampant, it was incredibly awe-inspiring to witness churches who don’t look anything alike join together in discipling, equipping, and commissioning together. This is so rare, but I pray we see more of it.” Read more: [Cooperating for God’s Kingdom](https://citychurchar.org/cooperating-for-gods-kingdom/) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/427894058_700046725654508_3291378418865160569_n-1-copy.jpg)Baby dedication at Second Baptist Church ### **_Flourishing Families_** Second Baptist Church in Little Rock has been a pillar in the John Barrow neighborhood since 1957. With the motto “Let’s do this together,” the church supports its community through a food pantry, substance abuse recovery, and impactful church/school partnerships. Through these partnerships, Second Baptist doesn’t just meet needs—they change lives. Volunteers mentor students and support teachers and school staff. Recently, they collected 1,200 pairs of shoes for students through a shoe drive. Pastor Ricky Calhoun captures the heart of their mission: “We’re here for you, and we’re going to walk through this together. At the end of the day, our goal is to connect you to Christ.” Read more: [Second Baptist Church: Let’s Do This Together](https://citychurchar.org/second-baptist-church-lets-do-this-together/) ## **The Transformative Power of God’s Presence** The unity and transformation that began at the first Prayer Summit in 1998 continue to bear fruit today. What happened during those four days wasn’t just for the pastors on that bus—it was the beginning of something greater, a movement of churches working together to embody God’s love in our cities. The brokenness and humility that united those pastors reflect God’s call to His Church to bring God’s presence into a broken world. As we celebrate Advent, we are reminded of Immanuel—“God with us.” Just as Christ entered a world of suffering and need, the Church is called to be His hands and feet, carrying His presence into communities longing for redemption and healing. Through prayer, leadership, and service, the Church makes Christ’s love visible, showing the world what it means to be “God with us.” This is how God changes the world: through a united and thriving Church. When we come together as the Body of Christ, we reflect His love, bringing hope and transformation to every corner of society. Let’s recommit to working together for the good of our cities and the glory of His name. Together, we are better. --- --- title: "Church/School Partnerships" url: "https://citychurchar.org/church-school-partnerships/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Flourishing Families in Schools Every day, families in our city face challenges no one should bear alone—parents working paycheck to paycheck, children falling behind in school, fatherless homes, and rising rates of depression and loneliness. Without support, many families feel" last_modified: "2025-04-04T19:40:17+00:00" --- # Church/School Partnerships # Flourishing Families in Schools Every day, families in our city face challenges no one should bear alone—parents working paycheck to paycheck, children falling behind in school, fatherless homes, and rising rates of depression and loneliness. Without support, many families feel isolated and unsure of where to turn for help. Imagine communities across Arkansas where every student has a caring mentor to help them excel academically, build praiseworthy character, and find positive connections in the community. Imagine every family supported by a church community, ready to offer guidance and resources whenever needed. ## This is the vision of Flourishing Families in Schools. Thanks to 43 active church-school partnerships, these families no longer carry their burdens alone. Through mentoring, tutoring, and wrap-around support, students and families find the guidance, resources, and encouragement they need to thrive. The Flourishing Families in Schools initiative unites, equips, and mobilizes churches to partner with public schools to strengthen families through: ### Family support opportunities ### Student mentoring ### Family-to-family connections A Flourishing Families in Schools Church-School Partnership is an intentional relationship where CityChurch Network, the local church, and a school work together to serve the families in that school.  Through these partnerships, we envision a future with: ### Higher student reading scores ### Higher graduation rates ### Fewer discipline issues in schools ### Reduced family crises ### Lower crime rates ### True community transformation This model church-school partnership model makes it easy to start a partnership. Simply start with any of the three focus areas and build deeper relationships with students and families.  Together, we will see God glorified as churches unite to make a lasting impact and meet vital community needs. ## Together, we will see God glorified as churches unite to make a lasting impact and meet vital community needs. ## Help Create Church/School Partnerships. If you’re interested in a church/school partnership in your community, contact Anthony Hampton for next steps. [Get Started](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-families-contact-form/) --- --- title: "Prayer Summit" url: "https://citychurchar.org/prayer-summit/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Prayer Summit 29th Annual Arkansas Prayer Summit 29th Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit March 16-18Tucker Lodge - Amity, AR$215 (includes food and lodging) As pastors and ministry leaders, we share a passion for the transformation of our communities. Our plates are" last_modified: "2026-02-01T14:28:43+00:00" --- # Prayer Summit # Looking to 2027 & Beyond 29th Annual Arkansas Prayer Summit ## **29th Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit** **March 16-18 **Tucker Lodge – Amity, AR $215 (includes food and lodging) As pastors and ministry leaders, we share a passion for the transformation of our communities. Our plates are full in pursuit of the impact we all desire, with few opportunities to seek the Lord in extended prayer. For nearly 30 years, pastors and ministry leaders have attended the Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit to get away and be saturated in Spirit-led, worship-fed, scripture-based prayer for revival in Arkansas. This is a powerful time to experience God’s presence, find spiritual refreshment, and connect with other pastors and ministry leaders. [Reserve your spot](https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/111b2071-4c39-4144-a218-9480cac3397c) --- --- title: "One Voice" url: "https://citychurchar.org/one-voice/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Auto Draft Citywide Night of Prayer Stay tuned for information about the next One Voice! Pastors: Please let us know you are coming English One Voice is a quarterly gathering of the churches of the city for a night of" last_modified: "2025-04-15T18:15:52+00:00" --- # One Voice # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## **Citywide Night of Prayer** Stay tuned for information about the next One Voice! **_Pastors: Please let us know you are coming_** [Pastor registration](#pastors) **English** One Voice is a quarterly gathering of the churches of the city for a night of prayer! Join us for a powerful evening to unite our city. One Voice is organized by a diverse team of pastors, prayer leaders, and worship leaders from area churches. These events are always free and open to the public! Pastors and church leaders are invited to RSVP above to let us know you are coming. **Español** ¡One Voice es una reunión trimestral de las iglesias de la ciudad para una noche de oración! Únase a nosotros para una noche poderosa para unir nuestra ciudad. One Voice está organizado por un equipo diverso de pastores, líderes de oración y líderes de adoración de las iglesias del área. ¡Estos eventos son siempre gratuitos y abiertos al público! ## Promotional Materials [![One voice promo card](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Announcement-Slide-scaled-1.webp)](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Announcement-Slide-scaled-1.webp) [![One voice promo cards](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/4x_flyer-copy-scaled-1.webp)](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/4x_flyer.pdf) [![One Voice promo card](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/story.webp)](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/story.webp) ## One Voice Pastor Registration Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Your name(Required) Last Your email(Required) Your phone(Required) Job Title(Required) Church/Organization Name(Required) Church/Organization City(Required) We will treat your information in accordance with our [Terms of Use](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/). Submit _May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ._ Romans 15:5-6 --- --- title: "Monthly Prayer Guide" url: "https://citychurchar.org/monthly-prayer-guide/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Monthly prayer guide CityChurch Network publishes this monthly prayer guide as a helpful tool to promote agreement in prayer among churches and small groups across Arkansas. Please partner with us in prayer for Arkansas by taking time to pray through" last_modified: "2026-10-02T20:18:46+00:00" --- # Monthly Prayer Guide # Looking to 2027 & Beyond CityChurch Network publishes this monthly prayer guide as a helpful tool to promote agreement in prayer among churches and small groups across Arkansas. Please partner with us in prayer for Arkansas by taking time to pray through this prayer guide and apply it to the areas of need in your life and community. [Download PDF](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/October-Monthly-Prayer-Guide.pdf) **_Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. – Hosea 10:12_** Lord, let this prayer be true of us, our families, and our communities. We approach Your throne with confidence asking… … That we would live rightly before you. - May we always seek reconciliation with God and with each other. - Give us boldness to stand for biblical truth in love. - Help us to make choices that align with your values. … That our love would be genuine. - Show us the greatness of your love for us. - Fill us with the grace to love you with all that we are. - Empower us to demonstrate your love to our community. … That we would withhold nothing from you. - Make us more receptive to your word. - Awaken us in areas of spiritual complacency. - Cleanse us of unknown areas of offense. … That our churches would experience greater spiritual hunger. - Strengthen us to seek you fervently every day. - Help us to recognize your activity in our daily life. - Give us your vision for our church and city. … That you would revive us! - Rain down righteousness in our church and city. - Raise up a harvest of steadfast love in our families. - Break down the barriers to the gospel in our city. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen! --- --- title: "Arkansas Prays sign-up" url: "https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays-sign-up/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Arkansas Prays sign-up Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps." last_modified: "2024-11-08T19:41:29+00:00" --- # Arkansas Prays sign-up # Looking to 2027 & Beyond Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Your name(Required) Last Your title Church name Church website Church address Street Address Address Line 2 City AlabamaAlaskaAmerican SamoaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaGuamHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthern Mariana IslandsOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahU.S. Virgin IslandsVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces EuropeArmed Forces Pacific State ZIP Code Pastor's name Prayer Coordinator name Prayer Coordinator email(Required) Day of the month you'd like to adopt12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Day of the month you'd like to adopt1st Sunday1st Monday1st Tuesday1st Wednesday1st Thursday1st Friday1st Saturday2nd Sunday2nd Monday2nd Tuesday2nd Wednesday2nd Thursday2nd Friday2nd Saturday3rd Sunday3rd Monday3rd Tuesday3rd Wednesday3rd Thursday3rd Friday3rd Saturday4th Sunday4th Monday4th Tuesday4th Wednesday4th Thursday4th Friday4th Saturday5th Sunday5th Monday5th Tuesday5th Wednesday5th Thursday5th Friday5th Saturday Time slot Full day Half day AM Half day PM We will treat your information in accordance with our [Terms of Use](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/). Submit --- --- title: "Arkansas Prays" url: "https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Arkansas Prays church-based, unceasing prayer Direct calendar link View on map What is Arkansas Prays? Arkansas Prays is a city and state prayer movement to strengthen churches in Arkansas with this simple, church-based model for unceasing prayer. Churches are working" last_modified: "2026-03-02T21:01:10+00:00" --- # Arkansas Prays # Looking to 2027 & Beyond church-based, unceasing prayer [Direct calendar link](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=c_qhkssekmmtgggi5lip37t2kjkg@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Chicago&pli=1) [View on map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?mid=15mrVhWTiV8IUitZ_LVJdc6XpkQWKN2XS&ll=34.92496200338087%2C-92.40721876971696&z=7) ## What is Arkansas Prays? Arkansas Prays is a city and state prayer movement to strengthen churches in Arkansas with this simple, church-based model for unceasing prayer. Churches are working together across denominations, ethnicities, generations, and locations to cover Arkansas in 24/7 prayer. CityChurch Network is excited to be part of this movement alongside similar networks in many other states to raise up 40,000 churches to cover America in 24/7 prayer with [America Prays](https://www.americaprays.org/). ## How To Sign Up - **Adopt a Day of Prayer**: The Pastor will sign up the church using the button below for the chosen monthly full-day or half-day (12am-12pm or 12pm-12am) to cover in prayer. Your church will cover the same date or day each month. - **Appoint a Coordinator: **The Coordinator is a member of the church who, under the leadership of the pastor, can organize, schedule, and provide general leadership for your adopted day of prayer. - **Share the Vision**: The Pastor shares the vision with the church body in advance. Share the goals behind the day of prayer, affirm the prayer coordinator in his/her role, and encourage people to choose 30 – 60-minute time slots on your chosen day. - **Recruit and Follow Up: **You can use prayer commitment cards or a sign-up sheet during or after service or have church members contact your coordinator to sign up for a prayer time slot. Then your coordinator can follow up with those who sign up via your preferred communication method with prayer points, schedule reminders, and encouragement. - **Pray! **Church members can pray from home, work, school, or at the church during their chosen time slot! You can take the lead and shape your day of prayer to fit your church body. We will supply you with helpful tools and prayer guides to promote agreement in prayer. Pastors only need to sign up their church once using the button below to be added to the online calendar. Your Coordinator will manage the individual time slot sign-up process internally. Each pastor and coordinator will be added to an email list to receive helpful tools to strengthen your monthly day of prayer. You can [contact us](https://citychurchar.org/extraordinary-prayer-contact-form/) with any questions. [Sign up your church](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays-sign-up/) ## Resources ### Getting Started #### [Getting Started Packet](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Getting-Started.docx) #### [Participation Ideas](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Participation-Ideas.pdf) #### [Sample Sign-up Sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fD583RdSAwyT73bg9f44Sg7IpP_6-GdcCFsMP3iK5DI/edit?gid=0#gid=0) ### Prayer Guides #### [Monthly Prayer Guide](https://citychurchar.org/monthly-prayer-guide/) #### [Key Biblical Prayers](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Key-Biblical-Prayers.pdf) #### [Natural Disaster Prayer guide](https://citychurchar.org/prayer-for-recovery-efforts-in-arkansas/) #### [Education Prayer Guide](https://citychurchar.org/education-prayer-guide-2/) #### [Arkansas Leaders Prayer Guide](https://citychurchar.org/prayer-for-arkansas-state-leaders/) --- --- title: "Chasing Your God-Given Dreams" url: "https://citychurchar.org/chasing-your-god-given-dreams-nlc-downtown-everyarkansan/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with leaders from New Life Church (NLC) Downtown and EveryArkansan to discuss what it looks like to work together to help every Arkansan chase their God-given dreams. Usually, my interviews are one-on-one" last_modified: "2025-04-04T20:50:08+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Chasing Your God-Given Dreams Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with leaders from New Life Church (NLC) Downtown and EveryArkansan to discuss what it looks like to work together to help every Arkansan chase their God-given dreams. Usually, my interviews are one-on-one with a pastor. This interview was more of a roundtable discussion with key leaders who have become close friends in the ten years they have served together, whether as members of NLC Downtown or through EveryArkansan. ## **Meeting Needs Beyond the Church** In 2017, New Life Church made a bold move, planting a church in the heart of downtown Little Rock. Outreach Facilitator Dr. Fitz Hill, known by many as ‘Coach,’ explains, “We wanted to be in an urban, downtown setting. We were really trying to go to people and be a light in the darkness and serve where we were.” For seven years, the church has become more than a place to gather on Sundays; it’s a hub for outreach efforts throughout the city and state. New Life’s Executive Pastor Marius Mauthe says, “This facility is not where the magic happens. It’s the people who choose to serve downtown and have a vision for those people who are hurting, lack access to resources, are in addiction, or maybe are not living according to what’s best for them. But they can come together and see Christ and, through Him, be restored to chase their God-given dreams. We want to be effective in helping those around us in meeting needs that have gone beyond our church. We want to go beyond the four walls of the church.” ## **The Spirit of Collaboration** As a church network, New Life Church has planted multiple churches throughout Arkansas, but they know they can’t do it alone. They see the value of partnership and collaboration because the issues we face in our state are too big for one church. This is a collective effort of churches and nonprofits working together in their communities. The spirit of collaboration drives NLC Downtown and EveryArkansan, a nonprofit that was birthed out of the church, which provides resources, empowers people, and builds relationships with church partners throughout the state. What motivates this drive? The desire to meet a wide range of needs and provide resources for churches to fulfill their God-given mission to be salt and light in Arkansas.  Take, for example, CityServe. Director Tony Philips shares how this branch of EveryArkansan works at its 110,000-square-foot warehouse. “We work with corporate partners, whether donations from Overstock, Costco, Pottery Barn, Good 360, or World Vision. We receive trucks throughout the week. We sort the products. Churches put in an order every 30 days, like a click list at Walmart or Kroger, and if we have it in the donations, we put it in. It’s an opportunity to share the gospel to get a foot in the door.” He says that “80% of what we give you needs to go outside the four walls of the church.” ![People checking shelves in warehouse](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CopyofIMG_8499.jpg) CityServe partners with 400 churches across 11 denominations in the state and helps churches come together around a common goal of loving their neighbors. “We’re able to bridge the gap between denominations and take those walls down to serve the community.” Marius, a native German, sees a parallel between what they are doing and how people viewed the Church in the past. “In Europe, the cities were set up where the church was in the middle. Back in the day, the center focus was that if you needed something, you went to the church. The church was the center of the community. We’ve gotten away from that a lot.”  Along with Marius, leaders from NLC Downtown and EveryArkansan want to see churches back at the center of communities. Marius says emphatically, “We support churches throughout the state to be the focal point of our communities again. So, the next time a person has a need, they come to the Church.” ## **Taking a Holistic Approach** NLC Downtown and EveryArkansan are committed to helping people chase their God-given dreams. Doing that requires thinking holistically about the people they want to reach with the good news of Jesus Christ. Here’s how Marius explains their approach:  > We want to be very realistic about why people can’t chase their God-given dream. They can’t see it because they’re just trying to survive. They don’t know where their next meal is coming from. They don’t know what the next day looks like for them. We want to come alongside them and remove a lot of those obstacles from their lives so they can lift their eyes, breathe, and say, “Okay. Am I just here on this earth to seek pleasure for myself or do what I want to do? Or is there something greater? Is there something God has for me?” We are cheering them on to chase their God-given dreams. We have a holistic approach. We don’t just say, “Come to church on Sundays,” and tell you how to fix your life. We are hands-on with them throughout the week with our programs to bring the love of Jesus to people. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_4697.jpg) ## **Full Stomachs and Full Hearts** This holistic approach is reflected in the different branches of EveryArkansan. Take, for example, EA Kids (formerly the Dream Center) and how they provide a safe place and warm meals for youth in underserved communities. Director Kindalh Hoover shares how her team’s goal is to see full stomachs and full hearts: > Our big focus for kid’s programming is feeding. You have to meet that practical need so that they aren’t worried about that. And then relationships and making sure that they have safe relationships. The biggest part of poverty that people often forget is relationships. You can have food and a house, but if you don’t have anybody to support you, all that can quickly be taken away. So, relationships are a big part of what we believe in and strive for. And then Jesus, it’s always Jesus. We’re always going to teach Bible lessons at our Little Rock program and our mobile sites. Marius helps me see the pivotal role Kindalh plays in EA Kids: > When Kindalh first came on, she came on as the girls’ coach [at what was then the Dream Center. There was a bunch of girls in her classroom. Nine years later, we’ve gotten to see what happened to a lot of these girls. One girl got baptized just three weeks ago. So, you see the consistency of Kindalh and the team here in Little Rock. Now, at the same time, we have another girl from that same group with Kindalh. Two weeks ago, she got shot so bad that she had to be in the hospital for the last month. Kindalh was one of the first people who showed up at the hospital. We were able to be there with her. Those two girls, and so many others, know they can always come back to a safe place because of Kindalh. ## **Breaking Free from Addictions** Another area EveryArkansan addresses is addiction. Blake Polston, Director of EA Recovery, says, “We want to see our friends and family become fully devoted followers of Christ. Whenever we do that, we’ve got friends and family that are going to be addicted. You look at 7% of people in the U.S. today who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, and that’s a huge number. Then you’ve also got way more people affected by it because then you’ve got mothers and fathers, and then you’ve got children.” EA Recovery began small, with four men in a residential program, but has grown significantly. “Right now, we’ve got capacity for about six women in our phase one residential and about 12 men in our phase one residential,” Blake explains. “And we’ve got about 20 men in our phase two programs and six for the phase two women.” The program is a multi-phase journey of overcoming addiction “through the church,” Blake emphasizes, as he and others walk with people in breaking free from addiction and rebuilding their lives. Because he and his wife are both addicts in recovery, Blake knows the vital role that community plays in recovery. “In downtown Little Rock, we help people manage recovery in real-life settings. Here, you can join a church and participate in its community while recovering without leaving the area. This allows you to start rebuilding your life from the first day of recovery rather than waiting until you graduate from a program.”  Kindalh adds, “I’ve had family members who went through and overcame addiction, and I’ve seen how essential their community was to their journey. Community is the number one factor that can either pull you back into old habits or help you break free.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_5485-2-scaled-1-1.jpg)From left to right: Marius Mauthe, Blake Polston, Tony Phillips, Kindalh Hoover, and Dr. Fitz Hill ## **Stories of Transformation** Stories of change are abundant among this group of leaders. Here are a few they shared with me. ### _Faith in Action_ During the pandemic, when schools were closed for three months, Fitz Hill spent time with Kindalh in five communities in Southwest Little Rock, witnessing the deep relationships she had built with the kids. “We went to them and provided meals,” he recalls. Fitz was struck by her love for the kids and her dedication to them. “Whenever she calls, I know it’s something close to her heart,” he says. “I’m going to do everything I can to fulfill what she asks because I’ve seen her in action.” Hill recalls one story when a middle school girl was abandoned by her mother and found wandering the streets without food. “Kindalh called me,” Fitz explains, sharing how the girl had been left to fend for herself in an abusive, neglectful home. Together, they rallied people from the church, gathered supplies, and made sure this girl had the food and support she needed. ### _Marcus and Lauren_ Blake shares the story of Marcus and Lauren, a couple who lost custody of their two children due to drug addiction. “Their situation was dire—a caseworker found them bathing and doing laundry in a creek,” he recalls. Determined to turn their lives around, Marcus joined EA Recovery, where “we began helping him address his recovery needs.” Meanwhile, Lauren, living in a minivan and hesitant to enter recovery, was driven by one goal: to reunite with her kids. With EA Recovery’s support, she eventually joined the women’s program, allowing both of them to work on recovery together. As they progressed, Marcus started taking responsibility. “He became a devoted follower of Christ and began to grow as a husband and leader,” Blake reflects. The journey was challenging, with Marcus facing multiple court cases. “Managing this process wasn’t easy,” Blake admits. But their dedication paid off—they regained custody of their son, Matthew. Today, both give back to the community. “Marcus now oversees our EA Recovery ministry,” Blake shares, “and Lauren interns with 100 Families, sits on a board to help allocate foster care funds, and volunteers for EA Recovery.” Note: Names have been changed in this story. ### _From Skeptic to Follower_ Marius shares the story of a man who came to NLC Downtown as a skeptic. “He attended our church for about a year and a half,” Marius begins. “He came as a skeptic, not a believer, and every time we preached, he would text us questions like, ‘If God is good, why this?’” The man had plenty of questions, and Marius recalls walking with him through his doubts as he faithfully attended the men’s Bible study every Wednesday morning, observing and learning. “Eventually, he made the decision to follow Christ, got baptized, and got more involved in the church,” Marius continues. Now, this once-skeptic hosts a men’s fitness session every Monday morning. He volunteers in Fitz’s outreach program, serving meals from one of the church’s food trailers. For Marius, the transformation is profound. “He went from a skeptic who did whatever he wanted to a devoted follower of Christ, using his gifts to serve others.” ### _A Powerful Conversation_ One story that stands out to Tony happened at the CityServe warehouse, where men in the EA Recovery program serve to gain work experience. The Pulaski County Jail, a place many in EA Recovery are familiar with, is right across the street from the warehouse. One man, just a couple of weeks into the program, stood in the doorway one morning, gazing across the street. Tony asked him, “You good, man?” The man pointed at a window and said, “Do you see that window? There have been so many mornings where I prayed, wondering if I’d ever be on the other side of it. And now, God put me right here, this close, to remind me He’s in control.”  The weight of that man’s words has stuck with Tony. “That moment was powerful, and I was deeply moved. It reminded me of the transformation we’re witnessing in these lives and the importance of community coming around these men.” ### _A Beautiful Snapshot_ Kindalh recalls one standout moment during a family night celebrating 15 years at the Dream Center. “It was a true family reunion night,” she says. “We invited volunteers from years ago, families who hadn’t attended recently, and our current families. It was such a beautiful picture of our community coming together.”  Reflecting on the night, she recalls how special it was watching the kids she started coaching years ago returning with younger siblings and cousins still in the program. “It truly felt like a family gathering,” she says. For Kindalh, it was “a beautiful snapshot of what we get to do every day.” She adds, “None of this would be possible without the Lord. All the glory goes to Him.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1385-1-2048x1366-1.jpg) ## **Real Relationships Through Serving** For Fitz Hill, serving is where you find a _true_ connection with others. “These relationships I’ve built through serving are unlike anything else,” he says. “See, just coming to church can feel a bit superficial—you get to know people on a surface level. But real relationships, the deep ones, are built in serving.” When someone invites him to lunch, Hill’s response is simple: “I say, ‘No, let’s go serve. We can eat while we’re cooking. Let’s talk while we’re working.’” For him, Sunday “is when we get filled up, and then it’s time to hit the road and get back to work.” This spirit of service—taking the message of love and hope into the community—is what Fitz loves most about his role with NLC Downtown and EveryArkansan. “It’s not just about attending; it’s about being the Church, every day, wherever the need is.” We are grateful for the exceptional work of NLC Downtown and other churches working together to help people chase their God-given dreams. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Providing a Home Away from Home" url: "https://citychurchar.org/goodness-village-providing-a-home-away-from-home/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "How much would your life change if a diagnosis forced you to uproot everything and seek treatment in an unfamiliar city? Imagine putting your life on hold for weeks, months, or even years, away from everything you call ‘home.’ This" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:14:08+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Providing a Home Away from Home How much would your life change if a diagnosis forced you to uproot everything and seek treatment in an unfamiliar city? Imagine putting your life on hold for weeks, months, or even years, away from everything you call ‘home.’ This scenario is a reality for hundreds of families coming to Little Rock yearly needing medical treatment. Over time, the city has become a medical hub offering life-saving treatments to patients, and those making the journey to the capital city need a place to stay where they can relax and recover. For the past 30 years, Goodness Village has stepped up to provide a “home away from home” for patients and their families receiving outpatient medical treatment.  Today, Goodness Village continues its mission in the spirit of Matthew 25:35-40 (“I was a stranger, and you invited me in…I was sick, and you visited me.”). With the support of dedicated staff and volunteers, the people of Goodness Village offer something more to their guests than a place to stay. Each apartment is a refuge, providing a place to heal where patients and their families can find comfort, care, and community when they need it most. ![Kim Burket, Executive Director of Goodness Village](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GoodnessVillage2048-edited-scaled-1.jpg)Kim Burket, Executive Director of Goodness Village ## **From Small Beginnings** Recently, Kim Burket, Executive Director of Goodness Village, gave me a tour of one of their apartments. As soon as I step inside, I am impressed by what I see. There is a sense of warmth and comfort throughout the space. I think, “Someone thought a lot about how to make this place feel more like home than a hotel.” Every detail, from the modern appliances in the kitchen to the carefully selected decor, has been placed with the guest’s care and comfort in mind. The bedroom features fresh linens and plush pillows, making it easy to imagine someone finding rest here after a long day. The bathroom is designed with accessibility in mind, with grab bars near the shower. The kitchen is stocked: cupboards filled with essentials donated by volunteers and volunteer groups, easy-to-heat meals in the fridge, drawers, and cabinets filled with kitchen necessities, and a coffee maker with plenty of java for going back and forth from the hospital. After our tour, we sit down in the living room for an interview about the history and future of Goodness Village. Kim’s personality radiates with joy; it is infectious. She is genuine and has the endearing quality of speaking from her heart. It’s easy to like Kim and believe she genuinely cares about her mission and the people Goodness Village serves. She tells me about the long and winding road that brought Goodness Village to where it is today. The organization, formerly known as Home Away from Home, started with one woman, Carolyn Johnson, who cared for her mother while receiving cancer treatment, saw a need, and felt God’s call for her to do something.  “She had met patients in the UAMS waiting room who had nowhere to stay,” Kim recalls. “ She got the nudge from the Lord and literally signed the lease on the first apartment in her name…and said, ‘We’re going to do this.’ It was the first step, but it didn’t take long for her home church, Little Rock Church, to get involved. “Little Rock Church rallied around her and gathered  used furniture, and another church in Pocahontas loaded up two U-Hauls full of used furniture and brought it to Little Rock.” Kim says, “You’re seeing everything [here] looking all fresh and beautiful. But what I love is that it started just bare bones—used furniture and nothing matched. But it was a home.”  ## **What’s Next, Lord?** With her background in hospitality and working at hotels, Kim worked part-time for five years for 20th Century Club Lodge, another housing option. For Kim, this was a stepping stone where she “began to learn about the patients and families traveling in for treatment.   After her time at the lodge, she wondered, “What’s next, Lord?” Around that time, her friend, Krissy, invited Kim and her family to Little Rock Church. It turns out that was exactly where they needed to be, as she met Regina, the Director of what was then Home Away from Home, now known as Goodness Village. Kim recalls, “Regina, knowing my background, asked me if I’d be interested in volunteering. I said, ‘Oh, absolutely. Sounds great.’ From day one, I knew that this mission was something special. I could not get away from talking to the people. It just filled me.” After about a month, Kim tells me, “Regina invited me for coffee and said, ‘I’ve been praying for a long time who will be taking over this ministry. Kim, you’re the one.’ And I said, ‘Oh my goodness, Regina, thank you so much. But I don’t know anything about ministry, and I’ve never done this before.’” But Regina encouraged Kim to at least pray about it. Kim prayed over it and felt a peace about it. Looking back through her history of losing both grandmothers to cancer, years of hospitality experience and love for helping people – _This _was what she was supposed to do. She told Regina, who was elated to hear the news. Kim vividly remembers Regina handing her “a flip phone, a couple of notebooks and a large key ring full of keys to all of the apartments. I quickly realized I had my work cut out for me. There were no staff, there was no budget, and there was only $3,000 in the bank.’” Kim was off on a great adventure with an uncertain future ahead of her. Her task was daunting, but she knew she had the support of her church. They told her, “We will help you in any way.” Nevertheless, Kim had moments, wondering, “Lord, what am I doing?” and all she knew to do was to lean on her faith.   ![Guests at one of Goodness Village's apartments, the Beidler family](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/beidler-1-1.jpg)Guests at one of Goodness Village’s apartments, the Beidler family ## **A Chance Encounter with Mr. and Mrs. Pfeifer** Kim jumped into the work with everything she had. “I started visiting different women’s ministry groups and sharing about the mission of  Home Away from Home and looking for volunteers.” The work was hard and long, and Kim remembers, “One particular day, I was sitting in a chair,  sobbing because I was like, ‘Lord, I need help.’ I didn’t want to just pray for any people to come. I was praying for God  to bring His people that He wanted  to join this mission.” God answered that prayer and brought Pam Hamby, her first employee, to the team. She told Kim, “I used to do design in my previous work, and I’d love to help you.” Kim and Pam worked together, doing all they could to make every apartment feel like home. “We didn’t have any money, so we got creative and went to garage sales and such. ” Through the years, God would provide Kim with breadcrumbs, and not long into her role, Kim met Mr. Pfieifer, a patient from Wichita, Kansas, who “became like our family.” Mr. Pfeifer saw the impact of the ministry and even secretly paid the rent for a fellow patient’s family. One day, he & Ms. Pfeifer invited Kim to dinner and asked her to share her vision for what was then Home Away from Home)Moved by what he heard, Mr. and Mrs. Pfeifer wrote a check for $10,000 for the ministry. “That was a million dollars to me,” Kim says, laughing. And yet another stepping stone. ## **Getting Churches Involved** Though Home Away from Home continued to grow as a ministry, Kim felt stretched thin, with increasing demands on her time and energy. As the need for affordable housing grew, Kim felt the support of Little Rock Church guiding her and helping with resources. Another church, Fellowship Bible Church, also embraced the mission of Home Away from Home. Kim recounts her nervousness presenting to Fellowship’s pastors. “I was shaking.” With a binder that I put together myself filled with photos of the apartments and patient testimonies, Kim shared. The pastors were moved and, soon after, agreed to support the organization with finances and volunteers—another stepping stone. Eventually, Kim and her team decided to rebrand Home Away from Home as Goodness Village and establish it as a nonprofit. She reflects, “It was quite a process and overwhelming. But again, we kept leaning in, praying, ‘Lord, what’s next?’” In March 2020, Goodness Village officially became an independent 501(c) (3) organization just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Kim tells me, “I was just devastated. We had gotten this far. We could not present and share the exciting news of our rebrand with the community.  We had great plans to set meetings with area churches, businesses, and organizations and hold an open house to celebrate our new name.  And so the Lord showed up big again. When the other housing options had to close their doors or run at lower capacity, we thrived. It was just right before our eyes. It was just like this was what was supposed to happen. _We were made for this_, which became our theme and talking piece.” ## **The Future of Goodness Village** Reflecting on the journey that has brought her to today, Kim marvels at God’s faithfulness and wonders with excitement about what He has in store for Goodness Village in the future. “When I started 15 years ago, I was the only staff member, and today, we have grown into a dedicated team of 17,” she says. “We currently operate 22 fully-furnished apartments, each providing a haven for those in need.” In 2023 alone, Goodness Village served over 350 guests from 22 states and five foreign countries. Kim tells me, “With the average stay being 30 days, we provided 6,064 nights of housing and approximately $185,000 of financial support to assist with housing costs from our family support fund. Our family support fund combines funding from individuals, businesses, community partners, and grants. It truly takes a village!” Kim envisions a future for Goodness Village where community and connection are at the heart of Goodness Village. “If we get the right people involved, the right churches, the right individuals, and businesses, I think it could be a model for others to follow.” With Goodness Village expanding its partnerships, Kim is optimistic about what’s ahead. “If we get the right people involved, the right churches, the right individuals, the right businesses, I think it could be a model for others to follow. Our model is unique, and we’re planting a lot of seeds and seeing some great alignments,” she says. Kim knows God has done this and adds, “It’s all for the Lord. I give Him full glory for that.” ![Guests at one of Goodness Village's apartments, the Beidler family](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-story-scaled-1.jpg)Guests at one of Goodness Village’s apartments, the Medeiros family ## **Stories from the Guestbook** The Medeiros family came to Little Rock with their newborn son, Cam, who needed a heart transplant. Cam’s mother, Karissa, expressed her gratitude for Goodness Village’s support. “It alleviated the stress of finding somewhere we could stay long term,” she says. “It gave us a stable home base in Little Rock, a place where grandparents could visit and support us as we focused on Cam’s care.” For nine months, Goodness Village was their refuge, allowing them to focus on Cam’s health instead of worrying about housing arrangements. When their five-year-old son Giuliano was diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease, the Beidlers had to split their family, traveling from Pennsylvania to Little Rock to access the best treatment for him. With three young children, they initially bounced between hotels, airports, and hospitals, but Goodness Village provided the stability they needed. Linsay, Giuliano’s mother, explains, “Being able to cook meals, bathe the kids, and let them play in a safe environment made such a difference. Giuliano had a real home, and it gave him a chance to just be a kid despite everything.” During his cancer treatment at CARTI, Charles Harris found not only housing but also emotional support. “They brought us gift baskets, a quilt, and other inspirational items,” Charles says. “CARTI and Goodness Village were more than I expected.” His stay was financially covered through a sponsorship, freeing him from financial worries and allowing him to focus solely on his recovery. ## **The Joy of Giving Back** Goodness Village goes above and beyond to touch hearts and change lives. Kim and her team give their guests much more than a place to stay. They are the warm blanket and cool drink of water for those enduring the most challenging time in their lives. What Goodness Village does best of all is provide the love and care of Jesus in ways that remind people they are not alone on their journey. There is a whole village behind them. We are so thankful for Goodness Village and the churches that support their work for the kingdom. Every day, they show others how wonderful, compassionate, and caring our God truly is. Community partners and volunteer groups give generously, filling cupboards and creating a space that feels like home. With each meal shared and each word of encouragement given, you hear the echoes of Christ’s love. Goodness Village reminds us that giving back to others is the greatest joy we can have. May our churches and organizations like Goodness Village continue to give back because we have received so much from Him. Let us be grateful. Let us be generous. --- --- title: "Extraordinary Prayer contact form" url: "https://citychurchar.org/extraordinary-prayer-contact-form/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Extraordinary Prayer contact form Let’s Make Our Churches Houses of Prayer. