Atlanta area’s Greater Community COGIC is keeping it real courtesy of its thriving Real Relevant And Relational initiative

One thing’s for certain about Pastor Matthew Brown, TH.D. and his distinctly unique congregation of Greater Community Church Of God In Christ.

This longstanding ministry continues to flourish, in large part because inside and outside of the four walls of its sanctuary, this Atlanta-area institution has become a fixture for, you know, keeping it real.

And relevant, mind you.

“Everyone in our church may not be saved, religious, churchy or have been raised or expose to our church culture,” Brown explained during a recent interview with Making Headline News. “Everyone has a definitive need.”

To Brown’s credit, amongst his key emphasis in this, the modern-day church era, is to customarily go to great lengths to ensure that people from various walks of life appropriately possess the needs that would greatly enable them to live and savor a Godly, victorious life.

Powered by GCC’s Kingdom Advantage Training Academy, Real Relevant And Recreational is comprised of the Single Mom’s Ministry, Unmarried Families Initiative, Robotics, Ignite Youth Ministry, and the church’s Annual Regional Health Fair.

WHAT ABOUT GREATER? http://www.greatercommunitycogic.org/

“Kingdom Advantage Training Academy along with several other of these services is an outcome our vision for ministry in our community,” Brown said. “Our belief that churches should be transformational enterprises converting the community into tangible expressions of the kingdom of God is why they were established.”

Under this notable resource, there are what Brown calls “Civic Collaboratives” with the local NAACP chapter as well as the Marietta and Cobb County Police Departments, Atlanta Public School System, and the Southern Christian Leadership Council of Atlanta.

Also, this initiative includes a Sunrise Devotional Prayer Call five days a week (excluding weekends), an initiative known as the Differently Able Ministry, and it conducts a quarterly event called the Cut Up Credit Card Sunday, an economic-based program that is geared largely toward reducing credit card debt while aiding individuals to establish favorable credit scores.

“The combination of these current and developing ministries underscore our ministry operating principle of being real, relevant and relational,” Brown explained. “It is a mantra that emanates from the pressing need for diverse and evolving generations who are faced with daunting challenges of identity, survival and living life on life’s terms.  What’s intriguing to me is that we’re willing to see these prevalent needs and do our best to address them in practical loving ways as we believe Jesus would.”

All things considered, the participation and feedback amongst GCC’s membership have been favorable for the most part, Brown said.

“These unique ministries tap on the many talents of various members from multiple disciplines and professions,” Brown said. “We have good participation from many members as we launch and grow these ministry opportunities for ourselves and the community.”

As for future adjustments under initiative’s umbrella, Brown emphasized that he and his staff are always open to implementing changes that could great enhance such a unique enterprise.

“We’re always adjusting and adapting to recruit more participants, adjust services and remain fresh to the purpose for which they’re created,” he said. “We’ll continue to make changes.”

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Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.