God’s Choice: Churches for Special Needs Individuals

Written by Bethany Dzielski

It’s a typical mid-week service for God’s Choice. Dozens of special needs individuals and their caretakers gather in a church gym. They enjoy a meal, worship led by a team of mostly special needs individuals, a bible teaching, and a craft. Started in 2010, God’s Choice is a church designed for those with special needs and disabilities. The ministry was named based on 1 Samuel 16:7, when Samuel is preparing to anoint David as King, and although David doesn’t look like a king, he is God’s choice.

Open for Business (and Church!)

Entrepreneur-focused church plant launches in Richmond, VA area
Written by Bethany Dzielski

It’s a typical weekday at Real Life Center for Entrepreneurial and Leadership Excellence in Midlothian, Virginia. In a room with expansive windows, entrepreneurs sit at long tables with laptops, their minds churning out business strategies, occasionally looking up to gaze out the windows at a view of the lake. Groups meet over coffee to brainstorm. A young man with a vision and a button-up shirt meets with a smiling leadership mentor.

But on Sunday, team members put away all the tables and set up chairs in their place—preparing for a service at Real Life Church.

A Yearning to Do Something More

New church plant planned in College Park, Georgia
Written by Bethany Dzielski

Andrew Dove used to be an alcoholic who almost took his own life, but today he is preparing to launch CityReach Church College Park in College Park, Georgia in September, 2016.

More than the American Dream

Army Major plants a church in Philadelphia
Written by Bethany Dzielski

Mark Novales grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. He was raised in a Spanish Pentecostal church in an area with a lot of gang activity. At 17 years old, Mark joined the army and shortly afterwards he had an encounter with God and gave his life to the Lord.

At the age of 23, Mark got married and moved to Philadelphia. He and his wife settled into a happy life and had two children.

5 Ways a Couples’ Retreat Can Improve Your Marriage

A couples’ retreat is an event dedicated to improving marriages. Retreats can last anywhere from one day to two weeks, but the most common length of time is a weekend. These retreats are designed to allow couples a break from their daily lives to focus on each other and developing their relationship.

Here’s five benefits of attending a Couples’ Retreat:

Catch the Vision

Pastor Tim Wynn’s journey of pain, redemption, and calling
Written by Bethany Dzielski

After being set free from his painful past, Tim Wynn was called to the ministry, but he experienced frustration and lack of clear direction. Tim joined CityReach Network, caught the church planting vision and the vision for his life and ministry. His life and his church have never been the same.  

“God, If You’re Real, Please Change Me”

Drug dealer’s life radically transformed by the gospel
Written by Bethany Dzielski

Ken Johnson was a drug dealer who found Jesus in a prison chapel, and today he’s the lead pastor at CityReach Church Raleigh, North Carolina.

From a Dope Dealer to a Hope Dealer

Pastor John Alarid to plant CityReach Church Springfield, Missouri
Written by Bethany Dzielski

John Alarid has been many things in his life – a missionary’s son, a drug addict, a gang member, a drug dealer, a fugitive on-the-run, a criminal, and now, thanks to the life-changing power of Jesus, a pastor and church planter. He will be launching CityReach Church Springfield in Springfield, Missouri in March of 2016.

From the Jail Cell to the Pulpit

Pastor Jon Shaffer shares his story
Written by Bethany Dzielski

If you met the well-spoken and clean-cut Jon Shaffer you wouldn’t be surprised that he’s a church planter and pastor of two churches—CityReach Church Braddock and CityReach Church Swissvale. But, you may be surprised to discover that before Jon’s life was transformed by Jesus he was a drug dealer who spent much of his young adult years in and out of prison.

From Drug Dealer to Church Planter

Pastor Anthony Celender’s story of redemption and restoration
Written by Bethany Dzielski 

A former drug addict and drug dealer, after being transformed by the power of Jesus, Pastor Anthony Celender and his wife Ashley returned to the very streets where they used to sell drugs, this time to share something much more powerful and life-changing—the gospel. The couple planted CityReach Church New Kensington, in September of 2014, on one of the worst streets in the area. The story began, however, long before the church opened its doors.