Docusen Family Update – October 2023

Docusen Family Update – October 2023

Friends & fam …

Dara and I are twenty-one years into our calling to choose Jesus and share his love with others. As you’ll read in this update, God is still captivating our hearts and imagination.

Thanks to everyone who has supported our ministry over the years. We have seen God do some amazing things this year and we continue to take some big steps of faith. We are learning so much in this season. The Neighborliness Center and Winston Salem Community Church are the fifth and sixth nonprofit organizations that we have started in the last fifteen years.

God is using this season to show me that he will never stop asking us to take steps of faith in order to bring beautiful things into this world. This includes putting ourselves in positions that feel uncertain and, at times, pretty scary. But we know God is faithful and we are seeing amazing fruit in this season.

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support. I hope you’ll be encouraged by this update.

THE NEIGHBORLINESS CENTER
We took a huge step of faith in August to bring on Chris Ramos as the president of The Neighborliness Center. He brings a unique skill set to our team that will allow me to shift into the role of Founder & CEO. I will be focusing on speaking, teaching, writing and spreading the message of neighborliness.

Chris comes from The Polis Institute in Orlando, FL – a leading research organization that measures the impact and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. We have developed a three-month strategic planning process for churches, businesses, and organizations to engage their communities (click here to download the Kingdom Come Strategic Plan).We are working with megachurches to church plants across the country, as well as some of the largest networks of pastors in the world.

Locally, we are working on the pilot for our first family-centered program that will give access to tools needed to break the cycle of generational poverty. Click here to learn more about The Neighborliness Center.

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WINSTON SALEM COMMUNITY CHURCH
We are laying the foundation for a church that will love and serve our community for generations to come. Dara has been leading the way on all of the day-to-day activities and details of the church and she was recently ordained as a minister. She’s thriving as she continues to express her call to love and serve. A unique element of our community is that we have students from 23 countries who have come to Winston Salem to pursue athletic and educational opportunities. It is our joy to share the simplicity and power of the Gospel week in and week out with these amazing students and families. Click here to read more about WSCC.

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SPEAKING, TEACHING, AND WRITING
I have released two books, Neighborliness and Tomorrow & the Days to Come: A Guide for Your First Steps of Faith in the past year. Neighborliness continues to be used as a guide for churches to explore how to embody the presence of Jesus in their community. We developed a FREE Video Group Study that is being used by small groups and teams across the world.

Tomorrow & the Days to Come has become a resource for individuals and churches to help new believers explore their first steps of faith. We are exploring options to translate this resource into various languages. We have priced the book at a level that entire churches and organizations can buy them to teach and train people to walk alongside new believers in their community. We have had bulk orders from church plants to some of the largest churches/nonprofit orgs in the world. All praise to God for the way people are responding to this devotional for new believers. Click here to see more about these books.

I have shifted my speaking schedule to include churches that we are working with to develop strategic plans, conferences, and networks of pastors. The primary season of speaking is geared toward teaching and training pastors and organizational leaders on how to effectively engage their communities.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to teach as an adjunct professor for Southeastern University and SoCal School of Ministry. I keep 1-2 classes per semester on my calendar and it’s a joy to train current and future ministers of the gospel.

Click here to learn more about Docusen Ministries, our nonprofit that covers all of my teaching, speaking, and writing.

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FAMILY UPDATE
Our move to Winston Salem has been amazing for our family. Our children are thriving and God has been so faithful. Max is a sophomore at Southeastern University (Lakeland, FL) studying ministry. Mary is a freshman at Vanguard University (Costa Mesa, CA) studying communications. Jack and Ben are in their junior and freshman years of high school at Winston Salem Christian School and they are finishing up their varsity soccer season (they are on same team, which has been so fun). Dara was recently ordained as a minister and is thriving in her role at the church, while building a strong community of friends here in our new city.