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps." last_modified: "2024-11-11T20:57:25+00:00" --- # Extraordinary Prayer contact form # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## Let’s Make Our Churches Houses of Prayer. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. Your name(Required) Last Your email(Required) Your phone Your message(Required) We will treat your information in accordance with our [Terms of Use](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/). Submit --- --- title: "Equipped Leaders contact form" url: "https://citychurchar.org/equipped-leaders-contact-form/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Equipped Leaders contact form Maximize Your Leadership Potential. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps." last_modified: "2024-11-11T17:35:48+00:00" --- # Equipped Leaders contact form # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## Maximize Your Leadership Potential. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. Your name(Required) Last Your email(Required) Your phone Your message(Required) We will treat your information in accordance with our [Terms of Use](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/). Submit --- --- title: "Flourishing Families contact form" url: "https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-families-contact-form/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Flourishing Families contact form Let’s Restore Families Together. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps." last_modified: "2024-11-11T17:38:24+00:00" --- # Flourishing Families contact form # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## Let’s Restore Families Together. Fill out and submit the form below. Our team will contact you for next steps. Select the area(s) you're interested in(Required) Church/school partnership Building strong and healthy marriages Your name(Required) Last Your email(Required) Your phone Your message(Required) We will treat your information in accordance with our [Terms of Use](https://citychurchar.org/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://citychurchar.org/privacy-policy/). Submit --- --- title: "My Trip to Bud Walton Arena" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-trip-to-bud-walton-arena/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "It was about 6:30 p.m. on September 19th, when my friend Dan dropped me off just across the street from Bud Walton Arena. As I walked toward the arena, I recalled other times I had been to Bud Walton to" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:13:26+00:00" categories: [Extraordinary Prayer] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_twitter: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 ss_ss_click_share_count_envelope: 1 --- # My Trip to Bud Walton Arena It was about 6:30 p.m. on September 19th, when my friend Dan dropped me off just across the street from Bud Walton Arena. As I walked toward the arena, I recalled other times I had been to Bud Walton to cheer on the Razorbacks, but never an event like this.  Over the next hour, more than 10,000 students flowed into the arena for the Unite Arkansas organized by [Unite Us](https://www.uniteusmovement.com/), a movement of college students united to lift the name of Jesus. What begin on the campus of Auburn University in September of 2023 has grown into a movement reaching college students across the nation.  In addition to the worship and praise, students heard the gospel of Christ proclaimed, and hundreds responded to the call for repentance and put their faith in Jesus Christ. Witnessing the hunger of these college students for relationship with Christ filled my heart with joy and inspired renewed hope in this generation and the future of our Nation.    ![Unite Us event at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/9DED83B0-3097-42F8-BB13-6A831D23AA41_1_102_o-1.jpeg)Unite Us event at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on September 19, 2024. My ultimate hope is in Jesus, but my heart grieves over the growing division, decline, and despair in our culture and nation. A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting Dave Butts at an Arkansas Pastor’s Prayer Summit. In his excellent book, _With One Cry: A Renewed Challenge to Pray for America_, Dave wrote, “The great danger for us now is that we will lose hope. Many Christians are pretty much convinced that we’re living in the last days, and we can’t do anything about what is happening.”  He goes on to say, “With such a dire diagnosis, why, then, am I not hopeless? To the contrary, I have great hope for America because the depth of a fall never determines God’s ability to restore.” May God restore us, revive us, and awaken us! Dave goes on to talk about the reality that Christians in America are now more like the away team than the home team. He devotes an entire chapter to “How to Pray for an Election,” but perhaps the chapter that inspired me most was “The Hope of Revival.” > The Church is the key to the future of America. The nation doesn’t believe that. We have been marginalized by culture. But not by God. As goes the Church, so goes the nation. Of course, that is true in a negative way as well as a positive, and much of the illness in the nation is the result of a weak and powerless Church.  “We fool ourselves to think that America can continue as the beacon of liberty and justice apart from the pursuit of the source of liberty and justice: God. But while it’s all too easy to lay the blame elsewhere for the problems our nation is facing, the truth is that it’s the Church that must step up. We have become too satisfied with the status quo—doing little beyond simply stating our concerns. But complacency does not become a people in pursuit of God. The Church in America is in need of another spiritual great awakening if our nation is to survive the onslaught against her very foundations. This is not hyperbole but reality. Our nation’s survival depends on the church’s awakening.” — Alex McFarland, quoted in Charisma blog, January 6, 2015 “Impact of Great Awakenings in the Past” In Quiet Talks on Prayer, S.D. Gordon wrote, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” As we approach the 2024 elections in the U.S. and as citizens of both heaven and earth living in a constitutional republic, we are called to: - Pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2). - Speak truth in love to those in authority within our spheres of influence (Eph 4:25, John 19:10-12, Acts 4:19). - Love God and our neighbor by exercising the authority given to us by God by voting for leaders and laws that promote good and restrain evil (Rom. 13:1-7). ![American flag](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AdobeStock_359492610.jpeg) ## **A Humble Prayer for Our Nation** As we unite in extraordinary prayer—prayer that is increasing, unceasing, and persevering—we offer this prayer for our nation, co-authored by Dr. Glenn Sunshine and featured on the [Breakpoint Podcast](https://breakpoint.org/prayer-for-our-nation/) on September 30th. > Lord, these are dark and dangerous times for our country. Our politics is full of hate, and it’s spilling over in how we think of and treat each other. And like any nation, we have guilt for the evil that we have done and permitted.  We have the blood of over 65 million unborn children on our hands. How do you even begin to atone for this? No political party is willing to defend the unborn, and some of those who speak up for them have even been imprisoned.  We can only appeal to your mercy and pray for an end to the slaughter of innocents.  We have dismantled your design for marriage and sexuality and given in to a spirit of confusion over simple biological facts. We are engaged in a destructive project to do the impossible and transition people from one sex to another, and more victims will pay the price for our folly.  We have deep injustices in our criminal justice system against the marginalized and politically disfavored, resulting in many false convictions and plea deals done by the innocent to end their ordeal. In this way we have corrupted justice in violation of your commands to judge with truth. We have made idols out of our possessions, out of sex, out of ourselves, out of politics, out of our nation, and out of the government, and we have viciously attacked anyone who questions our false gods.  We treat them as heretics to be despised and hated. We hate and malign our political opponents, forgetting that they too are made in your image and forgetting Jesus’ teaching that to hold another in contempt is the equivalent of murder, an attack on the image of God and thus on God himself. May we as your people resist the temptation to hate, to insult, to lash out.  May we love our enemies and pray for those who insult or persecute us. May we be peacemakers. May our allegiance be first and foremost to your Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. May we live by Jesus’ teachings and the values of the Kingdom as agents of reconciliation and shalom in a world that desperately needs them. May your priorities be our priorities over party, tribe, or faction. May we seek first your Kingdom and your righteousness, working for your justice in the world but especially for your rule over all areas of life. May we be disciple-makers in accordance with your final command to us. May we live by the law of love—not the kind of sentimental love our culture promotes—but love that seeks the ultimate good of all persons, not their temporary satisfaction. May we love people enough to speak the truth with compassion and gentleness.  May we care more about their wellbeing here and in eternity than about what they think of us. Politically, the issues we are facing are many and complicated, and no party stands for your Kingdom in all areas. May we affirm and support what is good: the right to life, liberty of conscience, our fundamental freedoms, equal justice under law, government that carries out its responsibilities before you but stays out of things beyond its legitimate authority.  May we oppose what is evil: infanticide, abuse of all sorts, injustice, and dehumanizing rhetoric from all sides. And above all, may we put our hope in you, not in the election or defeat of candidates or parties.  We pray against the demonic forces driving these and other evils in our society and the increasingly overt embrace of the occult among cultural elites.  Lord, you and you alone determine the rise and fall of nations. Only your Kingdom lasts forever. If this is the time when we will see the decline of our nation, keep us from despair, remembering that our citizenship is in Heaven from which we await our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Your promises remain unchanged, and whatever happens, we know you are true. Our hope is in you, not in politicians, parties, laws, or constitutions. We commit our nation into your hands, and by your grace we will live in faith, hope, and love, whatever happens.  We ask all this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. _Photo of Bud Walton Arena courtesy of DoggoDePhoto, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons._ --- --- title: "Let’s Do This Together" url: "https://citychurchar.org/second-baptist-church-lets-do-this-together/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Have you ever heard of a church that began out of a chicken coop? Well, that’s exactly how Second Baptist Church started. In 1957, 18 members began meeting behind Lewis Rawling's house on Tatum Street in a coop. Since then," last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:17:45+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_twitter: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 ss_ss_click_share_count_print: 1 --- # Let’s Do This Together Have you ever heard of a church that began out of a chicken coop? Well, that’s exactly how Second Baptist Church started. In 1957, 18 members began meeting behind Lewis Rawling’s house on Tatum Street in a coop. Since then, the church has outgrown the coop and become a cornerstone of faith and service in the John Barrow neighborhood of Little Rock. Recently, I sat down with Ricky Calhoun Jr., Second Baptist’s youth and young adult pastor, to talk about Second Baptist’s impact on the community. His connection to the church goes back to childhood. “I grew up right across the street. I probably threw rocks at the church when I was younger,” he says, reflecting on his youth in the neighborhood where he now serves.  Pastor Calhoun tells me things have gotten better for the John Barrow community thanks to the work of churches like Second Baptist and others. He reflects on what things were like growing up in the area: > Crime, poverty, gangs. There were four gangs right here on this strip. I was a part of one right across the street behind the church. It was rough over here. There was a time when nobody should have been out after eight o’clock. A lot of my friends got shot or killed. A lot of my friends are in jail now. We had churches like Second Baptist and Mount Sinai down the street that started pouring into this community again. I grew up right across the street. I ran up and down the street every single day, passing Second Baptist. I went to Henderson Junior High and Parkview High School. So, all of us here have a love for this community. We want to see it do even better. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/460844568_833013542357825_3799111897758665030_n-1.jpg) ## **One Community, One Family** Pastor Calhoun celebrates the commitment of the congregation to do the work together—as one community, as one family. The one statement you will hear repeatedly throughout the church is, “Let’s do this together,” something that has become a calling card for Second Baptist. Today, the church fits 3,000 people in its sanctuary. It also has a gymnasium and other buildings designed and built to serve the people of John Barrow, not just church members. “We went from a chicken coop to where we are now, and that’s a testament to how much God has done through us,” Pastor Calhoun says. “This church isn’t about the building, though. It’s about the people and how we can serve our community.” For Pastor Calhoun, youth ministry in his community is deeply personal. “It’s heartfelt work. I’ve had the opportunity to pour back into the place that made me who I am. These kids that I work with, I was them once. I’ve walked the same streets, faced the same challenges,” he explains. His connection to the area drives him to help youth navigate the many challenges they face in a tough environment. “When I came over to the church, Dr. Kelly was the pastor. When he was recruiting me, I asked him one question. I said, ‘Show me the fruits of the church.’ I’m big on the fruits of the church, especially if I’m going to be a part of it. And he took me to all of this and showed me what they were doing in the community,” Pastor Calhoun recalls. What he saw back then was a fruitful church working together to influence the community through different outreach, partnerships, and programs. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/427894058_700046725654508_3291378418865160569_n-1.jpg) ## **Lifting Up The Least of These** Second Baptist is anything but a place for just preaching and potlucks. It’s a lifeline for many families in the area. The church’s various ministries provide crucial support to those in need. From food pantries to substance abuse recovery programs, the church aims to lift up “the least of these” in the community. One way the church meets immediate needs is through its food pantry. “We have a pantry that’s open two days a week, free food, and now we’re open on Saturdays,” Pastor Calhoun explains. The food pantry and other services the church offers are, as Pastor Calhoun tells me, a gateway to building relationships with people in the community. “People may come in to get a light bill paid, but we were able to help with something else.” The church’s FREE ministry addresses substance abuse, offering classes and support to individuals struggling with addiction. The church also runs a grief share program, helping individuals process loss in a safe and compassionate environment. Through this multitude of ministries, Second Baptist stands as a beacon of hope in the community, offering people the help and hope they need for a better tomorrow. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/453039751_18443747098054817_7930813948567059192_n-1.jpg) “I always tell people, ‘Come in, take any class, and we will treat you just like family, and it’s open to everybody,’” says Pastor Calhoun. What becomes clear in our conversation is the value that Pastor Calhoun and others put on blessing their community. “We try to touch the community in a way that is not boasting or bragging, but let them know we are doing it because of Christ and not to be seen.” He recounts one of Second Baptist’s most impactful outreach efforts. “Every year, we do a gas giveaway. We go right up here to Casey’s and give about $5,000 worth of gas away for free.” The event not only provides free gas but also includes food and the opportunity to invite people to the church. He shares a story of a woman who came with her seven children: “I invited her to the church. She came twice just because we gave her free gas. She ended up joining. We ended up baptizing her, and she’s been here ever since.” ## **A Bridge Between Churches and Schools** One of the most impactful ways Second Baptist engages others is through its church/school partnerships with Parkview and JA Fair High School. Through these partnerships, the church provides vital support for students and their families, teachers, and school administration. Through these partnerships, they can address deeper needs beyond academics. Pastor Calhoun tells me that priority number one for him after he arrived at the church was schools. “When I first got here in 2017, my overall goal was to get us into the schools.” Having graduated from Parkview High School, he returned to his former school to offer support. What started as delivering pizzas to seniors quickly evolved into something bigger. “I started having groups that went from four or five of my students to 50 or 60 kids meeting in two pits at the school to have a discussion about Christ.” At JA Fair, the church’s involvement has increased exponentially. “We actually go out and feed the teachers. We provide school supplies and backpacks for all the kids. For us to go into JA Fair with families, helping the need,” Pastor Calhoun tells me. Recently, the church collected over 1,200 pairs of shoes for students through a shoe drive. Examples like this make it clear that if there is a need, the people of Second Baptist will be there to meet it.  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/454743215_808134361512410_7995808902414489989_n.jpg) Often, these partnerships present needs that go much deeper. Pastor Calhoun recalls a time when that was the case. “Last year I met a seventh-grader who was pregnant. [One of the teachers] told me, ‘Hey, we got a situation.’ I took some workers I know, connected them, and we got her through that situation. We talked with the parents because they were not really in her life. We were able to take them through our free program, which is substance abuse because they had some issues. Now, they’re on a journey that’s been great for them. She did have the child. She did not have to drop out of school or anything. I check in on her. I stay in tune with the parents to make sure that they are staying steady, and they are.” Second Baptist’s church/school partnerships are about more than providing charity; they demonstrate the love of Christ in real and tangible ways for others. For a student growing up without a father in the home or a family struggling to make ends meet, these partnerships can be life-changing. A young boy meets a mentor who becomes a father figure. A family feels seen and cared for by a community that provides wrap-around support. Pastor Calhoun puts it this way: “We’re here for you, and we’re going to walk through this together.” He goes on to say, “At the end of the day, our goal is to connect you to Christ. That’s the overall goal, and that’s what I’ve seen.” ## **From Critic to Convert** While Second Baptist puts a lot of focus on reaching the hungry and hurting in their community, they also emphasize equipping leaders. Pastor Calhoun lights up when he talks about one tool the church uses to establish believers in the faith—The First Principles series. (For more information about The First Principles, check out our [article](https://citychurchar.org/the-first-principles-of-the-faith-and-dog-training/) about the series.) At first, Pastor Calhoun admits he was hesitant about going through the series. “When it first got introduced, I was on the team saying, ‘Man, I don’t need that book.’ At that time, the discipleship pastor said, ‘Rick, just go through the first book, _Becoming a Disciple_.’ Keep in mind that small groups were foreign here. We didn’t do small groups. So the first time, we did small groups with The First Principles, we started going through this book, and I said, ‘Wow!’ It blew my mind. I was like, wait a minute, hold up. This little book shows how the early church operated. It blew my mind.” Pastor Calhoun reports how The First Principles “took our church by storm” to the point where the church took small groups through The First Principles in the summer rather than doing a traditional Bible study. “Several classes on campus met. We just divided up in different classrooms. It got to the point where we started having Bible studies, and then it grew so much that we had to do a Sunday school class just for The First Principles.” Pastor Calhoun loves the discussion-based approach of The First Principles. “We’re used to lecture. You just sit, you don’t talk, you don’t ask questions. It took time for the congregation to adjust, but we had a great person to train all our facilitators and encourage open dialogue.” The First Principles series gave people permission to ask questions and engage in dialogue about the Bible. By taking a Bible-based approach it also dispelled a lot of myths about what it means to study the Bible and grow as a disciple of Jesus. Once a critic, Pastor Calhoun is now an outspoken advocate for The First Principles. “I tell anybody, once you read the first book, that really will tell you that you didn’t know some stuff. I felt like I didn’t know some stuff.” ![Pastor Ricky Calhoun Jr.](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_5452-scaled-1-1.jpg)Pastor Ricky Calhoun Jr. ## **The Power of One** When I ask Pastor Calhoun about the difference it would make in Central Arkansas for more churches to work together in praying for the city and seeking its prosperity, he tells me: > It would help our city because we’re still divided. Right now, we’re all still on our own pillars and in more competition than actually coming together. If churches, the Body of Christ, came together to serve this city, we could stop the homelessness that’s on the corner. We can stop some of the things that go to legislation like abortion. Our voice would be heard. We should all be on one team. There’s so much we can do to get our voices back inside the government and our city and state to be heard. That’s what I love about CityChurch Network—you guys connecting churches, connecting partnerships. I think the more we do that, the more it helps.  We are grateful for the exceptional work of Second Baptist Church and other churches in our city that are united in strengthening families and serving their communities. They are helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Covering Arkansas in Unceasing Prayer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays-covering-the-state-in-unceasing-prayer/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In 2008, Trey and Mary Anne Kent began a prayer walk in their Austin, Texas neighborhood. Surrounded by darkness and illuminated by the light pole above them, God spoke clearly to them, setting them on a path that would change" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:28:49+00:00" categories: [Extraordinary Prayer] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Covering Arkansas in Unceasing Prayer In 2008, Trey and Mary Anne Kent began a prayer walk in their Austin, Texas neighborhood. Surrounded by darkness and illuminated by the light pole above them, God spoke clearly to them, setting them on a path that would change their lives—and their city.” Trey recalls how “it landed with undeniable fire. It was a simple idea: 31 churches covering the city in 24/7 prayer, with each church adopting one 24-hour day of prayer every month of the year.” Later, in an upper room in Jerusalem, God confirmed His desire for the city Trey and Mary Anne called home.  Since then, a prayer movement has swept through Austin, incorporating churches big and small from different denominations, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. Around 100 churches in the greater Austin area have adopted their monthly day of prayer for the city. Hundreds or even thousands attend quarterly prayer meetings to unite churches through worship and prayer.  In a city once divided, churches are uniting in prayer like never before. Trey describes it this way: “Our city is more unified and transformed than I’ve seen it in the 25 years I’ve lived and pastored in Austin.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/terren-hurst-KU66acygwIY-unsplash.jpg) ## **Awakening on the Horizon?** A decade into the movement, Trey and fellow pastor Kie Bowman wrote _City of Prayer: Transforming Your Community through Praying Churches _(PrayerShop Publishing: 2019). The book tells how God moved in Austin and how a 24/7 prayer movement can happen anywhere when God’s people are desperate enough to pray. > Prayer is like fire—it ignites everything it touches and continues spreading. Revival and spiritual awakening are like an earthquake that shifts and shakes the culture because of unceasing, desperate prayer. The days of _business as usual _for the Church are gone. It’s time to pray as the early Church prayed and expect our cities to be epicenters of awakening! We don’t know where the next revival and spiritual awakening will occur. But we know God likes to work in unlikely and unexpected places. Kie writes, “If a city looks too far gone or a culture seems too distant from God for an awakening, you may be surprised.”  Our culture’s moral and spiritual decline is evident. Some might say we’re “too far gone.” But what if God sees things differently? What if the prayers of His people usher in something that Kie says “points to something on the horizon sent from heaven, the likes of which we’ve never seen before”? ## **Prayer Movements in History** If you study the history of spiritual awakenings, you will see patterns emerge. The most common pattern is prayer. In _City of Prayer_, Kie traces how prayer has preceded and fueled spiritual awakenings from the first-century Church to today. The Church began with an unceasing prayer movement. Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, during a 10-day prayer meeting in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. This event filled them with divine power and led to the baptism of 3,000 new believers in a single day. The First and Second Great Awakenings in America resulted from prayer movements like the Moravians, who dedicated themselves to 24/7 unbroken prayer for 100 years. The Moravians deeply influenced George Whitfield and John Wesley, critical figures in these awakenings. The noontime prayer meetings in 1857 led by Jeremiah Lanphier in New York City quickly grew, attracting thousands to pray daily for the nation. Within six months, as many as 50,000 people attended prayer meetings across New York City, and the revival spread nationwide. The Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 was remarkable for its widespread impact, resulting in 100,000 conversions within five months. In the 1960s and early 1970s, revival among hippies in California spread from San Francisco to other parts of the country, notably Asbury College. Later, in 1994, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru), gathered 600 Christian leaders across denominations to pray and fast for spiritual awakening in America. Bright’s vision that “if two million believers in America would fast for 40 days, praying for revival, the year 2000 would be the beginning of spiritual awakening” brings us to where we are today. Looking back, Kie believes we are at the dawn of a great revival in our country. “It seemed to me as if every minister I knew was burdened for revival. The 20th century was coming to a close. People everywhere were fasting and praying. What we didn’t know was that the prayer movement was just getting started. We were only drops in a stream. The rivers would flow in the 21st century. Spiritual awakening is coming.” ## **Pastors are Key** The Unceasing Prayer Movement led by Trey and Kie is spreading across the United States and the globe. Trey attributes the movement’s success to its simplicity: “It is so simple and attainable. If your church sees Jesus as the answer to your city’s problems, prayer can bring real and effective change.”  Pastors are critical to the success of 24/7 prayer movements in these cities. “…this movement of prayer begins and ends with local church pastors who are the key to raising up and maintaining praying churches that will literally transform our cities. Right now, in your city, there are pastors who are prepared to lead their churches in 24/7 prayer for spiritual awakening.” Jesus called us to be a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:14). Becoming a house of prayer means creating a culture of prayer in our churches. According to Ronnie Floyd, former President of the Southern Baptist Executive Committee, that starts with pastors. “As the pastor goes, so goes the church. Stop delegating prayer to others. Lead your church to be a praying church.” ![Hands of group praying over Bible](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AdobeStock_522207762.jpeg) ## **Launching 24/7 Prayer in Your Church** Establishing a culture of prayer in your church is easier than you might think. At his church, Kie discovered that “the key is to invite people to pray together weekly in small prayer meetings. This gives them the opportunity to both _catch _prayer and to begin crying out to God in their own words and way.”  From there, the next logical step is “adopting a day of prayer every month to pray for your city is the most effective way to begin and maintain a culture of prayer in your local church. After this is established and growing, other steps can be taken.” Other steps include prayerwalking neighborhoods, overnight prayer meetings, or quarterly prayer gatherings. Every church is different, so each will have a unique expression of prayer, which we should celebrate. Once your church has established a culture of prayer and adopted its day of prayer, it’s time to get other churches involved and launch 24/7 prayer in your city. To do that, Kie says you simply “bring together pastors in the city and invite them to adopt a day of prayer in their churches.” With more churches united in prayer, “we see a growing hunger in cities across the earth to unite in 24/7 prayer for spiritual awakening. Desperation is increasing as human solutions prove ineffective for long-term transformation.” Prayer is the key to the Church’s influence and change in the city. Kie writes, “The praying Church carries the most influence in your city—more than the city council, mayor, or school system. The praying Church is the key to a transformed city.” ## **“****I will pour water on the thirsty land…”** In 2014, the crisis in Austin was undeniable. “We were experiencing the worst drought in Austin’s history, and the demand for water had never been greater due to an unprecedented lack of rainfall and the taxing needs of a rapidly expanding population,” Kie recalls. There was virtually no rain for months, and daily temperatures soared above 100 degrees, creating an economic and human disaster with no viable solutions in sight. One day, a group of pastors and intercessors gathered at 6 a.m. at Hyde Park Baptist Church, as they usually did. After their time in prayer, one intercessor felt an impression from the Lord. A month later, 1,000 believers came together to pray and worship. For nearly two hours, they prayed for rain. Lake Travis, typically full at 681 feet, had dropped to less than 618 feet, requiring over 20 million gallons to refill. What they needed was a legit miracle. Then, it happened. “The next weekend, torrential rains and flash floods covered Austin. It was only the beginning. Ignoring every computer model predicting more drought, the rains fell regularly and relentlessly.” Reflecting on these events, Kie writes, “We watched God answer prayer with a modern-day nature miracle. In less than two years, the millions of gallons of water needed to fill Lake Travis pushed the levels back to 681 feet. God answered our prayers in one of the most conspicuous ways imaginable.” ## **Covering Arkansas in Unceasing Prayer** The Austin story shows us what can happen when God’s people are desperate enough to pray. When churches unite in prayer, we can expect God to produce extraordinary results. If you’re thinking, “I would love to see that happen in Arkansas,” I have good news. It already is! [Arkansas Prays](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/) is a simple, church-based statewide prayer movement with churches working together throughout the state to cover Arkansas in 24/7 prayer.  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Arkansas-Prays-Horizontal-Logo-4c-2048x709-1.png) CityChurch Network is excited to champion Arkansas Prays and the nationwide movement America Prays, uniting 40,000 churches in unceasing prayer. Imagine Arkansas being the next epicenter of awakening in our country. Imagine the floods of spiritual refreshment and renewal a united and praying Church would bring to the thirsty and weary in our state. It will happen when we are desperate enough to pray. Or, as Kie tells us: “When we recapture the New Testament vision of prayer meetings, spiritual awakening won’t be far behind. Prayer meetings change the world!” We echo Trey’s belief that “the future is as bright as the promises of God.” Let us step forward, praying that God promises to do more than we could ever hope or imagine in our state. You and I might witness the greatest thing since the Church launched 2,000 years ago.  Let us pray with one voice that we will see it. > Today, the tectonic plates of culture are shifting beneath our feet. We are so familiar with the major changes occurring in American culture that it’s almost unnecessary to list the moral decline, the hostility and polarization in our political process, the spike in the depression and suicide rates among teens and children, the opioid crisis, racial divisions, and the growth of atheism and secularism.  Fortunately, God is active, and the Church is sensing a desperation that leads to prayer. There is a prayer movement rising with the potential to usher in the most widespread spiritual awakening in American history. Perhaps the most significant event since Pentecost is on the way. Kie Bowman Visit [Arkansas Prays](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/) to learn more about signing up your church for a half or full day of unceasing prayer for Arkansas. --- --- title: "A Heart for the City" url: "https://citychurchar.org/little-rock-church-a-heart-for-the-city/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "As of this writing, time machines do not yet exist. However, a story can transport us through space and time into the past. Recently, Gerald Driskill, an elder at Little Rock Church and professor at the University of Arkansas at" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:29:45+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders, Extraordinary Prayer, Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_envelope: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # A Heart for the City As of this writing, time machines do not yet exist. However, a story can transport us through space and time into the past. Recently, Gerald Driskill, an elder at Little Rock Church and professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, took me on a journey to 1986 when the church began. At a Starbucks on North University, Gerald describes how the church began as “a group of lay leaders focused on house churches.” This community had no rigid structure. Church gatherings often featured an open mic for testimonies, exhortations, and encouragement. Gerald describes the early years as a “richer, more organic time in praise, prayer, scripture reading, testimonies, and worship.”  Out of this culture came a church focused on spiritual formation and living a lifestyle of worship and service inside and outside its community. ## **Everyone on Mission** Churchwide engagement is a hallmark of Little Rock Church, especially in its youth ministry. Gerald tells me, “We’ve always been a family-based youth ministry. Church staff aren’t supposed to do ministry for us; they are supposed to do it with us.” Parents at the church have embraced this call to engage, leading weekly small groups and discipling youth rather than leaving the spiritual formation of youth to the “experts.” In response to the foster care crisis in Arkansas, the church was one of several that supported The CALL, a non-profit that has cared for over 30,000 children in the foster care system since its inception. Marol Carol Pederson, The CALL’s founder, invited church members to be foster families and provide wrap-around support for them. At one point, 25% of the church body engaged in The CALL, with some members joining its staff. The church was the birthplace of Goodness Village, which provides affordable apartments for families needing to stay for extended periods in Little Rock for medical care. “There was one year when the call from leadership was, ‘Where is God calling you to minister in the community? That’s how Goodness Village started.’”  In response, one church member leased a single apartment and launched “Home Away from Home,” which later became the non-profit “Goodness Village.” Today, Goodness Village operates 20 fully furnished apartments and serves patients and their families who require outpatient medical treatment. Reflecting on the church’s history, Gerald says their focus on lay leadership has always been there. “We were never about building a church where staff did all the ministry work,” he says. “We wanted to be a community where everyone was engaged in ministry and saw themselves as part of the mission.” ## **Equipping the Saints for Ministry** After a few minutes, pastors Tony Svendsen and Sean Simpson arrive. They are new to Little Rock Church after serving overseas as missionaries and bring renewed energy around equipping leaders. Tony explains, “Ultimately, that’s the call of the Church—to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” Sean adds, “Our passion is to raise up leaders [with] training that is simple, biblical, and reproducible.” This is crucial, as a nationwide [study](https://discipleship-org.s3.amazonaws.com/text/ebooks/Final+2020_National_Study_Report.pdf) shows that fewer than 5% of U.S. churches have a reproducing disciple-making culture. Like the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32), Gerald sees how the inbreaking of God’s kingdom in Little Rock might initially seem small. Yet, its influence will eventually spread throughout the city to bless it. “My heart for the city is that the city would just be better. Period. Even if only 10% of the population starts following Jesus. If you can just make the city better, people are going to be drawn to the gospel and more people will be equipped to share. It will be a better place.” Gerald’s vision for Little Rock is more than what one church can do; churches must work together to effect change, something Tony gets behind. “That’s a key principle in movements. You’re pursuing 10% of the population. We realize that Little Rock Church won’t be able to reach 10% of the city. We have to work with other churches with the common goal of proclaiming the gospel and multiplying disciples.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/lrc-elders-gerald-driskill-300x300-2-1.jpg)Gerald and Angela Driskill ## **Living Out Your Identity in Christ** The gospel is a story that changes our core identity. Church leaders like Tony and Sean are helping others find their identity in Christ. Tony tells me, “We walk people through passages like 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. Paul says Christ’s goal is to reconcile the world to himself, and He has called you to be an ambassador. You represent God now as an ambassador, and He’s given you a ministry of reconciliation. That’s your new identity as a new creation in Christ.” Tony and Sean recognize they are on the same journey as those they lead. “I’m walking with Jesus. I’m still learning,” Tony tells me. “That’s a lifelong process we’re inviting people into. [Discipleship is] not about the knowledge that you’re passing on. It’s about a life journey of walking with Jesus, coming alongside people, and teaching them what that looks like.” New leadership often comes with changes in culture, something Gerald welcomes. “I’m okay with the culture shifts. There’s a health to them. Tony and Sean are bringing some focused vision.” However, Gerald believes the mission of Little Rock Church has not changed. “What is God’s answer to a broken world? It’s people filled by the Spirit of God. Jesus said, ‘Greater things than these you will do.’ The Church will be the hope in a broken world. It is Christ among us. We’re His Body. That is the Good News.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Tony-and-Lisa-Pic-edited-1-scaled-4-2048x2048-1.jpg)Tony and Lisa Svendsen ## **A Praying Church** A focus on prayer is something else that hasn’t changed at the church. From the beginning, Little Rock Church has been a praying church. Gerald emphasizes prayer as “central to our life together in our house churches, our main assemblies, and by engaging with City Church Network’s citywide extraordinary prayer initiative.”  Every year, CityChurch Network gathers pastors and leaders for the Arkansas Prayer Summit. Reflecting on his first summit, Gerald shares, “I realized if I can’t escape to pray with others for a few days, then I am busier than Jesus. Not a good thing.”  The time in prayer brought him to tears as he realized he “had given up hope for unity, for the good news making a real impact on the city, for leaders finding grounds to work together.”  Unsure of how to move forward, Gerald recalls, “One word came to me—trust. Do you trust me to be at work in you? To continue to heal your heart? To be at work in my church and beyond?” Gerald says those three days at the summit transformed him and his understanding of prayer. In the spirit of working together, Tony has launched a team-of-teams approach in the church, which includes teams dedicated to missions and outreach, preaching and teaching, and prayer. Gerald says, “We have a prayer team that covers our church and beyond in daily prayer.” This team also prays on the third Thursday of every month as part of [Arkansas Prays](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/), another CityChurch Network initiative to cover the state in 24/7 prayer. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Simpson-Family-68-1-of-1-1-edited-1-scaled-2-2048x2048-1.jpg)Sean and Ariel Simpson ## **The Care Portal** Little Rock Church is leveraging its long-standing community connections, such as The CALL, Goodness Village, and others, through the Care Portal. This platform connects the state with community responders to help children and families in crisis. In the U.S., over 7 million children are reported for maltreatment annually, leading to more than 400,000 being removed from their homes and placed in an already overwhelmed foster care system. Sean explains, “The state will send a request into the portal, and community responders, including churches, address the need. Once we engage, we can offer support.” Gerald emphasizes how “ we need to get families healthier,” with Tony adding that churches must be proactive in becoming a support network for struggling families. The Care Portal makes early intervention possible before problems escalate, helping to reduce the number of children entering foster care by up to 50% in some cities. The Care Portal not only meets physical needs but also addresses spiritual needs. Sean notes, “The state can see how the Church is moving in communities. It’s a faith-based initiative, so those who respond will be believers,” fostering relationships with community leaders and connecting with those who understand the on-the-ground spiritual needs of families. ## **We All Need a Gift** When Sean reflects on his relationship with Jesus, he sees it as a gift that demands a response. > We didn’t earn our faith; it’s a gift. We received the Holy Spirit, and everything good comes from the Lord. The only thing that’s getting in the way of being Spirit-filled is […] how we view ourselves. The most important thing for us to realize is who we are in Christ and how we should respond to Him. Jesus, the God-man, washed people’s feet. He submitted Himself to the Father’s will. What does that look like for us? How can we identify ourselves as servant ambassadors for God? Gerald adds, “What we all need is a gift. I don’t know many counselors who would say, ‘You should have to earn your parents’ love.’ The crazy part is that even from a secular point of view, we understand that.” Driving home, I reflect on Gerald’s words: “What we all need is a gift,” and recall Paul’s words to the Ephesians about the beauty of God’s grace. > For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 It is all a gift, or as Brennan Manning once wrote, “The deeper we grow in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the poorer we become—the more we realize that everything in life is a gift.”  We are grateful for the exceptional work of Little Rock Church and other churches in our city that are united in unceasing prayer, equipping leaders, and strengthening families. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Flourishing Families" url: "https://citychurchar.org/families/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Flourishing Families restore families, strengthen communities Where the Family Goes, So Goes Society. Faith and family life are vital for building a flourishing community. But recent data shows that both are in a sharp decline in the United States. Like" last_modified: "2025-04-07T13:48:22+00:00" --- # Flourishing Families # Looking to 2027 & Beyond **restore families, strengthen communities** ## Where the Family Goes, So Goes Society. Faith and family life are vital for building a flourishing community. But recent data shows that both are in a sharp decline in the United States. Like no other time in our history, faith and family are playing a smaller role in the lives of everyday Americans. Cultures spiral up or down based on the health of their families. Where the family goes, so goes society. If we want to build a flourishing community, let’s focus on the institutions that are the greatest predictors of community health and vitality—churches, marriages, and families. ## _Saving Faith & Family in America_ Churches throughout our city are showing others that marriages and families are a new mission field. By working together, we can implement effective strategies to save and strengthen faith and family in our communities. Like no other institution, churches are uniquely positioned to offer solutions to the issues we face. We help churches work together to build strong marriages, healthy families, and flourishing futures for youth. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AdobeStock_294442904.jpeg) _Churches do have the power and resources to revitalize a belief and love for marriage and family across America. Churches can leverage the best in ministry strategy, technology, and skills-based practices. And churches will heal a generation that has lost its way while leading hearts back to Christ, but only when they unite together with this common mission!_ ** J.P. De Gance and John Van Epp** (_End Game: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America_) ## Building Flourishing Families Together We partner with churches to build flourishing families through: ### Church/School Partnerships Church/School Partnerships structured around mentoring to help youth read at grade level, gain wisdom, experience healthy relationships, avoid at-risk behaviors, graduate high school, and pursue a successful family and career as adults. [Learn more about Church/School Partnerships.](https://citychurchar.org/church-school-partnerships/) ### The Arkansas Marriage Initiative The Arkansas Marriage Initiative helps couples redeem and restore marriages by God’s power and for His glory. They do this by inspiring (why marriage matters), resourcing (opportunities for vision, skill development, and support), and empowering (helping others discover and thrive in their best roles) couples. [Learn more about AMI.](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-marriage-initiative/) ## Let’s Restore Families Together. In an age of negativity and cynicism that divides and tears down, we need more builders. We need more people like you who work with others to build partnerships between churches and schools and build strong and healthy marriages in our churches and community. To build through a church/school partnership, contact Anthony Hampton for next steps. To help build strong and healthy marriages, contact Jason Ancarrow about starting a marriage ministry in your church. [Get Started](https://citychurchar.org/flourishing-families-contact-form/) ## Flourishing Families Posts [![group of black and white men in a group smiling for a photograph](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_5951.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/a-guide-for-the-journey/) ### [A Guide for the Journey](https://citychurchar.org/a-guide-for-the-journey/) The Lord loves working through friendships. A great example of this truth is the church/school partnership between Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church…. [![two grandparents with their grandson walking in a park and laughing](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AdobeStock_382690119.jpeg)](https://citychurchar.org/leaving-a-legacy-of-faith/) ### [Leaving a Legacy of Faith](https://citychurchar.org/leaving-a-legacy-of-faith/) My wife Angie and I are blessed with four grandchildren, ranging in age from one to fifteen years old. Like so many grandparents, we delight… [![Family sitting on blue bench](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AdobeStock_262513986-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/marriage-the-american-founding/) ### [Marriage & the American Founding](https://citychurchar.org/marriage-the-american-founding/) With the 250th anniversary of America just around the corner, many commentators are reflecting on the virtues that made our country great, like liberty and… [![mom and son holding certificate in office](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed-3-2-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/a-glimmer-of-gods-glory/) ### [A Glimmer of God’s Glory](https://citychurchar.org/a-glimmer-of-gods-glory/) Poverty, at its core, is disconnection. It is being disconnected from relationships and resources, which are the wellspring of wealth and life — material and… [![Morgan Warbington (right), director of Faith Based Initiatives and Special Projects of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, speaks as Paul Chapman (left) looks on during the official launch the 10:33 Initiative in Pulaski County on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at Second Baptist Church in Little Rock. .(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/212341591_TM_022726_1033_2_t1280_t1684.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/from-crisis-to-career/) ### [From Crisis to Career](https://citychurchar.org/from-crisis-to-career/) Betty Winders had been battling addiction for 14 years. Then, in December 2024, everything fell apart. Already on probation and facing multiple charges, she was… [![Couple holding each other and laughing](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AdobeStock_259595020.jpeg)](https://citychurchar.org/surprised-by-what-i-found/) ### [Surprised by What I Found](https://citychurchar.org/surprised-by-what-i-found/) The doctor looked at me and said, “I have to admit I was surprised by what I found.” When I heard those words, I was… [More from the blog](https://citychurchar.org/blog/) _Marriage and family are often better predictors of outcomes for people than the topics that currently dominate our public conversation—like race, education, and government spending. . . Marital quality is, far and away, the top predictor I have run across of life satisfaction in America._ Brad Wilcox, Professor and Director of the National Marriage Project --- --- title: "Extraordinary Prayer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/prayer/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Extraordinary Prayer experience the power of united prayer Prayer Movements Igniting Change Some moments in history require prayer that is above and beyond what is normal: Book of Acts The bold prayers of the early church empowered them to launch" last_modified: "2025-04-07T13:50:01+00:00" --- # Extraordinary Prayer # _**Extraordinary Prayer**_ **experience the power of united prayer** ## **Prayer Movements Igniting Change** Some moments in history require prayer that is above and beyond what is normal: ### Book of Acts The bold prayers of the early church empowered them to launch a revolution that changed the world. ### Moravian Movement In 1727, a small community in Moravia began an unbroken prayer chain that lasted 100 years and planted seeds for the First Great Awakening and modern missions movement. ### Prayer Revival of 1857 In New York City, one businessman started praying every day at noon. Soon, thousands joined him, and over one million people put their faith in Christ. ### German Peace Movement The prayer meetings of one church in Leipzig inspired thousands in Germany and helped bring down the Berlin Wall in 1989. ## Prayer that Unites and Transforms. Movements of God are always preceded and fueled by prayer. When we pray in extraordinary ways, extraordinary things happen. ![Power of prayer: Individuals, churches, society changed](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/prayerOL.svg) ## View Our Monthly Prayer Guide. [Monthly prayer guide](https://citychurchar.org/monthly-prayer-guide/) ## Connect through Prayer. We help churches work together through prayer that is increasing, unceasing, and persevering until earth reflects heaven in our city. God moves when His people pray, which is why we partner with churches to pray together through: ### Arkansas Prays In the spirit of the Moravian Church, Arkansas Prays brings churches of all kinds together to cover Arkansas in 24/7 prayer. Through Arkansas Prays, your church can be on the wall to pray for God to move in your city and our state. [Learn more](https://citychurchar.org/arkansas-prays/) ### One Voice This quarterly event unites churches across the city for an evening of prayer. OneVoice is led by a team of pastors and worship leaders from different backgrounds, meaning no two OneVoice events are alike. Every OneVoice is free and open to the public. [Get the details](https://citychurchar.org/one-voice/) ### Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit For over 25 years, the Arkansas Pastors Prayer Summit has helped church leaders to get away and enjoy Spirit-led, worship-fed, Scripture-based corporate prayer for revival in Arkansas. Through the Summit, church leaders can find spiritual refreshment as they seek the Lord with others through prayer. [Register today](https://citychurchar.org/prayer-summit/) ## Let’s Make Our Churches Houses of Prayer. A movement of extraordinary prayer is underway in our city and uniting churches to be a house of prayer that reflects heaven here in our city. You can play a role in this movement by joining us for one or more of our prayer events. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact Logan Bloom to sign up for our next prayer event. [Get Started](https://citychurchar.org/extraordinary-prayer-contact-form/) ## Extraordinary Prayer Posts [![Lincoln Memorial, West Potomac Park Monumental Core, Taken 22 June 2012 by Joseph Doyle Anderson](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lincoln_Memorial_night-1.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/crying-out-to-god-in-this-civilization-moment/) ### [Crying Out to God in This Civilization Moment](https://citychurchar.org/crying-out-to-god-in-this-civilization-moment/) One of the most stirring examples of the power of prayer in American history occurred during the darkest days of the Civil War. In 1863,… [![Attendees worshiping at the United Gathering of Prayer and Worship at City Center in Little Rock, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-11-09-Citywide-Night-of-Worship-and-Prayer-IMG_8535-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/passing-the-torch/) ### [Passing the Torch](https://citychurchar.org/passing-the-torch/) As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, no one quite knew what to expect. Thirty-one pastors from ten different denominations sat in their… [![Prayer group in church atrium at Fellowship Midtown](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_1880-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/it-all-begins-in-prayer/) ### [It All Begins in Prayer](https://citychurchar.org/it-all-begins-in-prayer/) Sarah Bowen was disappointed. She’d been looking forward to the Collegiate Day of Prayer at Texas A&M for months, but she couldn’t find a babysitter…. [![Prayer during the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_7324-2.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/the-greatest-hope/) ### [The Greatest Hope](https://citychurchar.org/the-greatest-hope/) Charisse Camp wasn’t supposed to be there. She was a last-minute substitute for someone else who couldn’t make it to the Arkansas Flourishing Cities Summit… [![Worship during service at Hillcrest Community Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9651-2-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/only-god/) ### [Only God](https://citychurchar.org/only-god/) Mitch Tapson didn’t want to go. He’d worked all day, and a Tuesday night association meeting on the other side of Arkansas didn’t seem worth… [![Worship with lights and people](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/tajmia-loiacono-FVLeoPbW5PA-unsplash.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/desperate-times-desperate-prayer/) ### [Desperate Times, Desperate Prayer](https://citychurchar.org/desperate-times-desperate-prayer/) Today marks this year’s National Day of Prayer, a moment set aside each spring to seek God’s wisdom and mercy together as a nation. Since… [More from the blog](https://citychurchar.org/blog/) _God is active, and the Church is sensing a desperation that leads to prayer. There is a prayer movement rising with the potential to usher in the most widespread spiritual awakening in American history. Perhaps the most significant event since Pentecost is on the way._ Kie Bowman, Pastor and Leader of the Unceasing Prayer Movement --- --- title: "Churches Helping Families Flourish in Schools" url: "https://citychurchar.org/churches-helping-families-flourish-in-schools/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Each August brings both anticipation and anxiety for many families. Children are excited about new school supplies, new clothes, reconnecting with friends, and getting back into sports. Some parents look forward to returning to the school routine like their children." last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:52:54+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_print: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Churches Helping Families Flourish in Schools Each August brings both anticipation and anxiety for many families. Children are excited about new school supplies, new clothes, reconnecting with friends, and getting back into sports. Some parents look forward to returning to the school routine like their children. However, others are less enthusiastic as they navigate questions and concerns. There is the single mom working two jobs who wonders, “How will I pay for their school supplies and uniforms?” There are the parents who ask, “Who will be my son’s teacher? Will they understand his unique personality and learning style?” Other parents are concerned about whether their children will get along with others or whether they will be safe and protected at their school. Along with these questions, a growing number of families are concerned about whether the ideas and practices promoted in their school are consistent with their values. As we look forward to the beginning of a new school year, we are grateful for the more than 50 church/school partnerships responding to practical needs by providing school supplies and uniforms, student mentors, and supporting teachers and school staff. Along with these important and tangible ways to partner with schools, there is also a growing need for churches to partner with schools to help support the spiritual and relational needs of families. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AdobeStock_445344493.jpeg) ## **The Golden Triangle** Throughout the Bible, we see passages that reflect the truth that God has given the primary responsibility for raising children to families (Deut. 6:6-7, Prov. 4:1-5, Eph. 6:4). Right now, in our culture, moms and dads need help to fulfill that responsibility. The Church is a family of families, and it is uniquely suited to partner with parents and schools in what educational leader Dr. Gary Arnold calls the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle is a concept where parents, churches, and schools work together to educate the next generation. When the Golden Triangle works, it produces the best outcomes for students, as God’s Word and growing research in the field of social science affirms. In an[ article](https://ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/resources/briefs/ifsstrongfamiliesbetterstudentsresearchbrief-aug2022.pdf) for the Institute for Family Studies, researchers Nicholas Zill and Brad Wilcox write: > Children from stable, married families have a better chance of receiving the guidance and support they need to succeed academically and adapt confidently to the classroom environment than children from disrupted or reconstituted families. This does not mean that children from non-traditional families cannot do well in school. Many do, despite the conflict, turmoil, or curtailed parenting they may experience at home. But the odds of school success are more favorable for those from families headed by married, biological parents. In an[ article](https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/01/59167/) about academic achievement, educator and researcher Williams Jeynes writes: > The data are clear: parental family structure and parental involvement were major explanatory factors and solutions with respect to the achievement gap. In addition to family structure, a studentʼs faith also has a significant impact on his or her academic performance. Regularly attending church, or another house of worship, and defining oneself as being a very religious person yielded the most significant reductions in the achievement gap. If growing up with both mom and dad in the home gives children a distinctive advantage, as the research suggests, what about those not experiencing this reality? Thank God that there is hope in Jesus Christ regardless of our circumstances! He loves children and is the God who can do exceedingly beyond what we think and ask.  Even in two-parent families, moms and dads need God’s help and the help of a supportive community. When family circumstances are not ideal, often beyond the family’s choice or control, the Church is uniquely designed to help. As a family of families, the Church can become an extended family to provide needed relational encouragement and support. We pray for families. We can become mentors and spiritual aunts and uncles for children without a dad or mom in the home. We can help families by partnering with the schools (public, private, Christian, home, etc.) where they attend and to support our families with options that best align with their needs. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AdobeStock_116915037.jpeg) ## **An Emerging Opportunity for Churches** Lauren, a friend, co-worker, and young mom, recently told me: > Nothing is better than a child growing up within the Golden Triangle, right in the middle of home, church, and school guidance. I have been very fortunate to have spent nearly all of my education within the Golden Triangle. One where home, church, and school align, and Christ is the center of every subject. While that was an incredible experience for me, it isn’t the experience of most. Even worse, it seems unattainable for most. She went on to describe the dilemma of one of her friends, Shelly. Her family is concerned about the school they are zoned for and that it won’t be a good fit for their daughter. She would prefer a private school, but it costs too much for them. She felt deflated and discouraged. Why does it have to be so hard for Shelly to have a Christ-centered education where every subject is saturated in biblical truth? In [_The Education Reformation_](https://www.namb.net/resource/education-reformation/), author and church leader Trevin Wax and Jimmy Scroggis write: > We are living through a dramatic cultural shift. Western culture has been barreling down the road of secularization at breakneck speed. The moral vision that once sustained and promoted the Christian values that shaped America has been sidelined. The church, once the keeper of our shared values, has been disapprovingly cast aside. The ties between our American culture and our Judeo-Christian roots have been largely erased, and the results are disastrous.               As we think together theologically, we come to realize an important truth: the redemptive presence of Christians as salt and light in the world is not just about our individual presence. We bless our communities not only as individual Christians, but through institutional expressions of what we value. Our redemptive presence is not just personal, but corporate. What better way to bless our communities than to build new and better institutions that accomplish the educational and moral formation of our children?                                                            Our existing educational institutions are in trouble, and we are growing increasingly aware of this truth. There is, of course, no single answer to this crisis. It’s clear that we need renewal within our existing public schools, and some Christian parents and teachers may feel the call to be part of the solution there. But given the government’s deep involvement, the high amount of legislated regulation, and the ideological capture of the entities overseeing public education, it makes sense that other parents will look for alternatives. There is also a growing desire to explore a new paradigm in education outside of the traditional Western model.  One way to spark educational reform within the public schools themselves is by offering the competition of a healthy alternative. Starting new Christian schools could become a pathway to renewal for our entire culture. One option for parents is a church-based model like[ Courage Schools](https://courageschools.com/our-model/), which will launch in Central Arkansas this fall (see related [article](https://citychurchar.org/churches-helping-families-flourish-in-schools/)). It’s a model based on the Golden Triangle that works to educate in a joint partnership between parents, churches, and schools. Their model is truth-filled, mastery-based, and mentor-guided, all in a church-based setting. With the implementation of the LEARNS Act in our State in 2025, it’s a model that will make this kind of education accessible to many who previously could not afford it. Lauren also shared about her husband, Adam. He was educated traditionally and struggled with new paradigms like the one for Courage Schools for a long time. However, Lauren recently heard him tell a friend, “I want our children to have the biblical worldview Lauren received. I want them to know and love the Lord and look to Him for each area of study in their lives.” ## **Praying for the School Year** As families return to school this August, will you pray with us for our families, churches, and schools? As churches, may we fulfill our important role in the Golden Triangle by: - Praying for our families and the schools where they attend - Launching new or strengthening existing church/school partnerships - Considering a church-based school in 2025 If you want to learn more about Courage Schools, email Lauren Linz at [lauren@allitnetworks.com](mailto:lauren@allitnetworks.com). --- --- title: "A Vision for Educating Youth & Equipping Leaders" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-vision-for-educating-youth-equipping-leaders/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Pastor Roger Doyne and I are 45 minutes into our conversation when he tells me about a vision God gave him 30 years ago. In vivid detail, he describes to me what he saw: I saw a manufacturing plant in" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:51:11+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders, Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_print: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 ss_ss_click_share_count_twitter: 1 --- # A Vision for Educating Youth & Equipping Leaders Pastor Roger Doyne and I are 45 minutes into our conversation when he tells me about a vision God gave him 30 years ago. In vivid detail, he describes to me what he saw: > I saw a manufacturing plant in College Station. In this plant, they were producing souls. The people there were dressed in priestly garb on an assembly line. It was discipleship. At the end of the assembly line, something was picking them up and putting them back into the community. There were teachers, police officers, politicians, and garbage men who had gone through the plant and were out in the community carrying out the Great Commission. I also saw a wind blowing through the plant. It was the Holy Spirit, and He was superintending the whole process. This was the Church being a manufacturing house of the Lord, producing disciples to go out into the community. After hearing this, I am surprised Roger waited this long to share it. “Roger, you buried the lead,” I tell him. He laughs and explains how the vision was a kind of North Star in what became City Church College Station. The church began in 2001 in North Little Rock but later moved to College Station, where Roger grew up. In 2015, the church launched the Youth Institute, an afterschool program for children in the community. Roger tells me, “In our community, the harvest field is full of nonbelievers. The majority of parents in our community don’t belong to a church. 70% of households are without a father. Most children don’t see their parents half the time. We get children brought to the Youth Institute that no others would take.” Over a hundred children were going through the program before the pandemic hit, and the church decided to shut it down.  In 2021, Roger’s wife, Regina, relaunched the program as the Youth Institute Academy. Under her leadership, the Youth Institute Academy made changes to accommodate a wider range of kids, from Pre-K to 12th grade. Roger emphasizes the importance of reaching youth at a young age. “We are establishing the kingdom of God in the community through the youth. Here, in the inner city, we have to get a head start from birth up. We need to give these kids schooling from a biblical point of view. We want to have them for life, to mentor them into adulthood, marriage, family, etc.” Overall, the Youth Institute Academy, as Roger explains, is about “growing the saints, building them up in the faith, so that they will be the major influencers in the community from a kingdom perspective.” ## **A Church-Based School** Recently, City Church College Station partnered with Courage Schools to launch a church-based school in the fall as part of the Youth Institute Academy. In addition to public, private, and homeschooling options, Courage Schools gives parents a fourth option for their children’s education. This option prioritizes students and measures their success beyond tests and grades. Courage Schools believes in “restoring and empowering the three pillars of Christ-centered education that best model what it looks like to follow Jesus.” Those three pillars are: - The Home – where parents have the God-given responsibility to impart a biblical worldview to their children  - The Church – where shepherding happens beyond the Sunday service - The School – where parents and churches partner together to advance the Great Commission ## **One Conversation that Changed Everything** Regina spent her career serving others in the public school system as an educator. However, when it came to educating her children, she and Roger chose to homeschool them. She tells me, “We saw the benefit of having a day-to-day opportunity to teach our children a biblical worldview. Having taught in public school, I didn’t see that as a priority there.”  While Regina could homeschool her children, she knew that wasn’t a readily available option for many parents in College Station. “Roger and I thought it was important for other families in our community to have access to local, quality education built on biblical principles. Most parents are concerned about the quality of their children’s education. Our schools are failing our children in that.” Regina dreamed about having a tuition-free Christian school in College Station. She often thought about and prayed about it. Then, in January 2024, a conversation with Lauren Linz and Ray Williams of CityChurch Network gave her hope. In that conversation, Lauren shared about Courage Schools and her desire to get more churches signed up. For Regina, it was an answer to prayer. She didn’t hesitate. She told her, “City Church College Station could do it.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/132598771_221169112984311_3083903031074327136_n.png)Roger and Regina Doyne ## **Educating Youth Toward Maturity** Regina empathizes with how many believing parents feel about their children’s education. “When you send your children out of the home to be educated, you can’t choose which set of morals the teacher they have will present. Public school teachers have limits on what they can teach. And the kids don’t get the support they need to feel strengthened in their faith.” Regina believes that the Courage School at Youth Institute is a game-changer for that. “Our goal is to strengthen a child’s faith and introduce them to Jesus as Lord and Savior and walk that out in front of them. This is significant in a world that’s going away from the Lord.”  In a Courage School, a student’s spiritual growth and academic development run parallel. Regina explains, “It’s a child-centered education. We help children understand their talents and strengths and explore them through learning so they can understand who God is, how he has made them, and how they will apply that to their interests.” Regina tells me that in every classroom, mentors are there as guides to help children on that journey of exploration. There are also options available for children with learning disabilities or learning delays.  The path toward having a Courage School in College Station has not been without challenges. “The biggest challenge has been financial. Getting the right personnel is also a challenge, but the Lord is blessing that area.” Despite the challenges, Regina sees the difference a Courage School can make in College Station. “It would make a significant difference. The Scripture talks about those who are mature and immature. Children are, by nature, immature. They need training, but training in the home doesn’t always happen, and children lack what they need to function and flow as God intended.” If more churches were united in educating our youth, Regina tells me, “It would make such a difference in stabilizing their lives and helping them understand who created them, how they were created, and why they are here on this earth. All those things must be taught, and someone must be the example.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CS2024-07.jpg)Student at the Youth Institute Academy ## **A Clear Developmental Path for Believers** While the pandemic eventually opened doors to other opportunities for the Youth Institute, Roger tells me it also opened doors in how they equip leaders. Today, City Church College Station exists, as Roger says, “on the ground” and “in the sky” through the Kingdom First Network Global. He explains, “We have a hybrid model of large gatherings as a church, home gatherings, and online training and discipleship using BILD International resources.”  When the church meets on the ground for larger gatherings, it’s for fellowship and centered around a meal. “We meet mainly for the purpose of relationship-building, caring for the Body, and having the fellowship meal, which we call a communion meal.” That happens once a month. The church meets in homes and other places for the rest of the month. Leadership training and discipleship happen online throughout the week. The church uses the BILD resource, The First Principles Series, to equip its leaders. Think of The First Principles Series as a modern-day catechism for establishing believers in the essentials of the faith. Roger tells me it provides a clear developmental path for believers to understand and apply the core principles of Christ and His Apostles.  The series is divided into 13 six-session Bible study guides that utilize, according to BILD’s website, “a highly effective learning process involving Bible passages and readings, community dialogue, personal reflection, and projects.” Unlike other information-based resources that use passive learning techniques, The First Principles Series engages participants in active learning through its dialogue-based approach, which helps believers learn to think biblically. ## **First Things First** Roger tells me he discovered The First Principles Series by accident in 2017. One day, Harold Nash, pastor of Fellowship North, told him about the cohort he was leading that was going through The First Principles Series. As Harold shared, Roger tells me he “almost got an attitude about it.” “Why am I just now finding out about this?” he wondered. He asked Harold to join the cohort and, as he puts it, “jumped in with all ten toes.” From that point forward, Roger has been an advocate for The First Principles Series.  Roger highlights how the first booklet in the series, “Becoming a Disciple,” has helped leaders understand “what the gospel actually is and how to share it.” He goes on to explain what one group did. “One thing we did was practice sharing the gospel in 30-60 seconds, like an elevator pitch. We start with a question, ‘Are you a Christ follower?’_ _Based upon that answer, you’ve got 30-60 seconds to communicate the gospel. Learning how to do that has been life-changing for our people. It’s great to see how people have been able to use that.” This group was no outlier. Roger tells me other groups have discovered how the Scripture has come to life in their discussions. For him, there is a goal in mind behind the training that takes place at City Church College Station. He tells me: It all goes back to why we do what we do in all things kingdom and Church. It’s all out of obedience to the Lord. First things first—Jesus has commanded to go and make disciples. Then, Paul expands on it in Ephesians 4. Christ has given leaders to His Church for the purpose of carrying out this assignment, which is equipping believers to grow up in Christ in all things. The emphasis is on every member growing up to do the work of the ministry. This work of the ministry, of the Church, is to be done in the community. The Church is a place for training. The community is for ministry; it’s the harvest field. We are thankful for the exceptional work of City Church College Station and all the churches in our city that are helping all—young and all—grow toward maturity in Christ in homes, churches, and schools. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Login Designer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/login-designer/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "This page is used by Login Designer to preview the login form in the Customizer." last_modified: "2024-07-10T18:53:12+00:00" --- # Login Designer This page is used by Login Designer to preview the login form in the Customizer. --- --- title: "From a Church Backyard to the National Stage" url: "https://citychurchar.org/amplify-from-a-church-backyard-to-the-national-stage/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "If I asked you where the nation’s largest free Christian music festival takes place, you might guess a city like Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, or Denver. Actually, the answer is somewhere closer to home for many of us—Benton, Arkansas. That’s right." last_modified: "2025-06-02T20:14:17+00:00" categories: [Events] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # From a Church Backyard to the National Stage If I asked you where the nation’s largest free Christian music festival takes place, you might guess a city like Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, or Denver. Actually, the answer is somewhere closer to home for many of us—Benton, Arkansas. That’s right. For over ten years, Amplify has taken place in the backyard of Holland Chapel Baptist Church in Benton, and God has used this two-day event to reach thousands of youth with the Good News of Jesus Christ. On a call with Josh Turner, Amplify’s co-founder, he tells me that Holland Chapel’s backyard was at one time a small airport the church purchased from the city years ago. The seeds of Amplify were planted back in 2010 when the church’s pastor pulled Josh aside and told him, “We ought to do a concert for outreach.” Josh loved the idea, but it remained just that—an idea—for a long time. All the while, something was stirring in Josh. “I couldn’t shake it,” he reflects. “Looking back, I knew the Lord was doing something.” That same year, Philip Blunk was part of CityChurch Network’s (formerly Nehemiah Network) CityFest 2010 with Luis Palau, an outreach music festival for youth at War Memorial Stadium. Today, Philip is the Church Relations Director for Amplify. A few weeks ago, I sat down with Philip to learn about his heart for evangelism and more about Amplify. ## **A Vehicle for the Good News** Philip is, at heart, an evangelist. There’s love and warmth whenever he talks about Jesus. That much became clear to me within seconds of our conversation at a downtown coffee shop in Conway, Arkansas. You also get a sense of urgency when he talks about the need to reach others with the gospel. Philip’s heart is for younger generations, and he believes the Amplify festival is a great vehicle for delivering the Good News of Jesus Christ to them. Philip tells me that “Amplify is a free Christian music festival that brings churches together to lift up Jesus and reach people who don’t know Jesus.” As Philip talks, you can’t help but hear the passion in his voice. “What I tell pastors, churches, and leaders in the Body of Christ is this is an incredible outreach opportunity for our people. We all want our people to take what they get from the Lord and go out and reach those in their spheres of influence. Amplify is the perfect venue for our people to invite their unsaved friends and peers, who will be exposed to incredible music and a powerful gospel presentation. And when they get saved, processes are in place to get those people into [a local] church.” ## **Reaching Youth Where They Are** During His earthly ministry, Jesus went where the people were; He didn’t ask people to come to Him. Philip thinks we should adopt a similar approach in our evangelism today. “This summer, there are hundreds of music festivals all over this nation that are drawing millions of our Gen Zs and Millenials.” Music is powerful, something Philip agrees with. “Music opens the soul. The mind, the will, the emotions, and then you’re exposed to the message that’s attached to the music. That’s why it’s very powerful.” Philip goes on to acknowledge that the enemy is well aware of the power of music and uses it. “Music is a primary vehicle that the enemy uses to attract young people. Think about when you were a teenager. If you didn’t know the Lord, what music were you getting into? I didn’t know the Lord. I was getting into ungodly music and absorbing whatever was being put out there. It molded my life until I met Jesus when I was 24. That’s why we have to take back the music and reach our young people with it.” Philip is encouraged by churches that are beginning to see the opportunity to reclaim music and use music festivals to reach younger generations. “Instead of being fearful and criticizing and condemning ungodly culture, the Church is starting to reclaim the gift of music. The church is presenting music from a Christ-centered point of view to reach people.”  ## **The Beginnings of Amplify** Back in 2012, Josh Turner wanted to do something similar—reach youth for Christ through music. However, he had zero experience putting on an outreach event like a concert. “I didn’t know where to start,” he tells me. So, he prayed and said, “Lord, I know we’re supposed to do something, but I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.” Josh began gathering people from the community for the event. That’s when a friend connected him with Matt Brumley, who had experience putting on a fundraising concert for the Benton Chamber of Commerce. In Matt, Josh found a kindred spirit who also had a heart for evangelizing young people. Things started coming together for Josh and Matt. They brought in people who had experience doing large-scale events—a stage company, production, audio, and lighting. They even booked a nationally recognized band—Kutless. One day, someone asked Josh and Matt, “What do you think about doing this as a two-day festival? You’ve already got all the equipment, so it won’t cost you anything more.” Keep in mind this was only a few months before the event, but Josh and Matt decided to step out in faith. “I just felt like we were following the Spirit’s lead with this,” Josh says. When asked how he felt about the decision, he admits, “Honestly, I was so oblivious to what it took to make that happen. I was pretty relaxed. God’s grace on the whole thing was us not knowing what it took to put it on.” ## **Déjà Vu All Over Again** Josh knew someone well-connected in the music industry, which helped him book more bands for the festival. Turning one concert into a festival was more than one church could handle, so Josh and Matt reached out to churches in the community for help, whether it was volunteer counselors or people to be in the prayer tent. Looking back, Josh admits it was remarkable how much churches worked together to make everything happen. All signs pointed to God being in the event. They were hoping for a massive turnout. With the wind to their backs, Josh and Matt rode a wave of momentum and excitement leading up to the festival. That wave crashed on the first day of the festival. On the first day, a small crowd showed up in the morning but thinned out by the afternoon. Typically, the crowd builds throughout the day leading up to the headliner but not on that day. “Matt and I argue over this, but I say that the headliner that first night was singing to five people. Matt says it was eleven. Regardless, we know there were at least one and a half portapotties for every person,” Josh tells me. Josh and Matt were disappointed, but another day was still left for the festival. They held out hope that the second day might fare differently.  At first, it felt like déjà vu all over again. “The crowd was pretty low for most of the day,” Josh shares. An hour before Kutless took the stage, Josh and Matt sat in a golf cart on the festival grounds. “Is there anything more we can do to get the word out? Have we done all we can do” Josh asked Matt. “Well, we’ve got time to pray,” Matt told him. So, they prayed. Not long after they had finished, they noticed something. More and more people started showing up. “It felt like 10,000 people, but it was probably another 1,000 or 1,500 people.” That night Kutless performed to what Josh estimates to have been around 2,500 people.  ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-2.jpg) ## **Josh’s Fuel to Keep Going** The turnout and stories of people giving their lives to Christ that night were enough to motivate Josh and Matt to do the festival again the next year. “There was never a plan to make it an annual event.” In fact, there were years when Josh and Matt thought that maybe it was the last Amplify. However, year after year, God has opened the way for Amplify to continue, whether it’s through partner churches, volunteers, local businesses that sponsor the event, or receiving the necessary funds to keep the festival free to the public. And here’s the thing—people keep showing up. In 2018, over 65,000 people attended Amplify, making it their largest year to date. Every year at Amplify, there’s a giant cross placed on the festival grounds for people to place testimonies and prayer requests on post-it notes. And every year, Josh goes through all of those post-it notes. He calls it his “fuel.” “There’s story after story. Thousands of people giving their lives to Christ.” Through the many stories Josh shared with me over the phone, it appears his tank is pretty full. Amplify has become one of the best outreach events for churches in the community to reach younger generations and will continue bringing churches together for just that purpose this coming August 9th and 10th. ## **Partnering with Churches from Start to Finish** I ask Philip what to expect at this year’s Amplify. “It’s going to be so much more than a music festival. It’s going to be very intentional in its heart to reach the lost. The music is going to be incredible. There’s going to be something for everyone, from rock to rap to country. Great praise and worship. Each night is going to feature all that music. Later, worship artists will come, and you’re going to have twenty-five thousand people worshiping Jesus together. It’s going to be beautiful. And then Nick Hall [the evangelist for the event] is going to get up and preach the gospel. We will see hundreds, if not thousands, respond to the gospel each night. It’s going to be amazing, man!” Part of what distinguishes Amplify is how they partner with churches leading up to the event and in follow-up after it. Philip shares more about what this partnership looks like. “Nick Hall and Pulse [an evangelistic ministry that organizes evangelistic campaigns like Amplify] genuinely want to serve the local church and the Body of Christ. Nick’s not trying to say, ‘Hey, let’s do an evangelistic crusade,’ and then blast off and go on down the road. He endeavors to partner with churches with follow-up models so there are relationships after.” This year, Amplify is harnessing the power of technology for follow-up. As Philip explains to me, this allows for “immediate follow-up with people who make a decision.” He tells me, “There’s a ‘text to’ number that’s projected on the screen to this huge crowd. And all the people who said, ‘Yeah, I want Jesus,’ text to this number. Then, they are immediately connected to a real person, who starts dialoguing with them and gathering information, which is filtered by zip code. Then, all those names are sent to partner churches, which have sixteen hours to follow up with the people they get. The goal is, that everyone who gets saved at Amplify is directly followed up with and placed within twenty-four hours.” ## **Launching into Deep Water** Philip reminds me that during Jesus’ earthly ministry, He regularly preached to the masses. “In the gospels, Jesus ministered to the multitudes over 70 times. Jesus certainly understood the value of mass evangelism,” he says. Philip believes we are called to follow His example today in reaching a wider audience. “I believe he’s moving us back to that place. It’s seed-sowing season. We’ve gotta get out of the four walls.”  One of the appeals of Amplify is how it helps churches get outside the four walls and reach their neighbors with the Good News. “Large outreaches like Amplify unleash the power of a unified Church. They help give space for the love of God and bring unity to His Body. As we sow that seed, we’re getting a harvest there. But we believe a greater harvest is coming, and we’re sowing seed and getting ready for it just like Jesus did. That’s the value of large outreaches.” I ask Philip what he believes God is up to right now among the younger generations. “The Father always has a focus—for us individually and collectively as the Church. I believe He is focusing us, His Church, on the youth and younger generations. It’s all about the kids. That’s the end of the Old Testament: “He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (Malachi 4:6a). “Every kid loves their music, and they are either a slave to it or not. It’s corrupting them, or it’s not. We have the bait, man—Christ-focused music. It’s time for the Church to take that, launch it to the deep, and reach our youth and younger generations. It’s time to go reach people. I’m talking deepwater fish. We’ve been fishing in two feet of water for decades. Meanwhile, there’s this massive harvest out deep. It’s time to go deepwater fishing as His Church.” ## **How You Can Get Involved** For more information about Amplify, visit [amplifyfest.org](http://amplifyfest.org), where you can sign up to volunteer and get FREE tickets to attend. --- --- title: "A Homegrown Faith" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-homegrown-faith-the-heartbeat-of-holland-chapel/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "How many things do we pass by in life and never seem to really notice? For years, I passed Holland Chapel Baptist Church, usually on my way either to or from Dallas when I was in seminary. Chances are, you" last_modified: "2025-06-02T20:26:10+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # A Homegrown Faith How many things do we pass by in life and never seem to really notice? For years, I passed Holland Chapel Baptist Church, usually on my way either to or from Dallas when I was in seminary. Chances are, you have seen it, too, if you ever traveled down I-30 in Benton and saw its steeple reaching up into the sky. However, in the dozens of times I passed the church, I never wondered, “What goes on there? What are the people like? What do they do?”  Thanks to my interview with Luke Brown, one of the pastors at Holland Chapel, I am no longer ignorant of what goes on there, what the people are like, and what they do to impact their community for the kingdom. And I am glad for it. The church stands as a testament to God’s faithfulness for over 77 years of its history in Saline County, and by all accounts, God has even more planned for this church in the next 77 years. ## **The Way Back Home** Luke didn’t arrive at Holland Chapel from some far-off land like Cincinnati or Tuscon. No, Luke is a homegrown pastor brought up in the church where he now serves. He credits Jay Jacobs, the student ministry pastor at Holland Chapel at the time, and their “top shelf” youth ministry for being integral to his spiritual growth as a teenager. Jay’s investment in Luke paid off when, during his freshman year at the University of Central Arkansas, Luke surrendered to the ministry.  At the time, Luke was young and hungry. He knew he needed more biblical education, so he made the ol’ switcheroo and transferred to Central Baptist College. He pastored at Park Place Baptist Church in Bryant for a season, but eventually, God led Luke back to Holland Chapel. “They called and said, ‘We want to bring you home and serve in children and family ministry.’ That was my role for a few years until I transitioned to Discipleship Pastor and doing overall discipleship things here, small group ministries, you name it.”  After a few years at Holland Chapel, Luke got the call to pastor a church in East Texas. Luke and his family enjoyed their time in Texas. But Holland Chapel still held a special place in his heart. After two years, Luke got a call. “Holland Chapel called and asked if I would come back as the teaching pastor. We were feeling homesick despite the wonderful church and everything being great. Looking back, it’s clear that God orchestrated all of it. Returning to Holland Chapel felt like fitting right back in.” Finally, the proud son of Holland Chapel found the way back home. ## **A Different Approach to Leadership** One of the biggest changes at Holland Chapel has been its leadership model. “Instead of a traditional lead senior pastor, we function with equal parts. We all pastor together. All pastors share equal authority. It’s very much a team approach.” Luke then gives me a great picture to emphasize how this model works. “We use the illustration of walking on thin ice; you lay flat and distribute the weight so you don’t fall through. Here, we share the weight of leadership.”  Maybe you’ve been part of a group with high standards that challenged you to be better and believed that everyone had a part to play. Listening to Luke talk makes me think of the New England Patriots dynasty and the mutual accountability among players that contributed to the team’s success. Well, that’s what is happening at Holland Chapel. “Yes, we are friends, but we’re also in this together, holding each other to high standards in our leadership. It’s a blessing because you know the people you’re serving with have your best interests, and the kingdom’s interests, at heart. If there’s any correction, it’s done out of love. You respect the person who’s your friend, so you take the feedback better, which helps you grow. It’s different from getting critiqued by an upper-level boss you rarely see.” Luke tells me this approach helps sustain their leaders and prevent pastor burnout, an issue common among many pastors today. ![Holland Chapel Baptist Church baptism](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2025-04-04-at-4.54.24 PM.jpg) ## **God is Faithful in All Seasons** Holland Chapel is 77 years old and an established church in the community. So, what one word does Luke use to describe the church over that long stretch of time? _Faithfulness_. “God’s faithfulness through every season has been apparent,” Luke tells me. “God wants to accomplish something through this body. He’s preserved it and held it together. He’s sustained it through every imaginable season you can possibly think of.” Luke reflects on the current changes at the church and how God has proven faithful in them. As Luke tells me, it all began during the pandemic. “The shift towards a plurality of leaders was already in motion. When the senior pastor had to step away, the church faced immense challenges.” Despite these challenges, the church’s leadership continued without a senior pastor, sharing responsibilities and rotating through the pulpit throughout the pandemic. Luke recalls, “They thought, ‘Hey, let’s see what this looks like. We were already tracking towards shared leadership, and it seems like God is moving things along quicker.’”  With this change came greater trust between leadership and the congregation. “The transition built trust within the congregation, showing them that even without a traditional senior pastor, the church could thrive. It’s built a lot of trust within them that God’s good. He’s over this.”  ## **A Disciple-Making Mission** At the heart of Holland Chapel’s mission is making disciples for Jesus. “We are a community of disciple-making people,” Luke tells me. This is something deeply embedded in the church, reflecting a long-standing tradition of faithful men and women investing in future generations of believers. Here’s how Luke explains it for me: “Four of the six pastors were brought up and discipled here, which I think is awesome. So, when I say ‘disciple-making people,’ they always have future generations in mind, whether it be kids ministry, student ministry, opening their home for growth groups, and loving young families with kids. They know that God will use their investment. God used people who poured into my life.” At a recent church service, Luke brought the church’s summer interns up to encourage them and remind the congregation that three of the church’s six pastors got their start in ministry through Holland Chapel internships. Making the investment isn’t about seeing immediate benefits but seeing them 10 to 20 years down the road. Seeing those interns on stage, Luke tells me, makes it “real for [our congregation]. They can say, ‘You know, I will teach children on Sundays.’ ‘I will invest on Wednesday night in small groups for students.’ God uses that. And I think it puts a fire in them to make disciples.” Where does establishing believers in the faith happen? Luke tells me it’s in the church’s small groups. “We have Life Groups, which meet in homes and are primarily driven by age and stage of life. We also have Connect Groups centered around common interests like hiking or golfing, and Growth Groups that focus on traditional Bible study,” Luke explains. In addition, Luke tells me that the church uses the Celebrate Recovery program for individuals and families impacted by addiction. ![Holland Chapel Baptist Church small group](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2025-04-04-at-4.54.49 PM.jpg) ## **Jesus in Every Home** Wouldn’t we all love to say that we take care of our own? At Holland Chapel, that rings true to them, and it is something they’ve done for generations. That being said, the church is making an impact outside its four walls, both in its community and abroad. Globally, the church supports missionaries in India, Panama, and other parts of the world. Locally, the church is embedded in its community through a number of initiatives. “We have a missions and outreach pastor who focuses on getting Jesus to our community in different ways,” Luke explains. One of the most life-changing ministries for the church is Celebrate Recovery. “We’ve seen a lot of fruit from Celebrate Recovery. Many people get their first taste of the Lord’s goodness there and then get plugged into the church,” Luke shares.  In reaching the next generation, Luke highlights the church’s partnership with Amplify, a two-day Christian music festival for young people held every year in the church’s backyard, which used to be a local airport. Luke tells me how the festival grew out of Holland Chapel but became something larger than what one church could do on its own. “We needed other churches. Getting pastors and churches on board with helping. Through Amplify, we have tens of thousands of young people gathered right here at this airport. There’s no way a church of 700 people can staff an event like that. The event is two days but it takes a lot of planning and coordination to make it happen.” How important is it to have churches work together to make Amplify happen? According to Luke, “It’s invaluable.” Unexpected blessings have come out of the church doing Amplify. That’s because these churches working together on Amplify have created a greater sense of community among pastors in the area. “We know pastors here in this town on a personal level. So many of us pastors were raised here. I’ve gotten with Nick, another pastor, to get pastors together on a small scale. We’ve done that with pastors to pray for and encourage one another. We’ve got some big churches out here. We don’t pastors in them to feel like they’re out there on an island. That’s the best way to help churches—to make sure leadership is healthy. That’s what pastors getting together helps do.”  Luke adds that Holland Chapel regularly prays for other churches during their worship services. “It’s not a competition. We’re kingdom-minded; we do this thing together.” When Luke wonders what it would look like if all churches in the city were working together with one kingdom in mind, he tells me, “It would revolutionize our community. Jesus would be in every home!” ## **With Our Eyes Fixed on Him** Yes, God is faithful in all seasons. Holland Chapel has stood for 77 years to demonstrate that wonderful truth. Disciple-making is in their D.N.A., and Luke’s story is a great example of the fruit that comes from men and women thinking about the next generation. The church’s unique leadership model emphasizes shared responsibility and the fact that it takes all of us to truly be the Church. Outreach efforts like Celebrate Recovery and Amplify are helping to spread healing and hope throughout Saline County. I hope by now you see that Holland Chapel is more than the church you pass by on the interstate. And that steeple does more than draw attention to the church; it points to the faithful God who has sustained this congregation in all seasons and will continue to do so well into the future.  We are thankful for the exceptional work of Holland Chapel Baptist Church and all the churches in our city that are making disciples and establishing believers in the essentials of the faith. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "The Surrendered Life" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-surrendered-life/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "On a Tuesday evening, I walk into the Fellowship Bible Church in Conway’s office and find the conference room. Eric Martin and Cain Newton have already arrived and are sitting there, waiting. Eric has been on the men’s ministry leadership" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:56:31+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # The Surrendered Life On a Tuesday evening, I walk into the Fellowship Bible Church in Conway’s office and find the conference room. Eric Martin and Cain Newton have already arrived and are sitting there, waiting. Eric has been on the men’s ministry leadership team for over a decade, while Cain is the new kid on the block. He has been on the team for only a few months.  Andy Chouinard, the men’s ministry team leader, is running a few minutes late. He later tells us things went, as he puts it, “ape doo” at work. Felix Maull, another team member, comes to the meeting but quickly exits to take a call. He doesn’t return. Why? I will never know. Andy eventually arrives, and after some banter and an explanation about the meeting, we start our conversation about the ins and outs of Fellowship’s men’s ministry. ## **What Exactly is Men’s Muster?** First of all, there will be a lot of references to Men’s Muster throughout this article. So, for clarity’s sake, let’s start with an explanation of what Men’s Muster is. These men in the room make it clear to me that it’s more than the church’s annual weekend retreat for men. “Men don’t retreat. They muster,” Eric tells me with a wry grin. Andy explains, “It’s like a retreat, but we’re not retreating because we’re mustering for the battle that happens every day. That’s what Men’s Muster is about.” “It’s—recalibrate, recharge, and reconnect with God, and muster yourself. Be prepared for the battle that ensues every day. That happens in the context of a community of men because that community is important for helping you stay calibrated and focused on God. That group identity as men helps you maintain that balance and stay connected to God well.” With that cleared up, let’s move forward. ## **Getting Engaged and Building Relationships** How does Andy get involved with the men’s ministry? His wife told him back in 2003, “You’re going to Men’s Muster.” He signed up and first got involved as the guy who organizes team games for Muster. He’s been part of the planning team ever since. Eric has a similar story. “I got connected through John Lee, one of my first mentors when I first came to Fellowship. He got me to Muster. That must have been in 2012. I was on the sound team for a long time. Then, I got laid off, and because of stress, I had to resign from that position. When I got another job, I thought, ‘Now I’ve got time to devote somewhere, but I don’t know where to plug in.’ So, I just asked to join the team, even just to be a grunt and do whatever needs to be done. I don’t even remember when I joined the team. I’m guessing 2012 or 2013. It doesn’t seem like it’s been a decade.” To that, Andy quips, “When the days are long, the years are short.” Cain, the newest member of the team, found his way into the ministry through barbeque. “The first men’s ministry thing I went to was the Smokeoff event they did two years ago at Beaverfork. The next year I went to Muster, and that was the time of my life,” he recalls. His enthusiasm and eagerness to get involved led him to ask Andy if he could help with Muster. Andy told him, “Yeah, come on with it,” and now Cain is helping oversee this year’s Smokeoff. ## **Challenges & Opportunities** It’s clear by the way these men interact with one another that there’s camaraderie. They laugh and aren’t afraid of ribbing one another, but they are also candid about the challenges of connecting with Fellowship’s men. “It’s difficult to get men to engage in men’s ministry,” Andy admits. “Take Men’s Muster, for example. We had 45-50 guys come this year. That’s maybe 10-15% of the men at Fellowship Bible Church. At the Smokeoff, we’re going to have similar numbers. We’ve had really good attendance at the father-daughter dance. Usually, we have 50% of the men for that. Generally speaking, it’s difficult to get men to engage in men’s ministry.” Andy elaborates on another challenge: balancing men’s ministry activities and relationships with home church (Fellowship’s term for their small groups) activities and relationships. “On one hand, we have been intentionally limited in what we do because we don’t want to compete with home churches. Home church is where your really tight relationships form. On the other hand, when home churches always meet with men and women together, you’re missing an opportunity for men to have those iron-on-iron relationships.” Eric agrees that there is a need for men to have dedicated time with other men, away from the mixed-gender dynamics of home churches. “We’re not a mega-church, but without home churches, we could not have the connections we have. Men’s ministry is another place for men to get together to provide more cohesiveness in a larger church.”  He adds that the men’s ministry is a great entry point for a lot of men in the church to get engaged beyond attending the Sunday service. Andy wholeheartedly agrees. “Absolutely! Men’s Muster has done that for a number of people. They say that they came to Fellowship for a year, two years, or three years and had trouble feeling connected. They came to Men’s Muster, and all of a sudden, they’re connected to other people and feel like they belong.” ## **Learning to Be Fully Surrendered** The major theme in the men’s ministry currently is the Surrendered Life. Andy explains how this concept is integral to their team’s approach to ministry. “This year’s theme at Men’s Muster is the Surrendered Life. On the leadership team, that was also something we put into practice, surrendering to God in this ministry. Surrendered to Him in however He’s leading. Recognizing that you’re a brush stroke in this grand masterpiece and not trying to be the stroke that you want to be. But being the stroke that He’s designed you to be and being willing to flex to what He wants you to be right now.” “Something else I would add to that is the team approach. We do lots of brainstorming. ‘How should we do this?’ ‘How should we do that?’ We put lots of ideas on the table, and we have lots of disagreements about whether this is good or that’s bad. What we find is that those are things we’ve been praying about, God will bring us to some common ground.” “The confirmation of convergence is important. Mindy (Andy’s wife) and I do it. If someone asks us, ‘Can you support this ministry?’ We go pray separately and come back a week or so later with a number. ‘How much are we going to support it?’ It’s always the same number. If we’re diligent about praying and God’s leading us, we find that we’re in agreement on stuff like that. You can tell when you’re following God’s leading when everybody’s coming to the same place somewhat independently. We’re all getting there together. I’ve experienced that in my marriage and on the team level, for sure.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15940799_228682157589606_1519703101823019674_n.jpg) ## **Connecting with Men and Mentoring** Andy emphasizes the impact of mentoring for men and couples by recalling the story of one couple at Fellowship who mentored him and his wife. “That was seriously the most important thing that kept my wife Mindy and me out of a whole bunch of pitfalls in our early marriage and got us on a solid footing. There was a couple in our community group that was about ten years ahead of us, marriage-wise, and fifteen years ahead of us, age-wise. They took us under their wing and befriended us. It’s not like they said, ‘We’re going to be your mentors.’ They just became our friends and pursued us. Those relationships—Mindy and Sandy and me and Wayne—made all the difference in our marriage.” He goes on. “It makes no sense for us to reinvent the wheel and for men to figure this out on their own. There’s a whole lot of wisdom to be gained for men who have been down that road before. Like Wayne and Sandy in our marriage. They’ve been in those ditches. It’s all about connecting, equipping, and setting people up for success. The Spirit is involved in all of it, but you can at least help people not to do stupid stuff.” Andy then explains how this is part of how God made us. “God has designed us for relationships and so we will help each other out. So we’re not on an island by ourselves. He intends for us to pursue him together. When we are pursuing Him together, and we are connected together, we form a tighter connection to God. He avails us of those opportunities because it’s the design of His work and part of what we can do for His kingdom. We’re supposed to be doing that.” At this point in the conversation, Cain has to leave, and Eric can only stay for a few more minutes. Before he leaves, I ask him who the most influential mentor in his life is. Without hesitating, Eric replies, “Andy and Felix. These guys rub off on me because they are ahead of me in their lives and marriages. I’m still learning how to live well with my wife because of these guys. They’re a little further down the road than me. I don’t know how to put it in any nice words, but that’s how it is for me. They’re role models for me.” Both Andy and Eric mention another mentor, John Lee, whose soft approach made a big impact on them. “Looking back, I think he was intentional about availing himself to me for whatever conversation or prayer or hanging around in his shop or whatever I needed,” Andy tells me. Eric adds, “He did the same for me. It felt organic, but he was definitely intentional about it. He’s just really good at leading, so you don’t realize he’s really leaning into you.” ## **A Word of Advice & Encouragement** After Eric leaves, it’s just Andy and me. I ask him for any key learnings or advice he would give other men’s ministry leadership teams. He tells me, “Relationship orientation is important. What’s really important is getting guys connected with each other. I think that’s what’s important in terms of equipping guys to be godly men. The resources and the how-tos and biblical instruction, if that’s done as information transfer, it doesn’t work. The equipping has to be in the context of relationship and community in order for it to sink in.” Then he offers a word of caution. “Don’t expect it to go smoothly. Relationships are a messy process. If God is leading you with a passion to step out in men’s ministry and get guys engaged, expect that Satan’s going to try and thwart it. I think Satan’s main approach is not to make us bad but to make us busy. If he can keep us distracted, he doesn’t have to make us bad. We’re completely ineffective if we’re totally distracted. So, that’s the struggle, the tough part of any ministry. Don’t let that discourage you. That’s the encouragement. Expect that’s going to be a challenge, and don’t be discouraged when it is. You’re not doing something wrong or not following God. It’s because you’re mustering for the battle against Satan.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image000002-2.jpg) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image000000-2.jpg) ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-31-at-9.26.28 AM.jpg) Pictured from left: Andy Chouinard, Eric Martin, and Cain Newton We end our conversation on a high note with some encouragement from Andy. “Think about the passions God has given you. Those passions are usually there for a reason. If He’s given you a passion for something, pray about it. Ask Him, ‘Is this something you’re calling me to engage in? If so, lead me to opportunities.’ And, by George, those pop up.  “God is omniclever. I didn’t come up with that, but it’s true. I’ve seen that so many times where stuff just comes together. Mindy and I felt like we had a passion for what Wayne and Sandy were doing with us, but we didn’t know how. As we prayed about it, within a couple of weeks, one of the Fellowship pastors asked us if we’d lead a community group. ‘Can it be young married people so we can help them get on a good footing?’ ‘Yes, absolutely. That would be excellent.’ Right there, He was leading us toward something, and there it was.” ## **The Call to a Surrendered Life** For Andy, Eric, Cain, and the rest of the Fellowship men’s ministry leadership team, the Surrendered Life is more than a slogan. It’s a call to action for every man who wants to be the man of God, husband, and father that he was created to be. It’s about recognizing our need for God and our need to be connected to other men. In a culture that is increasingly antagonistic toward men, we can be the men who show others what authentic biblical manhood looks like by putting words into action. Men, it’s time to step up and step out in our marriages, families, and churches. We are in a spiritual battle, and it is critical that we put on the full armor of God in this battle.  Let’s embrace our God-given leadership role with bold faith and be true men of courage and influence. The battle ahead may be challenging and wrought with difficulties and setbacks, but we don’t have to walk it alone. We have each other, and we have God the Father guiding us. Together, let’s trust that He equips us for the battle ahead. And together, let’s leave a legacy of strong, faithful men who gave it all and were fully surrendered to God. Note: I (Chris) am a member of Fellowship Bible Church in Conway and know most of these men personally. I also participate in most of the men’s ministry events. --- --- title: "Every Soul Matters to God" url: "https://citychurchar.org/every-soul-matters-first-assembly-of-god-north-little-rock/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Recently, I spoke with Randy Jumper, one of the pastors at First Assembly of God North Little Rock. Our conversation covered a lot of ground, from First Assembly’s rich and storied history in their community to the impact of a" last_modified: "2025-04-05T18:27:10+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Every Soul Matters to God Recently, I spoke with Randy Jumper, one of the pastors at First Assembly of God North Little Rock. Our conversation covered a lot of ground, from First Assembly’s rich and storied history in their community to the impact of a statewide fatherhood initiative he helped launch to what it looks like to lead well in ministry and remain faithful as the winds of culture change. ## **A Century of Service** First Assembly has been around for a long time. For over a century, in fact. “Our church was founded by a group of women in the early 20th century,” Randy tells me. “It was a multi-ethnic church at its time, founded by African American and white ladies. Through the years, as North Little Rock grew, the church took on its unique identity.” That identity continues to this day, as Randy explains. “Currently, we have a high percentage of minorities on a given weekend.” ![Mixed group of people of different ages](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ESMTG-2.jpg) According to Randy, the church’s mission isn’t complicated. “I think the statement that epitomizes us as an organization and as a church is every soul matters to God. That’s our driving value. We think the mission of the Church has been pretty well defined. Anybody who comes up with a mission statement other than what Jesus gave us in Matthew 28 is wasting their time. Our goal is to communicate that every soul matters to God, whether you’re white, black, Asian, Hispanic, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, somewhere in the middle, or someone just mad at everybody else. Low income, high income, no income, every soul matters to God because a soul is a soul is a soul.” The church has seen significant growth of late. “We’ve grown to seven campuses around the country, most of them in Arkansas, with one in New York,” Randy shares. One of the most significant decisions the church ever made was to remain in its current location rather than relocate. “We were at capacity and had to decide whether to purchase land and build or stay and expand,” Randy explains. “We chose to stay, and this has led to the creation of multiple campuses and services, allowing us to reach more people without losing our connection to the community.” This decision has allowed the church to maintain a rooted presence in North Little Rock while expanding its reach outward. ![Ndera family portrait](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ndera.jpg) Currently, the church supports over 220 ministries and missionaries around the world. “We have extensive involvement in international missions, including a major partnership with the nation of Rwanda,” Randy tells me. “This partnership is focused on a variety of projects that are making a significant difference in the lives of people there.” ## **Dads Getting Better Every Day** During our conversation, I wanted to learn about Randy’s involvement in the statewide fatherhood initiative that started at the church and addresses the crucial role of fathers in families and communities. “Most of us in the church world are aware of the damaging impacts of the fatherless generation,” Randy remarks. “There is a dearth of engaged fathers, but there’s also an abundance of men who want to lead their families well.” The fatherhood initiative aims to bridge this gap by providing support and resources for fathers. “We wanted to stop throwing rocks at dads who aren’t here because they’re not here,” Randy explains. “Instead, we try to link arms and grab the hands of the dads who are around us.” This approach led to the creation of[ Arkansas Better Dads](https://arbetterdads.com/), a statewide program that Randy helps launch. “Arkansas Better Dads was a program facilitated through the state of Arkansas and currently housed in DHS,” he says. “Dozens of organizations and churches across the state are using the program now.” The concept behind the program is for dads to be better than they were yesterday. “You don’t have to be an all-star, homerun, amazing guy. But what you can be is getting better every day.” ![family portrait ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Families.jpg) Randy emphasizes the importance of providing fathers with the necessary tools and support. “[We have] good men who want to be great dads but don’t know what to do,” he explains. “Success is helping men realize they might be better fathers than they thought and giving them pathways to engage more effectively with their families.” The initiative focuses on practical and relational support, offering workshops, mentoring, and resources to help fathers develop the necessary skills and confidence. “We recognize that many men didn’t have good models of fatherhood,” Randy notes. “Our goal is to provide them with the tools and encouragement to be the best fathers they can be.” The impact of the fatherhood initiative is far-reaching. “We’ve seen tremendous growth and engagement from fathers in our community,” Randy shares. “Men are stepping up, becoming more involved in their children’s lives, and building stronger families as a result.” You can see this change in the many thankful men who received the much-needed support and guidance they received from it to be better men, husbands, and fathers. ## **Leading in Ministry** Randy is sharp and insightful, especially when it comes to leadership. “Leadership is about managing disappointments,” he tells me. “Good leadership is knowing who to disappoint and when because you can’t do everything. You can only do what the Lord has asked you to do,” he states. “Sometimes, that means disappointing people because you can’t meet all their demands.” Randy also highlights the significance of deep, meaningful relationships for pastors. “Most pastors have a lot of surface-level relationships but very few deep friendships,” he notes. “[Those deep friendships are] an important part of sustaining oneself in ministry.” ![Randy Jumper family](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Randy-Jumper-scaled-1.jpg)_Pictured: Randy with his daughters Heidi and Morganne and his wife Bethany_ In terms of practical leadership advice, Randy shares some that he received from a mentor. “One of my mentors, Pastor Reta, taught me that at the end of the day, I need to be at peace with what I’ve done before the Lord and my primary leader,” he recalls. “Everyone else has to fall in line with those priorities.” Along with that, Randy says that “building strong, genuine relationships with your congregation is essential for pastors. People need to know that their pastor cares about them and is invested in their lives.” However, churches also need to care for their pastors. According to Randy, “I think the basics are the basics. I think praying for your pastor is significant. I think putting less pressure on immediacy is important. I appreciate that when our congregation asks for stuff, they don’t do it in a high-pressure way. I think understanding that your pastor and his family are normal people. I think that’s very helpful. They have the same challenges, same struggles. They still have to get their oil changed. They still have to work through what happens when their kid gets detention at school. They’re just normal people like everybody else.” ## **Adapting to a Changing Culture** When discussing the changes we see taking place in our culture, Randy is quick to acknowledge that this is nothing new for the Church. “Culture changes and the world shifts, but this has always been the story of the Church. Our job is to remain faithful to God and His truth, no matter how the culture changes.” He stresses the importance of distinguishing between essentials, traditions, and opinions. “Essentials are non-negotiable, like gathering together for worship and discipleship,” he explains. “We have traditions. They’re an important part of the Church. Then there are essentials. We won’t compromise essentials. We will honor them today, and we’ll honor traditions to the point where they don’t violate essentials. Traditions and opinions are flexible and should not be elevated to the level of essentials.” Overall, the Church should aim for balance in its approach. “We need to be willing to innovate and adapt while staying true to our core values. We should never be afraid of technology. It’s just another tool to be redeemed by the kingdom and the gospel. This balance allows us to remain relevant and effective in our ministry.” ![3 team members ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Teams.jpg) ## **Unity in a World of Division** During our conversation, Randy also highlighted the collective impact churches can have when they work together. “Anytime you can build relational networks among churches, it’s helpful. We recently did a major multi-church outreach with about 16 churches involved. Seeing different congregations work together towards a common goal was truly inspiring. We couldn’t have done that without collaboration.” Collaboration, as Randy tells me, is also great for sharing resources and expertise. “Pooling our resources and knowledge enables us to address needs more effectively and reach more people with the love of Christ.” This collaborative spirit is essential for maximizing the impact of ministry efforts. Overall, Randy believes that when churches work together, it’s a powerful example of true unity. “In a world where there’s so much division, doing something intentionally unifying is a great testimony for the Church.” We are thankful for the exceptional work of First Assembly of God North Little Rock and for all the churches in our city working toward a genuine unity that displays the love and beauty of Christ. