Multicultural church meets needs
- Sep 6, 2007 - comment
They may not all look alike and their ethnic and economic status may be worlds apart, but members of In His Steps Church of Jonesboro are like-minded in their devotion and love for Christ.
“Our diversity is our strength,” says pastor Jim Fowler of the multi-culturally and financially-varied congregation. “We may be diversified and some may have more than others, but all of us work together and reach out to worship Christ and win others to Him.”
Church members hail from as far away as India, Indonesia, Taiwan and China. Closer to home, some are African-American and Cherokee Indian. Still others range from a pharmacist, veterinarian, optometrist, judge and teacher to a single and struggling mother, college student, needy child and blue-collar worker.
“We all bind together,” said Fowler. “We don’t see each other as a particular nationality, we see each other as Christians loving one another and loving God and worshiping God.”
This was evident during a recent Sunday worship meeting where members, despite their differences, joined in singing praises to God, fellowshipping together and studying His Word. Smiles and joy beamed from the faces of those in the packed crowd as some raised their hands during worship and others shouted ‘amen’ and ‘praise the Lord’ during Fowler’s message.
“I think our diversity makes people feel more comfortable to worship,” said Dennis Wijaya, a graduate student who is originally from Indonesia and serves as the church worship leader. He said it is a joy to serve God at the church which welcomes everyone.”
“People here come as they are,” shared Reggie Watson, an African-American member who joined the church about two years ago. “You don’t have to dress a certain way or act a certain way…People know that they can just come.”
Watson credits this welcoming spirit, in part, to the leadership of Fowler. “Pastor Jim makes it okay to come as you are,” said Watson. “People know that Pastor Jim cares for them. He gets out into the community…and loves on people.”
During one such visit, Fowler said an area man stopped he and his wife, Brenda, as they prayerwalked the north Jonesboro neighborhood.
“He asked me, ‘Pastor, why do you walk down the street talking to yourself,’” recalled Fowler.
Responding, Fowler said, “I’m not talking to myself, I’m praying for you…I’m praying that you will get saved and will be a part of the Lord’s work.”
Fowler said the man asked, “Well…would you tell me how I can become a Christian and walk with the Lord?” Fowler went on to lead him to make a profession of faith in Christ and later baptized the gentleman, his wife and child.
Reaching such residents of north Jonesboro for Christ has been a passion of Fowler’s since becoming pastor of In His Steps Church two and a half years ago. Since that time, the congregation—located in a lower income area of Jonesboro—has grown from a “ministry point to a small crowd” to a full-fledged mission church. Central Church of Jonesboro sponsors the growing mission.
The ministry was first started in 1980 by a Sunday school class at Central Church, which felt God leading them to reach out to the community. The group struggled early on to plant a seed for a church, but didn’t give up in their commitment to be on mission.
“It didn’t seem enough just to sit in a Sunday school room, but rather it gave us all more a way…to be participants rather than just observers,” said James Cullings.
After Fowler arrived, he led church members in painting the building, adding a steeple and a baptistery. In the last year, he has baptized more than 40 people. Sunday school and worship space is filled to capacity. A college Sunday school class is waiting on a meeting place.
“If the Fire Marshal stopped by, he might shut us down,” Fowler jokingly said. “We have no more space. God is good.”
In an effort to accommodate the growing crowd and to more effectively reach the community, the congregation will soon break ground on a new 200-seat auditorium on the current church site. The current worship area will be turned into much-needed Sunday school space.
Fowler is quick to credit the church growth to the commitment and work of his “staff” of volunteer church leaders and Sunday school teachers.
“They pour themselves into these boys and girls and into the people in this community,” say Fowler, adding that it is not uncommon for “those that have means to reach out to those that do not,” providing needed school supplies, shoes and other items. “If there is a need, we try to meet it.
“Our members have learned that they can be accepted and cared for and reached out to. That is what we do. We take care of each other.”
In His Steps is one of the featured ministries highlighted in the 2007 Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering promotional emphasis. Gifts from last year’s offering provided the Jonesboro church with needed equipment and pastoral support.
As he looked to the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering Week of Prayer, Sept. 16-23, Fowler said, “We need prayer as we start to build our new auditorium. I ask Arkansas Baptists to pray about coming to help us in the building project. We could use painters, builders and other construction workers.”
Fowler also asks for prayer for himself as he faces a fight with cancer. “I’m doing well, and I believe God is healing me.”
His wife, Brenda, says don’t expect this battle to slow him down as he leads the growing congregation. “We want to teach them the Word of God and the love of God. That is our church theme,” adds Fowler. “We want to make a difference in this part of town, and we are doing that.”
This article is reprinted from the September 6, 2007, issue of the Arkansas Baptist News, the newsjournal of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.