We have an amazing community who share the same passion to serve. However, this season has been filled with questions often associated with starting new things. How does God provide for our family and a growing team? As our ministry scales across the world, we feel the uncertainty of the days ahead. We rarely know the answer to that question, but we are certain that God has called us to take steps of faith to create something new for the kingdom of God.

Please continue to pray with us for God’s provision. If you would like to support our family with a one-time or recurring gift, click here.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023

  • We were awarded a six-figure grant to develop an artificial-turf soccer field on our campus. We will host an after-school program, teaching soccer and literacy to kids in the community surrounding our property. A very public announcement will be coming soon from the granting organization (can’t wait to share this one with you).
  • Plans are coming together for the first physical location of The Neighborliness Center. This will be a 50,000 square foot community center that will give families holistic care by offering access to education, employment, healthcare, and housing. We are finalizing architectural renderings and plans for our capital campaign and this will be released in 2024.
  • We have welcomed an exchange student, Matteo, to our home for the 2023-2024 school year. He is a joy to have in our home and he has taught us that our version of spaghetti is, “Very good, but not spaghetti.” My prayer is that he would feel the warmth and hospitality of Christ during his time with our family.

I Never Thought We Would Plant Another Church

I Never Thought We Would Plant Another Church

I never thought we would plant another church. And then we fell in love with a community on North Patterson Avenue.

See below … the story of a new gospel community that is forming in Winston Salem, NC.


 

“Could this be our new home?” It was the summer of 2021, and Dara and I had recently discerned that our season in Charlotte was coming to a close. Our hearts were open to whatever God had next for us as we traveled to thirty-one states sharing the message of Jesus during the previous eighteen months. In each new town, we would ask ourselves (and God) this question.

We never would have guessed our new home would be an hour away in Winston Salem.

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One step that felt completely clear was to join the family at Winston Salem Christian School. Our kids fell in love with the school immediately when we drove on the campus. Dara and I were drawn in as Dr. Bryan Wolfe (the head of school), told us about his vision to offer Christian education to any family, no matter their financial situation or background. He described a community that has students from every continent except Antarctica. The school feels like a glimpse of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Our hearts aligned with Dr. Wolfe’s vision so much that he gave me a key to the building and offered me an empty office. “I believe in what you’re doing,” he said. “Come up whenever you want and work from here.” His act of generosity opened a door to an entire community of faculty, staff, administration, and students who welcomed us with open arms.

The architectural centerpiece of the campus is a seven-hundred seat church building with a steeple that reaches over one-hundred feet into the sky. “The church building isn’t used in the evenings or on the weekends,” Dr. Wolfe said. “Feel free to use it for anything you want.”

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The clock was winding down toward another victory for our girls’ basketball team (ranked number one in North Carolina and number six in the nation) when God opened my eyes. The gymnasium was full of people that we had come to know and love. Many of them were open to matters of faith but would not profess to be followers of Jesus. There are over five hundred churches in Winston Salem, but for whatever reason, many of our new friends did not feel connected to any of them. Some were disinterested. Others were simply done with church, but still found Jesus to be beautiful.

I sent a text to a small group of friends. “What if we just start making breakfast on Sunday mornings for the students who don’t have family in Winston Salem?” I continued, “Then we can do worship and teaching for anyone who wants to stick around after we eat and hang out for a while.”

The response was unanimous. “Let’s do it.”

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We have gathered three weeks in a row on Sunday mornings. It’s a simple gathering of family and friends who are choosing to explore what it means to build a gospel community. We are gathering around five elements: meals, worship, prayer, teaching, and neighborliness. We have a church name—Winston Salem Community Church—but we haven’t even shared that publicly until I just typed this sentence. We are a new community of friends who are choosing to do life together and share the message of Jesus with anyone who wants to come alongside us on the journey.

I have a picture in my head that I long to see come to life. The auditorium is full of people worshiping God. Miracles are happening because our faith is high. We gather for worship and then are sent out into our community as a people called and anointed in our vocation, school, and whatever makes up our daily lives. We are a blessing to the community surrounding our school that has been overlooked and marginalized for far too long. We are the people of God, called to a particular time and place, among a particular people. I can see it so clearly when I close my eyes.