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "The Toxic War on Masculinity" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-toxic-war-on-masculinity/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Is masculinity inherently toxic?  In her book The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes (Baker Books, 2023), Nancy Pearcey answers that question by challenging the prevailing narrative in our culture regarding men. Pearcey makes the case for" last_modified: "2024-11-04T19:17:28+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # The Toxic War on Masculinity Is masculinity inherently toxic?  In her book [The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes](https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-War-Masculinity-Christianity-Reconciles-ebook/dp/B0B6Q3BCG8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UBlXOlLAVWLLJbNBfT1rnGHxG7Kax-V_Fvx9ySXoBvwSID4E2kKijdOVstnoTyB0ruAWaWdpqQWv1aXASy00_QIAnqKNBqlzTQGVlwFLK-PT_QrhiVg3wSavYhw6fODo-WAFER9IdvQiIyrePcgHSBOa8yS5hBXNd1kDLBYWv8sD2NQ605QoE5IcEBKop8tRktr-1p3_3Vqai4TdMakt5CvK2F9NqZEHcAtVroU22LM.oKAFrYVGKLdGyY_gPFqp5iYcObt1_R0lpxMpjxEn8FI&qid=1717169397&sr=8-1) (Baker Books, 2023), Nancy Pearcey answers that question by challenging the prevailing narrative in our culture regarding men. Pearcey makes the case for a renewed understanding and practice of authentic, biblical manhood through historical analysis, extensive research, and a look into timeless biblical principles applicable today. The concept of ‘toxic masculinity’ is certainly pervasive in our culture today; you hear the term used in just about every corner of society. But where does this concept come from? “How did the idea arise that masculinity is dangerous and destructive?” Pearcey asks, pointing to cultural and historical shifts and how, through these, the secular script on masculinity turned toxic. ## **Understanding How We Got Here** According to Pearcey, the Industrial Revolution was pivotal in transforming society’s view of men. In the Colonial era, work and family life were integrated, allowing men to be present and active in the home. The Industrial Revolution “separated one’s work from the rest of his living, severing the relationship between production and the family,” Pearcey writes. This separation led to a growing perception of men as detached from their families, further exacerbated by the rise of cowboy culture and the valorization of the “lone, rugged individual.” The Romanticism and Victorian eras further complicated these perceptions by idealizing the home as a haven from the harsh realities of industrial life and relegating it as a female domain. Men were increasingly seen as brutes in need of civilization by their morally superior wives. This narrative persisted into the modern era, where secular and cultural movements have continued to perpetuate the stereotype of men as inherently flawed. Pearcey examines these historical shifts critically, noting, “In the nineteenth century, the ideology of separate spheres suggested that men belonged in the public sphere of work and politics, while women belonged in the private sphere of home and family.” This dichotomy, she argues, contributed significantly to the contemporary crisis of masculinity. ## **What it Means to Be a Man: Two Competing Scripts** Central to the book’s overall theme is Pearcey’s distinction between what she terms the Good Man and the “Real” Man.  Here’s how she makes that distinction: > In Play the Man, Washington, DC, pastor Mark Batterson says, “The image of God is our original software, sin is the virus.” The challenge is to sort out which definitions of manhood are part of the original software and which are the virus. Which belong to God’s original design and which are products of sin? We might say societies hold two competing scripts for what it means to be a man. Sociologist Michael Kimmel highlights the contrast with an ingenious experiment. He started by asking cadets at West Point what it means to be a good man. If someone delivers a eulogy and says, “He was a good man,” what does that mean? The cadets had no trouble answering: “Honor, duty, integrity, sacrifice, do the right thing, stand up for the little guy, be a provider, be a protector.” Be responsible, be generous, give to others. “Where did you learn that?” Kimmel asked. The cadets answered, “It’s everywhere. It’s our culture…it’s the Judeo-Christian heritage. It’s in the air we breathe.” Men seem to be innately aware of the software that God coded into the male character. Kimmel then asked a follow-up question: “What does it mean if I tell you, ‘Man the f*** up! Be a real man.’”  The cadets shouted, “Oh no, that’s completely different.” To be a real man means to be “tough, strong, never show weakness, win at all costs, suck it up, play through pain, be competitive, get rich, get laid.” Men everywhere seem to experience tension between what they themselves define as the good man and the way the surrounding culture pressures them to be a real man. They sense the contradiction between the software and the virus. The problem with the stereotype of the “Real” Man is that it is one-sided. When separated from a moral vision of the Good Man, it can easily degenerate into sexism, dominance, entitlement, and contempt for those perceived as weak—traits we can all agree are toxic. […] When Christians promote a biblical moral vision—the Good Man—they are not imposing an alien standard on men. They are encouraging them to follow their own conscience, to be uncompromising in doing what they instinctively know is right. Pearcey asserts that “the real problem is not an inherent flaw in masculinity itself. It’s that American society has become secularized and has lost the biblical vision of manhood.” She shatters modern stereotypes of men, especially evangelical men, by pointing out the statistical data that reveals that authentically committed Christian men are often the most loving and engaged husbands and fathers, with the lowest rates of divorce and domestic violence.  ## **Reclaiming Biblical Manhood** Pearcey turns to biblical teachings to reclaim a better vision of masculinity. She emphasizes the biblical model of headship, which she describes not as a position of power but as a role of responsibility and selfless leadership. “A husband, instead of commanding his wife and children to fulfill his desires, has a responsibility to selflessly lead the family towards their good,” she explains. Pearcey backs her argument with sociological data showing that devout Christian men who adhere to these biblical principles tend to have healthier and happier marriages and families than their secular and nominal Christian counterparts. “Many nominal men hang around the fringes of the Christian world just enough to hear the language of headship and submission but not enough to learn the biblical meaning of those terms,” Pearcey notes, highlighting the importance of a proper understanding and practice of what the Bible teaches men to be. Pearcey advocates men building strong, loving relationships with their families and other men and fostering marriages marked by mutual respect and emotional engagement. She argues this is a crucial step in combating negative stereotypes and promoting a healthier, more biblical vision of masculinity. Pearcey writes, “The success of a marriage does not rest on external factors such as income or education. It rests on moral and spiritual factors like character and integrity.” This emphasis on internal virtues underscores her broader argument that true masculinity, as defined by biblical principles, is inherently good and beneficial for society. Committed Christian men are less likely to engage in abusive behavior compared to their secular and nominal Christian peers. Nevertheless, Pearcey does not shy away from addressing the serious issue of domestic abuse, something often cited as a reason to condemn masculinity as a whole. She acknowledges the problem and gives guidance on best practices for cases where there is abuse and how church leaders can respond appropriately. ## **Masculinity as a Good Gift from God** Pearcey argues that the solution to toxic masculinity is not to vilify or reject men but to embrace the virtues of the Good Man. She calls for a return to the biblical principles of responsibility, self-sacrifice, and relational intimacy, which can transform men into loving husbands, engaged fathers, and responsible community members. Pearcey challenges the dominant cultural narrative about men and gives a hopeful vision of what men can be. Instead of letting culture define masculinity, Pearcey argues that we need to reclaim the biblical ideal of manhood. “Our families and communities will not be strengthened and renewed by an emphasis on merely stereotypical men. They must be led by men of virtue, responsibility, and love.” In the book’s epilogue, Pearcey reminds us that true masculinity is not intrinsically toxic. It is a good gift from God. > Even men who may not be Christian still retain vestiges of the biblical teaching that masculinity consists in Christlike sacrifice for the sake of others. Men seem to intrinsically treat masculinity as the call to die so others may live—the highest form of self-sacrifice. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). That principle seems to be built into men’s created nature. Men know what it means to be a Good Man, even when a secular culture pressures them to fit into its mold of a “Real” Man. Manhood is fulfilled in its opportunity to serve and protect. Masculinity is not originally or intrinsically toxic. Duty and compassion are masculine virtues, integral to the male character. True masculinity is a good gift from God, and we should be grateful for the men who embody it. _The Toxic War on Masculinity_ helps point the way forward toward a biblical ideal of masculinity and a view of manhood that is a blessing for men, women, children, and society as a whole. We can listen beyond the cultural noise and return to a biblical understanding that honors—rather than vilifies—men and their unique contributions. The book is an excellent guide in helping men strive toward a manhood that is grounded and centered on Christ. Or, as Pearcey puts it, “Men need to be reminded that their identity is not in their job, their income, or their social status. It is in Christ.” --- --- title: "Standing in the Gap for the Least of These" url: "https://citychurchar.org/that-church-standing-in-the-gap-for-the-least-of-these/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Recently, I sat down with Pastor Scott Harness of That.Church in Sherwood to talk about what this church is doing to reach its community and how they serve in foster care. We also discussed the kingdom impact in our city" last_modified: "2025-04-04T21:58:06+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Standing in the Gap for the Least of These Recently, I sat down with Pastor Scott Harness of That.Church in Sherwood to talk about what this church is doing to reach its community and how they serve in foster care. We also discussed the kingdom impact in our city of churches working together to solve our greatest problems.  Here’s what Pastor Scott had to see about each of those things. ### **What is the origin story of That.Church?** We planted That.Church in 2000 with six people from a Bible study. We just started studying God’s Word, praying, and reaching people right where they were. Our dream was to have a place where you could look across the crowd and see that it was multi-cultural. That there would be people from multiple socio-economic backgrounds. To have that picture of what our community looks like to be in the church, effectively reach people, and have this cohesive family even though we were dramatically different in experiences and other areas of our lives. One of the areas where we saw God’s favor was that we continually saw people committing their lives to Christ and making really big faith decisions. The gospel was so effective early on with people who had not been in church before and people who didn’t have a religious background whatsoever that you could not deny the fact that God was actively doing something. It wasn’t because we were effectively presenting it or skilled in evangelism. God was just giving His favor in conversations. Over and over again, we saw people giving their lives to Christ. One time, we were at Sam’s Club to buy chairs for the church. In the middle of buying chairs, this lady came up to us and just started a conversation. In an aisle at Sam’s Club, we had this opportunity to talk to her about her relationship with Christ. And, literally, she was ready at that moment to put her life into the hands of a living God and wanted to kneel in the aisle right there. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/433434483_18433661809057060_4696147610372099284_n-copy.jpg)Pastor Scott Harness ### **What is the mission of That.Church? ** Our mission is _to know Jesus and make Him known everywhere. _We believe that God’s greatest desire is to be known and that being known is more important to Him than anything else. Where God is known, there’s salvation. Where God is known, there’s purpose. Where God is known, there’s harmony and unity. Where God is known, there’s restoration and redemption. Wherever He’s known, those things exist. Our desire is to continue to know him and grow in that. Every time we grow in knowledge of God, we’re transformed by Him. Secondly, we want to make Him known. One of the things that we practice as a church is we do not see ourselves in a Christian country where we’re a church gathering resources for missions. We see ourselves as a mission on a mission field right now. Strategically, we’re trying to reach a pagan nation that does not know the God that we know. We have all these missional strategies for churches in the Philippines or somewhere else, but in America, we acted as if America was a bunch of Christians behaving badly, and we just needed to gather resources so we could carry the gospel somewhere else. I believe America is an unchurched people group. We have a generation being born right now that is unchurched, and they’re being born to parents who are unchurched, and they’re unredeemed, and they don’t know the gospel, and they don’t know the truth. We feel like we are on a mission field, and we strategize that way. We are willing to do what it takes to reach people who are far from God, and we put up with a lot of messiness to get there. People enter into a relationship with God at different levels of messiness. So, we want to have a capacity and margin for the messiest and the least messy. There are some people who come to know Christ who already have self-discipline. They’ve got a job. They’ve been working for a while. They have a sense of family. They can come to know Christ, and it makes a lot of sense to them. And someone else comes to you, and they’ve burned every bridge. They’re dealing with an addiction. They’ve ruined their family. We want to have the margin for both, and we want to be able to reach both.  I tell our folks all the time, “The whole size of the net you cast will determine the fish you catch.” When Jesus would go to a community, He would answer the questions they couldn’t answer in that community for themselves, whether that was illness, religious oppression, governmental issues or problems, poverty, whatever. He answered those questions. When you answer the questions people in your community are asking, you’ll reach the people in your community. But, in your community, there are subsets of people asking different questions than other people. There are ethnic questions being asked by one group that are not being asked by another. What you offer as a church will determine who you reach, and we want to reach all people with the Good News. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/327322127_2555601044581683_1041881819984489566_n-1365x1400-1.jpg) ### How did That.Church get connected to foster care?  Mary Carol Pederson from The CALL came to me and started running numbers by me. Here’s what’s crazy, I had no idea. When I realized how many kids in our community are in the foster care system through no fault of their own. They’re without permanent parental help. They don’t have a forever home. I knew there was something bad about that. Well, Mary Carol asked me to speak at The CALL, so I did research to prepare. I took one little girl, a stereotype of someone who didn’t have a forever home. What is she most likely to have to deal with? There were twenty-six things I found that she was going to deal with. Everything from sexual abuse to drug addiction to relationship problems like divorce and so forth. Her likelihood of experiencing these twenty-six horrible things was exponentially greater just because she didn’t have a mom and dad. The catastrophic effect on this little girl bothered me. From that point forward, I knew this was an issue. God has a heart for these children. I knew we couldn’t sit idly by as the Church and not engage this issue. So, I began to confront my church. I began to preach messages on it. I told them, “Here’s the bottom line. If you have extra space, you should have a child in it. If you have extra food in your pantry that you and your family need, you’ve got room for somebody else. We can’t sit back and let these kids go into what they’re going into and not do something about it.” And our church responded. We had tons of people step forward. It’s not easy. I don’t paint the picture of it being easy, that it’s this Hallmark channel opportunity where you adopt this beautiful little girl, and she comes into your house, and everybody’s happy. It doesn’t work like that. It’s hard and difficult and complicated, but it’s worth it. Of all the things we do, the thing that makes us most like Christ is fostering and adoption. That’s exactly what Jesus did for us. He came for us, and He brought us in. And we’re a mess. We’re problematic. We messed up His household. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/333488246_527318516137541_7302034764571927383_n-1400x1365-1.jpg) At one time, we had 130 or 140 kids adopted out of foster care. Probably four or five times that many in foster care. We have a strong foster care and adoption group. We don’t do foster care to check off a box of one of those things a church needs to do. We have a heart for these little kids, and we keep them present and in front of our people. People say, “Why don’t you pray for something supernatural?” That’s the problem with us. We’re waiting for God to do something supernatural when God has already given us the capacity to do something about it now. You don’t need a parting of the Red Sea or a raising of the dead or the blind to see for you to do what you can do. If you do what you can do, we solve it. It’s finished. Fostering and adoption are not for everybody. That’s true. But you can do something. And everybody should be doing something. If we really love Jesus, we’re going to stand in the gap for the least of these. ### Are there other ways That.Church serves or raises awareness in foster care? We are constantly raising money for those families in foster care. For example, we recently raised money for a family to buy a dinner table. At Christmastime, we do Christmas for all the kids with The CALL and Project Zero. Last year we did Christmas for around 500 families. Anytime there’s an opportunity, we bring it to the church and say, “Hey, here’s something we could do. Let’s do something about it.” Our foster care group assembles for prayer, and they support each other. They give everyone a chance to vent their spleen. When you’re going through it, you can be living an incredibly beautiful story, but while you’re in the middle of it, it doesn’t feel incredibly beautiful. When you get around someone else and they go, “Yeah, it stinks. I’ve been there,” it makes a difference. ### **Is there anything else you want to say regarding That.Church’s engagement in foster care?** Pastors are faced with a lot of problems. We’re asked to give solutions for all kinds of things. As a pastor, you have to see from thirty thousand feet. What you want to do is look at it holistically and ask, “How can I have the most impact?” We’re involved with as much as we can be, but we believe the gospel is the solution to the world’s problems. There are things we don’t have resources to fix, so we lean into the gospel. We can’t do everything, but we can do our part. And we trust God that He’s going to raise up other people to do the things they can do.  The main thing pastors need to realize is to do what they can and pray the rest of it up. You’d be surprised. The more faithful you become, the more resources God gives you. Jesus is the solution for every problem that vexes humanity, so we have to lean into that more than anything else. ### **How would you describe the importance of churches working together in our city?** I think it’s incredibly important. One of the problems that’s come out of our culture is we, as churches, specialize in looking at each other, nitpicking each other, and tearing each other down. All the while, our enemy is very organized, structured, and ready. We, the Church, on the other hand, are bickering with each other. As a pastor, a lot of times, you feel inadequate. We’re aware that we might not be doing everything right, and we’re not enough. Sometimes, that expresses itself as criticism toward others. If we walked together, things would be different. The Bible says we’re not wrestling against flesh and blood. My enemy is not my brother, who is across town or even next door trying to run his church. I think, working together, we could exponentially help each other. We could listen to each other, learn from each other, and share resources with each other. Back in the day, the Church didn’t get along on every level, but you didn’t mess with the Church. The Church had a certain horsepower. We don’t have that anymore. We need each other. We need to grow, and we need to be stronger. ### Imagine all churches working together for the good of the city to solve problems and help everyone flourish. What do you think would be different about our churches and city if that were true? It would give everyone a vision of God’s kingdom rather than our kingdom. We’re sensitive to do things we put our name on. If we were willing to work together and not have to have credit for it, you would actually see things change. It would look like everyone elevating Jesus above everything else. It would be people saying, “Our goal is to do it to the glory of God and the good of people, and we do that together.” If we did that, we would get a greater sense of kingdom than what we do in areas where it’s just us. Think about all the things that would not have existed if wasn’t cooperative work. We wouldn’t have missions work, hospitals, or orphanages. We wouldn’t have school systems like we have today. We wouldn’t have the Red Cross. We wouldn’t have nursing. We wouldn’t have the abolition of slavery. All of that is because of the cooperative work of the Church. The Church did big things back in the day because the Church worked together. There was cooperation. We need that now because our enemy is cooperating. We should do the same thing. Then we would see things happen that we read about happening rather than just read about them. Our generation has an opportunity to do that. We are thankful for the exceptional work of That.Church and all the churches in our city answering God’s call to care for orphans and widows (James 1:27). They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "Caring for the Orphan in Our City" url: "https://citychurchar.org/caring-for-the-orphan-in-our-city/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "May is National Foster Care Month in the United States, and we want to lift up those children and families affected by foster care in our cities. Today, over 3,700 children are in the foster care system in Arkansas. These" last_modified: "2026-02-28T03:36:05+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_facebook: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Caring for the Orphan in Our City May is National Foster Care Month in the United States, and we want to lift up those children and families affected by foster care in our cities. Today, over 3,700 children are in the foster care system in Arkansas. These are kids without a place to call ‘home,’ and the need to respond to this crisis in our state is real. However, families, churches, and organizations throughout Arkansas are responding to the crisis in tangible, life-changing ways. We want to take the opportunity to highlight three organizations that are serving on the front lines to help the Church fulfill its responsibility to love and care for the orphan in our city (James 1:27). ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/logo-desktop-bg-3811468654-1.png) ## **The CALL: A Collective Movement of God’s People** The CALL began in 2007 out of a movement among God’s people. Many of the organization’s co-founders had firsthand experience of the foster care crisis in Arkansas and saw an opportunity for the Church to step up and serve. Christen Butler, Executive Director of The CALL, tells me that this movement was bigger than one church. “The really neat thing was it didn’t just start with one church. It was, ‘Let’s gather churches together, and how can we, together, step into this space?’ I believe that’s the unique foundation of The CALL. It’s not about one person. It’s not a movement of one church. It’s a collective movement of God’s people.” The CALL’s mission focuses on two things: raising awareness about foster care and recruiting foster families. The organization works to educate the community, churches, and families about the realities of foster care. They also guide those who feel called to foster care by providing comprehensive, trauma-informed, and Christ-centered training and helping with the extensive pre-certification paperwork required to meet fostering standards.  The CALL also provides what Christen calls “wrap-around support” for foster families and churches. “We engage churches to help educate churches. We want to equip churches and foster a culture that enables them to provide the stability, love, and care these families need. We provide anything from freezer meals to tangible supplies. These kids come into care usually with nothing. Maybe just the clothes on their back. _Here’s a new pair of shoes_. _Here’s a bed this family will need_. That wrap-around support also covers therapy services for the foster and adoptive parent.” Megan Hurtt, The CALL’s Coordinator for Faulkner County, elaborates on the importance of wrap-around support and the collective effort with other non-profit organizations: > One thing that makes us unique is we aren’t here for any glory for ourselves; only to do what God calls us to do. I’m a foster parent, so I can tell you about the emotional and physical toll fostering takes. To have an organization that you can lean on and support you spiritually plays a huge part and why people say, “Yes” to The CALL. I mean, who’s going to be a better foster parent than a believer in a church who’s being supported by church members? I don’t think people would sign up for this if they didn’t think they would get the wrap-around support. It’s a mission field, a _big _mission field. We have developed so many good relationships with nonprofits surrounding us. We’ve been able to do so much more than awareness and recruitment. When Immerse Arkansas came to Conway, we recommended them to others. The CALL Mall is open to The Rise House, Bethlehem House, and Life Choices. When you give a little, you get it back tenfold. We aren’t putting up walls. Christen Butler is quick to acknowledge the pivotal role churches play in The CALL’s work. “Churches are the backbone of everything we do. When we’re recruiting foster families, and we’re engaging that level of support, our audience is the Christian community. Many churches already have a heart for mission work and for serving vulnerable families. There’s a step in every bit of this process where the church fits right in. We believe this is mission care, and it’s amazing to see churches of all types and sizes engage.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/logo.png) ## **Project Zero: Advocating, Building, and Connecting with Churches** Kandace Gerber, the Director of Marketing at Project Zero, tells me their goal is simple: “We want to see Arkansas become the first state with zero kids in the foster care system waiting to be adopted.” Over the organization’s thirteen-year history, the number of kids waiting peaked at over 700, but today is down to 228. How does Project Zero get kids from waiting to finding their forever family? Kandace tells me it happens through the ABCs of their mission. First, they _advocate awareness about adoption. _“We let people know these kids are available and waiting to be adopted.” Project Zero has three Heart Galleries with portraits and stories of the kids waiting to be adopted. These galleries (one in Northwest Arkansas and two in Central Arkansas) travel throughout the state. “We love to get into church lobbies and let people see the kids’ faces when they leave the church service. We also have them at events.” Second, Project Zero _builds hope. _“We pour into these kids on special days like their birthday. With our Candyland Christmas event, we try to get everything on their wishlist. Each of them is precious and unique, so we try to build hope specifically for each child. Hope is needed because the longer a kid is in the foster care system, their hope of being adopted can diminish.” Third, Project Zero _connects_. They host connection events monthly. “The focus is getting kids to interact with families. Some families will come with specific kids in mind. Since Project Zero has a statewide focus, we have kids and families coming to these events from around the state.” If there’s one thing Kandace is adamant about, it’s the critical role churches play in Project Zero’s mission. “Churches are already primed for this because believers are in tune with the Spirit and, hopefully, the Spirit’s stirring their hearts, telling them, ‘You can do this.’ Not everyone will choose to adopt, but everyone can do _something_. There are countless ways, big and small, that God’s people can be part of someone’s ‘yes.’ You can adopt a child in prayer or share their short film with your small group. Maybe a small ‘yes’ is simply getting information on what it would take to open your home. These kids need someone to be for them, someone in their corner to encourage them and be their cheerleader. You could say ‘yes’ to that.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Immerse—ImmerseRed.png) ## **Immerse Arkansas: Transforming Youth into Overachievers** Immerse Arkansas focuses on one of the most vulnerable groups within foster care—those aging out of the system. Their overarching goal is to see youth from crisis transformed into overcomers. Typically, those youth are between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four, who are, as Eric Gilmore, Executive Director of Immerse Arkansas, tells me, those who have “aged out of foster care, are in foster care, have been adopted, have run away, are homeless, or are trafficking victims.” Given those circumstances, it’s hard to imagine the uphill climb these youth take entering adulthood. But it’s a climb that Eric and his team are willing to take with them. “We want to see them become whole, resilient adults. We want to see them go on to flourish. We are trying to walk alongside young people at one of the most critical times in their lives, helping them build a solid foundation from which they can grow and be a full and participating member of society.” What does that look like? Eric tells me their youth center provides a low-barrier point of entry for these youth. “Youth can come here, and we’re going to help them with their needs and their dreams. They can take a shower, get food, or get help getting a job. They can see a therapist. All those things. At the same time, they can get help getting into college. They can get help starting a career and figuring out their skills and what’s the best fit for them. They can pursue hobbies. They can experience incredible things that will, hopefully, challenge and expand their worldview.”  The organization has a transitional living program, which includes houses and apartments for young people to practice adulthood and build a strong foundation for life. They are also building the state’s first dedicated youth shelter. “We hope that’s going to be a game-changer for teens and young adults. Rather than go to a shelter that’s designed, typically, for adults with just cots in a room, it’ll feel more like a dorm. They’ll have their own bedroom and bathroom. They’ll be part of a community.” Eric knows that, without churches, Immerse Arkansas would simply not exist. They played a critical role in the beginning, they play a vital role today, and they will play a critical role well into the future. “So much generosity comes from people in the Church—so many volunteers, mentors, resources, and donations. Here we get to see the Church carrying out its role on a daily basis in caring for young and vulnerable people, which is exciting. It’s phenomenal the level of care and concern from the Church for the young people we’re serving. It’s astounding.” ## **Your Role in God’s Story** Organizations like The CALL, Project Zero, Immerse Arkansas, and others are partnering with churches to answer the call of James 1:27. The reality is that if every church in Arkansas were engaged in this issue, we could provide a caring home for every child. It’s as simple as that. Whether big or small, you and your church have a role to play in the story God is telling through youth in the foster care system. Together, we can respond to this crisis with love in action and give these children a home and community where they can flourish. Together, we can do this, and together, we can build a flourishing community. --- --- title: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" url: "https://citychurchar.org/total-eclipse-of-the-heart/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "As you read the title of this article, there might be a couple of things going through your head right now. If you’re like me, you probably hear Bonnie Tyler’s famous song. If so, feel free to pause and sing" last_modified: "2024-11-04T20:48:07+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families, Guest Writer] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Total Eclipse of the Heart As you read the title of this article, there might be a couple of things going through your head right now. If you’re like me, you probably hear Bonnie Tyler’s famous song. If so, feel free to pause and sing it out! On the other hand, both the picture and the words ‘total eclipse’_ _might have sent you on a quick daydream about what the next few days are going to look like. For a few short minutes on April 8th, we will experience the effects of the moon passing between the Earth and the sun. The daylight will be dimmed, the temperature will drop, and things will look a little different. We will also get to see some things we don’t normally see. This will be an amazing event and one that you might never get to experience again. In my life, I have experienced a few life-changing events. For instance, I have two children, a seventeen-year-old son and a fourteen-year-old daughter. The days they were born completely changed everything.  There are others I can look back to: - When I gave my life to the Lord - When I got my driver’s license - When I entered the working world - When I graduated high school and college - When I was ordained God has been kind to me. I could have made a larger list. I’ve done a lot in my 42 years on this earth. There is one event I didn’t mention that radically changed everything. On June 12, 2004, I married Ann, and we started our new life together. There is nothing we can experience in this life quite like being married. Marriage, among other things, was designed for companionship, mutual love, pleasure, and deep connection. It was also designed for discipleship. There is no other person on this planet who knows me like my wife. Both the good and the bad. This means that there is no other person on this planet who is more qualified to help me see my mess that needs to be sanctified. What a gift! Not only do we walk through life together, but we do so while encouraging and sharpening each other in the Lord. We also get to serve in a ministry that desires to see all marriages healthy and thriving. Marital drift is real, and it doesn’t take much to start down the lonely path to isolation. Believe me, I know. You may have experienced this in your own marriage, and chances are you know someone right now walking down a rocky marital road. But hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. He is the One who sits with us in our pain and shows us the way out, even when we’re blinded by our own misconceptions and sin. Praise Him for his free gift of grace. Praise Him for a covenant relationship. You know, a total eclipse is indeed a rare thing to see. But it only lasts moments, and if you’re not intentional, you’ll miss it. But for all its beauty and wonder, the moments leading to totality can be a little dangerous. The light is too intense, and it can cause pain and even blindness. Though we want to see it for all it is, we must take precautions and be vigilant. Once totality occurs, we can look straight at it with wonder. We can gaze at what God has done. The same is true in marriage. We want to see the beautiful thing that it is intended to be, but we must take precautions. Pursuing our spouse is a diligent, daily effort. And it is worth the effort! Anything less invites danger into our homes. Our lives are a vapor, Scripture says, and without intentionality, we will miss the rare and beautiful thing marriage truly can be. Our prayer for you is that your marriage will stay on the road to oneness. That each day, you would experience the life-giving goodness of being married. That your legacy would continue to be written and that your family would walk in the blessing of the Lord. That your marriage would be mission and others would see how good it really can be. --- --- title: "Two Storms, One Great Hope" url: "https://citychurchar.org/two-storms-one-great-hope/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "If you live in Central Arkansas, you probably remember where you were one year ago on March 31st of last year. I was at a friend’s office around 2:00 PM that Friday afternoon when my wife, Carolyn, called me. “There" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:02:12+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_envelope: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Two Storms, One Great Hope If you live in Central Arkansas, you probably remember where you were one year ago on March 31st of last year. I was at a friend’s office around 2:00 PM that Friday afternoon when my wife, Carolyn, called me. “There is a bad storm coming, and you need to get home,” she told me. I pulled out my phone to check the weather and realized that there wasn’t enough time for me to get home. Not long after, I heard the sirens begin. It didn’t look good, and I saw that the tornado’s path was near our home. While talking to Carolyn, we lost cell service. Like never before, I felt the urgency to get home. In a rush, I got in my car and drove home as quickly as possible. With every passing second, the tension rose. Is my wife okay? Is our home okay? Finally, I turned onto our street and, from a distance, saw that our house was intact. I found Carolyn and a nextdoor neighbor still huddled in the most interior room of our home. They were relieved that I was home and the storm had passed, but I soon discovered just a couple of blocks away that trees were down.  Some neighborhood streets were impassable, and the primary routes in and out of the neighborhood were blocked. With electrical power and cell service out, our contact with the outside world was limited to a battery-operated weather radio, but I felt grateful Carolyn was alright and that the storm had passed over us.  The following day, I saw the extent of the tornado’s damage. It overwhelmed me to see how destructive the storm’s path was. I was amazed by how well first responders, community leaders, and churches mobilized to help those affected in our city. A year later, Governor Sanders expressed it well when she said that she was “proud of the progress that the state has been able to make in its efforts to recover from the disaster, though work remained to be done.” We continue to pray and support those who lost so much on that day. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AdobeStock_321858548.jpeg) ## **An Even Greater Storm** The day after the tornado, the Holy Spirit whispered something to me that I will never forget. “As bad as this physical destruction is, there is another storm causing even greater harm to our community.” Immediately, I understood what He meant. The storm He was talking about has been responsible for deaths from youth violence and suicide, mental illness, loneliness, depression, and the fracturing of marriage and family in our communities. In his latest book, [Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization](https://www.amazon.com/Get-Married-Americans-Families-Civilization/dp/B0B3S6G7XH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QX5VOFEO6GLH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Dhf8QB1K88cxlzDZ4phLe2p_Y7I0auada7tdScoEL5zXe03C49hZDXfbZ93dX4TqyYkpmVjD2F9ByPUBoOkQ75EfJlsHjod_-fCgsecNydLh0-_o-mR3SzUkGBNtNihQughwMt9JeBez7zXpiySy03ErMTFzi-f1KuC8Q12i0pfHFYGbx5X6LQWkkuaQwwejswkCTtBCDw07DqrhslCKdVhaRrcx9qbTTn3C-rXcFeM.XwrZs__KxjpAPwvije62zuQplhCE4DFRAPhPEhzGDB0&dib_tag=se&keywords=get+married+brad+wilcox&qid=1711998666&sprefix=get+married+brad+%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-1), sociologist Brad Wilcox presents compelling research on the importance of healthy marriages and families for the flourishing of a community.  > From our nation’s growing happiness divide to surging deaths of despair to the stagnant state of the American Dream—questions of marriage and family are often better predictors of outcomes for people than the topics that currently dominate our public conversation—like race, education, and government spending. How are kids faring in an America that values marriage much less than it used to? Is it really true, as University of San Francisco professor Lara Bazelon recently told us in the New York Times, that divorce is “liberating, pointing the way toward a different life that leaves everyone better off, including the children”? It turns out that children whose parents get divorced are heading “toward a different life”—but not in the direction Bazelon would like us to believe. They are almost twice as likely to be suspended or expelled from school, 75 percent more likely to use drugs, and about half as likely to graduate from college. To be sure, many kids from divorced homes turn out just fine (and there are ways that divorcing parents can help mitigate the risks of these outcomes), but the data certainly don’t tell us that children are left “better off” by having their parents call it quits. Likewise, having the benefit of a family headed by stably married parents, where both parents are on hand to love you day in, day out, share life’s joys and frustrations, and devote their combined financial resources to your home, your extracurriculars, and your schooling ends up being the ultimate privilege for the millions of today’s boys and girls across America who are fortunate enough to grow up in an intact family.   ## **The Hope of Easter** Isn’t it in God’s timing that we celebrated Easter in Central Arkansas one year after the tornado that wreaked havoc on our communities? In the aftermath of the literal storm that swept through our communities and resulted in many rising up to offer help and support, there are those today who are responding to the relational tornado carving a destructive path through our marriages and families. In an article for our blog on the Good in a flourishing community, we wrote how: > God designed marriage and the family to be foundational for flourishing, because through them we image the kind of relationship the Father, Son, and Spirit have with one another – personal, connected, intimate, supportive, and serving. The key to building these kinds of relationships is the Church. Here’s how Amy L. Sherman explains the importance of churches to flourishing relationships (specifically marriages) in _Agents of Flourishing_: Why churches? Churches aren’t the only ones trying to strengthen marriages. A variety of secular non-profits work at this, too, some with government funding. But churches bring some unique assets to the table. […] Churches are “sticky in a way that nobody else is sticky,” explains J.P. De Gance. A person attending a church program about marriage could be invited over by a congregant for a meal, asked to join another couple at a Sunday service, or welcomed into a small group. Congregations, he says, are eager to help people connect. At churches, “You’ve got a deep reservoir of your membership passionate about forming one-to-one, life-changing relationships, which produces the stickiness that churches have over other NGOs,” De Gance explains.  John Stonestreet of the Colson Center agrees. Churches are “scattered, decentralized, and localized” social institutions, he notes. They are positioned to identify and connect with specific couples that are struggling in their marriages.  Religious communities provide couples with a beautiful vision about what marriage can and should be. They support couples in their relationships and teach and encourage healthy marriage skills. Congregations can also be placed where younger married couples rub shoulders with older ones. This provides access to mentoring for younger adults by more experienced couples. Like no other institution, churches have the unique opportunity to be the shelter from the storm that is destroying homes, marriages, and families in our city. As the Church in Central Arkansas, we can be such a shelter. We can: - Unite in prayer over marriages and families damaged by this crisis in our communities. - Develop intentional and strategic ministry plans to share the gospel and give hope to the people of our city through marriage and relationship ministry. - Become a family of families as the Church to the broken and hurt in our communities. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AdobeStock_294442904.jpeg) ## **How Will We Respond?** In Get Married, Wilcox writes: > The truth is that religion is generally a force for good when it comes to the quality and stability of married life, men’s and women’s satisfaction with their lives, and the welfare of children. The research tells us that American men and women who regularly attend a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque are significantly happier in their marriages, less likely to end up divorced, and more satisfied with their lives—and their children are more likely to be flourishing.   Above all, it will take courage for ordinary men and women to take a risk on lifelong love in a world where so many forces seem arrayed against strong marriages and families. But the future of the American way of life—our lives, our liberty, and the pursuit of our happiness, rightly understood—depends upon making strong and stable marriages possible for all who wish to open their hearts to lifelong love—and to the children who arise from that union. Strong marriages are good for the community and for the flourishing future of our city. Yet, despite that truth, a recent U.S. News and World Report article reported that **Arkansas had the highest divorce rate in the country in 2022, 60% higher than the national average. **The numbers are sobering and are sounding the alarm to the relational storm blowing through neighborhoods in our midst. As we assess the damage, we see—and know by experience—that it is great.  What would it look like for us, as the Church in our city, to be the first responders to this relational storm? What if we worked together as one to respond in such a way to the damage with the one great hope that we have—that the gospel gives us the one great hope for a flourishing future in our city? What if we believed that Jesus is at work through His Church and is calling churches in our city to answer the call of the alarm and the damage we see all around us? Would we sense the urgency? Would we respond with hope-filled action? I believe we would and we can. Together we can build a flourishing community! --- --- title: "Three Unique Voices on Prayer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/three-unique-voices-on-prayer/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "For over 25 years, pastors and ministry leaders have blocked off their schedules for the Arkansas Prayer Summit to get away and worship the Lord. No two Prayer Summits are ever alike, and God always has something special in store" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:03:07+00:00" categories: [Extraordinary Prayer] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Three Unique Voices on Prayer For over 25 years, pastors and ministry leaders have blocked off their schedules for the Arkansas Prayer Summit to get away and worship the Lord. No two Prayer Summits are ever alike, and God always has something special in store for those who gather in prayer to seek Him and find spiritual refreshment and connection with others. In early March, men and women from churches big and small came to the Arkansas 4-H Center to expand their understanding and expression of prayer. To give you a peek behind the curtain of what happens at the Prayer Summit, we are highlighting three unique voices and their experience of the event: Arlene Mitchell (Prayer Leader), Greg Kirksey (Pastor), and Dennis Fuqua (Prayer Summit Facilitator). ### **What was your prayer or desire leading up to the Prayer Summit?** **Arlene**: I came to Arkansas two weeks before the Prayer Summit because God revealed to me that he wanted me to have a prayer event in Arkansas. Before that, I had never been to Arkansas in my life. I had only one friend there, but he told me, “We need that! I’ve been praying for something like that to happen!” When I met with leaders from his church (Mosaic Church) to share my testimony and my passion for prayer ministry, one of the men there, Paul Kroger, said, “If you’re really into prayer, you would enjoy the Arkansas Pastors’ Prayer Summit.” Whenever something is God-ordained, He puts all the links together. He did that for me and made a way for me to attend the Prayer Summit. When I walked through the door that first night, I realized I was the only black female there. But you know what? I felt known and welcomed by everyone there. People need to know that no matter who you are, you are going to feel like you belong there. Coming to the Prayer Summit, I told the Father, “I need you to refresh me.” I was ready for that and to be poured into by Him. And He did that and gave me so much more! I was also looking for prayer support because, as a prayer coach, I’m always praying for somebody else. I was anticipating that support, and it was well received. **Greg**: As I prepared to attend my second Prayer Summit, I was not aware of any decision I was facing. I didn’t attend because I was necessarily looking for direction, but I needed the opportunity that the Prayer Summit provided to deepen my devotion to God by ‘coming apart’ for the sole purpose of spending time with Him. In the midst of ministry, I often find myself weary and exhausted. I needed to rekindle the flame of God’s Spirit inside me, and nothing does that for me like getting away with no other agenda than spending time with God. I simply wanted to draw near to God in a way that I often find difficult in the midst of a busy life. ### **Describe your role as a facilitator at the Prayer Summit. How would you explain the approach to prayer that happens at a Prayer Summit?** **Dennis**: I see my role as a facilitator as one who cooperates with God and the people in the room to help all of us interact with God well. The specific type of prayer we aim for at a Prayer Summit can be summarized in the following little couplets: Spirit-led, worship-fed, Scripture-based, corporate prayer. Each of these could be expanded on, but that is the essence of what we seek to do. ### **What are some misconceptions people have about prayer? How do you respond to them?** **Dennis**: I think the biggest misconception is that prayer is not personal communication with a personal God. Therefore, we can tend to treat prayer like inserting coins into a cosmic vending machine. We put our prayers in and punch A-7, and if the product behind A-7 doesn’t pop out, we think there is something wrong with the machine. Instead of this view, prayer is primarily the communication portion of the most important relationship I have with the most important person in the universe! So, it is not primarily about asking God for things but interacting with Him. ### **What was unique about this year’s Prayer Summit? How was it impactful for you?** **Arlene**: I travel often and meet new people through my ministry. I feel like my life was expanded and is better because of this Prayer Summit. I loved hearing the pastors pray! They were praying from a pure place. It wasn’t a preacher trying to preach as he was praying. These were pastors sharing their hearts in an earnest way without hidden agendas, and that was refreshing to hear. One time, I partnered with Greg and Michael to pray. I cried hearing those men pray. Because I’m often in the room praying with women, hearing these men pray the way they did was big for me. Ray prayed about his wife and the importance of family. Chris prayed about being a godly example as a husband and new father. When Keith prayed about his community, he just lit up. I loved his energy and excitement. I felt like he was a brother from another mother! **Greg**: I have become a constant student of prayer. I read books, study prayers, and long to have a more powerful and impactful prayer life. One takeaway was the reminder of how significant the Lord’s Prayer is that Jesus gave us for providing the structure of our conversations with God. I’ve been in the ministry for over 50 years but continue to be blown away by new truths from old texts I’ve studied for decades. I received a fresh perspective on the Lord’s Prayer this year that is proving most helpful as I continue my summit experience in the mainstream of life. One of the things God impressed on me was the significance of praying the Psalms. It impacted me more powerfully than ever when we were directed to get away by ourselves one morning for a few minutes and focus on Psalm 131. While this is a short Psalm with only three verses, I hardly got through the first phrase of the first verse written by King David (“Lord, my heart is not proud…”). I had to confess that I had pride in my heart. Not so much the arrogant kind of pride, but pride nonetheless, and it sickened me as I confessed it to my Heavenly Father. This moment alone, for me, was worth the entire Prayer Summit experience this year. **Dennis**: I have used the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern for my prayer time for many years. At this Prayer Summit, the Lord led us to use it as a pattern for much of our time in prayer. This was unique and very meaningful to me personally. I was blessed by how well those sessions went. ### **What makes prayer an essential part of your life and ministry?** **Arlene**: I want to stay in tune with the Father. I want to stay in right relationship with Him, and prayer is the only way we stay in right relationship with Him. The Father loves that we want to be in relationship with Him. I love talking to Him, and He loves talking to me. He loves it when I sing to Him and give my voice back to Him. He loves it, and it’s such good fellowship.  He’s my breath that I breathe. That’s what prayer is to me. My communication with Him is necessary for my survival. It is my lifeline. It’s my purpose of being. I believe the reason I was kept alive after two bouts of cancer was to assist others in the journey of understanding prayer a little bit better. **Greg**: I have found prayer to be my fuel line that enables me and empowers me to fulfill what God has called me to do even when I find myself becoming physically exhausted. There is nothing more invigorating for me than a meaningful ‘face-to-face’ meeting with God. In addition to the empowering effect of prayer, it also crystalizes my perspective and helps me see things unseen that I would normally miss. ### **Imagine churches across our city being united in prayer. What would that look like? What would be different?** **Arlene**: Churches need to understand the necessity of prayer. Not all churches recognize the importance of having prayer in their churches. What would it look like if they did? You would see churches coming together and praying without ceasing. You would see churches devoted to prayer, not just feeling like they were assigned to prayer. Prayer is something near to God’s heart. Jesus got up early to be with His Father to pray. So, if He can do that, we should be so endeared to prayer that we want to get up early to be with Him. We stay alert and pray. We don’t sleep on the job. We stay awake and pray. Prayer not only changes things, but it changes us. The more we pray, the more prayer changes us. We need more gatherings to pray as a united church. There’s power in numbers! There’s power in unity! What does the enemy come to do? To steal, kill, and destroy. If we are united in power, he can’t get through us! That’s why it’s essential for churches to come together in prayer. **Greg**: In the midst of a deeply and increasingly troubled and lost world, I think it is imperative we utilize the assets God has provided His church to carry out His mission, and prayer is at the top of the list. If churches across the city committed to united, intercessory prayer for our city, state, nation, and the world, I am confident we would see a dramatic difference. Our ministries would be more effective and impactful as the Holy Spirit anointed our efforts and changed hearts. **Dennis**: Two things come to mind. One is that churches across the city from different denominations and backgrounds would be praying for the same things at the same time. The other is there would be times when groups of people would come together for specific times of prayer and worship. What would be different? Again, two things could be different. First, there would be a greater sense of the common needs in the community being carried by more people in the city than just one church or congregation. There would also be a greater number of people giving praise to God for answered prayers because they were part of the pray-ers praying for God’s answers. ### **What would you say to church leaders to encourage them to attend the Prayer Summit? ** **Arlene**: It’s worth the time because pastors need to breathe. Because pastors need to pause. Because pastors need to reflect. Because pastors need to be refreshed. Because pastors need a safe place to be transparent, to say, “I’m hurting” or “This is hard.” I loved the intimacy of the Prayer Summit. There was no pomp and circumstance. It was just a group of us gathered in a circle having a conversation with our Father. It was so organic the way we would, at times, just burst into song, and everyone just sang together. We were a choir that didn’t need rehearsal. We just sang along with the Spirit. Do you need a recharge? Come to the Prayer Summit! Do you need to be refreshed? Do you need prayer? Do you need to feel a sense of unity with others? Come to the Prayer Summit! I would tell every pastor to make the time for it.  **Greg**: Pastors are too busy, the demands of ministry are too draining, the world is too dangerous, and the needs too urgent for pastors not to follow the example of Jesus and ‘come apart’ to pray. As long as we just squeeze prayer into our busy schedules wherever it fits, we will find ourselves running on fumes and growing discouraged as we rely on our own human strength and efforts to accomplish what only God can accomplish. I have continued to focus on prayer after the Prayer Summit, and one of the things I’ve become convinced of is that prayer is more caught than taught. It was the disciples observing Jesus’ prayers that prompted them to ask Him to teach them how to pray, even though they had been praying for most of their adult lives. In both Prayer Summits I attended, God used other people in attendance, with their unique giftings, to speak to me and minister to me in ways I’m not sure would have been possible in any other forum.  We can read about prayer and study prayer, but I always seem to learn more by being in the presence of others praying. Like an infant learning how to express herself as she becomes aware of the interactions of others in the room, we learn better how to interact with God in the presence of others interacting with God.  **Dennis**: It is a wonderful thing when we are the answer to someone else’s prayer. When we come together to pray, we are actually part of the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17! What a glorious thought that we could be a small part of Jesus’ prayer!  God’s method of reaching those outside His Church is through a united Church. One of the best ways to see the evil one defeated is by cooperating with other congregations. Our enemy is set on dividing the Church. As we are set on uniting the Church, we are teaming with God to see Satan’s defeat. I know of no better thing we can do to see a united Church than to see its pastors pray together. As we hear one another’s prayers and realize that those prayers echo my heart, I am drawn to that other pastor and recognize that we really are part of the same Church. **Arlene Mitchell** is a native New Yorker living in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a Pastor of Prayer, certified coach, author, and motivational speaker, she travels the country proclaiming the power of prayer and empowering others through her prayer workshops. Through her weekly prayer conference calls and Facebook Live broadcasts, she has witnessed God’s healing, deliverance, restoration, and salvation. She celebrates the gift of life and gives all glory to God for being 14 years cancer-free after surviving not one but two bouts with breast cancer. **Greg Kirksey **is the Teaching Pastor at [The Church at Rock Creek](https://churchatrockcreek.com/) in Little Rock. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Ouachita Baptist University for three years and is a guest speaker who communicates practical truths of the Bible to various churches, groups, and organizations. He has also served in a number of denominational leadership positions, including two terms as the President of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. **Dennis Fuqua **is the Executive Director of [International Renewal Ministries](https://prayersummits.net/), which was integral to the birth of the Prayer Summit experience more than 30 years ago. He has facilitated hundreds of Prayer Summits, helping thousands of leaders experience effective, enjoyable prayer. He also served as a pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship in Gig Harbor, Washington, for 25 years. --- --- title: "Board" url: "https://citychurchar.org/board/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Board Board Leadership team About us" last_modified: "2025-04-04T20:16:07+00:00" --- # Board # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## Board [Leadership team](https://citychurchar.org/leadership/) [About us](https://citychurchar.org/about-us/) --- --- title: "Creating Relational Sustainability Together" url: "https://citychurchar.org/creating-relational-sustainability-together/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In a busy emergency room, chaos reigned as Sarah found herself in the throes of another anxiety attack. Her screams filled the air as she thrashed about, entirely overwhelmed by fear and confusion. A patient care technician (PCT) rushed to" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:07:17+00:00" categories: [Flourishing Families, Guest Writer] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_print: 2 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Creating Relational Sustainability Together In a busy emergency room, chaos reigned as Sarah found herself in the throes of another anxiety attack. Her screams filled the air as she thrashed about, entirely overwhelmed by fear and confusion. A patient care technician (PCT) rushed to her side, attempting to manage her behavior with stern commands and attempts to restrain her. But Sarah grew more frantic, her panic escalating with each passing moment. Enter Nurse Emily, a seasoned RN with empathy and understanding. Instead of meeting Sarah’s cries with force, she approached her with a calm demeanor and gentle voice. “I hear you’re terrified and don’t know where you are. Is that right?” she asked, mirroring Sarah’s emotions. Sarah’s response was immediate and raw, an affirmation of her feelings. Nurse Emily listened intently to Sarah, reflecting understanding and validation. Slowly, Sarah’s cries softened. Her frantic movements subsided with Nurse Emily by her side, providing a steady presence of warmth and empathy. The doctors and PCT looked on in amazement as the once-chaotic scene transformed into a quiet calm, demonstrating the profound impact human connection has on mental health and well-being. ## Sustainability & Flourishing In previous articles, we looked at five domains from Dr. Amy L. Sherman’s book [_Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society_](https://www.amazon.com/Agents-Flourishing-Pursuing-Shalom-Society/dp/1514000784/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27SQ4FYEVJIYC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nLlqL265KM4ucGcj48fOa43X6cYfXAOTsZB9S1zTTov9p7ub0Sjfq2oYcq9T3G3Zm3aAwEyUlzUtXFN6CLywSMwgCX7l8W3zGsShYM-5OcoFaEnuYkrvM7En3t5bQg6lf-3-xsSgDfxeVMdqfjvB7Ndz-18ZjTJ826ExgNLfsAc-6g7cPpIhmcjZ1jaEF2P3fdM47ZoxBz_zRVTmBaGp23mzY8X5MYiquhCiiP5EfcY.KDNoloTheWDJ0JVGE9cLXaIp31fgBw1SIdMMB032aGQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=agents+of+flourishing&qid=1709057902&sprefix=agents+of+flourishin%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1). This month, we finish our Flourishing Series with the final domain: the Sustainable. While the Sustainable domain includes our physical environment, the energy sector, and our climate, this article will focus on human sustainability and the impact a caring community has on the overall health and well-being of those in it. In particular, we will explore what this looks like for churches in a community. Before we proceed, let’s define some important terms: - _Shalom_ – Shalom means peace. Biblical shalom goes beyond peace to include God’s presence, universal flourishing, wholeness, joy, and delight. Complete shalom, flourishing, and sustainability will not happen until Christ returns to establish a new heaven and earth. - _Flourishing_ – Isaiah 65:17-25 describes flourishing as the new heaven and earth characterized by God’s presence, joy, the fruitfulness of work, wholeness, and rejoicing.   - _Agents_ – In her book, Sherman identifies the agents of change as the Church. Within the Church, there are communities of Christ-followers intent on loving God and loving others by being salt and light and working together for the common good of the community. - _Sustainability_ – Sustainability involves businesses, communities, organizations, and churches with practices that promote a sustainable environment and care for the health and well-being of the community. ## What Prevents Shalom? While shalom, flourishing, and sustainability are the goal, there are obstacles. Sherman states that human brokenness damages God’s creation and His original design. The enemy has capitalized on this by sewing seeds of division, conflict, and lies that go against God’s original intent for His creation and humanity. We could summarize these obstacles as the world, the flesh, and the devil. ## A Growing Need In October 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General published [Our Epidemic of Isolation and Loneliness](https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf). In this 82-page alarm bell, the Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murphy, states, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health” and “the mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.” With a nod to the solution, this report also discusses the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. More on that later.  In response to the problem, several organizations came together on World Mental Health Day in 2023 for the [Church Mental Health Summit 2023](http://www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com/). The estimated attendance for the event was over 8,000, with 80 countries represented, demonstrating that the problem is widespread and the need significant. Inside the Church, alarm bells are getting louder. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research’s [Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC)](https://www.covidreligionresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Clergy_Discontentment_Patterns_Final.pdf) tracked how clergy feel about their profession and congregations. Over the past few years, they’ve cited an increasing number of clergy reporting being burnt out and having thoughts of wanting to leave.  In 2023, out of 1,700 clergy interviewed, nearly 1 out of 2 clergy considered leaving the profession entirely or leaving their current congregation. A recent [article](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trust/archive/winter-2023/what-is-the-future-of-religion-in-america#:~:text=In%20all%20the%20scenarios%2C%20Christianity's,%25%20and%2035%25%20by%202070.) in Pew Trust Magazine states that if trends in religious switching continue, Christians could make up less than half of the U.S. population in just a few decades. ![Couple sitting at table](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AdobeStock_285641096.jpeg) ## Inspiration from Mental Health Research In the 1990s, Dr. Gary Sweeten established an in-patient mental health ward within a hospital. Within the ward, Dr. Sweeten did something unconventional. In addition to training the staff in compassionate, empathetic care, he also trained every patient in the ward. Sweeten’s rationale was that a therapist might only be with a patient a few hours a week, but the patients are with each other 24/7. He believed that if they could show compassionate, empathetic care for one another, the community’s overall health would increase, and the patient’s recovery rate would improve. The results were astounding. Patient outcomes post-training far surpassed previous outcomes. This model of care was revolutionary in the mental health community.  ## The Church as a Loving, Healing Community  Before this, Sweeten joined the staff of a large church in Cincinnati. While there, he saw the burden his fellow pastors were carrying. They would spend 10 to 15 hours a week counseling church members. Exhausted and stretched to the limit, Sweeten knew it wouldn’t be long before these pastors burned out. In response, Sweeten offered to help. First, he would train the staff on warmth, empathy, compassionate care, and skills for renewing the mind (Romans 12:1-2). But he didn’t stop there. He would offer the training to the entire church. Just as yeast permeates bread, he believed that fostering a culture of empathy and support would lead to a healthier, more sustainable community. As the congregation practiced these skills, something remarkable happened. Equipped small group leaders started giving emotional support and guidance to their members, and small groups became safe spaces for vulnerability and growth. Pastors who used to spend 10 to 15 hours a week in counseling sessions saw their load dwindle to zero as church members leaned on each other for support and encouragement. With church members helping to carry the load, pastors could focus on their primary roles and responsibilities. Church attendance also grew as more people discovered this healing, therapeutic community. ## Skill Training and the Adult Learning Model While skill training may be unique in the Church, it isn’t elsewhere. Imagine a football team that only watched films and read the playbook but has yet to get on the practice field to work on skills. Imagine the Navy Seals only training in the classroom but never going to the shooting range or on the jiu-jitsu mat. How sustainable would that football team or seal unit be without actual practice? Skill training happens anywhere people want to develop and grow. If relational skill training worked for Sweeten’s congregation, why wouldn’t it work for churches in our community? What would it look like if every church in Central Arkansas invested time and effort in training their people in relational skills? Would we see a difference? Would we see more pastors unburdened and thriving? Would we see more life-giving relationships and communities with abundant healing and joy? Would the enemy find it harder to cause division, spread lies, and steal our joy? ## When to Seek Professional Intervention We started this discussion with a story of an RN who was able to show love to a person suffering from an anxiety attack. We followed that with an example of one church that implemented therapeutic relational skill training that increased the overall health and vibrancy of the community. While this example is encouraging about what everyday people in a church can do, there are times when professional intervention and in-patient care are necessary. Consider the chart below on the 5 Levels of Care. | Level | Assess the Level of Pain, Trauma, or Stress | Approximate % of Population | Evaluate How to Help | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 5 | Acute Emotional Pain needing Acute Help | 5% | In-Patient Care (Refer) | | 4 | Chronic problems and Emotional Pain causing life issues | 10% | Professional Therapy (Refer) | | 3 | Ongoing issues and problems that cause disruptions | 50% | Caring Community, Peer Support | | 2 | Mentally Healthy, but some life issues need support | 25% | | | 1 | Very Mature & Mentally Healthy | 10% | | While 15% of cases require a referral for professional care, a caring community trained in peer support skills can handle most cases (85%). Experts in the field say that the tipping point to creating a healthy and therapeutic community is when 30-40% of the community has peer support skill training. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AdobeStock_368172136.jpeg) ## Creating Relational Sustainability Together Together, we can build a flourishing community. Together, we can create relational sustainability by equipping churches and their leaders with practical skill training and cultivating environments where all members can flourish and experience actual shalom.  At the heart of sustainability is the well-being of our leaders and the cultivation of a caring community that promotes mental health and wholeness. By equipping leaders with the skills needed to navigate conflict, provide peer support, and communicate empathy and love, we can create a sustainable environment for healing and growth.  There is healing power in the presence of another, especially one skilled in communicating empathy and compassionate care. When communities invest in the care, support, and relational skills necessary to address the mental health and well-being of others, they create a sustainable environment for flourishing. ## Preventing Leadership Burnout Every organization is a reflection of leadership. That axiom remains true today. If we want more shalom, flourishing, and sustainability in our churches, we must ask ourselves as leaders, “To what degree am I experiencing this?” Are we humble enough to say, “It starts with me”? That nearly one out of every two clergy have considered leaving the ministry, their congregation, or both should be a wake-up call for us to take action. CityChurch Network exists to help churches work together for the good of the city. One way we do that is by partnering with organizations taking action to help pastors and churches build sustainability for generations to come. Recently, we partnered with local sponsors to bring the [Relational Peace:  Preventing Leadership Burnout](https://www.relationalpeace.org/pages/preventing-leadership-burnout) event and workshop to Little Rock on April 11, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Nothing could be more critical for the sustainability of the church than the well-being of the men and women called to the ministry.  You can learn more about this event and register for it [here](https://www.relationalpeace.org/pages/preventing-leadership-burnout). --- --- title: "Cooperating for God’s Kingdom" url: "https://citychurchar.org/cooperating-for-gods-kingdom/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In John 17:20-23, Jesus prayed that His disciples would be one as He and the Father are one. The mission of CityChurch Network is to help churches work together to show the kind of unity Jesus prayed for. One way" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:11:05+00:00" categories: [Church Profile, Equipped Leaders] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Cooperating for God’s Kingdom In John 17:20-23, Jesus prayed that His disciples would be one as He and the Father are one. The mission of CityChurch Network is to help churches work together to show the kind of unity Jesus prayed for. One way to think of this is to imagine that every church in our city has a flashlight. The light that one church shines is good and wonderful as it brings the light of Christ into their community. But what if _every _church in our city worked together to let their light shine collectively? Wouldn’t that be an amazing light show for the non-believing world to see? ## Catching a Glimpse Sometimes, God gives us a glimpse of what is possible when we work together to let our light shine. One Sunday a few weeks ago, I saw such a glimpse when I walked onto the stage at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church with key leaders from South City Church, The Way Church Network, and Impact Inner City. What I felt that day wasn’t nervousness. It was pure excitement. As I stood with leaders representing four churches in our Kingdom Cooperation project, I wasn’t nervous. On the contrary, I felt pure excitement. These churches saw the need to train their people in the essentials of the faith and offer something more than just another class. They wanted their training to equip them to live on mission as disciple-makers in everyday life, whether in the home, marketplace, grocery store, or gym. These leaders wanted that commissioning event at Geyer Springs to honor their hard work and give glory to God that these leaders were truly ready for ministry. My face beamed with joy as I thought how much God had done through these churches. I took the microphone and addressed the congregation. “Today, we are commissioning three ‘mission-ready’ couples who have completed in-depth studies of Acts and the first-century church, a paradigm-shifting training that teaches how to facilitate great conversations, and a system for equipping someone in the first principles of the faith.” “We are honored to be part of this process. Well done to the churches and those being commissioned! As we look to the future, these churches are committed to collectively training as we prepare to be mission-ready.” ![Kingdom Cooperation commissioning at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_7103-copy-2-scaled-1-1.jpg) ## From Conversation to Cooperation How did this all come about? Through many conversations with each of these churches last year, I heard about these churches’ collective needs and understood that a larger conversation was necessary. After six months of meetings and planning, these churches agreed to launch a pilot group in the fall. With each step forward, we prayed for God to be in this. And he was! His hands were all over this process. Throughout it, I saw God align the hearts of these humble leaders. In fact, there was so much unity and agreement that I can’t recall one instance when we disagreed over something.  Here’s how Neal Scroggins, the pastor at Impact Church, remembered the experience. “The initial conversations about bringing multiple churches together to focus on one goal and assisting others on their journey to becoming mission-ready seemed insurmountable. However, after getting involved, pulling the trigger, and going down the road, this journey has been one of the sweetest I’ve had in my thirty years in ministry!” ## From Heaven to Earth This Kingdom Cooperation matters because it is a visual representation of the kingdom of God in our city. It brings heaven to earth through ordinary people like you and me learning how to make a real and lasting difference. For Jack and Kaitlyn, it was the simple step of opening their home more and being intentional in the workplace. For Chad and Marci, it was sacrificing time to invest in relationships with those who don’t know the Lord. Adam Miller, the mission pastor at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, had this to say regarding Kingdom Cooperation: “In a culture where divisiveness is rampant, it was incredibly awe-inspiring to witness churches who don’t look anything alike join together in discipling, equipping, and commissioning together. This is so rare, but I pray we see more of it. What God started through Kingdom Cooperation is _exactly_ what central Arkansas needs to expand the kingdom into broken and unengaged areas.”  These churches could have trained their people without cooperating with other churches. But they took the time and invested the energy and effort to work together because God’s kingdom is bigger than any one church. It is about us all working together as one unified Church. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-22-at-10.28.12 AM-2048x1147-1.jpg) ## Co-Laborers in God’s Kingdom Mission With three couples already launched, I look forward to even more commissioning this May. Imagine what it would look like if more churches in our city worked together like this. Imagine the impact of having more trained and equipped disciple-makers in churches, workplaces, and neighborhoods throughout our great city. Imagine everyday ordinary leaders stepping forward and playing a role in God’s kingdom mission. Imagine how much brighter the light of Christ would shine in our communities if what we imagine was a reality in our city! So much is possible when we work together. We aren’t competitors. We are co-laborers in God’s kingdom mission. When our churches unite, it brings God glory and shows a watching world that together we can build a flourishing community. --- --- title: "Making the Big Shift in Politics" url: "https://citychurchar.org/making-the-big-shift-in-our-politics/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Across our country, friendships, families, and churches are fraying at the seams, and many have split over politics. Many are exhausted by the division or afraid of potential backlash for entering the fray, so they avoid political dialogue. And all" last_modified: "2025-04-05T17:32:59+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_print: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Making the Big Shift in Politics Across our country, friendships, families, and churches are fraying at the seams, and many have split over politics. Many are exhausted by the division or afraid of potential backlash for entering the fray, so they avoid political dialogue. And all the while, the divide between us as Americans only seems to be getting wider. Jesus was no stranger to political division. In his day, there was division among Jews between those who opposed Rome (e.g., the Zealots) and those who cooperated with Rome (e.g., tax collectors). Within this context, Jesus calls Simon the Zealot and Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Imagine the tension in that group! But Jesus did this intentionally to show that his view of politics would not be like others. His way would transcend politics and transform his disciples to obey God by acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with him. Rather than let political ideologies, parties, and policies define his disciples, Jesus would be the one to shape his disciples’ values, relationships, and practices. The way of a disciple was — and still is_ _— radical because the allure of putting your identity in a particular political party or politician can be downright intoxicating. It leads to “Us vs. Them” thinking and a Partisan Mind that sees your fellow citizen as your enemy (or even as less than human). These two things have led to what we now know as the Big Sort in our country. Today, more Americans have moved to neighborhoods and communities where they are less likely to live among individuals with differing political beliefs. ## Can You Relate?  As believers, we should be shaped and formed by Jesus, not politics. Most pastors would agree with this statement 100%. But what do we see in many churches today? The division and infighting we see today in the Church are less about theology, style, and worship and more about politics. In this politically charged environment, it is tempting for a pastor to avoid issues about which Scripture has something to say. Sadly, many in the Church have an unrealistic expectation that their pastor has to align with them politically on every single issue. If a pastor does address an issue from the pulpit (even peripherally), he will likely find an inbox full of angry emails about it on Monday. The current picture of the Church in America today looks different from the one we get in Ephesians 4:1-6: > ​​As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Unity is our goal, but we don’t get unity by avoiding the issues and each other. Silence because we want to avoid conflict will never lead to unity. What’s more, there is a price for our silence. When we don’t speak into these issues as the Church, we allow our culture to shape us spiritually and form us politically, something about which God’s Word warns us. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2a). There has to be a better way for us to engage in politics and be the salt and light Jesus called us to be in the world. What if people decided to leave their silos and discovered a better way to engage in healthy and winsome conversations about important issues in our communities and nation? One tool that could help churches is the After Party course from Redeeming Babel. This project was the brainchild of three Christian leaders with different political views and developed a way to value our convictions _and _relationships. The course aims to help everyone, regardless of political stripe, to accept Jesus’ invitation to make the Big Shift from the _what _of politics (ideology, party, policy) to the _how _of politics (spiritual values, relationships, relational practices). ## We Need Hope and Humility The solution to the problem of partisan politics and division is _hope_ and _humility_. Hope and humility help us, as followers of Jesus, resist the temptation to make an idol out of politics. We need humility because, as the course tells us, “the dividing issues in America […] are incredibly complicated matters. No one is an expert in any one of them, let alone all of them. We need to look at issues in all their richness and complexity. Humility is the proper recognition of reality.” We are limited in our knowledge, abilities, experience, and perspective. No particular person, political party, or ideology has all the answers to every problem in society. Humility is recognizing that we are inescapably flawed. Sometimes, even in areas where we feel most confident, there’s a chance that we could be wrong. Where do we start with humility? By listening. Be willing to exercise the skill of listening to others and valuing their perspectives and opinions. Be willing to meet and get to know people with whom you disagree. You may not convert them to your side, but you might learn something in the process. We need hope because a lack of hope leads us to give up or be apathetic (“What’s the point? It doesn’t matter.”). Our hope doesn’t rest in a political ideology, party, policy, or issue. It rests in the hope that God is sovereign over his creation, regardless of who is in charge or whether we find ourselves in another crisis. Hope grows within community. That’s why God gave us the Church. That is where we learn and grow together in unity as one Body. Collectively, we find our true hope in Jesus. If anyone or anything becomes our source of hope, we, as his Church, must repent from this sin and turn to him in faith. In short, we can trust Jesus to guide us toward hope now and for the future. ## The True After Party The kingdom of God broke into the world with Jesus’ first coming, and we await its final culmination at his second coming. When he returns, the true After Party will begin. There will be joy and celebration because he will restore all things and set this world right forever and ever. In looking forward to the true After Praty, how can we relate to politics between in the “now and not yet”? What does it look like to live in the realities of today but maintain hope for the future? We do so by taking ourselves out of the party mindset. “When your identity is all in politics or your party, it trumps everything else. Too many people have placed that ‘D’ or ‘R’ as a fundamental aspect of their identity. The After Party seeks to move beyond that. […] Parties move and change over time. Put yourself in a [particular] party identity, and you’re going to be unstable. When your identity is in Christ, your identity is core and stable.”  ## Winning through Obedience If we want to win in politics, we must obey God as a citizen of his kingdom and how he has called us to live. Above all else, we pledge allegiance to King Jesus and his way. As Jesus’ disciples, our beliefs and behaviors must revolve around who he is and what he has done to break down the walls of hostility and division. We don’t see ourselves as “a colony of this earth but as a colony of heaven.” As his Church, we model how he taught us to live—to love, sacrifice, and serve others. In our love of God and neighbor, we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33), not our own or the righteousness or political agenda. His agenda becomes our agenda when we seek his kingdom first.  There is a better way. With hope and humility, let us move forward with our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is our Solid Rock. Everything else is sinking sand. Together, as one Church, we can live out the command of Micah 6:8 with our neighbor and each other: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The After Party helps small groups and churches engage in politics in a better, more productive way. It is currently available for free at [www.redeemingbabel.org](http://www.redeemingbabel.org). --- --- title: "Rhythms That Shape & Form Us" url: "https://citychurchar.org/rhythms-that-shape-form-us/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "The story of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church began in February 1996 when a group of fifteen people started exploring the idea of planting a new church in Little Rock. The group met in homes to pray, seek the Scripture, and" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:20:16+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_envelope: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # Rhythms That Shape & Form Us The story of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church began in February 1996 when a group of fifteen people started exploring the idea of planting a new church in Little Rock. The group met in homes to pray, seek the Scripture, and get clarity on whether a new church was where God was leading them. In the coming months, it became clear that their desire to start an evangelical, liturgical expression of the church where people experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in worship and ministry was, in fact, part of God’s plan. At the time, the Episcopal Church USA (the denomination this group was a part of) was fracturing, and many were dissatisfied with where the denomination was headed. It was out of this denominational upheaval that the first Anglican Church was planted in America. Robert Cook, the church’s rector, explains how this happened. “Before 1996, there were no Anglican churches in America. They were all Episcopal churches. The Episcopal Church is linked with the Church of England, and in England, the churches are called Anglican. But when the settlers came over and began to colonize this country, they used the word ‘Episcopal’ instead of ‘Anglican.’ The denomination that was formed to bring other Anglican churches in [after St. Andrew’s was planted] was called the Anglican Mission in America.” In the years that followed, this small church became the center of a network of Anglican churches across the United States. ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/StAndrews_596-scaled-1-1.jpg) ## Two Distinctives — Order and Connection I was completely ignorant of this important event in church history that happened right here in the Natural State before my conversation with Cook. Admittedly, there’s _a lot _about the Anglican Church that I don’t know. So I ask Rector Cook to give me a peek behind the curtain and share with me some of the distinctives you will find in an Anglican church like St. Andrew’s.  “When I think of distinctives in the Anglican Church, I think of two words: _order _and _connection_. Order comes from the liturgy that we follow. Most of our liturgy comes from the Book of Common Prayer. But it’s structured in a way that we’re not bound to say every prayer or follow every part. We’ve recrafted a few things, but by in large, Anglicans are following the same prayers, creeds, and communion liturgy around the world every Sunday.” [The idea around liturgy is that there is] greater order and structure to our lives as we follow Jesus. All throughout our worship service, we are highlighting the cross and the gospel. The gospel is lifted up in our prayers. In communion, the cross is lifted up. We’re always pointing people back to the cross. That shapes our lives every day. That our lives would be shaped around the cross of Jesus. As he lived, we want to order our lives around him, and we want our lives to look more like him.”  “While every church has a liturgy, ours is very intentional. It is there to help form and shape our lives. It’s not just something we do by rote. Liturgy includes all the different parts of the service, from the worship music to the opening prayers to confession to the creeds, communion, and the sermon. Hopefully, the different rhythms of the service help shape and form our lives on Sunday and in what I like to call the in-between days.” The other distinctive is _connection_. St. Andrews is not just a stand-alone church. We’re part of a larger group of churches. While our denomination is small here in America, we’re connected to bishops across the globe in places like Africa and Asia. We pray for each other. We encourage each other. We support each other financially. We’re about God’s kingdom work in intentional ways around the world.” “Most Anglican churches are reading from the same passages and prayers, which gives a sense of unity among the capital ‘C’ Church. It helps us feel more connected to what God is doing around the world as opposed to our one little church. There’s a greater connection to God’s movement in the world as we see his kingdom come in greater ways.” ![](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG_1376-copy.jpg) ## A Longing for Transcendence  I wonder out loud what a worship service might feel like at St. Andrews, to which Cook tells me, “You might think a service with liturgy and hymns would be stuffy, but it’s anything but that. One of the features of St. Andrews is that we are a Three Streams church. There are three life-giving streams that we drink from (1) Scripture, (2) sacrament (communion, baptism), and (3) the Spirit. We are grounded in the Scriptures. We recognize the sacraments of bread and wine. They are ordinary, but they are set apart, they are holy for God’s use. We recognize the same in our own lives. We’re ordinary people, but as Christians, we’re set apart. We’ve been marked and set apart for a holy purpose. So we see holiness in things. We are also charismatic, so we believe in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You won’t see people speaking in tongues, but you will sense a real freedom and moving of the Spirit in the service. There’s a deep sense of the Holy Spirit’s presence when you come in. We recognize the presence of the Spirit to open us up to the Scriptures and open us up to whatever work he wants to do in our lives.” According to Cook, this more formal approach to worship helps “bring out more of the transcendence of God. That’s a longing of many, many people. They want to see the transcendence. There’s a depth of worship that highlights the holiness of God and reverence toward him. In that, you feel the nearness of God.” And, apparently, this approach is attracting a younger generation as well. “We’ve got a lot of young people in our church—couples, families, single adults. It’s formal, but you’ll have people raising their hands in worship. In our service, we stand when we sing and kneel when we pray. They come forward for communion before the altar. We serve them communion, and they connect with Jesus in that moment. People can linger there if they want. Our service engages the whole of our bodies. We’re not just spectators watching. We’re engaged in the service. That’s who God is. He wants to engage with the whole of our lives.” ## Working Toward Greater Community Impact This spring, the church will be launching Alpha Marriage. “It’s a seven-week course helping couples identify and strengthen weaknesses, as well as areas where they can grow deeper. What’s unique about it is that it becomes a date night at St. Andrews. So we take our sanctuary and put tables for two all throughout it. We have people come and serve a home-cooked meal. There are a couple of short videos each time around on different topics, and there’s a workbook that couples work through, do exercises, etc. Couples that I’ve seen go through it have seen their marriages transformed. You know, they’ve become complacent in getting along, going along, but this sparks a new vision and fresh wind of falling in love again and walking together and having the church be a part of your lives in a greater way. It’s gospel-based, so you’re being brought back to Jesus and over again.” One of the advantages that St. Andrew’s has in ministry is its location. “It’s in a transition neighborhood. South of us is more inner city. North of us is more upper, middle class. When they bought the property many years ago, they wanted the church to be open to everybody. They didn’t want it to be just a wealthy, white church. We’ve got people from the community that come every Sunday. We’ve got a ministry called GIG (Growing in Grace), and it’s a recovery ministry we have on Wednesday nights. We have vans that bring people in from recovery facilities. We serve them a meal and have breakout groups.”  The church is also engaged in a church/school partnership. “We’ve adopted Western Hills Elementary, an inner city school just south of us. We’ve got mentors there who tutor kids, sit with them at lunch, and do recreational stuff with them…all to build relationships.” Three times a year, the church also serves students, parents, and school staff through (1) a back-to-school carnival where students receive backpacks, uniforms, and school supplies, (2) a Christmas Blessing service open to all, and (3) end of the school year festival with games and a bazaar. “We’re trying to have that connection. We, like a lot of churches, want to see how we can have a greater impact in the community where we are. We have a lot to learn and grow in that area but I love the things we have going on right now.” ## Together on Mission Before we end the conversation, I ask Rector Cook, “Why do you think it is important for churches to work together for the flourishing of our community?” Cook thinks for a minute and says, “It’s crucial. The kingdom of God breaking in this world. We shouldn’t have barriers that can get in the way of that or say, ‘That’s my territory’ or ‘That’s yours.’ We should say, ‘We’re together on this mission to see the kingdom of God come in greater ways. I think it does become more powerful when we do lock arms with one another.” We are thankful for the exceptional work of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church and all the churches in our city that are making real, life-changing connections with those in their communities for the sake of Christ and his kingdom. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 To learn more about St. Andrew’s, visit their [website](https://saclr.org/). --- --- title: "Art Can Build a Bridge" url: "https://citychurchar.org/art-can-build-a-bridge/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In school, Bob Snider was no straight-A student. “I was always the kid in the back of the class, drawing pictures of the teacher. And I have the Cs to prove it.” Of course, as you will discover, those hours" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:22:34+00:00" categories: [Series] tags: [Art, Beauty, Bob Snider] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_twitter: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 ss_ss_click_share_count_facebook: 1 --- # Art Can Build a Bridge In school, Bob Snider was no straight-A student. “I was always the kid in the back of the class, drawing pictures of the teacher. And I have the Cs to prove it.” Of course, as you will discover, those hours spent in the back of the class making caricatures were not wasted. They were Bob’s introduction to the world of art. “When I talk to people about art, I tell them, ‘Any of us can sing in the shower. Few of us can sing on the stage.’ Some call it talent. I call it a gift. If it is a gift, that implies that there is a Giver. So we have this gift that was given to us. What we do with it in response is accept that is a gift. God created beauty here, and I get to walk around in it and play with it.” ## Allured by Beauty In previous articles in our Flourishing Series, we covered the domains (or endowment) of the Good, the True, the Prosperous, and the Just and Well-Ordered from Amy L. Sherman’s _Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society_. The next domain in our series is the Beautiful. The Thriving Cities Group defines this community endowment as the realm of creativity, aesthetics, and design. It includes “the visual aesthetics of the built environment and the artistic, cultural, and historic life of a community.” At first glance, this domain might appear less important than others. Don’t things like economic opportunity and justice demand more attention? According to Sherman, the realm of art, design, and aesthetics is vital to community flourishing. God is the ultimate Source of beauty, and we reflect his beauty as image bearers in our use of imagination and skill to create something beautiful. God also uses beauty to captivate and allure us. Sherman writes, “Scripture speaks frequently of this, noting that beauty and how it is intertwined with God’s splendor, majesty, and glory (e.g., Ps. 27:4; 50:2; 1 Chron. 16:28-29; Isa. 4:2; 28:5, 33:17). It is not only his truth and goodness that draw us to God. We are attracted as well by his beauty.” ![Artist Bob Snider](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG_3257-edit-2.webp) ## Draw Squiggles, Not Straight Lines God is the wellspring from which all beauty flows, and our capacity to create art to reflect beauty back to him is a gift. God, the first and ultimate Artist, is also a great Storyteller, which brings us back to Bob. Now, if you were to draw a line representing Bob’s journey to becoming an artist, don’t draw a line from one point to another. Draw a snake-like shape or a squiggle because that is how his life story unfolded. Granted, he was an art major at Ouachita Baptist University, but he reasoned that the only options for art majors back then were to (1) teach art or (2) become an artist. With this reasoning, Bob decided to get an M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas and pursue a career in the Institute of Heraldry. Upon reporting to Fort Benning, he applied as an _effective writing instructor _but misspelled ‘writing’ in his application. “That shows you where I was academically at the time,” Bob says with a laugh. Bob didn’t get the job and ended up at the infantry school for the next two years. After his time in the military, Bob landed a job on Senator McClellan’s staff in Washington D.C. He proved his mettle in the Beltway and went on to become the senator’s press secretary. For the next eight years, Bob ran McClellan’s Little Rock office. When his adventures in politics ended, the next chapter in Bob’s life was as an investment banker. That lasted for thirty years. At this point, you might think, “How does someone with a background in the military, politics, and banking become an artist?” Again, I direct you back to the drawing of Bob’s story. The road Bob took was not a straight path; it was a winding one with plenty of twists and turns. ![Artwork by Bob Snider](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/48362469_10216814780779473_764157927014531072_o-1-1.jpg) ## A Halftime Decision Nearing middle age, Bob took a class at his church on the book _Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance _by Bob Buford. Bob tells me (Chris), “The book was about how we’re all living longer, and you can only play so much golf. You need purpose in the second half.” Bob was at a crossroads at this point in his life. His wife of twenty-five years left him, and he wondered how the next chapter would take shape. Through this class, Bob realized something that set him on an entirely different trajectory. “It occurred to me that I can do whatever I want to do. So, I signed up for a beginning water media class at the Arts Center. Even though I had an art degree, it was never anything serious. But I just loved the idea of it.” For Bob, it was like reuniting with an old friend. The joy of imagination and creativity he enjoyed as a child was reemerging in him. With a renewed passion for art and time on his hands, Bob dove into the world of watercolor head-first and took more classes in different mediums. “I was taking this [oil painting] class from Barry Thomas at Cook’s Landing on the Arkansas River. They gave me the canvas, the brushes, and this little palette. I saw what Barry was doing and did what he was doing but as a watercolorist. Very wet. Very loose. It was this tree reflecting on the water. It turned out well, so I took it to a gallery in Hot Springs that was carrying my watercolor works. It sold in the first week for $800, which was a whole lot more than I made with watercolor. Barry told me, ‘You need to paint bigger,’ so now I paint _big_.” ## Two Worlds Merge The art world was ever-expanding for Bob. In the next chapter of his life, Bob saw two of his worlds merge. It started with a Kingdom Builders_ _class Bob took at church. One day, the church’s pastor saw Bob in the class. He took him aside and said, “I wanna talk to you. Somebody tells me I need to talk to you because we’re thinking about creating a ministry for painting and art.” Hearing this must have been music to Bob’s ears. He thought for a moment and told the pastor, “Okay. I’m your man.” Given his background and experience in the world of the arts, Bob was the right guy at the right time for such an opportunity.  “I knew how to put on a juried art show. First, you get a juror. Then, you put out a call to artists in the artist community, which I knew a lot of at the time. [For this arts festival, we gave artists the] challenge to create something based on the twenty-third Psalm. We had probably three hundred entries. It was a three-day arts festival. We had prizes and a judge. The church even bought one of the pieces. It really was a big, big deal. The point of it was to build a bridge to the arts community. It was a way of saying [to the arts community], ‘We want to build a bridge’ because when you think about it, we are all art collectors. If you have anything on your wall, you’re an art collector. The world of art collectors is vast; it’s everybody, from the art museum group to the country club group to the church group. Wherever. Art goes everywhere.” The arts festival was a smash and went on for several years. Themes for later festivals included Genesis, the Prodigal Son, Messiah, and Jonah. “When we did a festival on Jonah, the director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, who was Jewish, wrote a symphony on Jonah and had the symphony perform it. Bob was truly in his element in bringing churches and the arts community together. However, after consulting with churches in Nashville, Dallas, Milwaukee, and other cities, Bob realized something. “I figured out pretty quick that church staffs have plenty to do, and they don’t want to take on another task. Eventually, the arts festival ran out of gas because of the effort that went into it.” ## Bob and Martha There is, however, one more wrinkle in the arts festival chapter of Bob’s life. One day, he was hanging art for one of the festivals when his eye caught a woman with jet-black hair and dark eyes. Bob was stunned by the beauty he beheld. “She was just a knockout. I asked someone, ‘Who is _that_?’ and they told me, ‘That’s Martha Turner.’” Bob knew Martha’s husband but was told the couple was getting a divorce. “I was a single guy in Little Rock for fifteen years with no prospects. I just about gave up on that so I could, you know, focus on spiritual things.” But seeing Martha that day made Bob strongly reconsider the bachelor life. Fortunately for Bob, sparks flew, and love between the two blossomed. They married two years later, and the first thing they did was build an art studio. Snider Studio and Gallery is located next to the couple’s home in Roland, Arkansas. Both home and studio are, as you might guess, adorned with paintings, sculptures, etc. Martha is also an artist with her own ceramic studio next to Bob’s. As you tour their property and marvel at the attention to detail, aesthetics, and beauty, it is obvious that artists were behind this. With Rattlesnake Ridge stretching across the skyline behind their home, God’s artistry and beauty are also on display. ![Artwork by Bob Snider](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/60832602_10218056014889550_3948447552147292160_o-1.jpg) ## A Study in Contrast One of the benefits of being an artist is that you can write off all expenses for travel and workshops. Over the years, Bob has traveled to Italy and France to take workshops from renowned artists. One workshop taught by Julian Merrow-Smith stands out to him. “Usually, when you take a class, the instructor will go around and give you advice. But Julian would always walk right past me. I didn’t know whether to be flattered or offended by it. Eventually, he told me, ‘I have one thing to say—contrast.’” I started thinking about that. If you don’t build in contrast when you paint, it never quite works. I was thinking about that more when I was taking the garbage out last Thursday. God has created life in a way that we have contrast built in. Night and day. Heat and cold. Rough and smooth. Even for preliterate man who couldn’t read and had no exposure to written truth or anything, he had this constant daily metaphor for what life is all about. They must have thought, ‘There has to be some pattern to this.’”  Bob muses on this for a moment and continues on the topic. “Contrast is important from the standpoint of beauty. _What makes beauty beauty? _Today, on the way to the Apple Store, I saw this cerulean blue in the sky open up after a week of rain, and I was like, ‘Wow! Thank you!’” You can hear the awe and wonder in Bob’s voice as he expresses gratitude to his Creator. For Bob, moments of rapturous wonder at art and beauty are everywhere. “Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve been to museums all over the world, and you can see some beautiful art that is admirable. Art that has an emotional quality to it. I think music is more meaningful to me than visual art. When people find out I’m an artist, this is what they say: ‘I can’t draw a stick figure.’ And I always respond, ‘Well, there’s not much demand for stick figures.’ What we need is more patrons and collectors of art.”  We won’t all be professional artists like Bob, but we can appreciate, celebrate, and support the art and beauty that allows us to see and experience this life, ourselves, and God with a fresh perspective with added color and texture. “In a lifetime, you always have opportunities to explore beauty in music, painting, theatre, writing, and relationships. It’s a spiritual proposition. I look for opportunities to use my gift to God’s glory. A lot of times, that’s just listening. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities where God is nudging you. That, to me, is a matter of being still.” ## Art Can Build a Bridge Bob is a rare breed with one foot in the arts community and one in the Christian community. He’s passionate for the Lord but also passionate about using his gifts to tell a story through his art that is both true and beautiful. Bob laments that we don’t see more crossover between art and faith. “When you think about it, most of the great art that has been created was on religious themes. The Church was the biggest and, in most cases, the singular patron of the arts. A lot of artists were subsidized by the Church to create their art. Art has a power, but the Church doesn’t know what to do with it today. People try to put faith in a box. That it’s all about evangelism and doing church kind of stuff. I love the idea of a bridge between the Church and the rest of society.” Art can build a bridge that connects us all, regardless of religious or political stripe, to what it means to share in what we all have in common—we’re human. Call it a life of contrasts. The young get old. Laughter and tears ebb and flow through life. We experience love. We experience loss. We explore and discover new worlds but can forget those we came from. We possess the power to create but also destroy. We are connected by these things and can be united in them if we are open to the art and beauty all around—and inside—us. ## Beauty in a Bride Near the end of our conversation, Bob shares with us what motivates him to create. “Art is emotional, and people buy art because there’s something they connect with. Art tells a story. Everything I paint, there’s a story behind it. It’s more than just something on the wall.”  When I listen to Bob share, I see a work of art displayed on a canvas that is a life. The characters, events, and pivotal moments he recalls create a composition of colors and lines that curl and loop together to tell a beautiful story. Is it a masterpiece? Certainly so if we consider the Artist. Like Bob, each of our lives is a unique work that tells a story. The indelible experiences in our few years on this earth add contour and shape to us. They, for better or worse, make us who we are. They reveal something about this thing we call life and how the Artist works. Every brush stroke is perfectly placed. Every moment has purpose, even for a little boy who couldn’t pay attention to the teacher because he was lost in a world of imagination and creativity. There is beauty all around us to behold. Like Bob, we can turn our gaze to him in response to this beauty with those words of awe and wonder: “Wow! Thank you!” May we, as the Bride of Christ, display the beauty of Christ through our unity, love for one another, and creative contributions to the realm of the Beautiful. > God could have chosen to make his beauty known exclusively through breathtaking landscapes, undulating oceans, and sublime sunsets. Instead, he has decided to display his radiance within the hearts of the crown of his creation, humanity. As a result, he has chosen a people, his Church, to reflect his glory to the world. The Church is beautiful because God is beautiful. Dustin Benge To learn more about Bob and see his paintings, visit his [website](https://bobsniderfinearts.com/). --- --- title: "Beauty Will Save the World" url: "https://citychurchar.org/beauty-will-save-the-world/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Our modern world has given us more convenience, increased security and comfort, and greater prosperity. You could make a case that there has never been a better time to live than today. Despite all this progress, author Brian Zahnd wonders," last_modified: "2024-11-04T19:46:23+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources, Series] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Beauty Will Save the World Our modern world has given us more convenience, increased security and comfort, and greater prosperity. You could make a case that there has never been a better time to live than today. Despite all this progress, author Brian Zahnd wonders, “Where is the beauty?” In _Beauty Will Save the World: Rediscovering the Allure and Mystery of Christianity _(Charisma House: 2012), Zahnd argues that beauty, once viewed as a prime virtue along with truth and goodness, is vanishing in our modern world, and the consequences have been disastrous for Western culture and the church. Beauty. Mystery. Wonder. These three, working in tandem, give us those experiences that make us feel fully alive, fully human. When we encounter something truly beautiful or mysterious, it fills us with a sense of wonder. It lifts our eyes upward and beyond. It leaves us speechless. It inspires reverent awe. Viewing the colossal expanse of the Grand Canyon. Cradling a newborn baby in your arms. A piece of music that moves you to tears. When we encounter beauty, heaven and earth meet, and we catch a glimpse of the sacred in the profane.  We are all attracted to beauty. We desire it, we admire it, we recognize it when we see it. We have an innate instinct for beauty, even if the definition of what beauty actually is can be a bit unwieldy. Those encounters with beauty are increasingly rare in our society — and in our churches — which are starved of beauty, mystery, and wonder. “A life stripped of beauty and mystery is a life barren of wonder, and a life without wonder is a kind of deep poverty.” ## The American Script Jesus called his church to be salt and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). The church was to be a beautiful light in a dark and ugly world for others to see a better way to live—the way of Jesus and his Apostles. Instead of providing a beautiful alternative, the church in America, according to Zahnd, faces the danger of being shaped more by American values such as pragmatism, individualism, consumerism, and materialism than those of the gospel. > To be born in America is to be handed a certain script. We are largely unconscious of the script, but we are “scripted” by it nevertheless. […] Over the last generation or so, evangelicalism has been more adept at endorsing the dominant script than challenging it. And in conforming too closely to the dominant script of Americanism, the Christianity of the American church has become disfigured and distorted and is in desperate need of recovering its true form and original beauty through a process of re-formation. We need to bear the form and beauty of the Jesus way and not merely provide a Christianized version of our cultural assumptions. ## Enchanted by Beauty Once More The good news is that all hope is not lost. God brought beauty into this world and established his church as a beacon of beauty and shelter from the storm in this harsh and violent world. As God’s people, we can recapture a sense of beauty and be enchanted by it as it is illuminated most clearly for us in Jesus Christ and his gospel. The beauty of Christ and his bride, the church, is truly the beauty that will save the world! > We are generally more accustomed to defend Christianity in terms of its truth and goodness. But beauty also belongs to the Christian faith. And beauty has a way of sneaking past our defenses and speaking to us in unique ways. To a generation suspicious of truth claims and unconvinced by moral assertions, beauty has a surprising allure. And everything about Jesus Christ is beautiful! His life, his miracles, his grace, his teaching—even his death, and certainly his resurrection—they are all inimitably beautiful. A Christianity enchanted by this beauty, formed by this beauty, and reflecting this beauty, has the opportunity to present to a skeptical and jaded world an aspect of the gospel that has been too rare for far too long. Where truth and goodness fail to win an audience, beauty may once again captivate and draw those it enchants into the kingdom of saving grace. It is possible to tell the Christian story in terms of beauty, because the story of Jesus Christ is breathtakingly beautiful! When considering Christian faith and practice, we are used to asking, “Is it true?” but we also need to ask the question, “Is it beautiful?” […] Christianity should not only persuade with truth, but it should also attract with beauty. Along with Christian apologetics, we need Christian aesthetics. Christianity needs not only to be defended as true—it also needs to be presented as beautiful. Often where truth cannot convince, beauty can entice. ## A Different Kind of Kingdom Before he launched his ministry, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness. During that time, Satan tempted him with three temptations: (1) satisfy your material needs, (2) prove your faith, and (3) establish God’s kingdom as the kingdoms of this world do. Jesus rejected these things as being directly opposed to the kingdom of God he came to establish. His kingdom would look very different than the kingdoms of this world. It would not be established by power and violence but by radical love and forgiveness.  > We must never forget that Jesus ushered in his kingdom by refusing to oppose Caesar on Caesar’s terms. Jesus didn’t fight political power with political power. Thus Jesus submitted to the injustice of a state-sponsored execution by telling Pilate, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting.” (John 18:36) Think about that. It is part of the mystery and beauty of Christianity that the kingdom of God comes, not by the sword of political power but by the cross of self-sacrificing love. Jesus didn’t smash his foes with the sword of “righteous” political power; instead, he absorbed the blow of injustice and committed his fate to the hands of God. In this, we find an undeniable truth: we cannot fight for the kingdom of Christ in the same manner that the nations of the world fight, for the moment we do, we are no longer the kingdom of Christ but the kingdom of the world! Jesus presented an “alternative society of the kingdom of God arranged around the cross as an axis of love.” His kingdom is the alternative to all other kingdoms that achieve dominance through violent and oppressive means. The pages of human history are blighted with reminders that we lost paradise and continue to wander east of Eden, far from God and far from one another. But the story of Christianity gives us hope of reconciliation and restoration, not only in us but in all creation.  ## Happily Ever After The beauty of the Christian story is that “happily ever after” isn’t just for fairy tales. It is where history is headed for believers. Here’s how Tim Keller explains it. > Fairy tales speak to us of several deep human longings that we are almost afraid to admit and that we can never discard. We long to survey the depths of time and space. We long to get outside of time altogether and escape death. We long to hold communion with other living things, like angels. We long to find a love which perfectly heals and from which we can never depart. And we long to triumph over evil finally and totally. When you are in the middle of a great fairy tale, the fairy tale lets you live even briefly with the dream of love without parting, escape from death, and triumph over evil. That’s why the stories stir us so deeply and why we will go on reading and writing them no matter what the critics may say.  But the gospel is better. For the truth of Jesus is this—the gospel’s message is that, through Jesus Christ, every single one of these things that the fairy tales talk about is true and will come to pass. We will hang out with angels. We will have loves from which we are never parted. We will see an absolute triumph over evil. There is a beauty who will kiss you in all your beastliness and transform you. There is a prince who will save us forever. The reality [of this] leaves me breathless and astonished! ## A Prophetic Witness How are we to respond to the beauty of the Christian story? What does living with the hope of “happily ever after” look like today? According to Zahnd, we do this by living with the belief that God’s process of reconciliation and restoration has already begun. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the principalities and powers of this age have been overthrown by a new and better king. > Responding to the gospel is not a matter of obtaining a ticket to enter the kingdom of heaven when you die but of acknowledging that the kingdom of heaven has already come through Jesus Christ and of living according to his righteous government here and now! This is why in the first gospel sermon in the Book of Acts (the sermon Peter gave on the Day of Pentecost) the “invitation” was not, “Be saved from hell,” but, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (Acts 2:40) In other words, Peter was calling people to stop living under the dominion of the principalities and powers of this age that are corrupting the world, and begin to live under the dominion of the world’s new and rightful king—the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, “the church bears prophetic witness to the world: by being a preview of what is to come.” As believers, we know the end of the story. We know that God wins, and every knee will bow before Christ the King and Lord over all creation. We are a voice from the future calling out today and proclaiming that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords today and forever more. > In a world devoid of imagination and dominated by the way it’s always been, we are to be a prophetic witness to otherness and holy imagination. We reject the pretentious claims of the principalities and powers that the way the world is presently arranged is the way it has to be. The principalities and powers committed to the status quo say that poverty is inevitable, that war is unavoidable, and the exploitation of the weak by the strong is inescapable. But we refuse to acquiesce to all of that. […] We are persuaded that the future belongs to beauty. Beauty will save the world. The beauty of Christ will save the world from the ugliness of greed, violence, domination, idolatry, and immorality. We believe this. So we seek to “behold the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4) and reflect that beauty back into our broken world. We do this in the hope that broken humanity will catch a glimpse of the beauty that is to be, believe in that beauty, and call upon our beautiful Savior. The gospel is the greatest story ever told. It is also the most beautiful. As Christ’s bride, we are called to live out his beautiful story in word and deed. In a society still living east of Eden, the church can be the beauty that beckons and allures others back to God. Churches in our city can be the beauty God uses to redeem our city. In a harsh and violent world, we can be that shelter from the storms of modern life for insiders and outsiders to behold Christ’s beauty in acts of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. We can be that prophetic voice proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom and inviting others to enter into it and into new life and hope. In every day and in every way, our churches can be a foretaste of the glorious and hope-filled future to come for God’s people. We, the church, can be the beauty God uses to save the world! You can purchase _Beauty Will Save The World _on [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Will-Save-World-Rediscovering/dp/1616385855) and [BarnesAndNoble.com](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beauty-will-save-the-world-brian-zahnd/1104145966). --- --- title: "Filling the Earth with the Life of God" url: "https://citychurchar.org/zoe-bible-church-filling-the-earth-with-the-life-of-god/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "Since the day it opened its doors in 1997, the mission of Zoe Bible Church hasn’t changed. It is simply filling the earth with the life of God. During a recent conversation with the church’s pastor, Iverson Jackson, he tells" last_modified: "2025-05-09T19:42:13+00:00" categories: [Church Profile] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" --- # Filling the Earth with the Life of God Since the day it opened its doors in 1997, the mission of Zoe Bible Church hasn’t changed. It is simply _filling the earth with the life of God. _During a recent conversation with the church’s pastor, Iverson Jackson, he tells me their mission comes from John 10:10, where Jesus says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” He explains that _zoe _means “life as God has it.” “Life as it was meant to be lived. Our goal is to fill this earth with his life, and that’s through the teaching of the Word of God.” Pastor Jackson is quick to quote Scripture throughout our wide-ranging conversation. For him and the people of Zoe Bible Church, God’s Word is the final authority, and from it, we discover the full and abundant life that Jesus promised to give us. For Pastor Jackson, that includes challenging every believer at Zoe Bible Church to pursue God’s desire for their lives. For this local expression of the Body of Christ, they want to see the church be the center of family and community life. To do this, the church provides staff and facilities, including a gym, library, help centers for youth and the elderly (City of Gold Senior Village), a career counseling center, a place where students can get assistance with homework (Homework Heaven), and a financial learning center and economic development foundation. Everything Zoe Bible Church does is to help the Body of Christ grow and prosper in maturity, love, and unity. ## Unity in Diversity One of Pastor Jackson’s strongest convictions is that there is unity in diversity within the Body of Christ. “Every church has its own flavor and personality. Throughout church history, people fought over different doctrines and other things, but in reality, it was just a lack of understanding,” Pastor Jackson tells me. “Paul says in First Corinthians 13:9 that ‘we know in part.’ There are certain things we know and are set on—the fundamentals, the non-negotiables—and other things we only know _in part_. That means we don’t have to agree on everything, but we can get along and get the work done that God’s called us to do. We all have a part, and every church should feel like what they do is the most important thing. Some people ask me, “Do you have a food bank?” and the answer is no. For Zoe Bible Church, it’s not what we do. I feel like our part is to teach people not to need it. Now, there’s a church down the way that can feed you because you have to eat while you’re learning. That’s their thing, and I’ll send you down there to get that. Once we understand that we’re different parts in the Body of Christ, we don’t have to fight or be divided.” “We’re all part of the same Body in Christ, and so it is with an actual body. How many different organs do we have in our body? Around eighty, and each one is essential because, if one were not essential, God wouldn’t have put it there. Once we understand that about the Body of Christ, it’s a lot easier to receive each other and respect what God has called you to do and what he has called me to do. That’s why Jesus said, ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13:35). You’re not going to love someone you constantly have a conflict with and bicker with over little things. We have to get the work of Christ done and not get bogged down on these little things that your group got in a corner and figured your way was the only way, and the other group went to their corner instead of us coming to the middle of the room and getting the work done.” ![Pastor Iverson Jackson with his family ](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-1.46.23 PM.png) ## If You Don’t Succeed, I Don’t Succeed For a time such as this in our country, where we see increasing division and strife, Pastor Jackson’s words remind us that we, as believers, are truly better together. “We need to have that understanding that each of us only knows in part and that each of us cannot complete the work God has put us on this earth to do without connecting with others.” Pastor Jackson goes on to share an illustration of this truth from his own conversion experience. “I remember when I got saved. I had been in church all my life, but I didn’t come to have a personal relationship with the Lord until I was twenty-four years old. The church we were going to was stuck in traditionalism, so my sister started going to this other church that taught more of the Word and was active in the community. So, I started going with her, but I never looked outside to see what the name of the church was. It just didn’t dawn on me. What I saw was the love of Christ and the love of the church. I saw the pastor preaching the Word of God and my life was changing. I don’t remember paying attention to what the name of the church was. It was the power of God I was experiencing in my life, which was something I had never experienced before. A lot of times, we get hung up on what the name of the church is or what kind of church it is. Really, we are all _one _church, the Body of Christ. If we can see that, then I can see my brother or sister in Christ as vital to my success; If you don’t succeed, I don’t succeed.”  Because of where Zoe Bible Church is located in Pulaski County, some have told Pastor Jackson, “I didn’t come to your church because I thought it was a white church,” or “I didn’t come because I thought it was a black church.” This strikes Pastor Jackson as odd. “What difference does it make?! One time, I told someone, ‘Well, the building is white. It’s got white siding. So is that what you mean by a white church?’ It reminds me of what Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 5:16-17: ‘Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ We aren’t the black church, white church, or hispanic church. We are the Body of Christ.” “One of the things I love about CityChurch Network is how it helps churches work together. We have our issues. If they had them in the first-century church, we’re going to have them now. But we have to work past our issues and not take it personally. It says something about the value you assign to a relationship when you’re willing to work past issues for the sake of the relationship. That’s why I like that CityChurch Network helps bring churches together. I love going to different churches in different areas of the city for CityChurch Network events.” ![Pastor Iverson Jackson with man in hunting gear](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/403726117_638043218499922_1549746424114626515_n.jpg) ## Helping One Another Grow in Christ Later in our conversation, I tell Pastor Jackson that I’m a new dad and how many spiritual insights that experience has given me having to care for a four-month-old. This reminds him of when he first became a father and what that taught him about leading and equipping others. “I remember when our oldest daughter, India, was born. We were in the hospital, and she was in a little bassinet. She was just a couple of days old. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks. _You_ are responsible for another life. I told my wife, and she was like, “Yeah. Wow! We sure are!” The Scripture always parallels life. When someone is born again, they are a newborn babe in Christ. As 1 Peter 2:2 says: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word.” When someone is born again spiritually, they are no different than a newborn baby, and we have to be just as watchful over that newborn spiritual babe as we are over a newborn natural babe because they are in the same condition with the same vulnerabilities. I say it like this at the church when a baby’s born, you don’t bring them home, put them in a chair and tell them, ‘Hey, if you get hungry, there’s some milk in the refrigerator. The bathroom’s down the hallway. I’ll be back to check on you.’ That would be called child abuse or child abandonment. The baby would be taken out of your house. You may even go to jail. But, too often, we do that spiritually.” “Spiritually, a newborn believer is the same. If a baby messes on itself, you clean it up. You don’t throw the baby out. You don’t discipline them because they haven’t been trained yet. That’s what I see as my responsibility. We’re a teaching ministry at Zoe Bible Church. We have a radio program. I love teaching the basics, bringing it from the need for Christ to walking them through growing in Christ. We do a lot of teaching to help people grow once they receive Christ. I love watching them grow and getting people to focus on the Word of God. We walk by faith. We live by faith. That’s what we have to teach people. If we get our focus on Christ, he’ll use people with all different gifts in the Body of Christ to speak to us and help us grow.”  “Life as God has it” is a life where, collectively, we’re helping one another to grow in Christ. That is a community project for the church. Or, as Pastor Jackson explains, “If you take a piece of coal out of the fire, without the energy of the pile, the coal will go out. It’s the same with us. You can’t have a barbecue with one coal. We’re called the Body of Christ for a reason. We have to wake up and see that it is a ploy of the enemy to divide and separate people from the Body of Christ. If he does that, we’re not going to last. We may hold a little heat for a while, but eventually, we’re going to go out. We are interdependent in our relationships. We need each other to live ‘life as God has it.’” ![Two volunteers from Zoe Bible Church](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/316556858_2112171708966886_2760899694378515189_n.jpg) ## Nothing Can Overcome Love Much of the division we see in our country today relates to race. Some groups and organizations promote an ideology that views all of life and the issues we face today, first and foremost, through the lens of race. For Pastor Jackson, this ideological thinking is an anathema to him. “It’s a 180 from what Scripture teaches. I did a Sunday school series called “One Man: One Blood, All Nations” from the Book of Acts. It was a sixteen-part series, and I talked about slavery from the time of Adam to the American experience. What you find throughout history is what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10: ‘For the love of money is the root of all evil.’ Ultimately, race has nothing to do with the color of your skin. It has to do with money. It’s very profitable to keep people divided because race hustling is a big business.” “That makes it even more important that the Body of Christ is united. How will they know we are his disciples? Because you have love, one for the other. Not because you’re this color or that color, you’re from the South or the North, or you speak this language or that language. No, because you have love for one another. Nothing can overcome love because God is love, and he has made us overcomers with him. In Christ, we are all one. That was the great mystery that Paul was talking about in Galatians 3:28: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’” ## The Final Word What encouragement would Pastor Jackson give to pastors and churches in our city? “A plant can’t grow without sunshine. Jesus said we are the light of the world. Don’t look at your church as just one individual church, whether you have one member or a thousand members. You have an assignment that is absolutely critical to the Body of Christ. So, work on your assignment. Understand what it is, and work on it. And remember that you are a part of the Body of Christ. My heart is not jealous of my lungs. My heart is doing its job. It’s pumping blood. And my lungs are doing their job. They’re pumping air. They are not in competition. They are working together. We are, as Paul says, “co-workers in God’s service” (1 Corinthians 3:9). That’s what we have to be.” We are thankful for the exceptional work of Zoe Bible Church and all the churches in our city uniting the Body of Christ in our communities. They’re helping the whole Church grow. > Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16 --- --- title: "A Just & Well-Ordered Society" url: "https://citychurchar.org/a-just-and-well-ordered-society/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "In previous articles in our Flourishing Series, we covered three domains of flourishing (the Good, the True, and the Prosperous) from Amy L. Sherman’s Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society. The next domain in our series" last_modified: "2025-04-04T23:31:54+00:00" categories: [Series] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_twitter: 1 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # A Just & Well-Ordered Society In previous articles in our Flourishing Series, we covered three domains of flourishing (the Good, the True, and the Prosperous) from Amy L. Sherman’s _Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society_. The next domain in our series is the Just and Well-Ordered. Before we explore that domain, let’s take a look back at the key theme of _shalom _in Sherman’s book as well as six marks that distinguish a flourishing community and an overview of the six domains we can use to measure flourishing in society. ## The Longing for Shalom In the book’s introduction, Sherman draws a connection between our desire and efforts toward community flourishing and the Hebrew concept of _shalom_: > The Bible teaches that we are made for four foundational relationships: with God, ourselves, others, and the creation itself. The Hebrew word _shalom _captures the notion of peace in these four relationships. Shalom signifies spiritual, psychological, social, and physical wholeness. And shalom is God’s normative intention for us. Shalom is what we find in his original creation, and shalom is what will characterize the new heaven and new earth in his consummated kingdom. Put another way, God designed us for flourishing. This is because, as Art Lindsey has said, flourishing is simply “shalom in every direction, personal and public.” ## Six Marks, Six Endowments What marks distinguish biblical flourishing in communities? Sherman offers six marks: communion with God, beauty and creativity, learning and discovery, wholeness, unity in diversity, and prosperity and abundance. From these six marks, Sherman utilizes the Human Ecology Framework developed by the Thriving Cities Group at the University of Virginia to name six endowments that are fundamental areas of community flourishing. ![Graphic of Six Endowments](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-12.10.10 PM.png) These six endowments (or domains) are the most recognizable understandings of human experience and thriving we can use to measure whether a community is truly flourishing. “Like a mosaic, the endowments are fragments of a broader picture that help to frame a community or city in a holistic light.” In building a flourishing community, these endowments act as six interactive and evolving formative contexts in which individuals, groups, and whole communities can experience more of the flourishing they were made for. ## The Just & Well-Ordered In defining the domain of the Just and Well-Ordered, Sherman writes:  > A community will not genuinely flourish without a sense of public safety, equitable policies, avenues for peaceful conflict resolution, and fair due process in the legal system (instead of arbitrary or discriminatory treatment). A community moving toward greater thriving is a community with decreasing oppression, violence, fraud, corruption, segregation, discrimination, and dehumanization. A community progressing toward genuine flourishing is one where people have equal opportunities, disputes are settled nonviolently, laws protect people from harm, and trust among diverse individuals and trust between neighborhoods and law enforcement is growing. It is marked by active and respectful political participation, by nonprofit organizations seeking to invigorate civic life, by community organizing, and by all citizens having opportunities to have a voice. ## Shared Power & Purpose What does the Bible say about the domain of the Just and Well-Ordered? A lot, in fact. According to Sherman, the overarching principle in what Scripture has to say about the Just and Well-Ordered has to do with the right use of power (_the Power Principle_). God the Creator rules his creation with sovereign power. He is all-powerful, but he is also good and always rules in such a way that demonstrates his righteousness and desire for humanity to experience life as it was meant to be lived (i.e., under his loving and sovereign authority). God’s sovereignty and goodness are intertwined. If God were sovereign but not good, he would be a tyrant. If he was good but not sovereign, he would not be able to administer justice righteously. God has, by design, decided to share power with humanity, giving men and women the command, opportunity, and capacity to partner with him in using their power with the ultimate end being flourishing. This shared power is captured in God’s first command to Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 1:28). In essence, God created image bearers who would rule and subdue the earth on his behalf as his representatives. Humanity’s goal was to exercise power in such a way that it reflected God’s love, goodness, and righteousness.  ![Justice statue](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/tingey-injury-law-firm-yCdPU73kGSc-unsplash-scaled-1.jpg) ## Eight Expressions What does the right use of power look like in politics and civic life? Sherman identifies eight expressions from Scripture that give a more robust picture for us. They include: - **Honoring the sanctity of human life.**_ _“In the human community as God desires it, every person’s fundamental dignity is honored. A society that denies the humanity of certain groups of people is by definition a deformed version of society.” It is clear that the primary expression of this includes the unborn, given that they also bear God’s image and are, by definition, the most vulnerable in society. - **Practicing fairness.**_ _“Since each person has equal worth, each is due equal treatment.” Every human being has fundamental human rights which they are due, “whether punishment or protection or care.”  - **Solidarity with the vulnerable.**_ _“Since God is committed to the flourishing of every person, he instructed his people Israel to pay special attention to ‘the quartet of the vulnerable’: widows, orphans, aliens, and the poor.” As God is a protector and defender of the vulnerable in society, we, as his image bearers, should be as well. Power should never be used to exploit or oppress the weak. See Deuteronomy 10:18, 27:19 and Ps. 82:3-4. - **Just generosity.**_ _“God desires not only that we do not harm others but that we proactively seek their good, particularly the good of the poor. Notably, _God commands generosity as a matter of justice, not mere charity_. […] Despite humankind’s efforts to draw a line between _justice _as legal fairness and sharing as _charity_, Scripture contends that generosity is a matter of justice because of the rightful claims the needy have on those with resources.” See Deuteronomy 24:19-21 and the gleaning regulations given to the Israelites.  - **Our brother’s keeper. **“A closely related feature of civic life as God seems to desire it is this: he wants community members to embrace _a sense of responsibility for one another._” The idea behind this expression is that communal flourishing is interdependent; our flourishing is linked with the flourishing of others. This was lived out by the early church in Acts 2. - **Right ordering of relationships, personal and institutional.**_ _“_Justice is about fulfilling the obligations of particular relationships. _Shalom [or wholeness in relationships] results when these relational obligations are fulfilled.” Personal relationships cited in God’s law include but are not limited to “commercial contracts, lender-debtor arrangements, and employer-employee relations.” Examples of institutional relationships include “families, churches, businesses, government bodies, neighborhood associations, schools, and judicial systems, among others.” - **Diversity in community.**_ _“God is beyond all our best attempts at fully comprehending him. No wonder that when he chose to put his image in men and women, he created an endless diversity among them. There is no way that just one culture or color or gender or ethnicity could ever capture the manifold, multifaceted glory of God. God created diversity because only diversity could reflect who he is.”  - **Restorative justice.**_ _“God’s vision involves not just punishing wrongdoing (presumably as a deterrent against future bad action by the offender) but repairing the harm done and to the extent possible restoring the relationship—and even the offender. See Exodus 21-22. ## Christianity & Western Thought The far-reaching influence of Christianity on Western civilization and its understanding of a just and well-ordered society cannot be overstated. In _Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind_, author Tom Holland recalls realizing that the moral axioms he took for granted about human dignity, justice, and how to properly order society were profoundly impacted by a Christian view of the world. > The more years I spent immersed in the study of classical antiquity, so the more alien I increasingly found it. The values of Leonidas, whose people had practised a peculiarly murderous form of eugenics and trained their young to kill uppity _Untermenschen_ by night, were nothing that I recognised as my own; nor were those of Caesar, who was reported to have killed a million Gauls, and enslaved a million more. It was not just the extremes of callousness that unsettled me, but the complete lack of any sense that the poor or the weak might have the slightest intrinsic value. Why did I find this disturbing? Because, in my morals and ethics, I was not a Spartan or a Roman at all. That my belief in God had faded over the course of my teenage years did not mean that I had ceased to be Christian. For a millennium and more, the civilisation into which I was born was Christendom. Assumptions that I had grown up with — about how a society should be properly organised, and the principles that it should uphold — were not bred of classical antiquity, still less of ‘human nature’, but very distinctively of that civilisation’s Christian past. So profound has been the impact of Christianity on the development of Western civilisation that is has come to be hidden from view. It is the incomplete revolutions which are remembered; the fate of those which triumph is to be taken for granted.   Concepts like inherent human dignity, universal human rights, and the equality of every individual are not rooted in the Enlightenment or the Greek philosophers. They were drawn from the deep well of God’s truth and wisdom found in Scripture. God has revealed the guiding principles by which a just and well-ordered society should operate. Certain ideas and norms may seem obvious to us now, but in the past, they were anything but obvious. We would be wise to see that God’s Word presents a structure and ethic for creating a just and well-ordered society. ## Three Core Ideas Sherman cites three revolutionary core ideas that have contributed to our view of the just and well-ordered today. First, let’s explore three core ideas. The first has to do with the _imago Dei _and equality. Sherman writes, “The early Christians’ embrace of the doctrine of _imago Dei _and the proposition that in Christ there are ‘no Greek or Jew, slave or free’ meant that a countercultural ethic of equality marked their fellowship. […] Equality, for [church father Lactantius], was rooted in the equal human dignity of all persons regardless of social class. Lactantius desired to shape in Constantine a Christian conscience that would attend to the plight of the poor and powerless by establishing protections for them from the exploitation of the wealthy.” The second core idea concerns the _rule of law_. “The Christian faith acknowledges just limits on state power. While Romans 13 enjoins believers to obey the governing authorities, it also indicates that such authorities are meant by God to uphold the right and punish the wrong. When a governing authority’s actions do the opposite, contravening God’s moral law […], Christ followers must obey God, not man.” What the ideas of Christianity did was show that no one is above just laws; the same law is to be applied to all persons regardless of status. The third core idea relates to _restorative justice_. Rather than focus solely on punishing wrongdoing (i.e., retributive justice), restorative justice is an approach that “includes its possibility for new creation: reformed offenders restored to the community where they can deploy their God-given capacity and be contributors. This is not part of the vision of retributive justice that focuses solely on punishment.” ## Three Practices Sherman also cites three practices that have contributed to our view of justice and order. Throughout the centuries, the church has practiced three things that have sought to uphold a just and well-ordered society and avoid deformations of such a society. Those include _limiting violence_, _the Geneva Convention_, and _prison reform_. Regarding limiting violence, “the church played a key role in promoting nonviolent dispute resolution. […] The church advocated alternative means of settling disputes through mechanisms that today we’d call reconciliation conferences or mediation.” The horrors of war and conflict he observed led Swiss believer Henri Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross, to get nations to sign the Geneva Convention that “guaranteed neutrality for medical workers and their equipment and also required that soldiers treat their captured enemies’ wounds or arrange for someone else to do so.” Regarding prison reform, John Wesley and the Methodists were instrumental in “advocating for reforms and mobilizing humanitarian relief in the form of food and blankets” for prisoners. This led to reforms in prisoners receiving more humane treatment and living in humane conditions. It also led to prisoners using their skills and talents to make articles for sale as a way to contribute to society. All of this was done with the belief that prisoners could change, echoing the expression of the kind of restorative justice we find in Scripture. ![City street with flowers](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AdobeStock_275270663.jpeg) ## The Path to Flourishing Today, there are those who continue to advocate for justice and equality because injustice and inequality are still present in our society. This must be addressed, and the church should lead the way in doing so. In addressing injustice and inequality, we must embrace what we believe to be true about a just and well-ordered society where every man and woman has inherent dignity and rights and receives fair treatment under the law originates in Scripture. The right use of power by human beings must always be with the purpose of imaging God’s love, goodness, and desire for individuals and entire communities to flourish. We must also remember the past and how the church has been a champion for justice and the rule of law in society. It might have faltered along the way, but its record speaks for itself. It has done more to promote justice and equality for all than any other entity. Simply put, churches have been at the forefront of reform and making our neighborhoods and communities a place where people feel safe, everyone has a voice in different corners of society, and everyone has the opportunity to flourish. The path to flourishing is one that leads to a just and well-ordered society. When churches work together to advocate for justice and the rule of law, changes and reforms like those the church championed in the past become possible today. Together, we can make a difference as the Body of Christ to use our power and influence for the good and flourishing of our neighbors and community. Together, this is possible, and together, we can build a flourishing community. --- --- title: "The Enduring Legacy of Dr. King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail" url: "https://citychurchar.org/the-enduring-legacy-of-dr-kings-letters-from-a-birmingham-jail/" lang: "en-US" type: "post" description: "On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and nearly 50 protestors and civil rights leaders faced arrest following a Good Friday demonstration in conjunction with the Birmingham Campaign. This campaign aimed to draw national attention to the racial" last_modified: "2025-05-09T19:27:51+00:00" categories: [Recommended Resources, Series] custom_fields: ast-site-content-layout: "default" astra-migrate-meta-layouts: "set" ss_ss_click_share_count_facebook: 2 ss_total_share_count: 0 --- # The Enduring Legacy of Dr. King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and nearly 50 protestors and civil rights leaders faced arrest following a Good Friday demonstration in conjunction with the Birmingham Campaign. This campaign aimed to draw national attention to the racial discrimination and terrible treatment experienced by Blacks in Birmingham, Alabama, one of America’s most segregated cities. After the boycott of white-owned businesses proved ineffective, King and others opted for more direct action, including ignoring an ordinance prohibiting public gatherings without a permit. King was arrested and placed in solitary confinement. At first, he was denied access to lawyers and wasn’t allowed to contact his wife. Eventually, President John F. Kennedy was asked to intervene on his behalf. To the surprise of many, King chose not to be bailed out, believing that a longer stay in jail would attract more attention to the struggles of Blacks in America. Following his arrest, King read an open letter in a Birmingham newspaper penned by local religious leaders criticizing King and the demonstrations, labeling his efforts “unwise and untimely.” Alone in his cell, King responded to the letter with one of his own, a 7,000-word defense of his use of direct action and nonviolent protest in the Civil Rights Movement. _Letter from a Birmingham Jail_, written in longhand and without notes, turned the criticism back on religious leaders and moderate white Americans who, in King’s mind, were being passive in the face of injustice while King and other protesters risked their lives to bring about change.   ## Justice Too Long Delayed is Justice Denied In the first half of his letter, King refuted criticisms from white clergymen and rejected their advice to delay the campaign for racial equality. He emphasized the necessity for immediate action in response to the persistent lack of response to desegregation legislation. King also articulated the principles of nonviolent direct action, shed light on the plight of Black Americans, and defended the primacy of moral law over an unjust legal code. In the second half of the letter, King highlighted the shortcomings of white moderates who appeared sympathetic to the campaign for civil rights but were judgmental of actual campaign tactics. He also addressed the failures of white churches in supporting human rights for Black Americans.  Throughout his letter, King cited biblical figures and those from American history to show how they understood the moral imperative to speak up and take action against injustice. Famous statements from the letter include, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” King ended his letter with a hopeful vision of what America could be one day: “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.” King’s letter began appearing in publications and gained nationwide popularity. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference later used it for fundraising before King incorporated it into his book, _Why We Can’t Wait_, released in July 1964, which was the same month President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. ## The Sacrificial Spirit of the Early Church Despite being written decades ago, King’s words remain as relevant as ever, especially those directed at the contemporary church and how different it looks compared to the bold faith example of Christians in the early church. > There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period that the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was the thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being “disturbers of the peace” and “outside agitators.” But they went on with the conviction that they were “a colony of heaven” and had to obey God rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be “astronomically intimidated.” They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest. Things are different now. The contemporary church is so often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s often vocal sanction of things as they are. But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. ## A Call for Justice Today The march toward a just and well-ordered society goes forward today, and the lessons from King’s letter challenge us to take responsibility for confronting injustice everywhere and building a flourishing community that protects the rights of all. In the spirit of King’s legacy, the call for justice extends beyond issues of racial equality to include the rights of the unborn. The Civil Rights Movement and the pro-life cause both emphasize protecting the most vulnerable in society and ensuring that every member of society is granted fundamental human dignity and the right to live that they deserve. Dr. Alveda King, niece of the late Dr. King, once said, “Martin was a minister of God. Martin would say, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ So how is it going to be just to murder somebody and rip them up and burn them with chemicals? He said, ‘The Negro cannot win if he’s willing to sacrifice the futures of his children for immediate personal comfort and safety.’”  _Letter from Birmingham Jail _stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith, moral conviction, and the call to confront injustice with unwavering courage. King’s plea for justice continues to inspire individuals today who fight injustice and oppression and advocate for the rights of the marginalized in every corner of society.  You can read _Letter from a Birmingham Jail _in its entirety [here](https://letterfromjail.com/). --- --- title: "Leadership Team" url: "https://citychurchar.org/leadership/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Leadership Team Leadership team" last_modified: "2025-04-04T20:11:23+00:00" --- # Leadership Team # Looking to 2027 & Beyond ## Leadership team --- --- title: "Give" url: "https://citychurchar.org/give/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Give invest in the mission of CityChurch Network We invite you to partner with us to discover more about God’s work through CityChurch Network and enjoy the blessings of being a partner. As a financial partner, your role is significant" last_modified: "2025-04-15T18:32:10+00:00" --- # Give # Looking to 2027 & Beyond **invest in the mission of CityChurch Network** We invite you to partner with us to discover more about God’s work through CityChurch Network and enjoy the blessings of being a partner. As a financial partner, your role is significant in helping: _**Connect**, **equip**, and **mobilize** church leaders_ _**Create** and _**_implement_**_ evidence-based strategies that bring real change_ _**Develop** our next-generation leadership team_ ## 2 ways you can support us: ![woman painting a heart on face of a girl](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/facepainting.webp) ### Special gift Your gift today will be used where most needed to help build a flourishing community, right here, at home. [Give now](https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/0a6167be-107f-4a97-9ef8-de3121358ece) ![2 african-american men talking at event](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kingdom-builder.webp) ### Become a Kingdom builder Your ongoing support provides the resources CityChurch Network needs to develop and sustain programs that make a difference in our community, today and for generations to come. [Start today](https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/0a6167be-107f-4a97-9ef8-de3121358ece) ### Giving by check If you would prefer to give by check, send your gift to: CityChurch Network P.O. Box 242892 Little Rock, AR 72223 The CityChurch Network is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN 71-0824330 We are generous because He has been so generous with us. You can be the difference in our city. Your gift gives families, leaders, and whole communities hope that, yes, flourishing is possible when we work together. --- --- title: "Equipped Leaders" url: "https://citychurchar.org/leaders/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Equipped Leaders become a leader who equips leaders The Possibilities are Limitless. A healthy and thriving Church needs strong leaders. Without strong leaders, we all suffer. Families suffer. Communities suffer. Churches suffer. A lack of strong and equipped leaders in" last_modified: "2025-04-15T18:26:26+00:00" --- # Equipped Leaders # _**Equipped Leaders**_ **become a leader who equips leaders** ## The Possibilities are _Limitless_. A healthy and thriving Church needs strong leaders. Without strong leaders, we all suffer. Families suffer. Communities suffer. Churches suffer. A lack of strong and equipped leaders in the Church prevents us from fulfilling our mission in our communities. But where strong leadership exists, the potential for flourishing in our city is limitless. Look at any healthy and growing church or community, and you will find strong and equipped leaders. ## A Proven Model & Method. If we want our city to be transformed for Christ, we need strong and equipped leaders in our churches. That’s why we help churches equip leaders who train leaders by following the model of Jesus and the Apostles in training and mobilizing leaders throughout our city. ## **Church-Based Training** Our training is based in the life of your church, not training that is merely “housed” in your church. Our distance education programs serve students who are “rooted” in ministry in which other church leaders are already functioning as mentors, even before students enroll.   We offer competency-based degree and certificate program options to accompany the efforts of churches and ministry organizations in training their existing and emerging leaders. Programs focus on your comprehensive life and ministry development. We rely on an extensive assessment system to provide evidence and academic validation that our students deserve the degrees that are granted. ## Discover Your Leadership Potential. Throughout our city, more everyday leaders like you are taking advantage of our church-based training to discover their leadership potential. This training includes partnerships with: ### The Antioch School The Antioch School is an accredited program designed to help church leaders train ministry leaders. Through this training, leaders can focus on their leadership development and how it fully integrates into their life and church’s ministry. Their degree programs focus on comprehensive life and ministry development for every student. [Learn more at the Antioch School website.](https://antiochschool.edu) ### BILD International BILD is a global network of leaders who plant churches where every believer is established in the essentials of the faith. Their training materials have equipped churches in the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Africa and provide a clear development path for producing faithful and mature leaders. [Learn more at the BILD International website.](https://bild.org) ## Maximize Your Leadership Potential. Our city needs equipped leaders who establish others in the essentials of the faith. Regardless of where you are on your leadership journey, you and your church will benefit from our church-based leadership training. Will you join us? If you want to maximize your leadership potential, contact us to discover which leadership offering is best for you. [Get Started](https://citychurchar.org/equipped-leaders-contact-form/) ## Equipped Leaders Posts [![Men in a circle laughing and drinking coffee](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/azwedo-l-lc-FhMYB8g-ar4-unsplash-2.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/returning-to-first-principles/) ### [Returning to First Principles](https://citychurchar.org/returning-to-first-principles/) It had been a long Saturday for Fellowship Conway’s men’s ministry team. They were tired, having spent hours marking page after page of flip charts…. [![shepherds and sheep on mountains](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/patrick-schneider-wczrs3Unfnk-unsplash.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/a-community-of-shepherds/) ### [A Community of Shepherds](https://citychurchar.org/a-community-of-shepherds/) “I can handle this.”  That’s what Pastor Scott Barber told himself. And yet, the stress kept mounting. Ministry felt like running on a hamster wheel…. [![Jeff Reed, instructor, teaching a class](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/0u0a3440.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/equipping-leaders-where-they-are/) ### [Equipping Leaders Where They Are](https://citychurchar.org/equipping-leaders-where-they-are/) Sydni Watts was finishing her undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University. She wasn’t sure what was next after graduation. “I wanted to be heavily involved… [![Dee Brown leading meeting with participants of the Kingdom Cooperation Network at The Station](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CCN-Photos_003-copy.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/the-shift/) ### [The Shift](https://citychurchar.org/the-shift/) Geyer Springs First Baptist Church wanted to plant a new church in Little Rock. They had building plans. They were raising funds. For a church… [![Sign for Jubilee Family Church in Batesville, AR](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jubilee.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/god-of-the-impossible/) ### [God of the Impossible](https://citychurchar.org/god-of-the-impossible/) Nine people told Tony Hammack it was impossible. “You can’t just start a radio station,” they said. “It’s against the law without a license from… [![Young girl being baptized at Central Baptist in Jonesboro](https://citychurchar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/504826546_1110910504399716_3113050524161103694_n.jpg)](https://citychurchar.org/hold-all-things-loosely/) ### [Hold All Things Loosely](https://citychurchar.org/hold-all-things-loosely/) In January 2010, Central Baptist Church faced an impossible decision. They were about to send 350 of their core leaders across town to plant the… [More from the blog](https://citychurchar.org/blog/) _It takes more than a busy church, a friendly church or even an evangelical church to impact a community for Christ._ _It must be a church ablaze, led by leaders who are ablaze for God._ Wesley L. Duewel --- --- title: "Disclaimer" url: "https://citychurchar.org/disclaimer/" lang: "en-US" type: "page" description: "Disclaimer Please wait while the policy is loaded. If it does not load, please click here to view the policy." last_modified: "2026-04-07T21:08:28+00:00" --- # Disclaimer # Looking to 2027 & Beyond Please wait while the policy is loaded. 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