(Monday Night Live) Remembered

After a long prayer, we started the Common Ground program at Lee's Chapel in March 2015 to find a way to be the foretaste of a “joyful neighborhood” and to build a model of God’s Kingdom on earth. After some research, we found out that there was a great need for tutoring for the children in the community. We invited the families with children in nearby elementary schools and provided them with free meals and tutoring every Monday evening. While the children are in the tutoring class, parents participate in a music service. Each week, one of 13 different guest bands from diverse cultures and ethnicity such as Filipino, Korean, African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic play music. It has been interesting to witness that the participating guest bands and preachers themselves have said, “This is what the church is supposed to be according to the Revelation!”  They referred to Rev. 7:9-10, “…before me was a great multitude…from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb…and they cried out in a loud voice….” The community leaders also voluntarily got actively involved in the ministry. The social workers of the neighboring elementary schools either joined the church or played a leadership role in the ministry.

The participating parents have more and more enjoyed the tutoring program and the music service in a relaxed, familial atmosphere. Some families started calling the Common Ground service   “my church” and seeing the staff as family. The existing disciples at Lee’s Chapel who volunteered for Common Ground also smoothly found a connecting channel with the community.  Lee’s Chapel congregation has recovered their vitality as disciples of Jesus and become more committed to the mission of transforming the community around the church as they saw the fruits. Lee's Chapel has been growing in number and and in spirit as well. The Common Ground program has strengthened the healthy nature of the church inwardly and also demonstrated how a church dedicated to its mission gets rewarded from God in a higher level of joy.

Monday Nite Live was discontinued after operating five years, in March of 2020, just before Covid-19 would have closed it. It should be remembered as one of the great ministries of Lee's Chapel.