Leonardo da Vinci once said, I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough, we must do. His words make a lot of sense. When the time is right, we must take action. Doing so is more important than understanding while doing nothing.
With this in mind, how are we supposed to respond to atrocious problems that exist both around the world and across the street? How do we respond to the thousands of people still living in tent cities in Port au Prince, Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake? What can we do about the problem of modern day slavery and sex trafficking in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America? How can we end hunger in the United States? These problems are daunting and seem impossible.
I’m convinced that the only way to make a difference in this world is by starting. It’s like the old saying: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
In 1989, a group of people saw the need for a new type of church in the New Orleans region. They felt led by the Lord to be a church that would not only change the lives of its members, but that would impact the city of New Orleans, Southeast Louisiana, and the rest of the world for Jesus Christ. They weren’t sure how to start, but as a first step, they called a young man named Dennis Watson to be their pastor. Celebration Church was born.
In 2005, just a few days after finalizing a merger with Crescent City Baptist Church, the members of Celebration Church were faced with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. With a loss of at 60% of the congregation, it was tempting for everyone to sit back and lick their wounds. However, with a hurting city before them, the pastors, staff, and members of Celebration Church worked diligently to connect with other ministries and organizations around the world in order to minister to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Sitting still was not an option. It was time to start doing something.
Now, in 2013, through the Accomplish the Vision Campaign, the daunting task of beginning the first Celebration Church Life Transformation Center lies before us. After much prayer, we believe that our work needs to be stationed in the New Orleans 9th Ward. We also believe that God wants us to establish a presence in this area by the end of December. Once again, we are at a crossroads. Once again, it’s time for us to take a step of faith. Once again, it’s time for us to start.
Won’t you join us in facing this challenge? You can do so in three ways:
- Pray. Ask God to give the leaders of our church wisdom in strategizing the development of the Life Transformation Center. Also, pray that God would financially bless the Accomplish the Vision Campaign.
- Serve. If God is leading you to be a part of our first Life Transformation Center, you are invited to our strategic planning meeting this Saturday morning at 10 AM at the Metairie Campus Club 56 Room.
- Give. Continue to give faithfully to the Accomplish the Vision Campaign. All money received from the campaign will go to further the work of Jesus through the projects set forth by the Accomplish the Vision Campaign.
John
JohnJFrady.com 