The Urban Church (Reformed Church in America) in East Oakland, California, began meeting four years ago in an elementary school. At that point, the church consisted of six people--planter Ron Nunez and his wife, their three-month-old daughter, Nunez’s sister, and two recent college graduates. “We broke every rule of church planting,” says Nunez. “We didn’t have a budget, core team, launch team--we just felt we should rent a local elementary school and start hosting worship.”
Today, the Urban Church gathers 85 to 110 people for Sunday worship. It counts among its worshipers many former drug and alcohol addicts--as well as some who are still struggling with their addictions.
Nunez describes the Urban Church as a “hip-hop” church, partially because they use Christian hip-hop music in worship. However, he says, the hip-hop identity goes deeper than just music. “It’s the culture of hip-hop in terms of way they dress and act,” says Nunez. “If you walk in on Sunday, it almost looks like a gang gathering--guys with dreadlocks and baggy pants, hats backwards. It’s not just music; it’s a culture, a way of life for them.”
The Urban Church treats every worship service as a community outreach. Each Sunday, the church serves a free lunch for anyone who wants to come. Volunteers pass out flyers during the week to get the word out about Sunday’s menu. “Most people come in because of the food,” says Nunez, “but now they’re members. Some are even in leadership.”
Not everyone trying to break free from an addiction succeeds the first time, and Nunez is no stranger to the setbacks that can come with ministering to those with addictions. “We know that relapse is a part of recovery,” he acknowledges. “Sometimes you get discouraged, because this guy was doing great for three or four months, but now he’s relapsed.
“You just keep loving them, even when they relapse. Jesus talked about leaving the 99 and going after the one.”
Even so, Nunez says that the church is beginning to see an encouraging consistency in its worshipers. “We’re seeing a momentum now of people that have been sober, clean from drugs, and are becoming consistent in church attendance. They’re trying to serve the community now.”
One of the challenges that the Urban Church faces is transportation. Many people who attend the church need to be picked up for worship. Although the church owns one van, it doesn’t have room for everyone who wants a ride. “We need bus drivers so we can mobilize,” says Nunez. “And we need resources to maintain growth and expand further.” Many of the Urban Church’s worshipers can’t afford to give large offerings; a typical Sunday offering might be around $100.
Despite these challenges, the church’s ministry continues to develop. This spring, it plans to begin a small group ministry on Friday nights. “It’s taken us three and a half years to get going, but now we have enough consistency to get [small groups] started,” says Nunez. “A lot of folks are ready for this--they’re wanting more than just Sunday worship.”
By Liz Groen
Source: http://www.rca.org
