Neighborhood Christian Center Opens Impressive New Facilities in Memphis

A fever pitch of excitement filled the air on August 26-a hot Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee. Even though temperature and humidity pushed the heat index beyond 100 degrees, the weather didn't matter much. For JoeAnn and Monroe Ballard, gathered with friends, colleagues, and trophies of grace from their ministry, this was a never-to-beforgotten day of dedication and official opening of the New Neighborhood Christian Center. A day to remember the years of productive ministry and a day to express a strong faith in the future.

The main purpose of this event was to dedicate to the Lord's use a 24,000-squarefoot building strategically located at 785 North Jackson Avenue on the border of the Uptown Memphis revitalization project. The facility is a $4.1 million building with zero debt-a building that enhances every ministry of the Neighborhood Christian Center and makes room for more. The building inspired Memphis City Councilwoman Barbara Swearengen Holt to tell the crowd, "God has delivered this building to be used for His glory." More than 500 attended the event.

August 26 was a day to celebrate the significance of compassion in Memphis, in the church and in the world. Think of its drawing power. Compassion assists the poor, the destitute, the sick, and the dying. Compassion provides phenomenal satisfaction to the one who shows it to others. Compassion expresses our faith and authenticates our message. And almost any sampling of Scripture shows how God motivates and rewards those who offer compassion to those in need.

August 26 was a day to celebrate God's faithfulness, a day that opened incredible new possibilities for their well-established ministry to the poor of Memphis. A day when dignitaries and donors and persons who had been transformed by this ministry gathered to thank God for NCC and to commit to an even brighter future.

Forty years on the front lines

Forty years ago, JoeAnn moved to Memphis after graduating from the Nazarene Bible College in Institute, West Virginia. She was sent with the hope that she could reopen the South Church of the Nazarene by starting a Sunday School ministry. Her salary was $80 per month-half went for room and board, the other half was spent on the needs of others. Early on she learned her philosophy of ministry-how do you present Christ to a hungry man? How do you share Christ with a woman who can't pay her utility bill? And how do you offer hope to a teenager who only sees shame and poverty in her future?

It was through her church work that JoeAnn met and married a young school teacher, Monroe Ballard, who shared her vision for helping needy people.

Soon after their marriage, a ministry was born when Monroe noticed a girl in his class named Laura whose clothing was threadbare and who always seemed hungry. She had a good attitude and a fine mind but was distracted by her problems.

The Ballards invited Laura to their home for the weekend. They fed her, took her shopping and to church. Word spread throughout the hurting Black community and soon JoeAnn was serving twenty or more for Sunday dinner. Each weekend their home was filled with overnight guests.

That's when the children started coming-it seemed from everywhere. Though the Ballards eventually had a family of four children of their own, they have taken in 55 foster children and many others who just needed help. In fact, the number of children who have lived at least one year in the Ballard's home totals 75. JoeAnn and Monroe are especially proud of how many of these children have finished college and how many are now faithfully involved in the church.

In 1978, local churches and agencies in Memphis saw a need for an urban neighborhood center to support and expand what JoeAnn and Monroe were already doing. So Neighborhood Christian Center (NCC) was started and JoeAnn was asked to serve as the director.

Many ministries to meet specific needs

NCC is committed to developing the whole person through tutoring, mentoring, college prep, arts/cultural activities, money management training, career guidance, Biblical teaching, and assistance with food, clothing or finance. Every program is tied to this often stated purpose: "Changing a generation . . . one life at a time." A partial list of present programs that help demonstrate the breadth of their service include CAPS (College Assistance for Students), Club Rec (organized recreation program for children from six nearby schools), NCC arts; T.R.U.T.H. Seekers (after school Bible studies for ages 5-18); Love Builders (Marriage Enrichment); W.O.E (Helps for single mothers); Food Pantry, and Clothes Closet.

And though NCC served approximately 100,000 persons per year before the new building was constructed, it is expected that the new facility will enable NCC to serve an additional 2,500 families each year. The new facilities make it possible to form partnerships with the Urban Child Institute and the University of Memphis to help preschool age children and to expand tutoring, recreational, and performing arts programs.

Starting Black Churches

In keeping with NCC's goal to provide compassionate, Christ-centered ministry to the practical and spiritual needs of the city's poor, the Ballards keep actively involved in starting new churches, reviving dying churches, and recruiting pastors for the new works. Ten Nazarene works with a combined average attendance of 750 are being served by pastors and staff persons whom the Ballards have won or influenced through their ministry at NCC. Five of those ten works are churches that have been organized the last six years and two are church type missions.

Doing the work of Jesus now

Many dimensions of what Christ asked His disciples to do is being lived out in practical ministry to needy persons in Memphis through NCC's ministries. Go through the various teachings our Master left us in Scripture.

At the earthly launch of His ministry, Jesus challenged His hearers to preach good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed.

In the sheep and goats parable, our Lord spoke about giving food, drink, clothing, friendship, and about visiting the lonely, the sick and those who are prisoners; and near the end of the teaching, He offers those amazingly inclusive words, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (25:40)

Look at the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus called those who would follow Him to wholehearted commitment to the Great Commandment and to a life of showing mercy, mercy meaning any help you are able to do in the name of Jesus for someone in need.

Or think about the Great Commission which charges us to go, make disciples and nurture them in everything we have received from God. NCC's involvement in starting churches and reviving dying churches certainly fits that directive.

by Neil B. Wiseman