
LOCATION
The
City Heights community, in East San Diego, California, is a fully urbanized,
overpopulated, and ethnically diverse area. Most churches in this area
are struggling to keep doors open, let alone having an effective impact
on the community. Although this is considered "inner city",
the housing projects and high-rise downtown pictures that we first think
of when picturing the "inner city" do not characterize it.
Rather, it is more likened to suburban areas that have succumbed to
the swift transitions that the influence of the city and overpopulation
have brought...areas that were formerly very much like the ones that
most of us live in. The church building, once a women's club, was purchased
in 1998, and the area is considered to be a "hot zone" for
gangs, drugs, and crime.
HISTORY
Christian churches, like those of our denominational counterparts,
have fared poorly in the city resulting in the 90% concentration of
resources and leaders to suburban churches. Because of this, Gayla Congdon,
co-founder of AMOR
MINISTRIES and a professor of Hope International University, developed
and taught a strategy for urban church planting and ministry. This model
emphasized a team approach, multi-ethnic outreach to the area, commitment
to the Word, service in the community, diversity in worship styles,
and a willingness to be flexible and creative in an area of ministry
that had no blazed trail to follow. Thirteen years ago, a team of eight
leaders and their families planted Community Christian Church of San
Diego, using this model. From the time of its inception as a home Bible
study until now at the current location, the church has shown consistent
growth; developed a high, positive profile in the community and the
city; become a place for exposure to the urban environment for suburban
minsitires; and has paired church and para-church approaches, to ministry
resulting in an effective model for cross-cultural urban church planting.
LEADERSHIP
Four
of the original team members still serve on the current leadership team,
a nine-member church board. Pastor Charlie M. Clark and his wife, Sister
Maxine Clark, were called to full-time service in October 1997, after
serving as interim Pastor 1-1/2 years. Jamie L. Brown began serving
as Youth Ministries Coordinator in June 1999. Adults, youth, and children
are given opportunties for leadersip in all aspects of church service
and ministry. The church aspires to develop partnerships with other
churches, particularly suburban churches, to provide opportunties for
ministry and short-term missionary service in the urban community.
SCOPE
OF OUTREACH
Community
Christian Church has a high, positive profile in the community. Though
there are successful para-church organizations involved ininner city
ministry, there are very few church ministries that are successful in
this environment. Therefore, the church has taken the approach of combining
both of these elements together in order to minister effectively in
the city. The church enjoys a solid relationship with local government
and social service agencies. On occasion, the church has even had outreaches
paid for by the city itself. Because of the emphasis that is placed
on service, the body is involved with facilitating ministry through
food distribution (Project Lovetide), mission trips to Mexico, assistance
to bereaved families, establishment of direct neighborhood outreach
(Community Cares Day), working in tandem with community events, involvement
in community meetings, and looking for creative avenues to meet needs,
the greatest need being salvation through Jesus Christ. The church was
instrumental in bring a federally funded and highly successful program
called "Midnight Basketball" to the community. Future plans
include re-establishing a program of VBS outreach during the summer,
working together with suburban churches to reach children in the church
neighborhood with the gospel while providing suburban youth with a unique
opportunity of ministry and service in urban San Diego.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Community
Christian Church of San Diego exists because of the vision, guidance,
work, support and prayers of these pastors, leaders, churches and organizations:
Original
Board of Overseers: Dr. Joe Grana, Rodney Vliet, Sharon Vliet,
Wendell Skelton, and Betty Skelton.
Original
Staff: Fred Thompkins, Pete Contreras, Julie Contreras, Gayla
Congdon, Linda L'Amoreaux, Will Clancy, Harlan Harris, and Cheryl
Harris.
Churches
and Organizations: North Orange Christian Church, Downey First
Christian Church, Knott Avenue Christian Church, Southwest Christian
Church, SCEA, and Hope International University.
We are
deeply grateful and praise the Lord for his work through these godly
men and women.
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