When I open my eyes, however, we are a group of 30-40 people on any given week, meeting in The Campus Grill on the Winston Salem Christian School campus. There are no bells and whistles. Just breakfast, friendship, and the presence of Jesus. 

We fell in love with a community on North Patterson Avenue. The same community that welcomed us into their arms is now welcoming others, as well. If you’d like to be a part of the early days of this gospel community, we would love to have you with us. What we lack in fanciness we make up for in a sincere desire to love God and neighbors. 

I never thought we would plant another church. Turns out, the church was here far before we arrived on North Patterson Avenue.


 

If you want to join us, we meet every Sunday at The Campus Grill (lower parking lot) at Winston Salem Christian School. Breakfast at 9am. Worship and teaching at 10am.

If you want to support our new church family, tax-deductible donations can be made online at www.wscommunity.church. Physical checks can be sent to Winston Salem Community Church, 3665 North Patterson Avenue, Winston Salem, NC 27105

Global Pentecostalism Center Fall Lecture – Lakeland, FL

Global Pentecostalism Center Fall Lecture – Lakeland, FL

I am presenting the fall lecture for the Global Pentecostalism Center at Southeastern University tonight at 7pm (EST) and there’s a word burning in my spirit. I believe our christian witness is at stake. The world is watching the way the Church has responded to cultural issues over the past two years.

We inhabit time and place in this unique season in our culture. We have an opportunity to engage our community and embrace conversations about race and economics in our communities in a way that will open doors to share the motivation of our love. As our culture grows farther apart, the evidence of the healing message of Jesus will be unity and practical expressions of love toward our neighbors across dividing lines.

We are called, anointed, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do great work and embody the message of Jesus in our communities. I hope you can join us as we learn to love like Jesus, cross dividing lines, and transform our communities.

FREE RESOURCES FOR CHURCHES & ORGANIZATIONS 

 

A New Season for the Docusens

A New Season for the Docusens

Have you ever had a season of life that turned out completely different than you envisioned?

We aren’t promised floodlights on the pathway to God’s purpose for our lives. We are promised a lamplight to guide one or two steps at a time. Psalm 119:105 (NLT) says, “God’s Word is a lamp to guide your feet and a light for your path.”

Our family moved an hour down the road from Charlotte to Winston Salem, NC one year ago. I have spent the past year meeting new friends, colleagues in ministry, and residents of our new hometown. Each step along the way has been illuminated by our time spent with Jesus in his Word. Even when it’s been confusing or painful to leave the familiarity we knew in Charlotte in exchange for the unknown of a new city, God’s call was our anchor. Honestly, the move really didn’t make much sense until our friendship with Dr. Bryan Wolfe (Head of School) and the Winston Salem Christian School family began to grow deeper the past few months.

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Have you ever had a season of life that you wanted to fast-forward
or eject from completely when it was confusing? How did you respond?

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A NEW HOME FOR OUR MINISTRY 

WSCS is the rare private school that is a majority-minority school.

We were drawn to the fact that they do everything they can to provide aid for students from all economic backgrounds to receive a Christ-centered education. I was personally drawn to Dr. Wolfe’s vision for WSCS to be a blessing to the entire neighborhood surrounding the school.

Located on North Patterson Avenue – a main road that leads directly into Downtown Winston Salem – WSCS sits alongside a main road surrounded by a beautiful community that has been overlooked by many in our city. Where many see a lower average family income and older buildings, the team at WSCS sees a community full of neighbors created in the image of God.

My heart was full of joy when Dr. Wolfe offered us space on their campus to become the new home for our organization, The Neighborliness Center. We moved into a simple office on the second floor of the property about a month ago. It’s been a joy to have faculty, staff, administration, and students stop by throughout the day to talk with us and simply be together.

