The Radical Experiment

 

Birmingham Initiatives

In March we kicked off our Radical Experiment Initiatives for Birmingham to address urgent spiritual and physical needs right around us. Our focus in the Birmingham area is the East Lake/Gate City community. We are seeking to mobilize Small Groups into relational disciple-making opportunities with local residents through the initiatives below.

Birmingham Initiatives Training

Birmingham Initiatives Training is designed to equip Small Groups and individuals with the knowledge needed to serve in poverty stricken areas. Participants will learn the Biblical mandate for serving the poor, as well as practical do's and don'ts for engaging the community. This is a hands-on training that will assist participants in building disciple-making relationships with those they come in contact with.

If you or your Small Group is interested in the training, please contact Jennifer Bearden at or call 313-7790 to schedule it.

 

Opportunities

  • Elementary Tutoring Team - This team helps coordinate and support tutoring for children in Gate City and East Lake who need additional help with homework and/or various subjects. Contact Betsy Parker at .

  • Middle School Tutoring Team - This team helps coordinate and support tutoring for middle school students and athletes who need additional support with subjects like Math and English at Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School in East Lake. Contact Josh Bowen at .

  • Volunteer Coach/Team Care - This team recruits and coordinates volunteers to assist the coach at Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School with their various athletic teams and to provide support for team meals. Contact Ryan Fee at .

  • Lovelady Center Mentoring Women - This team coordinates opportunities for women to mentor women at The Lovelady Center who have earned the privilege of a mentor. Contact Dawn Stephens at .

  • Health Fair Team - This team helps organize and host Health Fairs in order to minister to residents needs and help facilitate friendship building with local partners. Contact Jessica Space at .

  • "Jobs for Life" Workshop - This team helps coordinate and lead the “Jobs For Life” curriculum-driven workshop to help prepare unemployed residents for job interviewing, a biblical work ethic, and hopefully consistent employment. Contact Ben Deloach at .

  • Work Day Team - This team will be called upon to support local partners as needed, especially local churches, who have specific needs that can be supported in a one time workday such as painting, cleaning, construction, minor repairs, etc. Contact Andrew Whitehead at .

  • Economic and Housing Development Team - This team works with staff to begin to craft strategies to address short-term and long-term economic and housing development issues for residents with whom we are building disciple-making relationships. They also seek to facilitate interviews for participants in the Jobs for Life workshop. Contact Sammy Campbell at .

  • Minor House Repair Team - This team helps address minor housing repairs of residents, especially seniors and widows, with whom our people are building disciple-making relationships. Contact Don Acton at .

  • Senior Ministry Team - This team ministers to individual seniors at various facilities in East Lake and Gate City and helps coordinate regular or special activities and Bible studies with them. Contact Owen Peak at .

  • Small Group Development Team - This team works with the Brook Hills staff to help coordinate and start weekly Small Groups in the homes or apartments of residents in East Lake or Gate City by members of our faith family who are not relocating to the community. Contact Keith Stanley at .

  • Gate City/East Lake BYBC Team - This team coordinates all Rock-The-Block BYBC’s in the Gate City and East Lake areas. Contact Josh or Staci Caldwell at .

  • Preaching/Teaching Team - This team will be called upon to support our local partners in specific preaching and teaching opportunities related to their ministries. Contact Deric Thomas at .

  • Relocating Families Team - Families are encouraged to pray about moving to the East Lake area to become positive influences to advance the gospel in word and deed. Contact Ben Deloach at .

Why East Lake/Gate City?

Here are some startling facts about this community--right here in Birmingham:

  • 73% of Gate City family households with kids are led by a single adult (East Lake, 71%)
  • 34% of Households make less than $20,000 a year (15% less than $10,000)
  • 93% of all students in Gate City and East Lake qualify for federal discount/free lunch program
  • 62% of grandparents are responsible for grandchildren in East Lake
  • 41% of men are unemployed
  • 51% of women are unemployed
  • 29% of the working population in East Lake are on disability
As a faith family, we urge you to begin to pray this week for the East Lake/Gate City community:
  • Pray for favor among the people in these areas as we begin to build relationships with residents.
  • Pray for guidance and open doors with people and partners that we can join in making disciples.
  • Pray that God will call some of us to move to the East Lake area to be His feet and hands in the community.

Watch or listen  to the "Fear or Faith?" message from March 7 and "Love God, Love People" message from March 14 to learn more about the Local Radical Experiment initiative in Birmingham.