Starting a revolution

By Ruth Schenk| rschenk@secc.org  

Imperfect people are welcome. So are those who don’t normally go to church, those with questions and those with doubt. They are not only welcome—Revolution is made for them.

Josh Burnett, 26, is the preacher of the new church plant. He grew up at Southeast where his dream to start a church began. He was just a teenager when he heard former Senior Minister Bob Russell preach about the historical accuracy of the Bible and saw the light go on in people’s minds.

"I looked around the room, and I could see people understanding. I thought to myself, ‘If Jesus is real and He died for us and left us the mission of taking the amazing news to the world, this is what I want to do with my whole life. I want to convince people that Jesus is who the Bible says He is and lead people to Him.’"

In 2005, Josh graduated from Cincinnati Christian University with a degree in preaching and biblical studies. He married Sarah Jones, who also grew up at Southeast. Five years later, he is leading a church planting team in Annapolis.

"Our goal is to lead people into a revolutionary relationship with Jesus," Josh said. "Revolution is modeled after the way He lived. I believe Jesus is the greatest revolutionary in the history of the universe, and I believe the best way to describe the church is ‘Revolution’ because it changes people’s lives."

Southeast is partnering with the new church plant set in the heart of Annapolis, where only 5-7 percent of the population attends an evangelical church.

Revolution is planted in a place that could be called the tale of two cities. Tourists see yachts, marinas and stately mansions near the historic Naval Academy. But there is another side of Annapolis that many don’t see. It has the highest government housing rate per capita of any city in the U.S. When they first arrived in Annapolis, Josh and Sarah found that a large number of people had no access to nutritious food at a low cost.

Last December 19, 10 months before the launch of the church, they partnered with local schools to find 100 families who needed help, then put together boxes of food with chicken, frozen vegetables and other staples. Deliveries were all mapped out when a blizzard buried the city in 21 inches of snow. That didn’t stop the team.

"People were floored we showed up," Josh said. "We found out that many of the families we met had bare cupboards for Christmas."

Serving the community is in Revolution’s DNA. So is demonstrating grace and creating community.

Revolution is creating a buzz in Annapolis. Those who have received boxes of food from the church are talking. So are those who pulled in for a free car wash or received free water at the Fourth of July parade. So are families who attended one of the many block parties that Revolution has been hosting in local neighborhoods. Now the church is working on starting a food co-op where people can get good, healthy food at an affordable price.

Sarah said people in Annapolis are amazed when she tells them about a "church for people who don’t go to church."

"People say that’s what church should be like," she said.

During a recent conversation, Sarah explained to a new friend that Revolution welcomes questions. One woman said she’d never been allowed to ask questions in church and then began working through her questions with Sarah about the Bible and faith that she’d been thinking about for some time.

Eugene DePorter, who leads U.S. Outreach at Southeast, said Revolution will be a church where influential, wealthy people who own yachts and expensive homes will sit side by side with those from a government housing project.

"Revolution will reach those who have a lot and those who don’t have much," DePorter said.

Worship services will begin on Oct. 24 at the Lowes Annapolis Hotel on West Street.

Short-term teams have been helping with the prelaunch.

"Support from Southeast has been huge," Josh said. "We would be spending a lot more of our time fundraising instead of focusing on people."

DePorter said most church plants are on a four- to five-year time frame as Southeast provides financial support, leadership and gives them a chance to grow up as a church so they can provide for themselves financially.

"In the beginning, when many don’t have leaders within the church, an external leadership team works with them to train an internal leadership team until they elect their own elders," he said.

"I dream of a church where people are discovering God for the first time, exploring God and faith," Josh said. "Revolution is for people of every generation and ethnicity. We want Revolution to be a safe place where people ask questions and find answers about God."

To learn more about Revolution, visit www.revolutionannapolis.com.