I have had the joy of meeting with countless members of the community, nonprofit organizations, and business leaders across our community. We are starting to understand the strengths of the surrounding neighborhoods and where we might fit to love and serve our neighbors.

A gospel community is forming.

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WORSHIP, PRAYER, AND GOSPEL COMMUNITY 

A group of friends have been joining us for prayer and worship in the 700-seat auditorium on campus. We know that whatever God has in mind for our community will be discovered through intimate times with Him. I sat back with tears in my eyes as I heard the voices of my friends fill the room. No agenda other than to enjoy the presence of Jesus with people we have grown to love.

Dr. Wolfe and I are prayerfully exploring ways to continue developing Christ-centered community on campus. The spiritual roots of WSCS are 43 years deep in Winston Salem and we are benefiting from seeds planted by many that came before us. Our conversations include finding ways to holistically engage the surrounding neighborhood with practical expressions of love. One step at a time, the Lord continues to open doors for us to shine and share the light of Christ.

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We moved to Winston Salem because we felt like God clearly directed us to leave a city we loved, Charlotte, to step into the unknown call to love and serve our neighbors in Winston Salem. I am so grateful for the lamp of God’s word. The future never seemed to make much sense as we were exploring our new city. There were many sleepless nights staring at the ceiling wondering if we had made the right decision. However, each step led us toward a vibrant community on North Patterson Avenue. There’s no way we could have written this story, but God knew all along.

We have some exciting things to share in the upcoming weeks and months about things we have been working on behind the scenes. We have a new office and a new location and a new season of ministry for the Docusen family. We are grateful, excited, and ready to take our next steps toward enjoying gospel community with our new friends.

If you have experienced a season of confusion, disappointment, and uncertainty as you follow the call of the Lord, keep holding on. If we would have traded in the uncertainty of this season for the familiarity of the past, we would have never seen the miraculous doors God has opened. I can’t wait to share these miracles with you soon. Keep holding on to God in the season of uncertainty.

One of the names of God is Immanuel, and it means God is with you. Keep holding on and trusting that the same God that called you into the season of uncertainty is the one who promises to faithfully lead you into his promise.

Neighborliness Video Group Study (FREE Resource)

Neighborliness Video Group Study (FREE Resource)

The Neighborliness Video Group Study is designed for your church small group, leadership team, or group of friends. All you need is a facilitator and a place to meet. Simply hit play and I will lead your group in a one hour discussion from my living room in North Carolina to wherever you’re meeting across the world. We will discuss relevant cultural topics and lead you into deeper relationships across dividing lines.

Neighborliness points straight to Jesus and his love and leads us into relationships with others. Each group includes:

  • Conversation starter to get the group warmed up.
  • Five-minute teaching on a passage of scripture + twelve minutes of group conversation.
  • Two separate five-minute teachings/thoughts from me about specific content from the book + ten minutes for group conversation on each topic.
  • Closing thought from me that sets up the next week’s gathering.

Register FREE at www.neighborliness.com.

Neighborliness on Good Morning America

Neighborliness on Good Morning America

“I don’t want to make you nervous,” Courtney (producer at GMA3) said to me, “but four million people will be watching this interview.” We both laughed. “Honestly,” I replied, “I’m not super nervous, I’m just ready to share this message that burns so deep in my heart to see our culture unified across dividing lines.” I might be nervous tomorrow. Today, I’m grateful and ready.

It’s still so surreal that this is happening. We adapted the content of the interview on this call because of the mass shooting & tragic loss of life in Buffalo. Courtney asked me if it would be ok if they start the interview asking how we can heal as a nation in light of so much division and violence. I told her that my answer would include pointing directly to Jesus. She said that’s just fine.

I’m grateful for so many who have been praying alongside us. God has opened this door and I’m excited to walk through it. Thanks for praying alongside us. All glory to God for what he’s done and will do with this opportunity.

You can watch the the interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EnXklJNu9E.