Last October our Director attended classes for a day at Grimké Seminary in Richmond, VA. (NEU heartily endorses Grimké and recommends it for our apprentices who need theological training.) In an Urban Studies class Dr. Doug Logan invited Tim to tell the students about NEU. One of those students—Christian Michael—asked if we could talk about NEU and his ministry path.
Christian began exploring the idea of planting an inner city church with NEU. Christian joined a NEU Pastors Cohort and continued to talk with our staff long-distance. Last month, he and his wife Cassie and their young son came to Providence (from Nashville) to talk in earnest about applying. They met as many people as we could pack in for three days, we prayed and talked together, and they went home with our exhortation to pray for a week. They applied, we accepted them, and we officially welcomed Christian as a Church Planting Apprentice with NEU.
Christian comes with a strong understanding of street culture, both from his own experience and from his work with the homeless population. He cares deeply for the overlooked and shares our convictions about the need for churches to be at the center of all we do in our inner cities. Christian will continue his studies at Grimké this year, then plans to move to Providence in the late spring.
Please pray for Christian and Cassie as they begin raising support, continue studying at Grimké, and start to make plans for a move.
